Game Of Thrones: 10 Book Characters Who Are Far Better On-Screen

8. Joffrey Baratheon

For all the subtlety The Song of Ice and Fire books have in regards to the morality of the characters, Joffrey stands out because he has no subtlety. He lacks any redeeming qualities; there is literally nothing he does that could make you relate or care about him in the slightest. For a series that claims to lack any clear cut bad guys, Joffrey begs to differ. He exists for the reader to hate, pure and simple. As a result, he is completely one note; either acting like an obnoxious imbecile or crying for his mommy. All this can be said for Joffrey in Game of Thrones as well, but Jack Gleeson does the impossible and adds depth where there should be none. Behind all the malice and hatred, you can see the scared little boy at the steering wheel. Watch the scene during the Battle of Blackwater where Joffrey debates with himself whether to retreat or not, and you can see actual humanity in his face. He wants to be brave and strong; to be the man he desperately wants and pretends to be, but he is still a child at heart thanks to the coddling from his mother. This scene, along with many others, adds humanity to an otherwise inhuman monster. Maybe, just maybe, you might feel a little sorry for him. What makes this performance even more astounding is that the show somehow makes Joffrey even worse than in the books; what with him torturing women and everything. So despite being a more extreme portrayal of an already extreme character, Jack Gleeson adds a bit of sympathy and understanding to Joffrey that exists solely as a product of the show, not the books. That won't stop us from hating him though.