'Game of Thrones' Creators to Implement Changes after Negative Responses to Sansa Rape Scene
"Game of Thrones" season 5 featured a very controversial rape scene, which drew widespread criticism, so the creators of the show will implement a few changes in response to that.
In the season 5 episode titled "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," a scene was aired showing Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) being raped. Because of the negative response that the episode drew, "Game of Thrones" director Jeremy Podeswa announced that they will revise their approach to the series, according to TV.com.
In the said scene, Sansa was forced to marry Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) and then was raped by her new husband. The act itself was not shown on screen, but Theon (Alfie Allen) was forced to watch it, and the camera focused on his reaction to what he was seeing, Christian Today reports.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
It is worth noting that the scene in question is not found in any of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books written by George R.R. Martin, the report adds.
During a press conference, Podeswa said show creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss' decision to implement the changes was a result of a discussion regarding the controversial rape scene. However, they maintain that "Game of Thrones" will not be affected by criticism in a major way.
"It is important that (the producers) not self-censor. The show depicts a brutal world where horrible things happen," TV.com quotes Podeswa's statement about Benioff and Weiss' decision. "They did not want to be too overly influenced by that (criticism) but they did absorb and take it in and it did influence them in a way."
While Podeswa did not reveal the specific changes in the series, he gave his own comments about the scene. The director admitted that the rape scene was difficult and brutal and that they anticipated the audience's reaction to it. Nevertheless, he highlighted the fact that the scene was handled in such a way that the viewers see almost nothing of the actual execution of the act, the report relays.
"Game of Thrones" season 6 will return in April 2016 on HBO.
