The full text of Jon Snow's letter to Sansa suggests there'll be some tension in the North
Note: This post contains plot points of the final episode of season seven.
Lest we forget, Sansa Stark is the lady of Winterfell. Game Of Thrones hasn’t been shy in reminding us of that. After Sansa and Arya’s dissension dissipated with the slaughter of that nefarious Littlefinger, Arya reminded her sister of that very fact as they overlooked the grounds. The North is Sansa’s realm. Earlier in the series, standing in that very same spot, Jon Snow offered her that same assurance before he rode off to meet Daenerys.
Here’s a reminder:
The thing is, while Sansa has been ferreting out rats in Winterfell, Jon has been bending the knee to the Dragon Queen (and a whole lot more) while recruiting Cersei’s forces to help battle the army of the dead. Those are some pretty big decisions to make without once consulting your primary colleague. As such, Sansa’s bound to be a touch, well, surprised, when she gets the below note.
Here’s the full transcript:
Sansa,
Cersei Lannister has pledged her forces to our cause, as has Daenerys Targaryen. And if we survive this war, I have pledged our forces to Daenerys at the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. We are both coming to organise the defence of the realm.
Jon Snow. Warden of the North.
As Mashable points out, the language is indicative of his lack of consideration for his half-sister. Mashable writes:
First, look at the language: “I have pledged our forces,” writes Jon. Not only has he made it clear who is in charge with that wording, but he’s also casually conveying an absolutely enormous decision with just a single, blunt line of text. There’s no explanation, and no apology.
The second thing of note is his signature: “Warden of the North.” This is another very blunt way of communicating a pretty huge change in the Starks’ situation. Jon has renounced his former title, essentially a decision that will affect all the Northerners including Sansa, and he’s told her about it in the most flippant way possible.
Jon and Daenerys are already in for a reckoning when they discover the truth of his lineage, but they’re bound to be in for even more trouble once Sansa has her say. Not only will Sansa undoubtedly bristle at Jon’s alignment with Cersei, but it’s also unlikely she’ll be as willing to bend the knee as he was.
Arya, work for your magic. Lord knows we can’t trust Bran.