Perhaps one of the most hated “bad guys” in a tv series, King Joffrey was slayed in the most unsuspecting and Machiavellian way in the crazy popular Game of Thrones. Director Alex Graves says: “I wanted to make sure that it was a rough enough death for somebody who is one of the most hated [fictional characters] in the United States… We wanted to feel some catharsis after the Red Wedding, and I think we got it.” And got it Graves did in season 4, episode 2 of GoT
After marrying Margaery Baratheon King Joffrey is somehow killed at the dinner reception. While King Joffrey was not a nice person in the least bit it’s sort of hard to figure out who killed him, right? Wrong. There are so many suspects and reasons; let us go through the obvious and NOT so obvious.
THE OBVIOUS:
Tyrion Lannister and/or Sansa Stark
While it makes total sense that Joffrey’s killer could be his uncle Tyrion or the heartbroken/physically/emotionally abused Sansa Stark, it would be too obvious for director Alex Graves to place either of these two as Joffrey’s killer(s). Tyrion just doesn’t like trouble and Sansa well… She doesn’t like trouble either, in fact she would have been way to scared to poison Joffrey although she probably thought about it.
Margaery
After the way King Joffrey made a mockery of her brother – Loras Tyrell and her late husband Renly Baratheon for their sexual relationship in his 5 Kings battle at the wedding dinner you would think Margaery was the one who killed her new husband. But again it would be too obvious. Aside from the fact Margaery clearly does not really love Joffrey, she is infatuated with being “a queen”. In a previous episode after the death of Renly she expressed to her brother Loras that she just wanted to be “A Queen”. During King Joffrey’s bitch fit, she handled the cup in which Tyrion passed to Joffrey and also fed him pie. While unlike Sansa Stark, Margaery has the heart to kill Joffrey I just don’t think she did it.
THE NOT SO OBVIOUS:
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister isn’t such a nice guy and family or not I wouldn’t play games with him. Joffrey rubbed him the wrong way in advance of his wedding and Tywin had some choice words for his grandson. He also made a comment at some point to the effect that Joffrey is King, but doesn’t have any power… Grand dad definitely had a lot of influence and power as he is the one who orchestrated the red wedding that killed Robb Stark, his wife, his mother and his dire wolf. Tywin is cold, I wouldn’t put the murder of Joffrey behind him and in fact I would love if that is the outcome. Makes for an awesome twist to the series.
Olenna Tyrell
Olenna Tyrell is a very smart woman and has outlasted almost everyone in the Tyrell family. Olenna early on had a meeting with Sansa Stark where she was concerned with the type of person Joffrey might be. Sansa said a few things, but was reluctant to tell the entire truth or divulge her true feelings about King Joffrey. In this Sunday’s episode Olenna walks over to Sansa to offer her condolences for her brother Robb’s death. While making no mention of the rest of Sansa’s family who was murdered at the “Red Wedding”, Olenna says: “Killing a man at a wedding… horrid. What kind of monster would do something like that?” Is this is possible clue that she will reward an unjust murder of the good guys with a just murder of the bad guy? Hmmmmm who knows, but did anyone else notice that a jewel was missing from Sansa Stark necklace after Olenna fondled it? Did anyone also notice that the necklace is the same one given to Sansa by Ser Dantos? Not to mention Ser Dantos conveniently pops up as Joffrey is croaking and tells Sansa its her chance to leave and get away from Kings Landing. Hmmmm wonder if Olenna Tyrell and Ser Dantos are working together?
Watch Olenna’s quick hands in action
