Sansa Stark

Sansa Stark is a major character in the first and second seasons. She is played by starring cast member Sophie Turner and debuts in the series premiere. She is betrothed to King Joffrey Baratheon. She adopted the direwolf Lady but Lady was executed following a dispute between Joffrey and Sansa's sister Arya. She was initially thrilled at her betrothal but has since experienced Joffrey's cruelty and watched the execution of her father Eddard Stark on his orders. She is a captive of House Lannister in King's Landing.

Background
Sansa Stark is the eldest daughter and second child of Lady Catelyn and Lord Eddard Stark. Eddard is the head of House Stark and Lord Paramount of the North. The North is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms and House Stark is one of the Great Houses of the realm. House Stark rule the region from their seat of Winterfell and Eddard also holds the title Lord of Winterfell. He is also the Warden of the North to King Robert Baratheon.

Sansa was born and raised at Winterfell. She has three brothers (Robb, Bran and Rickon), a half-brother (Jon Snow) and a younger sister (Arya). She is good at sewing and embroidering. She likes poetry and songs and dreams of being a good Queen like Cersei Lannister. She has the Tully coloring like most of her siblings and is as beautiful as her mother. She is often seen in contrast with her sister, Arya Stark.

Season 1
Sansa adopts the dire wolf cub Lady when her brothers find her orphaned litter. When King Robert Baratheon visits Winterfell to offer Sansa's father the position of Hand of the King, he also offers to betrothe his son Joffrey to Sansa. Sansa, who is very taken with the handsome young prince, thinks this is a splendid notion and begs her parents to agree to the match until they do so. Eddard takes the handship and decides to take his daughters with him to the capital.

At the Crossroads Inn on the kingsroad, Joffrey offers to walk Sansa along the riverbank after the disquieting experience of meeting Ser Ilyn Payne, the king's headsman. They find Arya practicing her swordwork with Mycah, a butcher's son, and Joffrey threatens to hurt him for pretending to be a knight. Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, intervenes and bites Joffrey's arm. Arya and Mycah flee and Joffrey cries before snapping at Sansa to get him help. She is taken before King Robert and his retainers and asked to corroborate Joffrey's claim that he was the victim of an unprovoked attack. She chooses to say instead that it happened too fast and she wasn't sure what happened, to Arya's fury. Queen Cersei orders that Nymeria be executed for harming Joffrey, but when the direwolf cannot be found she suggests that Lady be substituted for her. Eddard, furious with Robert for demanding this, carries out the execution himself, to Sansa's anger.

Arriving in King's Landing, Sansa's enmity towards Arya and her father continues. Eddard fails to mollify Sansa by buying her a doll, as she hasn't played with dolls for years. Eddard explains to Arya that Sansa could not defy Joffrey or go against his version of events if she wished to maintain his goodwill in marriage.

Septa Mordane shows Sansa the throne room of the Red Keep as part of a history lesson, Sansa realizes that her grandfather and uncle were killed there by the Mad King. Sansa is fearful that she will not be able to give Joffrey sons, only daughters like her friend Jeyne Poole's mother, but Mordane doesn't think this likely.

At the Hand's tournament, Sansa witnesses Ser Gregor Clegane killing Ser Hugh of the Vale during a joust. Littlefinger tells Sansa about how Gregor burned the face of his brother, Sandor, when they were very young. Sandor is Joffrey's bodyguard and Littleginger advises against relaying the story to Sandor.

Sansa is given a flower by Ser Loras Tyrell, the famous Knight of the Flowers, before his tilt with Ser Gregor Clegane. She witnesses him defeating Gregor, and Gregor's subsequent furious attack on him, which is halted only by the intervention of Sandor. She joins the smallfolk in applauding Sandor's actions.

{C}Joffrey visits Sansa and gives her a present. He also apologizes for the incident on the Kingsroad and kisses her, winning back her favor. Sansa later tells her father and Arya that she wants to give Joffrey beautiful blonde-haired children and that he will be a great lion. When Arya points out that he isn't a lion, but a stag like his father, King Robert, Sansa angrily says Joffrey is nothing like him. This gives Eddard the clue that leads to him realizing that Joffrey and his siblings are not King Robert's true children. Eddard tells Sansa and Arya that they are returning to Winterfell, over Sansa's furious protests. King Robert dies following a hunting accident and Eddard attempts to reveal the truth about Joffrey to prevent him taking the throne. Eddard is betrayed by Littlefinger, his guards are killed and he is arrested.

Eddard's retinue at the Red Keep is slaughtered by House Lannister guardsmen led by Sandor. Mordane tries to give Sansa time to escape but she is nevertheless taken into custody. She pleads for mercy for her father and Cersei agrees on the condition that Sansa write to Robb asking him to bend the knee and swear fealty to Joffrey. The letter is unsuccessful and Robb instead raises an army and marches south to relieve the Riverlands from the Lannister armies. Sansa again begs for her father's life, this time in front of the entire court, and Joffrey agrees to spare him if he admits his wrongdoing and acknowledges Joffrey as the true king. Sansa says that she is sure he will.

At his trial, Eddard Stark acknowledges his 'crimes' and swears loyalty to King Joffrey Baratheon. To Sansa's utter surprise and shock, Joffrey nevertheless refuses him mercy and orders Eddard's decapitation. Sansa is prevented from interfering and her father is killed before her eyes.

