Original Reactons to the Purple Wedding

[RhaenysBee]

I think a lot, if not most, of the deaths are quite reasonable. Ned, Drogo, Quentyn, Karstark, Viserys, and Mormont all have deaths that for various reasons you can see coming and that they brought upon themselves. Joffrey made a great number of enemies, and King's Landing is a dangerous place, the only surreal element was the wedding feast. Even Robb's death was somewhat foreseeable, even if the manner was unexpected.

I wasn't clear about what I meant then. It's not the actual happening of death that is not reasonable or unexpected. All these characters had it coming indeed. What I meant was the way of dying is not reasonable. I understand that it's trying to be about the irony of life that huge fearsome warrior who had never been defeated dies in taking a three inches long wound, of which normally even a five year old child recovers in a couple days. But it still strikes me as frustrating that most characters die at the snap of a finger, I mean WHO dies of being blown off of a stupid bridge? Just WHO? All these wee ways of death for high lords and kings and all... just feels stupid from one point of view.

As for Quentyn or Karstark, I would not include them here. This mostly applies for Robb, Ned, Renly, Balon, Tywin, Kevan, Drogo, Joffrey, Oberyn... all the people who were all fine and all right one second and lying dead the next one. Well, "all fine and all right".

[ab aeterno]

I wasn't clear about what I meant then. It's not the actual happening of death that is not reasonable or unexpected. All these characters had it coming indeed. What I meant was the way of dying is not reasonable. I understand that it's trying to be about the irony of life that huge fearsome warrior who had never been defeated dies in taking a three inches long wound, of which normally even a five year old child recovers in a couple days. But it still strikes me as frustrating that most characters die at the snap of a finger, I mean WHO dies of being blown off of a stupid bridge? Just WHO? All these wee ways of death for high lords and kings and all... just feels stupid from one point of view.

Drogo died from an infected wound, which was one of the most common ways for anyone to die right up until the discovery of penicillin. Even young children survive it now, with anti-biotics and medical treatment, but for the vast majority of history, if you had a wound and it got infected, you could either have it amputated or die. Drogo's death is actually one of the most realistic, especially given his attitude to those sorts of things. One such example was Richard I of England ("The Lionheart,") but there are innumerable others.

As for the bridge, that is somewhat unexpected by literary standards but again, not that unusual, especially given how Pyke is described. Though the common understanding is that Euron killed him, I believe.

As for Quentyn or Karstark, I would not include them here. This mostly applies for Robb, Ned, Renly, Balon, Tywin, Kevan, Drogo, Joffrey, Oberyn... all the people who were all fine and all right one second and lying dead the next one. Well, "all fine and all right".

I don't think that Ned or Robb were all that fine. Ned had been imprisoned for some time before he was executed (he expected to be executed until he "confessed," Robb had hardly any army left, had abandoned his last major seat, lost his home, and had no valuable hostages. Neither were in a very safe position. Drogo similarly was fine but then decided to do something macho and obviously stupid. The others are somewhat less obvious but with the exception of Kevan and Renly they had made many enemies, and Oberyn, much like Drogo, died because he was careless. For the most part, as well, they all die in reasonable ways - Ned is beheaded, Robb is shot and stabbed, Tywin is shot, Joffrey is poisoned, and Kevan is shot. Having your skill crushed and being assassinated by a shadow are somewhat more unlikely, but Renly is the only one that stands out as being truly unreasonable in his way of dying.

[Pinkie Baelish]

I wasn't clear about what I meant then. It's not the actual happening of death that is not reasonable or unexpected. All these characters had it coming indeed. What I meant was the way of dying is not reasonable. I understand that it's trying to be about the irony of life that huge fearsome warrior who had never been defeated dies in taking a three inches long wound, of which normally even a five year old child recovers in a couple days. But it still strikes me as frustrating that most characters die at the snap of a finger, I mean WHO dies of being blown off of a stupid bridge? Just WHO? All these wee ways of death for high lords and kings and all... just feels stupid from one point of view.

As for Quentyn or Karstark, I would not include them here. This mostly applies for Robb, Ned, Renly, Balon, Tywin, Kevan, Drogo, Joffrey, Oberyn... all the people who were all fine and all right one second and lying dead the next one. Well, "all fine and all right".

