Today I will focus on Daenerys Targaryen and Sansa Stark. The show tries desperately to tell us that they are wise and fierce women and yet gives them no plot lines to showcase their strengths. Sansa is stuck being thick headed. While Daenerys comes off like a female version of her father.
When an author writes a character they want their creation to be viewed a certain way. Such as how Stephenie Meyer wants you to see Melanie Stryder as selfless in The Host or how J.K. Rowling wants you to see Albus Dumbledore as kind in the Harry Potter series. That is called authorial intent. While the author is not dead, the author can be very confused. Basically that means that an author won't fully think out how their creation will actually appears and so their messages are muddled. Such as how Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are supposed to have a very romantic story and yet it just comes off as abusive.
The showrunners of Game of Thrones are very confused when writing about Sansa Stark. The intended character arc for Sansa is from a naive girl to an experienced woman. While Arya Stark had the more interesting story to start off with, Sansa's story was supposed to progress much more slowly.
The problem is that Game of Thrones has never given Sansa Stark a storyline to showcase her wisdom. We are shouted out by the show to see things that just aren't there. And I love Sansa and know she's smart, but I have to admit what the canon actually is.
Petry "Littlefinger" Baelish has a thing for Sansa due to his love for her mother, Catelyn Stark. A love that remained unrequited until the woman's dying breaths. So there was a chance he would lend the Vale's support whenever she asked. Though with Littlefinger there is the high probability that any help would be short term.
Luckily when Sansa asked, he said yes. Most likely not due to any altruism as this action did bring him closer to getting control of the North in the long run. If he didn't die the next season. But I'll get to that later in the post.
Sansa hid Littlefinger's/the Vale's support from Jon. Even when they could only find support from House Mormont and the Wildlings, she never said a word to him. An entire battle plan could've been devised around fooling the Boltons into thinking they had victory only to have the Vale ride in to save the day. Not as many people needed to have died as things could be timed around the Vale's appearance.
It is almost as if the Vale's appearance was to mirror the scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf arrives with serious backup to Helm's Deep. But instead of imitating that scene's awe and relief, the scene just exists. It is beautifully shot, but it doesn't have much underneath the facade.
After the meeting before the battle, Sansa complains to Jon that she was never asked her opinion and then says nothing about the Vale's support. So did she say nothing merely due to pride?
One big problem to this theory is that if Sansa didn't trust Jon, she would've made sure to overthrow him. She has the cold logic needed to enact such a plan and would believe the North's stability was much more important than her personal feelings. Her and Jon weren't exactly close growing up. Instead after the battle she doesn't have any inclination about taking control of the North. Something that angers Littlefinger.
In the seventh season of Game of Thrones Sansa's plot revolves around her not wanting to take control from Jon and siding with Arya Stark. That plot was all about proving that Sansa is loyal to her family and will side with them at the end of the day. If she didn't trust Jon enough with important information, why not turn the North against him and become Queen of the North?
If the showrunners decide to have Sansa betray Jon in the final season, the decision will be idiotic. You can't dedicate time and effort to showing how Sansa is loyal to her family even when she doesn't fully trust them, only for her to do a one-eighty. It will be a poor writing decision that only serves to build up drama that wasn't there in the first place.
Basically the character who got to end Littlefinger's life would be held up in high regards.
Over the course of the series Sansa had been tutored by Littlefinger. It only stood to reason that the show was promising us an extremely intriguing storyline. Bringing down her former mentor would be a game of cat and mouse. The teacher and student both playing with the other. Every instance of the plot going on would leave us on the edge of our seats. This was going to be the ultimate show of power. It would be the ultimate way to test Sansa.
Knowing Littlefinger was going to die did not destroy my love for the storyline. What did kill it was the fact it relied on Littlefinger and Sansa being idiots. Suffice it to say that the journey not being worthwhile made me drowsy when Littlefinger was finally executed. That should not have happened!
So how exactly did the showrunners screw up another opportunity to showcase how intelligent Sansa is?
Arya Stark arrived in Winterfell so Littlefinger attempted to make both Stark sisters fight against each other. Arya was made to believe Sansa wanted to take control away from Jon Snow. Sansa was made to believe her sister wanted to take over Winterfell. And Littlefinger didn't think to make a few backup plans even though he is a meticulous planner who is prepared for any situation.