Days later, Sansa is in court and watches as Joffrey orders the removal of the tongue of the singer Marillion, who has written a song unfavorable to the royal family. Joffrey then takes Sansa to the traitor's walkway, where the severed heads of executed criminals are mounted on spikes along the castle walls. He draws Sansa's attention to the severed heads of her father and Mordane. Sansa refuses to give Joffrey the satisfaction of seeing her upset and shows no emotional response. Joffrey suggests that he will mount her brother Robb's head on the wall after defeating him. Sansa retorts that maybe Robb will take Joffrey's head instead. Furious, Joffrey has Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard strike her. Joffrey tells Sansa that they are still to be married. Sansa contemplates pushing Joffrey off the walkway, but is subtly stopped by Sandor. After Joffrey and Meryn leave, Sandor gives her a cloth to attend to her cut lip and tells her that she will be needing it again.

Season 2
Sansa watches The Hound fights an unnamed opponent atop the walls of the Red Keep during a tourney to celebrate King Joffrey Baratheon's name day. His mace rains blows down on his smaller adversary, knocking aside his shield, disarming him and then knocking him over the edge of the wall. The knight falls hard into the courtyard below. Joffrey rushes forward from his pavilion to look down on the fallen man. He shouts congratulations to the Hound and then asks Sansa Stark if she enjoyed the duel. Sansa, Joffrey's captive, is deferent and subdued. Princess Myrcella Baratheon and Prince Tommen Baratheon are also seated in the pavilion.

The defeated knight is dragged away by his legs, leaving a smear of blood on the courtyard floor. A servant carries a bucket over to clean up. Joffrey asks who will fight next and his announcer responds by calling Lothor Brune, describing him as a freerider in the service of Lord Petyr Baelish, and Ser Dontos the Red, of House Hollard. Lothor brandishes his mace to cheers from the crowd while Dontos fails to emerge and the announcer calls for him again. Hollard emerges from the wrong side of the pavilion. He is ill equipped and drops his helmet. He apologises and Joffrey accuses him of drunkenness. Dontos denies the accusation but admits to drinking two cups of wine. Joffrey offers Dontos as much wine as he likes and Dontos accepts. Joffrey orders Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard to ensure that Dontos drinks his fill. Dontos and two of his sworn brothers hold Dontos down and pour wine into his mouth through a funnel. Sansa cries out “You can't.” Joffrey is incensed, but she claims that she meant it would be bad luck for Joffrey to kill someone on his name day. Joffrey is dismissive of this superstition until the Hound backs Sansa. Joffrey reluctantly orders Dontos to be imprisoned until the following day, planning to execute him then and calling him a fool. In an effort to spare Dontos from execution, Sansa says that Joffrey was clever to notice Dontos' foolishness and entreats him to prolong his suffering by making him the court fool.

Cersei hosts an awkward dinner for her Tommen, Myrcella and Sansa. Myrcella asks when Sansa and Joffrey will wed and Cersei tells her that it will be after the war. Myrcella remarks on the new dress she will have made for the day and then says that Sansa's will be ivory as the bride. Cersei prompts Sansa to respond and Sansa summons her usual line of devotion to Joffrey. Tommen asks if Joffrey is going to kill Sansa's brother Robb. Cersei says that he might and asks if Tommen wants him to. Tommen says that he does not and Cersei says that if Joffrey does Sansa will do her duty anyway. Sansa chokes down her helpless anger.

In her chambers Sansa looks at herself in the mirror and is startled when Shae enters. Shae explains that she is Sansa's new handmaiden. Sansa is doubtful of her experience when she does not know what she should be doing. Shae claims that she was once a maid for a Lady Zourif. Sansa is dismissive as she knows no-one of that name in King's Landing and expects the local standard. She vents her frustration on Shae, saying that she does not have time to teach her how to do her job. Shae offers to leave but Sansa realizes her loneliness and asks Shae to brush her hair.

Joffrey aims an ornate crossbow at Sansa in the Iron Throne room. He says that she is there to answer for Robb’s treasons. She denies having any involvement in Robb’s actions, calling Robb a traitor. Joffrey instructs Ser Lancel Lannister to tell her of Robb’s latest outrage. Lancel claims that Robb used sorcery and an army of wolves to kill thousands of men under the command of Stafford. He adds that the Northmen feasted on the flesh of the slain after the slaughter drawing cries of outrage and horror from the courtiers. Joffrey suggests that killing Sansa would send Robb a message, but lowers his bow citing his mothers insistence that Sansa be kept alive. He orders her to stand and says they will send Robb a message in a different way. He orders Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard to beat Sansa but spare her face. Meryn punches Sansa and then knocks her over using the flat of his sword. Joffrey orders Sansa stripped and Meryn tears her dress from her shoulders.

Tyrion Lannister enters with Bronn and demands an explanation. He asks Meryn what kind of knight beats a helpless girl and Meryn says the kind that follows their king. Bronn sarcastically warns Meryn to be careful of getting blood on his white cloak. Tyrion orders Sansa covered and reminds Joffrey that he is engaged to marry her. Sandor Clegane tears off his white cloak and gives it to Sansa. Joffrey says that he was punishing her. Tyrion wonders what crimes she committed and elucidates that she did not fight in Robb’s battle, calling Joffrey a half wit. Joffrey asserts that he can do as he likes as king. Tyrion reminds Joffrey of the fate of the Mad King, who ruled without regard for the consequences of his actions until he was killed by Jaime. Meryn warns Tyrion not to threaten Joffrey and Tyrion counters that he is educating his nephew. He orders Bronn to kill Meryn if he speaks again and tells Meryn that he has now made a threat. Tyrion helps Sansa up and walks her out of the throne room. He apologizes for Joffrey’s behaviour and asks if she wants to end the engagement. She asserts her loyalty and love for Joffrey. Tyrion calls her Lady Stark and says that she may yet survive her captivity.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels Sansa is very much a lady, with a keen interest in music, poetry, singing and dancing and other 'ladylike' pursuits such as embroidery. She has a romantic notion of handsome princes and knights fighting honorably for love and loyalty. She is sharply contrasted with her far less idealistic younger sister, Arya.