Although Westeros isn't a country that is particularly female-friendly, Sansa Stark both wind up being two of the most powerful people in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. And, for better or worse, they have a very intense connection to each other.
Sansa was manipulated and used by Cersei for ages, and although they were pretty much mortal enemies, they did seemingly learn a lot from each other. However, was there ever a chance that they could have been something other than enemies, something closer to friends?
Loved: Because They Knew Joffrey
While Cersei managed to love Joffrey despite his flaws and Sansa only grew to hate him more and more because of them, one way in which Cersei and Sansa can connect is in that they actually saw Joffrey for who he was.
In her own incredibly twisted way, Cersei did occasionally seemingly try to protect Sansa from Joffrey's more monstrous side, and had she actually intervened more or treated Sansa like an innocent child instead of an enemy, perhaps everything could have gone much better for both of them.
Hated: Because Cersei Thought Sansa Killed Joffrey
Aside from perhaps Jaime, Cersei seemed to be the only person in the world who actually loved Joffrey at all. And while everyone can agree that Joffrey's death was one of the best moments in Game of Thrones history, it absolutely crushed Cersei.
Even more than that, Cersei bafflingly became convinced that a teenage girl with no friends in King's Landing conspired to assassinate the king at his own wedding, which meant that Sansa would forever be Cersei's enemy.
Loved: Because They Could Learn From Each Other
Cersei was far more educated in the brutality of the world than Sansa was, and whether it was through a bizarre attempt to mentor Sansa or out of a desire to torment her, Sansa did learn a lot about how bad people could be from Cersei.
And while Cersei assumed Sansa was just a naive fool, Sansa's future political success hinged on her willingness to be kind, work with others, and provide for those who followed her, a lesson that would have done Cersei a lot of good.
Hated: Because They Have Very Different Dispositions
At the start of the story Sansa may have been a bit of a bratty child, but she never even had a shred of the capability to be cruel that Cersei has apparently always had.
When Sansa was still at the age where she was arguing with Arya or angry at her father for getting her dolls meant for children, Cersei was having her guards beat people so badly that they were losing eyes.
Loved: Because They Could Relate To Each Other Like No One Else
Up until she left Winterfell, Sansa had been shielded from the horrors of the world in a way that Cersei certainly never had.
But as soon as Ned Stark was killed, Sansa was treated horrendously, beaten, kept far from her home, and treated like chattel, which is pretty much exactly what Cersei had to deal with when she came to King's Landing as well. Cersei and Sansa could obviously connect on a very deep level in this sense.
Hated: Because Their Families Were At War
Regardless of whatever horrific abuses they could relate to one another about, the ultimate issue here is that no Stark would ever trust a Lannister and vice versa, especially given that they're actively at war with one another while Cersei and Sansa get to know each other.
The enmity would only end once one family wiped out the other, and both of them knew it, so they were always bound to be enemies.
Loved: Because They Both Wanted To Be Queen
It's ironic. Both Sansa and Cersei dreamed of marrying the king and becoming the queen when they were younger, and when that dream became a reality, they realized it was actually a nightmare. And after enduring seemingly endless mistreatment, they both wind up on a throne of their own as reigning monarchs in their own right.
Clearly winning their thrones by different means, but they both know what it's like to desperately want to be queen.
Hated: Because Sansa Was A Hostage
The only reason that Sansa was kept around, the only reason she was trapped in King's Landing, and the only reason she was forced to marry a Lannister is because she was a hostage to keep the North under control, and everyone knew it.
And clearly this is a hurdle that is too great for any relationship to overcome. Sansa could never trust anyone, especially someone like Cersei, and Cersei could never really know Sansa either.
Loved: Because They Both Wanted Power
Cersei and Sansa may be drastically different people, but their life experiences certainly made them desire power. While Cersei was largely driven by entitlement, it's undeniable that she was also driven by fear, which is a huge reason why Sansa so desperately wanted power as well.
They'd both been mistreated and never wanted to be in a position where someone had power over them again, so they could very easily relate to one another when it comes to that quest for ultimate authority.
Hated: Because They're Fundamentally Opposed To Each Other
Many of Cersei and Sansa's life experiences are the same, but in the end, they are just diametrically opposed people.
Sansa isn't cruel by nature and she wants to rule with safety and security in mind, while Cersei is consumed with her desire for power and she has no regard for the lives of those who are beneath her on the totem pole. These fundamental differences in perspective would have always led Sansa and Cersei to be enemies.