The Sansa vs. Daenerys scene in Game of Thrones continues to spark debates about poor writing vs. powerful character development.
The final season of Game of Thrones divided the fans on nearly every plot decision, and even today, the myriad of debates continue over certain scenes. The show featured many powerful female characters but they seldom got along, so the creators always had interesting dynamics to explore between them.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones | Max
As the show had already overtaken the novels, many viewers complained about how it lost its touch and authenticity, the clever dialog, and the impeccable build-up scenes. Naturally, the writers were criticized for most of their creative decisions, including the exchange between Daenerys Targaryen and Sansa Stark.
The Controversial Scene From Game of Thrones
Jason Momoa and Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones / HBO
In a memorable scene from Game of Thrones season 8, Sansa Stark raises a logistical concern during a feast. The world is about to face the imminent threat of the Night King and his army of the dead, and Sansa questions how they are supposed to feed the massive army that marched behind Daenerys Targaryen.
May I ask how are we meant to feed the greatest army the world has ever seen? While I ensured our stores would last through winter, I didn’t account for Dothraki, Unsullied, and two full-grown dragons. What do dragons eat anyway?
To which Daenerys replies “Whatever they want,” only escalating the tension between the two and underscoring the difference in their perspectives. However, the scene has been criticized for its poor writing by netizens.
she was just complaining about dany disregarding her and jon’s authority in front of everybody without giving any actual solution to the problem and failing to see the bigger picture of the massive army of ice zombies coming their way 😭 sansa you deserved better writers
— rhaenyra targaryen’s lawyer (@Targ_Nation) September 7, 2024
the writers really did sansa dirty lmfao
— 🥀𝖘𝖆𝖛𝖆𝖌𝖊 𝖇𝖆𝖇𝖞🥀 (@saylesssavage) September 8, 2024
i will always be frustrated by this scene because what was sansa’s goal here? i am so sorry that the dragons and armies brought here to save your ass are an inconvinience. dany should’ve gotten tf out and left them all to die https://t.co/KbesDBXCQu
— rhaenyra targaryen’s lawyer (@Targ_Nation) September 7, 2024
According to some passionate fans of the show, Sansa’s concerns are simply ungrateful. While some comment on the character’s stupidity, others slander the writers for dragging the show through the mud.
Opposing Perspectives of Game of Thrones Fans
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in Game Of Thrones (image credit: HBO)
On the other hand, some viewers believe that the scene was not a failure of writing but portrayed Sansa’s character development. For them, it was a realistic depiction of leadership under pressure. In earlier seasons, Sansa was naive and vulnerable and mostly overwhelmed by the politics around her.
However, she transforms into a pragmatic and cautious leader by season 8, reflecting on her harsh life experiences, and the lessons she learned while enduring them. Her concerns about food scarcity aren’t just about the dragons but the survival of Winterfell in extreme situations.
To be fair, it is a fair question. Winter was upon them, the hardest time for the realm when food was a valuble commodity. They need to know what to feed the dragons so they can account for it while not risking their own sustinance/ Afterall, cows and sheep are people food, but…
— Author L.M. Mountford (@AuthLMMountford) September 8, 2024
Moreover, the scene also highlights how Sansa grew out of her starry-eyed girl persona to a strategic thinker who cares about resource management under unprecedented stress. After suffering at the hands of Cersei Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon, and Ramsay Bolton, her approach to life is more cautious and calculated.
Agree, but Daenerys fans sometimes don’t get it
— pretty when i cry (@daisy_girl96) September 8, 2024
The debate over this scene of Game of Thrones only shows how complex it is to evaluate character motivations and narrative choices. Some believe that Sansa’s question was a result of poor writing while others saw it as a moment of character development, and none of these sides are in the wrong because art and creativity are meant to be subjective. Yet, fan wars are almost always entertaining!
You can stream Game of Thrones on Max.
