"Game of Thrones" is often criticized for its violence against women. The heated conversation reached a fever pitch this season when the HBO series aired the controversial rape of Sansa Stark at the hands of Ramsay Bolton on their wedding night. And after Sunday's night's finale, which prominently featured Cersei's Walk Of Shame, this discussion isn't going away anytime soon.

Now, Brienne of Tarth herself, Gwendoline Christie -- a feminist and all-around bad-ass heroine -- is throwing in her two cents, telling Entertainment Weekly that it's important for the show to shed light on the "appalling" treatment of women throughout history.

"I’ve always been quite clear about my attitude toward gender equality and female empowerment," Christie said. "And a lot of this show is inspired by actual historical events, and that’s what’s occurring with the women. Women have been treated appallingly in history. Men have too. Human beings have. What this show is doing is shining a light on women and has an exploration of female characters that has rarely been approached before -- and I applaud that."

"Yes, those scenes are difficult, and they should be difficult," she added. "They should further illuminate human consciousness about how we interact as human beings."

As one of the most skilled fighters in the Seven Kingdoms, Brienne of Tarth isn't your typical woman of Westeros. In fact, unlike most women on "Game of Thrones," Brienne isn't shackled to the ubiquitous patriarchy of the land. Because let's be real: the toughest knight in Westeros is no man's pawn.