To an extent, I do think Joffrey's death was due to a desire to have a sense of shock factor, especially since the Red Wedding happens a 100 pages or so earlier. In a way, it's a masterstroke to have his death happen so quickly, as nobody would expect another major death after the shitstorm that was the Red Wedding. But Martin has been very good at killing off his characters when they've essentially reached the end of their narrative arcs. Ned, Robb, Drogo, Joffrey: they're all just plot devices. Now that the WOTFK is pretty much over, there's not much need to keep Joffrey around, from a narrative perspective. Besides, Joffrey's death sets up Tyrion's arrest and escape, Sansa's escape and the growing sense of conflict between the Lannisters and Martells. So I'd say it was pretty necessary overall.

Also, you can't keep such a one-note, repulsive character alive for too long. Joffrey's days were always going to be numbered.

[Greywind84]

Joy. Uncontrollable joy.

[Opa Tywin]

I was satisfied at first, but then a little sad, too. I loved to hate Joffrey.

[RhaenysBee]

Drogo died from an infected wound, which was one of the most common ways for anyone to die right up until the discovery of penicillin. Even young children survive it now, with anti-biotics and medical treatment, but for the vast majority of history, if you had a wound and it got infected, you could either have it amputated or die. Drogo's death is actually one of the most realistic, especially given his attitude to those sorts of things. One such example was Richard I of England ("The Lionheart,") but there are innumerable others.

As for the bridge, that is somewhat unexpected by literary standards but again, not that unusual, especially given how Pyke is described. Though the common understanding is that Euron killed him, I believe.

I don't think that Ned or Robb were all that fine. Ned had been imprisoned for some time before he was executed (he expected to be executed until he "confessed," Robb had hardly any army left, had abandoned his last major seat, lost his home, and had no valuable hostages. Neither were in a very safe position. Drogo similarly was fine but then decided to do something macho and obviously stupid. The others are somewhat less obvious but with the exception of Kevan and Renly they had made many enemies, and Oberyn, much like Drogo, died because he was careless. For the most part, as well, they all die in reasonable ways - Ned is beheaded, Robb is shot and stabbed, Tywin is shot, Joffrey is poisoned, and Kevan is shot. Having your skill crushed and being assassinated by a shadow are somewhat more unlikely, but Renly is the only one that stands out as being truly unreasonable in his way of dying.

Yes, mind the quotation mark, it's there for a reason.

This is still not what I mean, but I seem to be unable to explain it... Let's see an example. Ned. Imprisoned, traitor, stuff. People agree that he shall plead guilty and they'll send him to take the black and all shall be good. Scene is up, Ned pleads guilty and you are expecting him to be on a cart on the way to the wall in a few paragraphs, or pages and then BAMM the next moment he is beheaded. Yes, I'm not the most understanding and analyzing reader of all times, but don't tell me that was ever expected by anybody to happen. That he gets beheaded just like that. What are the chances of that? Everything is set up for him to go to the Wall, Joren is waiting it's like 100% organized and BAMM. Something pops in Joffrey's empty skull and he is dead. I don't say I didn't expect Ned to die. I did. When he and Jaime dueled, when he went around the city tracking Jon Arryn's clues and the bastards all freely... all that time I was expecting him to die, because what are the odds of a grown man being so stupid and naive and still surviving a world like that? But okay, he was imprisoned, to be sent to the wall, etc. To die in that very situation they died in was unexpected and out of reasonable. Not the fact that they die, or the method of chopping a head off or anything like that. I hope I managed to explain, if not, so it happens and let's drop it.

To an extent, I do think Joffrey's death was due to a desire to have a sense of shock factor, especially since the Red Wedding happens a 100 pages or so earlier. In a way, it's a masterstroke to have his death happen so quickly, as nobody would expect another major death after the shitstorm that was the Red Wedding. But Martin has been very good at killing off his characters when they've essentially reached the end of their narrative arcs. Ned, Robb, Drogo, Joffrey: they're all just plot devices. Now that the WOTFK is pretty much over, there's not much need to keep Joffrey around, from a narrative perspective. Besides, Joffrey's death sets up Tyrion's arrest and escape, Sansa's escape and the growing sense of conflict between the Lannisters and Martells. So I'd say it was pretty necessary overall.

