6

Winterfell has been a part of the North (capital of the North) and the home to the Starks (for over 8000 years). They've been a part of the Seven Kingdoms for probably a lot of years (if not centuries - but I am not sure of this). It has been under King Robert Baratheon's and before that under the Mad King's rule.

So why is Sansa so hell-bent on trying to have Winterfell as a free kingdom in Game of Thrones season 8? Even after Daenerys helped Winterfell against the White Walkers, she refused to bend the knee and even in the last episode, she requested for an individual kingdom citing "her men have died defending the kingdoms from White Walkers and those that survive are too distressed to again be under anyone's rule".

Bran now being the king of the Six Kingdoms wouldn't be a threat to Winterfell and the North wouldn't really mind-bending knee to a Stark who rules all the kingdoms.

Yes, Winterfell faced Theon's usurping, the battle of the bastards, the long night war and probably a lot of other things, but a lot of the other kingdoms down south have faced war, and yet none of them want to be separated from under the Kings Landing banner.

What is Sansa's concern? Why does she want Winterfell to be independent?

Improve this question
5
  • 15
    What do you mean all of a sudden. The North wanted independence from S02 with Robb Stark
    – KharoBangdo
    May 20, 2019 at 6:24
  • 4
    Oh I don't think i ever realised that.. but why would they want to be independent - if its because of the ruler on the iron throne in S2, I get it.. but now with a "Just" Bran - why do they still want to be independent ?
    – Anu7
    May 20, 2019 at 6:30
  • 1
    Because there's an opportunity now. She tried to convince Jon to maintain the North's independence, but he was too stubborn and loved-up. She has simply seen an opportunity to try again, with someone less stubborn.
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    May 20, 2019 at 17:15
  • I read up a bit on this and it looks like Winterfell (and rest of the 6 kingdoms) have been a part of the seven kingdoms ever since the Targs took over Kings Landing. Thats from 2BC-1AC to almost 305AC (to date) - so thats 300 years of being under rule of the realm.
    – Anu7
    May 21, 2019 at 5:21
  • No Sansa hate, I love her arc and all this season, but just wondered if it was more for selfish reasons (the fact that she could be queen). Winterfell has always been a powerplayer in the 7 kingdoms, always close to the iron throne. Don't know what all this was about (also i do know they faced 2 wars and 1 usurping, but I dont see the connection of it to an independent kingdom ).
    – Anu7
    May 21, 2019 at 5:26

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
8

It's not about Sansa. She knows her people and explains that they won't accept a Southern ruler. She says:

I love you, little brother, I always will. You'll be a good king.

But tens of thousands of Northmen fell in the Great War defending all of Westeros. And those who survived have seen too much and fought too hard to ever kneel again.

Sansa might be willing to live under the rule of Bran the Broken. But the Northmen have sacrificed enough for the 7 kingdoms and they think they deserve their independence.

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    +1 So it isn't anything selfish or fact that she wants to be independent hence a queen ?? No prejudice against sansa but asking..
    – Anu7
    May 20, 2019 at 14:14
  • 3
    @Anu7 She's a good enough politician now that it's hard to say what her real motives are, but there's probably an element of that. Mostly, I think she just knows that coming home as a "Queen in the North", having succeeded in winning back their independence, would win her a lot of credit and trust from the northern lords, therefore making her job a lot easier and her position more secure.
    – user56reinstatemonica8
    May 20, 2019 at 17:18
  • 2
    +1 "Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark" - It's hard to go back from that, when all the Northern houses are in agreement.
    – Geobits
    May 20, 2019 at 18:01
1

It's not clear that Sansa was "hell bent" on that decision. She made her case, no-one objected... Maybe she was just taking the opportunity that presented itself. A chance to be a queen of an independent North, the one who will go down in history as freeing it, and with the loyalty of the other Northern houses virtually guaranteed.

Improve this answer
2
  • Its quite literally implied all through out the season. She didn't like that Jon bent the knee - again asked for an independent Winterfell when she and Daenerys spoke.. and again asked King Bran..
    – Anu7
    May 21, 2019 at 9:47
  • She certainly doesn't like Dany, but it's not clear that if Jon were king she would have tried for independence. It's also not clear what she would have done if the answer from Bran had been no.
    – user
    May 21, 2019 at 10:37

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .