Sophie Turner says Sansa is a “true leader of Winterfell” in season 8

Sophie Turner and Digital Spy have a good thing going. From revealing the lengths production went to in order to keep the secrets of Game of Thrones season 8 to promising an “unpredictable” ending for the show, she’s been dropping a lot of choice quotes. The streak continues in another interview where Turner gets more explicit than ever about what the final episodes hold for the Lady of Winterfell:

"She’s used Littlefinger for all he has. As she said, ‘Thank you for all your lessons’. He has nothing left to give her. So she is so empowered. She has a family behind her. She has Littlefinger, Cersei, Margaery, everyone’s wisdom and teachings all behind her.She’s a real, true leader of Winterfell now. And that’s where we first see her – as a very protective, empowered lady in charge. It’s the first time you ever see her like that, and it’s so amazing to see her like that – kind of owning her destiny."

Let’s note that Turner says that Sansa is “a” leader or Winterfell, not “the” leader of Winterfell. Coupled with her comment about having the support of her family, I’m betting we won’t see a repeat of the Jon-and-Sansa drama in season 7.

Turner also talked about her journey with Sansa more generally. “I’ve been so, so lucky [because] it’s the biggest acting part I think I could have ever had,” she said. “To be able to take her through the motions of being beaten down, and growing and eventually evolving – literally season by season, you see a huge change in her.”

"And now we’ve got to the point where she’s this steely, strong, manipulative, intelligent, kind, young woman, and it’s completely the opposite of who she was at the beginning of the series. Every single season has pushed and stretched me so much. Without Game of Thrones, I don’t think that I would be half the actress I am today. I’m not saying I’m particularly a good one, but I’d be even worse!"

That’s a Sansa we’re looking forward to seeing in action. I wonder if she still likes lemoncakes.

Finally, Turner took Digital Spy on a trip through Sansa’s reception among fans, which has had its share of wild ups and down. “I very much remember the first couple of seasons, people really loathed her,” she said. “They really hated her. They found her quite stuck up and a really frustrating character.”

"Then they started feeling sorry for her, because it seemed like the next few seasons were her being beaten and bruised and raped and married – forced marriages – and all of these horrific things happened to her. Slowly, people started to feel sympathy, but it took a while. A lot of people, for a while, were saying that she deserved it. It’s interesting, because it really wouldn’t have made Sansa the Sansa she is today had she not gone through those things, and had been subjected to so much torture and trauma. It’s made her the strong, passionate woman that she is. Now, she has a lot of followers, a lot of fans. She definitely was not a fan favourite to start off with. But now I would say that she is!"

One way or another, Sansa Stark will end her journey come 2019. We’ll be watching.

Next: Does it matter that Game of Thrones is skipping Comic-Con this year?

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