Arya Stark should've known Sansa wasn't trying to take over Winterfell. They weren't close growing up but thinking your sister is going to usurp your brother is going way beyond sibling rivalry. I'm not close to my half-sister but I'm not about to believe some conspiracy theory about her.
Sansa Stark should've known Arya didn't want to take over Winterfell. When has she ever shown signs of wanting any political office? She was a wildchild and so Sansa shouldn't have believed that lie for one minute. The fact she had to turn to Bran Stark's greensight was just...I'm glad it's a deleted scene so I can ignore it.
Littlefinger always made plans within plans. First off the plan of turning sister against sister is much too simple. They only have to realize they're being played to turn on the real villain. He should've made it so Sansa could intimately know the trap and yet be unable to free herself. If I were him I would've made it so the North was turned against Arya so even when the Starks knew the truth, Sansa would have to make a decision of the North or her family.
Also, why didn't Littlefinger make allies in the North? They could've helped defend him when the Starks found out his plan.
So, yeah, the epic battle of wits between Littlefinger and Sansa Stark was turned into an idiot plot.
The people who believe Sansa Stark is an idiotic woman are right. The show has not given Lady Stark of Winterfell any plot line to show she is a master of strategy. Every time the show has an opportunity to do so, it foolishly declines the offer. If the final Season of Game of Thrones gives her a good plot to define her intelligence, this error will be corrected. Sort of.
The people who believe Sansa Stark is a wise and formidable opponent are also right. They are seeing the Stark girl as the show wants her to be seen. They don't need any further plotlines to define her intelligence as that would be redundant to them.
So what is my opinion on Sansa? I think she is extremely intelligent but the show needs to give her a plot to help showcase that aspect of her. For now I will cry over what could have been while wishing for her to take the Iron Throne.
If you aren't in the Game of Thrones fandom you might be under the impression that everyone adores Daenerys Targaryen. That no one would say anything bad about her. If you're in the fandom you might feel alone if you don't like her. If you're in the fandom you might even become angry about anyone who dares say anything bad about this woman.
For some this will be a call that you're not alone. I will advise some that this is me looking at the character analytically and I place no judgement on who adores Daenerys. Though I doubt that will stop any of the more toxic members of the fandom...anyways...
Game of Thrones tries to make Daenerys Targaryen appear as if she is noble and smart enough to sit on the Iron Throne. The show wants to make us root for her to succeed in her mission that she has had for so many season. Yet upon the airing of its seventh season, it decided to throw out any character development the Targaryen has had up to that point.
As all this is happening Daenerys Targaryen is too far removed from those events to affect them in any meaningful way. While all that is happening she is learning how to be queen through trial and error. That, for me, made the Meereen Plot highly intriguing.
While in the city Daenerys could spend time learning how to rule. Every mistake she made from banishing Jorah Mormont to crucifying sometimes innocent men, was an educational experience. Once she was seasoned enough, she would be able to handle the stresses of claiming the Iron Throne. She would understand how to interact with her allies and enemies alike.
But when the seventh season of Game of Thrones came around all that character development went out the window. Instead of political strategy with Jon Snow we got 'bend the knee'. This erasure of character development made the Meereen Plot more than useless and a waste of time.
Daenerys had lived her early life being governed by Viserys Targaryen, her older brother. In that respect she was a slave for him to do with as he pleased. Whether it was to molest her or to sell her off for an army to retake the Iron Throne.
So Daenerys is justified by her personal experiences and overall morality to free the slaves. She is not perfect in the execution of her desires, but that is because she's inexperienced. She does not yet know how to make her will and justice act as one. She has the excuse of youth to justify her more stupid endeavors.
She is also justified by the fact her enemies are slavers. They are a much more clear villain than nearly anything else in Game of Thrones.
In Meereen Daenerys Targaryen should've learned that ruling isn't always about getting what you want. That you can't threaten people and count on a good outcome. She should've also learned that her decisions can have unforeseen consequences that hurt the people she's determined to save. She should've learned that leading means there are times when you have to compromise.
Yet Daenerys shows that she learned none of the lessons from Meereen. In the seventh season of Game of Thrones, Daenerys continually makes an effort to showcase how much she didn't learn in the city she ruled.
