Why Sansa Should Actually Be the One Who Kills Cersei on Game of Thrones

There are a lot of people who'd be just delighted to end Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) on Game of Thrones right now, but perhaps it's Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) who most deserves the honor of taking out Cersei.

Sure, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) wants to "rip her out, root and stem" from the Iron Throne. And Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) has a lifetime of vitriol to return her way, especially after his sister duped him -- at least, we think so -- into believing she'd send reinforcements for the Battle of Winterfell. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has always had her high on her kill list, and that whole "green eyes" portion of the Red Witch's phrasing bolsters the idea that her regicide streak could continue with the lioness. And Maggy the Frog's prophecy foretells the "valonqar" a.k.a. "little brother" would be the one to kill her, so Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) could end up adding "Queenslayer" to his roster of nicknames as well. There are even some who suspect Arya might use her little Faceless Man trick to take Jaime's face and do the deed.

However, it's Sansa who has experienced the most personal pain as a direct result of Cersei.

It was the Queen herself who ordered Sansa's direwolf Lady to be executed in Nymeria's stead. Cersei's conspiring led to the murders of Sansa's uncle, father, mother, and brother, and she even forced Sansa to write that treacherous scroll to Robb demanding he pledge fealty to Joffrey. It was also Cersei who ensured Sansa would remain in King's Landing after her father's beheading and emotionally tormented her for years before forcing Sansa to marry Tyrion so that she wouldn't move to Highgarden. It was at least partially Cersei's fault that Sansa had to go on the run and later ended up with the maniacal Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon). Not to mention, she always called her by that hideous nickname, "Little Dove."

Sansa's not known for her fighting prowess, but we have seen her deliver some much-deserved justice before (remember how rapturously she stared as Ramsey was eaten alive in that dog kennel), and who deserves it from her more than Cersei?

The others could do it, of course. Jaime's been willing overlook her worst misdeeds over the series -- up to and including using the very same wildfire that caused him to slay the Mad King -- but now she's betrayed him twice, with Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) and by siccing his own sellsword, Bronn of the Blackwater (Jerome Flynn), on him. Also, Arya's fully capable (although she may have gotten her ~moment~ in killing the Night King, and it may be too much to ask for her to have to deal with both of the series' megavillains). Tyrion has also been known to slay a troublesome family member in his day, and Daenerys will not hesitate to dracarys her right out of existence if given the chance.

But how splendid would it be if the one person who has become the most shrewd about Cersei's particular brand of evil was the one to extinguish it from the Realm? Maybe she could even earn the North's freedom and take her rightful place as its Wardeness by taking out Dany's competition.

Game of Thrones airs on Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.

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