'Game of Thrones' Season 8 Spoilers: Sansa's Armor Could Tease a Major Plot
Sansa Stark is suiting up for battle in Game of Thrones Season 8 by donning some kind of armor. Is this just a precaution, or a sign that her life might actually be in danger as the Night King and his undead army make their way south through Westeros?
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sansa actress Sophie Turner confirmed that her character suited up for Game of Thrones Season 8 after official set photos showed her in classic Stark fur.
“This is the first time I’ve had armor,” Turner said.
There aren’t definitive pictures of Sansa’s armor just yet, but EW reports that it looks “more like a jet-black ensemble made of thick leather or similar material” rather than chainmail or plated armor worn by other characters. Is it possible she could be wearing that armor under her fur in this image? It’s certainly possible, but if that’s the case, she doesn’t exactly look battle-ready.
Leather armor offers limited protection but allows the wearer to maintain mobility, whereas heavier, metal-based armors offer greater protection but make it harder to move around. (The quick-footed Bronn, who prefers leather armor, has explained this in the past.)
“We [like] the idea of it being very protective and she buttons herself up,” Turner said. “I wanted her to have a bit of armor and be a bit more warrior like. She’s like the warrior of Winterfell.”
Sansa probably starts the season sans armor, but because the last thing to happen in Season 7 was the Wall coming down, the Season 8 premiere will likely show the folks at Winterfell learning that the Night King is on his way. As an extra precaution, Sansa may suit up. Winter is coming, and so is war.
This also marks a big first for Sansa, who didn’t wear any kind of armor during the Battle of the Bastards. Even that was a risky choice, but things are clearly changing in Season 8.
On some level, this could be an indication that Sansa’s life is directly threatened at some point. Of all the living Stark children, she’s perhaps the most physically vulnerable, as she has no combat training and zero magical powers.
But Sansa’s also become a strong leader and essentially the Queen of the North. So it stands to reason that she’d want to appear as such in front of her people. The simpler explanation, especially because it sounds like it was at least partially Sophie Turner’s idea to adjust the costume in this way, is that Sansa’s wearing armor just to look more badass.
That’s as good a reason as any, but at this point in Game of Thrones, nobody is safe.
Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres Sunday, April 14 on HBO at 9 p.m. Eastern.
