'Game of Thrones' Writer Bryan Cogman Talks Sansa Stark Rape Scene

Game of Thrones has been surrounded with controversy since its very first season, after numerous complaints regarding its depiction of brutal sex and violence. Last year, teenage character Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) was raped, which cause many to tune out of the HBO show. Now, GoT writer Bryan Cogman explains the decision to write the scene.

Entertainment Weekly got an early glimpse of the GoT season 5 DVD, and on it, the screenwriter takes the commentary for a while to discuss the scene, which came as a shock to many because Sansa's rape doesn't happen in George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire, the fantasy novels the show is based on.

In any case, in the clip, Cogman, who wrote the controversial "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" episode, explains that the reason Sansa's story was interchanged on the show for that of Jayne Poole was that it would be "hugely dramatically satisfying" to have a Stark back in Winterfell to reunite with Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen).

However, since she was to marry Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), it only made sense to show how a marriage to the sadistic recently recognized bastard would go.

"When we decided we were going to do that we were faced with the question: If she's marrying Ramsay, what would happen on her wedding night?" Cogman said on the commentary. "And we made the decision to not shy away from what would realistically would happen on that wedding night with these two characters, and the reality of the situation, and the reality of this particular world."

Den of Geek reports that the writer also said that the reason Sansa reacted that way is that "we can't all be Arya," referring to Maisie Williams' character, saying Sansa was playing a "longer game" in her return to Winterfell.

He also explained that the reason the camera cut to Theon's reaction to Sansa's rape wasn't to see it through his eyes, but rather to ease the tension of such a heavy scene off Turner's shoulders as a performer -- in fact, Cogman even got a little emotional when explaining how hard it was for him to write the scene, as he'd known the actress since she was a kid.

The Game of Thrones season 5 DVD will be available starting March 16.