The most famous myth surrounded Persephone is, of course, that of her abduction by Hades, the king of the Underworld. As the story goes, Persephone was gathering flowers in a field when the earth opened up and Hades rode forth on a chariot to steal her. There, she ate of a pomegranate that grew in the Underworld, and was thus forced to remain in the Underworld for several months out of the year as queen. During these months her mother, Demeter, grieved so much over Persephone’s absence that winter fell over the world. Similarly, Sansa departs for King’s Landing- a sort of “hell”- to eventually become Joffrey’s queen, and Cat seeks her desperately after Ned’s execution.
Persephone is popularly presented as innocent and childlike by nature and indeed, she represented the idea of the Maiden in the Greek pantheon and was sacred to young girls. In terms of the Faith of the Seven and the seven Starks, Sansa is also comparable to the Maiden.
However, a little-known aspect of Persephone is of her as the true Queen of the Underworld. Although she was kidnapped, Hades’ realm eventually became her domain as well. Homer’s theology describes her as a “formidable, venerable majestic queen of the shades”- a true goddess to be reckoned with. Furthermore, Persephone also was responsible for fulfilling the curses of men on the souls of the dead; a kind of vengeance.
That final aspect of Persephone reflects the type of person Sansa may well grow to be; the Queen in the North, responsible for righting all the wrongs done her family just as Persephone was responsible for punishing the damned souls who were cursed by the living. Like Persephone, Sansa is often thought of as naïve, innocent, a harmless flower- but like the Queen of the Underworld, underneath the lovely, maidenly façade lies truly impressive power.