11 Years Later, Game of Thrones Fans Still Puzzled Over How One Character Died

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It’s been more than ten years since the airing of Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 2, titled “The Lion and the Rose,” and viewers are still debating about the mysterious “Purple Wedding.” This notable episode showcases the wedding of King Joffrey Baratheon to Margaery Tyrell, but during the celebration, Joffrey appears to die by choking in front of his subjects. However, suspicion falls on his family who believe he was poisoned, and two characters, Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish and Olenna Tyrell, each claim responsibility for the plot to poison him within the episode. Upon reevaluation, some fans find it puzzling as to why their plan seemed so complex, but there are explanations.

Titled “The Purple Funeral,” this reference is drawn from the similarity to the “Bloody Wedding” where Robb Stark met his end, and because Joffrey’s complexion turned purple as he succumbed to his death. At the moment of his passing, Joffrey was indulging excessively in food and wine, all while taunting his uncle Tyrion throughout the gathering. It is plausible that he died from choking on his meal, but Grand Maester Pycelle attests that his demise bore the hallmarks of a poison called “the Throttler,” which was purloined from the maester’s private inventory while Tyrion served as the Hand of the King.

What has left fans puzzled, though, is the manner in which this poison was distributed. Sansa Stark wore a necklace adorned with what she believed were amethysts. This necklace was gifted to her by Ser Dontos, who acted on behalf of Littlefinger. Littlefinger informs Sansa that one of the stones was missing from her necklace and clarifies that these weren’t amethysts but the crystal form of a deadly substance known as the strangler. He suggests that he manipulated Joffrey’s death by placing the poison on Sansa, secretly instructing an agent to remove one of the stones from her necklace and drop it into Joffrey’s drink.

As a movie critic, I’ve always been intrigued by the subtleties of Game of Thrones plots, and in Season 7, the theory surrounding Lady Olenna and Sansa’s necklace was finally confirmed. During their initial encounter at the wedding, she had admired Sansa’s jewelry and made an adjustment that now seems to hold a deeper significance.

However, even with these revelations, some viewers remain puzzled about the necessity of such an intricate plotline. One Reddit user posed a question this week, humorously questioning if the high lords and noble ladies were subjected to a TSA checkpoint before entering the wedding feast, considering the poison was cleverly concealed within Sansa’s jewelry. It’s these intricacies that make Game of Thrones such an engaging watch!

The post pointed out that it’s unnecessary and risky to have Sansa unknowingly transport the poison, given her role in the wedding and the potential for Grandma Tyrell to manipulate the situation. The necklace wasn’t used as proof of Sansa’s guilt, and the whole plan seems excessively complicated and not practical.

Potential Answers

This topic has been a hotly contested and debated subject among fans for quite some time, and it’s no different here with comments reflecting familiar arguments. A crucial aspect to consider is that the plot to kill Joffrey was likely carefully planned with numerous contingencies and factors in mind, such as location. For instance, if someone had suspected poison and searched those seated at the table, they would have discovered more than one strangler crystal on Sansa, which could have implicated her in the crime. This is important because she was Tyrion’s wife during that time, so any involvement on her part would have also tarnished Tyrion’s innocence as well.

It’s possible that Lady Olenna and the Tyrell faction wished for Sansa Stark to share Tyrion Lannister’s downfall. They attempted to organize a marriage between Sansa and a Tyrell family member, aiming to control the North entirely. As fate had it, Sansa was wedded to Tyrion instead. Consequently, they might have preferred Sansa’s execution over letting House Lannister seize Winterfell, thereby augmenting their power. Another possibility is that they hoped Tyrion would be convicted alone, enabling them to propose a marriage to the widowed Sansa at a later time.

In essence, while Olenna was prepared to relinquish Sansa, Littlefinger had no such intentions. Instead, by clandestinely removing her from the city and revealing his role in the plot, Littlefinger instilled fear in Sansa and exerted some level of influence over her. This proximity was crucial as it made her more susceptible to his future plans. Thus, Littlefinger’s unsettling affection for Sansa became pivotal to her narrative, implying that things unfolded exactly as he desired.

Alternative Theories

As a movie critic, I find myself intrigued by the unresolved mysteries surrounding Joffrey’s death in the epic saga, “A Song of Ice and Fire.” Despite the storyline concluding neatly in the television adaptation, there remains a plethora of popular alternative theories regarding his demise. Notably, Lady Olenna has yet to confess any involvement in Joffrey’s passing within the books, and it seems that Littlefinger’s claims of knowledge may be overstated.

For those interested, I would recommend checking out Preston Jacobs’ extensive YouTube video exploring these alternative theories. However, at this point, it is challenging to envision how a revelation concerning Joffrey’s death could potentially impact the future books, should they ever come to fruition.

Ultimately, the ongoing enigma of this situation serves as an outstanding illustration of why the series Game of Thrones and book saga A Song of Ice and Fire are so captivating. Most fantasy tales construct intricate plots similar to this one; however, they often either unfold flawlessly or unravel in a manner that is crystal clear to the audience. The complexity of this plot, with contingencies that continue to baffle readers even today, enhances the authenticity and overall believability of the story and the world it portrays.

Currently, “Game of Thrones” is being streamed on Max, and there’s an upcoming spinoff titled “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” due this year exclusively on HBO and Max. George R.R. Martin’s novels are already available in print, digital, and audio formats, with the sixth book in the series yet to come.

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2025-04-28 18:46