31 Things We Learned from the Game of Thrones Women

Credit: Helen Sloan/HBO

3. You have to trust yourself more than anyone else.

Sansa Stark

Perhaps Sansa’s biggest character flaw is her readiness to trust others. We’ve seen it time and time again with her. Ned was privy to that same folly, and it led to his death. As early as Season 1, this naivete ate away at Sansa. She trusted Joffrey to love her, and she trusted Cersei to take care of her. As a result, Sansa penned the letter to Robb that called their father traitor, and she was a prisoner in King’s Landing for years afterward.

Then came Petyr Baelish, whose own selfish agenda wasn’t initially obvious enough to Sansa. She believed that his “enduring love” (read: obsession) for Catelyn compelled him to be honorable, and that he had Sansa’s best interests at heart as a result. Instead, he sold her off to Ramsay Bolton and left her alone. While I for one don’t believe Petyr thought she was in danger, he’s still using her to meet his own ends. He wants the throne, and he wants Sansa. Thankfully, his latest indiscretion seems to have destroyed their relationship for good. Sansa may be done with him, but Petyr is still around. So fingers crossed that soon, the ultimate player will be played next year.