Sansa Stark - Sansa was struck with the idea of marrying Joffrey Baratheon in season one, episode one. She continued to believe this fairy tale up until the moment that Joffrey ordered the beheading of her father, Eddard Stark. From that point, she drifted in a funk, deferring to Joffrey as her betrothed, even when he makes her gaze upon her father’s head spiked on the castle walls. At this point, Joffrey turns to Sansa and says that he will kill her brother, Robb, and present her with his head as a present. Sansa looks him in the eyes and replies “Or maybe he'll give me yours.” This appears to be the turning point from the meek Sansa to the strong Sansa.

When Loras Tyrell offers Joffrey the hand of his sister, Margaery, in marriage, Sansa is relieved of that vile destiny. However, Tywin Lannister, head of House Lannister, then decrees that Sansa marry his son Tyrion, also known as the Imp because he is a dwarf. The offspring of this union would become the rightful heir to Winterfell and House Stark. However, Tyrion, in a preview of his true character, refuses to take Sansa to his bed without her consent (much to the dismay of father Tywin.)

At the wedding feast of Joffrey and Margaery, Joffrey meets his fate with poisoned wine served him by Tyrion. Cersei immediately accuses her brother, Tyrion, whom she hates, with the crime and, by association, Sansa. However, as Joffrey lay in the throws of death, Sansa was spirited away by an agent of Littlefinger to his ship. He then transports her to the Vale of Arryn and the Eyrie where her aunt, Lysa, serves as the Lady of the Vale. Lysa suggests that, after Tyrion is executed for Joffrey’s murder, Sansa can marry her cousin, Robin.

After Littlefinger receives a message via raven, he takes Sansa on an unknown carriage journey. Along the way they encounter Brienne of Tarth at an inn where they stop for lunch. Brienne declares for Sansa but Littfinger talks Sansa into declining her service. As they approach the ruins of Moat Cailin, Littlefinger reveals to Sansa that he his taking her to marry Ramsey Bolton. She is understandably reluctant to marry the family that betrayed hers (at the Red Wedding) and now holds Winterfell as their own; however, Littlefinger convinces her that this is her chance to avenge her family.

While at Winterfell, she encounters Theon Greyjoy, one-time ward of Ned Stark and betrayer of Robb Stark. On her wedding night, Ramsey orders Theon to stay and witness Sansa “become a woman”. From this point, Sansa realizes the monster that Littlefinger has married her to. Later Sansa learns from Theon that he did not murder her two younger brothers but instead two farm boys that he presented as Bran and Rickon. Thus it is that Sansa, with the help of Theon, makes her escape from Winterfell while the Ramsays are busy slaughtering Stannis Baratheon’s army which has come south from Castle Black.

Unfortunately, Ramsay’s hounds (these appear to be bloodhounds rather than the mastiffs) hunt them down. As they are about to be recaptured, up rides Brienne and her squire, Podrick Payne, to their rescue. Theon even musters enough cojones to stab one of the men in the back before he kills Sansa. Brienne once again offers her sword in service to Sansa and this time is accepted. Theon takes a horse to return to Pyke while Sansa, Brienne and Podrick proceed to Castle Black to meet up with Jon Snow. On their journey, Brienne reveals that she crossed paths with her sister, Arya, in the company of the Hound, at the Vale.

While dining with Jon, Brienne and Podrick, a messenger arrives from Ramsay Bolton demanding the Wildings and Sansa. He also reveals that he has their brother Rickon. This hardens Sansa and Jon’s resolve to oust the Boltons from Winterfell and so they set out to recruit as many of the Stark bannermen as remain. They are only successful in raising a few hundred including 62 from House Mormont.

In a secret meeting with Littlefinger, Sansa rejects the support of the Vale. However, on realizing the meagerness of their forces, she secretly writes Littlefinger for their knights. In The Battle of the Bastards, Sansa sits her horse and watches as the battle quickly moves in Ramsay’s favor. Just as it appears that the end is nigh, Littlefinger, with the Knights of the Vale crest the hill with horns blaring and take the day.

Jon pursues Ramsay back to Winterfell and, after entering Winterfell and confronting Ramsay, Jon is stopped from pounding Ramsay’s face to mush by a look from Sansa. In the final scene of the episode, Ramsay is tied to a chair in the dog kennel with Sansa gazing through the bars. Looking at his bloody face she tells him, “Your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear.” As his hounds devour him from the face down, Sansa turns and walks away with a smile on her face, some might say a smirk.

In the final scene of the final episode, Sansa sits at Jon’s side in the Hall of Winterfell surrounded by Stark bannermen. As Lady Lyana Mormont chastises the lords for their weakness and names him King in the North, Sansa looks on him with pride. However, as the scene ends, she meets Littlefinger’s gaze and her smile fades.