Instead of seeking a political marriage with Jon Snow which would've insured Daenerys the North and him allowed the North to have a seat of power, she decided to try and force him to bend the knee. She kept demanding he bend the knee no matter how useless it became. It's like watching her continually run into a brick wall and getting angry that it doesn't move. The only thing good about this plot point is that it made for some great memes.
Besides gaining experience in ruling Meereen, she had her advisors to learn about Northerners. Her oldest friend is Ser Jorah Mormont who is from the North. He most likely told her stories about Bear Island and Winterfell. He also has a certain demeanor that she could begin to associate with the North. Tyrion Lannister, her Hand, has more updated information about the North. With those two sources she should've known not to try and convince a Northerner to bend the knee and expect a positive outcome.
Daenerys should've started out with an offer of a political marriage to Jon Snow. He would've been able to go back to the North and say he had gained them even more power. That even though he had married a Targaryen, the North would get great power once Cersei Lannister was killed. Daenerys could've risked admitting she was barren which would then ensure a Northerner could become King or Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
There is also the question of why Tyrion Lannister, who is a player of the game of thrones, didn't try to press Daenerys to go for a political marriage. Using Occam's Razor the answer is bad writing. Though I am sure fans have endlessly tried to justify such a plot hole without admitting the show has gone really downhill.
So what happened?
After the battle had been won, Daenerys said everyone had to bend the knee or they would die. Randyll Tarly is a prideful man and he refused. He would rather die than give up his honor. Dickon, his son and only heir, decided to die alongside his father. He too acted with honor. The form of execution was being burned alive by Drogon.
Those who defend Daenerys' burning of the Tarlys say she wanted to sow fear into her enemies so she would have more allies. She is a stranger in a strange land who seeks to reclaim what she sees as her birthright. She has been losing so many battles that drastic actions are called for.
But was burning the Tarlys one of those justified actions?
Daenerys Targaryen didn't need to show her might post-battle. Instead she should've worked on showcasing how she was a caring queen, much different than Cersei Lannister. By this point in time she should've been aware about what an honorable death was to the people she wished to rule. And why use beheading instead of Drogon? Because it shows that even though she has never lived in Westeros and grew up in a foreign land, she respects the Westerosi people. She doesn't want to destroy their way of life, she wants to make it better.
People like Randyll Tarly were swayed to Cersei Lannister's side because they didn't like the idea of a foreigner taking the Iron Throne. Daenerys needs to erase the people's xenophobia which means any showcase of her wanting to be like the Westerosi is a thing that needs to be done. Politics is mostly putting on a show and making compromises. No, I don't like politicians but that's another topic entirely.
Back to this post: Daenerys Targaryen needs to take steps to appear like someone from Westeros. So the problem isn't that the Tarlys were killed, it is the fact that how they were killed showcased how much Daenerys didn't learn in Meeren.
She could've even allowed Dickon Tarly to live in a show of good faith. She should've said she didn't want House Tarly to vanish from the Seven Kingdoms as they fought on House Targaryen's side in Robert's Rebellion. Showing respect for the action might have won people over as well as it showed her need to not let old Houses die.
But Daenerys decided to just burn the Tarlys alive and didn't use post-battle as an opportunity for political maneuvering.
Again, after the battle Daenerys Targaryen should've shown her kind heart. She doesn't want to be like Cersei Lannister who is feared. She, instead, wants to be a queen who is both loved and feared. Yet all her actions seem to inspire only fear. The only difference between her and the Lannister is that the show claims Daenerys' actions are good.
Besides being burned alive not being a Westerosi custom, it is also the form of execution Daenerys' father was infamous for using. This shows people that not only is she an outsider but she is like the man that took a rebellion to defeat. It isn't a good way to get or keep allies. Tyrion Lannister even briefly doubts her due to this. Though I am not of the opinion that he would choose the woman that tried to have him executed over the woman that respects him.
Yet the seventh season of Game of Thrones does not show Daenerys learning from her experiences ruling Meereen. She doesn't do anything politically clever or intelligent in the latest season. The seventh season doesn't give viewers the impression that she could actually handle ruling the Seven Kingdoms.
Heck, it didn't even show her as a competent conqueror like in past seasons.
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