7. The Butcher's Boy Incident 'The Kingsroad'
As mentioned before, Joffrey wasn't too much of a dick preceding 'The Kingsroad'. That's not because he suddenly had a change of character, Harvey Dent-style much like fire needs oxygen to burn, Joffrey needs the camera to suck, and he just didn't have much facetime in 'Winter Is Coming.' 'The Kingsroad' changed all that, and though he'd already indulged in garden variety antics by mocking Catelyn, we had to wait until the midway point to see the smirking one bust out some high-grade dickishness. Belittling a peasant is par for the course for a Prince, but attempting to force a sword-on-stick fight to make an extreme, cruel point is way too much. But curiously, he's not done after Arya breaks up proceedings with a well-deserved stick upside the head, the loathsome moppet swings a sword at everyone's favourite wolf-girl. Swings. A. Sword. Forgetting this rash action, if successful, would have had far-reaching consequences Arya's the daughter of the second most powerful man in the Kingdoms (on paper, anyhow) it's just maddeningly over-the-top, and prophetic of Joffrey's later excesses. You almost punch the air when he gets savaged by Nymeria. All this is compounded by his lies later, which just exacerbate the situation and lead to Mycah and Lady's deaths. Yes, he wasn't directly responsible for either The Hound's job enthusiasm put paid to Mycah in the end, and Lady's dowfall came courtesy of a drunk Robert and vindictive Cersei but still, if he wasn't such an unremitting tool none of this would've happened.
Edward Owen
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Durham University graduate and qualified sports journalist. Very good at sitting down and watching things. Can multi-task this with playing computer games. Football Manager addict who has taken Shrewsbury Town to the summit of the Premier League.
You can follow me at @Ed_OwenUK, if you like ramblings about Newcastle United and A Place in the Sun. If you don't, I don't know what I can do for you.
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