but note that this is basically a parallel with the Drogo and Daenerys pairing. Arranged marriages with wives taken more or less against their will.

We saw a spark of life from Sansa this episode... it's one thing if that's the only spark we see from Sansa this season, but there's still four more episodes to go.

It was an uncomfortable scene, but that's not unusual for this series.

> So do we really need rape to make her even steelier?

No, we don't "need" rape, I agree. But it is her wedding night... how much different were we going to expect? We know she's a virgin. We know Ramsay's depraved. You claim her torture is "redundant" but this is the first time Sansa was actually *physically* brutalized... the show pointed out that fact when Sansa said Tyrion was "gentle" to her.

It's gratuitous, yes... but well within the context of the situation.

> Did he really need to watch this scene go down to finally turn against his keeper?

I could be wrong, but IIRC this is the first time his torture has been involved with someone other than himself (notable considering Sansa's ties with his old life).

Like with Sansa, the pain is especially deep because this cut has never been made before.

> It was avoidable and didn't do anything new for the characters

I respectfully disagree. The parallels between Sansa and Theon are the point of that scene. Up until this point Theon's torture originated from threat of physical pain and Sansa's torture has been threat of emotional pain... with that one scene their pain is complete.