25 reasons we’re naming Sansa Stark the Queen in the North

12. She understands loyalty

Starks and loyalty go hand in hand. It’s pretty much a staple of Northern values. Everyone up there is constantly touting the bonds between northern houses, and how important it is to honor allegiances. Sansa knows this too, as it was her suggestion to take Jon around the North and ask the Houses to fight for Winterfell. Although many of them fail to assist, the loyalty comes rushing back during the second coronation of the King in the North (“The Winds of Winter”). We have Lyanna Mormont to thank for calling out the Lords for their laziness.

However, the scene featured here shows another character who holds faithfulness near to her heart: Brienne of Tarth. Lady Brienne has tried to rescue Sansa from her ‘captors’ once before in Season 5’s “The House of Black and White,” but her services were refused. It only takes Sansa nine episodes to realize Brienne isn’t going anywhere. She pledged an oath to her mother and is willing to do anything to keep her word. It was touching to see Sansa accept Lady Brienne’s oath in Season 6’s “The Red Woman,” in nearly the same manner Catelyn did.

Even though Pod assisted her with the exact phrasing of the oath, in this scene, we finally see Sansa become Lady Stark once again.