While HBO’s Game of Thrones has featured some of the most shocking scenes on television, nothing comes close to that one moment from season 5, which caused outrage like no other. We’re talking about the abusive wedding night scene involving Sansa Stark and Ramsay Bolton, which quickly became one of the most controversial moments in the show’s history.
As the scene featured Sophie Turner’s Sansa Stark was r*ped by her new husband, Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), while her stepbrother Theon (Alfie Allen) was forced to watch, the episode sparked massive backlash online. Fans even criticized the writers for including such a disturbing storyline. Years later, the scene is still debated, which weighed heavily on Rheon.
The table contains basic details on Game of Thrones:
TV ShowGame of ThronesCreatorsDavid Benioff and D. B. WeissCastEmilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Peter Dinklage, Lena HeadeyRotten Tomatoes Score89%Number of Seasons8NetworkHBO Max
Iwan Rheon Lost Sleep After Game of Thrones’ Wedding Night Scene
After the release of Game of Thrones season 5 in 2015, wherein Sansa Stark’s disturbing wedding night scene took place, Iwan Rheon opened up about how it deeply affected him during a 2016 interview with NY Times. He revealed that the moment was so heavy and uncomfortable that he struggled to sleep the night before shooting it.
Rheon even admitted that although he was playing a fictional villain, the emotional weight of the scene stayed with him long after the scene was filmed and the season was wrapped. The actor claimed to struggle with the horrifying act that his character had to inflict on Sophie Turner’s Sansa Stark, which naturally sparked intense backlash.
It was very difficult to me; I couldn’t really sleep the night before… I don’t want to compare these things and which is worse. But burning a child at the stake? That’s pretty bad, isn’t it?
Additionally, while discussing the after effects of the scene on his psyche, Rheon also mentioned that he was surprised by how massive and selective the backlash had become. He pointed out that Game of Thrones featured many brutal moments, yet this particular scene sparked an overwhelming response.
While he never tried to downplay the horror of the assault, he questioned why other extreme acts like “burning a child at the stake” received far less outrage. Overall, Rheon admitted that he was aware of how his sadistic character, Ramsay Bolton, was designed to be hated.
Years Later, Sophie Turner Defends Sansa’s Tragic Assault Scene
Now, years after Iwan Rheon’s interview went viral, Sophie Turner addressed the disturbing scene, as the backlash still seems to continue over her Game of Thrones season 5 moment. In an interview with Flaunt magazine, Turner continued to stand by the decision to include the scene in the HBO show, without any trigger warning.
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones | image credits: HBO Max
She explained that Game of Thrones was not glorifying violence, but instead showing harsh realities women have faced for centuries. Turner acknowledged that the scene was triggering for many viewers and said she fully understands why people were upset. However, it was meant to happen that way, to spark important conversations.
I did feel — and still do — that ‘Game of Thrones’ shone a light on things that many people were like ‘Oh god, you can’t show that kind of thing’ — and I understand it can be triggering — I totally understand that point of view.
But I did feel we were actually doing a lot of justice to women and the fight women have had to fight for hundreds of thousands of years — the patriarchy, being treated as objects and being constantly s*xually assaulted — I don’t think there’s one woman I know who hasn’t had a form of that.
The actress said the series highlighted issues like patriarchy, objectification, and sexual violence, which many people prefer not to confront. Which is why she believes that since nearly every woman has experienced some form of harassment, it’s important to show the atrocities as they are, instead of wrapping them behind a trigger warning.
I think if ‘Game of Thrones’ came out today, we’d definitely put some trigger warnings on there. But I’m really proud to have been a part of ‘Game of Thrones’ where they didn’t shy away from showing atrocities that happened to women back then. I feel proud to have been part of the conversation.
Looking back, Turner admitted the show might have handled things differently if it aired today, including the use of trigger warnings. Still, she expressed pride in being part of a series that didn’t shy away from showing uncomfortable truths. For her, the scene wasn’t meant to shock for shock’s sake, but to reflect painful realities and start a conversation.
Let us know your opinions on the controversial Game of Thrones scene in the comments.
Game of Thrones is streaming on HBO Max.
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