8 Original POVs with 5 Central Characters... (Spoilers Extended)

Background

This series was created with 8 POV Characters, of it was supposed to be a trilogy surrounding the generational saga of 5 central characters (Tyrion/Dany/Jon/Arya/Bran). GRRM also confirmed that 2 of the other POVs would die (Ned/Cat). I thought it would be interesting to speculate/discuss a bit since that leaves us with 1 more, Sansa.

If interested: Multiple POVs Present for the same Event

5 Central Characters

Five central characters will make it through all three volumes, however, growing from children to adults and changing the world and themselves in the process. In a sense, my trilogy is almost a generational saga, telling the life stories of these five characters, three men and two women. The five key players are Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, and three of the children of Winterfell, Arya, Bran, and the bastard Jon Snow. All of them are introduced at some length in the chapters you have to hand.

If interested: A "Generational Saga" for 5 Central Characters

Ned/Cat's Planned Deaths

As I mentioned, it seems like at least two of our POV deaths were planned from a very early point:

When his father Eddard Stark is executed, Bran will see the shape of doom descending on all of them, but nothing he can say will stop his brother Robb from calling the banners in rebellion.

and:

If interested: Cold Hands and a Stone Heart (Lady Stoneheart and Coldhands have the same character origin)

GRRM's Goal with POVs

All three books will feature a complex mosaic of intercutting points-of-view among various of my large and diverse cast of players. The cast will not always remain the same. Old characters will die, and new ones will be introduced. Some of the fatalities will include sympathetic viewpoint characters. I want the reader to feel that no one is ever completely safe, not even the characters who seem to be the heroes. The suspense always ratchets up a notch when you know that any character can die at any time.

and also worth noting in conjunction with 5 central characters/2 POVs killed off:

On POVs: George said that at first he was just going to use the original POVs from AGoT for the entire series, then he realized that he needed to see what Stannis was doing, but didn't want to use Stannis as a POV. So he created Davos**.** -SSM, Torcon: 2003

If interested: GRRM on What He Tries to do with POV Characters

Sansa in the "Outline"

Since she is not one of the aforementioned 5 central characters, nor confirmed to be killed off let's take a look at when she is mentioned:

Each of the contending families will learn it has a member of dubious loyalty in its midst. Sansa Stark, wed to Joffrey Baratheon, will bear him a son, the heir to the throne, and when the crunch comes she will choose her husband and child over her parents and siblings, a choice she will later bitterly rue.

and:

Tyrion Lannister, meanwhile, will befriend both Sansa and her sister Arya, while growing more and more disenchanted with his own family.

GRRM's Reason for Sansa

GRRM came up with Sansa as an alternate to Arya and to make the Stark family more realistic:

Arya was one of the first characters created. Sansa came about as a total opposite b/c too many of the Stark family members were getting along and familes aren't like that. Thus, Sansa was created; he ended by saying they have deep issues to work out. -SSM, Kepler & Cody Signings: 9 Nov 2000

If interested: POV Characters: The Reason for Each One

Sansa's Place

Why is Sansa the odd person out here? Why is she unmentioned in the context?

• The "Outline" Itself

It is very possible that since this is not a true outline (and it is my understanding it is no something that he is super proud of and is just something he threw together) that it was a simple error/omission

If interested: Changes to GRRM's Original Outline

• GRRM Intended/Intends Her to Die

It is also possible that while unmentioned that GRRM intended at one point (or may still intend) for Sansa to die. I think this is unlikely, but it is at least possible:

The number of POVs will be declining throughout TWOW. GRRM does not intend to add any more POVs. In fact, the number of POVs is about to decline. “Take your bets,” GRRM warned.

We do need to be prepared for certain characters we like to die in Winds, it is going to be a super dark book, but if I had to put money on a POV that fans enjoy ending up dying in the book I would bet on someone else.

• GRRM Didn't See Her as Important as the Other POV Characters

It is also possible that GRRM will have Sansa survive, but that he just didn't see her as important as the 5 central characters in the saga and that is the reason she was not mentioned. That does not mean that her importance may not have changed, but he has stated that he knows the ending in broad strokes over and over.

If interested: The Plan for Sansa/Alayne: Outlines & Abandoned Plotlines

TLDR: When GRRM created the 1993 "outline" for the story he originally only planned to use 8 POVs for the entire story. 5 of those POVs are the "central characters" (Dany/Tyrion/Jon/Arya/Bran). 2 other POVs (Ned/Cat) were always doomed to die. Sansa is the outlier and GRRM could have omitted her accidentally (as it wasn't a real outline), intended to kill, or didn't think she was important enough to mention, etc. etc. etc, He also could have changed his plan for Sansa's ending but he has repeatedly stated he knows his ending in broad strokes.