Joffrey is born spoiled by his mother and ignored by his father, and he grows into a self-centered crybaby with as much political talent as a chamber pot. The conceited prince unexpectedly becomes king after Robert Baratheon's untimely death, following which he enacts a course of meaningless terror and tyranny to satisfy his grandiose whims.
Joffrey dies at the Purple Wedding, an event that isn't too heartbreaking for most of the Game of Thrones fandom, because he inspires an atmosphere of distrust and ignominy everywhere he goes, even among his supposed allies. Although it is Olenna Tyrell who assassinates Joffrey, there are many solid arguments in favor of his early disposal from the show.
10 He Tortures And Murders Ros
Joffrey has a penchant for sadism, something he develops as a small child. The books even feature a subplot in which he is punished for killing and dissecting a pregnant cat.
In the show, he takes his rage and ego out on Ros and Daisy, a pair of prostitutes presented to him by Tyrion. Eventually, Joffrey's wanton violence turns into an excellent excuse for Littlefinger to get rid of any witnesses—Ros is subsequently tied to the king's bedposts and used as "target practice."
9 He Orders The Killing Of Robert Baratheon's Illegitimate Children
As much as the Lannisters attempt to quell the "rumors" surrounding their incestuous relationship, Joffrey learns that several people believe him to be Jaime's son.
He also discovers that Robert had several illegitimate children across King's Landing, and responds to the information by commanding a series of unjust executions. Three kids and two babies are murdered in the process, although Gendry manages to escape in the nick of time. Joffrey's ruthlessness and lack of tact often terrify his own family.
8 He Tells His Personal Bodyguards To Kill A Horde Of Citizens
A horde of citizens and peasantry surround Joffrey's entourage, taunting him for his various insufficiencies while demanding restitution for their losses. An invisible attacker sends a pat of dung flying at the king's head, infuriating him so much that he orders his soldiers to just "kill them all!"
The flaw in his plan is revealed almost immediately—his meager guard is unable to counter an enormous throng of starving people. As a result of Joffrey's blundering reaction, the High Septon is gruesomely murdered.
7 He Gleefully Has Eddard Stark Executed
Joffrey agrees to go easy on Ned Stark as long as the latter is willing to accept his new mantle: traitor to the realm. Ned accepts the consequences of his actions, falsely admitting to crimes he hasn't committed to save the life of his beloved daughter, Sansa.
Unfortunately, Joffrey arrogantly announces his intention to execute the Stark patriarch, claiming that "treason shall never go unpunished." This decision isn't just capricious, but it also flies against the very fabric of House Lannister's trademark common sense.
6 Joffrey's Vile Treatment Of Sansa During The Riot Of King's Landing
Joffrey takes great pleasure in tormenting Sansa. In addition to having her father killed, he snidely suggests that she should expect a similar fate to befall the rest of her family. In fact, he has her beaten by Mervyn Trant, a petty form of revenge for the North's rebellion.
Further, when Sansa is found missing during the Riot of King's Landing, Joffrey harshly says "let [the mob] have her." Thankfully, Tyrion manages to knock some sense into his nephew's head by mentioning Jaime's precarious situation in Stark captivity.
5 He Bullies And Makes Fun Of His Siblings
As the oldest of three siblings, Joffrey regularly subjected Myrcella and Tommen to bouts of bullying and abuse. Neither Cersei nor Tywin sees fit to change his behavior, leaving a clear path forward for Joffrey's gradual transformation into a heartless fiend.
He actually ridicules Tommen for weeping when their sister is sent off to Dorne, reacting with unbridled condescension when Sansa comments on the hypocrisy of his statement. In fact, it's likely that Tommen would have become a much more stable ruler if Joffrey had never existed.
4 He Mocks Ned's Death In Front Of His Daughter
Joffrey commands Sansa to look at Ned's decapitated head "as long as it pleases" him, forcing her to remind him that he failed to abide by his "promise to be merciful" and release her father.
Unsurprisingly, he perceives the execution to be an act of mercy and offers neither comfort nor condolences to his would-be wife. To add insult to injury, Joffrey mockingly tells her that he plans to offer Robb's head as "a present." Sansa's sassy rebuttal—"or maybe he'll give me yours"—earns her more punishment.
3 He Pours A Goblet Of Wine Over His Uncle's Head
Joffrey sarcastically tells his uncle to take part in a bizarre play with dwarf-only actors, which Tyrion counters by asking the king to do it himself.
Unable to handle any kind of criticism, Joffrey naturally falls back on childish violence, upturning a goblet of wine all over his uncle's head in full view of everyone present. Even this doesn't satisfy Joffrey's desire for unwarranted hostility, as he goes on to demean Tyrion by making him his cup-bearer.
2 Joffrey Makes Tyrion's Wedding To Sansa A Terrible Experience For Everyone
When Tywin decides to forge an alliance with the Tyrells, he betroths Joffrey to Margaery and leaves Sansa to marry Tyrion, something he believes is insulting to all parties involved.
Joffrey callously marches up to her before the wedding, claiming that, "as the father of the realm, it is [his] duty to give [her] away to [her] husband." The insensitive shenanigans continue when Joffrey removes Tyrion's stool, preventing him from shielding his bride's modesty with a ceremonial cloak.
1 He Has Mycah Killed For Doing Nothing
One of Joffrey's earliest examples of cruelty in the show occurs when he attacks Mycah, an innocent commoner playing with swords with Arya. He "scolds" the boy for hurting his "lady's sister," scoring Mycah's cheek with the edge of his sword until Arya disarms him.
Joffrey later orders Sandor Clegane to hunt down and execute Mycah for his apparent role in the prince's humiliation, infuriating both Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark.