Game of Thrones season 8: 5 last-minute Sansa Stark predictions

Sophie Turner, Gwendoline Christie, Daniel Portman. Photo Credit: Helen Sloane/HBO

Sansa will become Queen in the North

Almost everyone in Westeros – and many Game of Thrones viewers – has consistently underestimated Sansa Stark. But it’s highly likely that they’re all going to see how wrong they were by series’ end.

Because they’ll all be calling her Queen in the North by then.

Some fans are hedging their bets by simply guessing that Sansa will be named Wardeness of the North by Jon or Daenerys once they take the Iron Throne. But the idea of giving Winterfell, the North and everything it means to the Stark heritage to Sansa in her own right seems much more fitting.

This elevation in status is not just the best outcome for Sansa, it’s the best one for her people, too. And maybe all of Westeros. The eldest Stark daughter has been on a clear journey over the course of the show, from naïve, petulant teen to strong, compassionate leader. She’s learned how to play the game of politics and she’s realized what really matters to her – family and justice. She’s assembled a loyal squad to back her up in her Stark siblings and Brienne. And she’s realized something her father never got the chance to teach her – with great power comes great responsibility.

Once, Sansa wanted to be a princess with fancy dresses and adorable royal children. Now, she’s realized that to be in charge means taking care of others and working to improve their lives. It’s Sansa who worries about how to feed her people through the impending winter. She’s the one working to stockpile grain. And it’s also the Lady of Winterfell who’s working to build and secure alliances with the other Northern families through diplomacy and compromise — two words we’re guessing are not entirely clear for any of the major power players.

She’d be an amazing leader for the North – or for Westeros entirely, come to that. (Though I don’t think it will.) So here’s hoping Game of Thrones lets her try in the end.

Game of Thrones returns for its final season Sunday, April 14 on HBO.