Also, you can't keep such a one-note, repulsive character alive for too long. Joffrey's days were always going to be numbered.

Obviously. Perfectly right, you are there. But WHO expected Joffrey to die in the middle of his wedding feast choking of a stupid glass of stupid wine (or black amethyst or whatever)? So many other ways for him to die, the mob attack, Blackwater, anything. But no, he dies in an utterly stupid manner in an utterly stupid time and situation. That is only what I meant.

[Northern Nomad]

A smirk so large it was falling off my face.

[Sansa_Stark]

I was spoiled, so it didn't matter

[Jaenerys_snargaryen]

I really didn't care much about Joffrey at that point. He was a stupid, cruel, hatable little fuck and I just wanted him gone, out of the picture don't care how. I'm glad he suffered but at that point I really wanted to see Roose, Walder, and Tywin die painfully. I was even more happy about Tywin's death that Joffrey's. Still hoping we will see the other two die at the hands of Stoneheart.

[Warden of the Northwest]

I had been waiting for Joffrey to die since Book One, but I knew that no matter how GRRM did it I would be disappointed. Joffrey is such an evil little shit that I kind of felt like there wasn't a death horrible enough for him. Maybe I would have been satisfied if Ramsey had gotten hold of him instead.

[The Black Prince]

I set the book down. Got in my car and drove to church for the first time since I was 10.

:rofl:

I was really glad when he died but was kind of anxious because Sansa was still in King's Landing at that time. After she successfully got away from the Lannisters, I let my joy felt aloud.

[The Santa of House Claus]

Oh geez, my original reaction, I do not think I was all that shocked, I had been waiting and waiting for a bad guy to finally eat it, not pun intended, so I was rather happy I guess. Then a little shocked, more at the fact that I was so happy at a person's, even a fictional character's, death. Then I remembered which character died, and was happy again.

I was so excited about the Royal Wedding, I could hardly breath (pun intended)

[RAddichio]

My SO has not read GoT but has watched the tv series and has stated during almost every episode "can't wait until that %$&@ Joffrey finally gets it" Needless to say, he was a very happy man last night. I thought the buildup to Joffrey's demise was very well done and was not surprised to read that GRR Martin had written it himself.

The latter says he'll feel guilty if Jack Gleeson actually does give up acting when he graduates Trinity College next year.

It was amazing to watch the initial volley of "hooray--Joffrey is dead" tweets quickly transform into "Jack Gleeson is a brilliant actor--we'll miss him!"

[Pib_Juju]

I thought replacing Penny and Groat's joust with five dwarfs acting out the recent war was a really clever change. It made it an insult to a lot of people rather than just Tyrion, and the way Cersei and Joffrey were the only ones getting enjoyment out of it said a lot.

I also thought that exchange between Lady Olenna and Sansa was very deftly directed-- with the one jewel missing from her necklace after Olenna fiddled with it.

[Gneisenau]

Was Stannis riding a Melissandre mount ? :D

[First of My Name]

Was Stannis riding a Melissandre mount ? :D

Yes, that was awesome :D

[K-26dp]

I remember starting that chaper still a little numb from the Red Wedding. When Olanna messed with Sansa's hairnet, I remember perking up and thinking "something is happening here". I think I realized what was going to happen as soon as Joffrey demanded Tyrion be his cupbearer.

I rank that chapter as maybe the most well-written chapter of the whole series.

[Endymion I Targaryen]

Jack Gleeson did Joffrey's death very well!I think Olenna's involvement and Margaery's ambition became very clear.I watched the video with his death 5 times! :drunk:

[Red Wedding Cake]

Wow. Things are going down... Who is going to be the major villain now?

[Lady Fevre Dream]

Reading ASOS and Joffrey's death was kind of anti-climatic for me. It wasn't anywhere near the terrible death he deserved so I have to admit, for one of the first times ever.......seeing IS, and can be, better than reading sometimes. :bowdown: :lmao:

The show did do a beautiful job, and the war of the 5 dwarf kings was a nice touch, too.