Game of Thrones: Looking back at Joffrey Baratheon
If there’s one character who causes intense discussion, it’s King Joffrey from Game of Thrones. Played by the young Irish actor Jack Gleeson (who, in real life, couldn’t be nicer – apparently) the character is perhaps one of the most evil ever committed to film.
Joffrey starts off innocent enough; perhaps a little spoilt, he is the true product of his parents’ corrupt work. However, once Joffrey comes into power in Season One as the King of Westoros, he truly takes a turn for the worst.
Off with his head
It is his execution of everyone’s favourite character, Ned Stark, that sparked the pure hatred that many audience members feel for the king. As we all felt so sure Ned would be spared to live out his life on the Night’s Watch, Joffrey instead chooses a truly brutal death for this once great man.
Forcing his betrothed, Sansa Stark, to watch her father’s death was bad enough, but to then force her to look at his disembodied head on the wall next to her warden was just the start of his torture of the poor girl.
From beating her to attempting to strip her of her clothes at court, to threatening to rape her on the night of her marriage, Joffrey is truly the cruellest to Sansa, despite her utter devotion to him from the start.
The God of fire
While King Stannis worships the God of Fire, Joffrey is perhaps one of the fieriest characters on the show, unable to contain his temper. The after effects of his uncontrolled rage are seen most dramatically in the riot scene where he attempts to abandon Sansa to the vengeful crowd.
His rage seems to be limitless, from the controlled anger seen when dealing with the prostitutes sent as a gift from his Uncle Tyrion, to the childlike episodes leading to his grandfather Tywin sending him to bed.
What a coward
Despite his talk about being a bit of a hard man, Joffrey is in fact one of the weakest men in the entire show. Running away from the Battle of Blackwater, despite his boasts to Sansa, was perhaps one of his most pathetic acts, and reminds us all what a childlike person he is.
He cowers under the power of his grandfather (though to be fair, who could blame him?) whilst clinging to the skirts of his mother as soon as someone challenges him.
Perhaps his most despicable and cowardly act came in the form of threatening to present Robb Stark’s head on a plate to Sansa at his wedding, showing that while he cannot kill a man, he is willing to take the glory for himself.
Give him a slap
Plenty of audience members cheered when Tyrion finally slapped the King, despite his threats. It perfectly brought Joffrey down to size, if only for a scene or so, and left many hoping to see another.
While it looks as though it might be a while before Joffrey gets any comeuppance again, that doesn’t mean you have to be denied the pleasure. A new game by Round Games allows you to finally get your frustration out on the King, so if you’ve had a bad day at the office, or simply can’t wait until Season Four arrives on our screens, check it out below!
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