# Game of Thrones 3.06 "The Climb" 5/5/2013 No Spoilers

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 6, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592 "2013-05-06T02:09:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 12

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/221 "2013-05-08T13:37:46Z")

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> [@LawMonkey](#):
>
> I’m not sure if Joffrey couldn’t wind up being relatively harmless; given how adept Margaery has been at managing him, he could wind up just pursuing his “hobbies” in private

His hobbies of torturing and murdering people? I think that Margaery and everyone else is overestimating to what degree Joffrey can be “handled.” After all, he _started_ his reign by having someone beheaded and then all his bastard siblings murdered. He made a regular habit of publicly humiliating people, torturing them emotionally, having their tongues ripped out, etc. _Maybe_ Margaery might be able to handle Joffrey as far as keeping her own self safe (I doubt it) but Joffrey’s already gone over the side as far as his public persona is concerned. It’s a bit like Oskar Schindler trying to teach Amon Göth the virtues of mercy. He might try it once or twice, but it won’t be long before he goes back to killing people, because that’s really all he likes.

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/222 "2013-05-08T14:17:46Z")

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What happens after it’s _Margaery_ he murders? Would the Tyrells stand for that? Or what if it’s Sansa? Or Shae.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/223 "2013-05-08T14:20:58Z")

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Well, we know what happened to another king when his insanity and cruelty got to be too much. So presumably if Joffrey’s behavior becomes excessive, he’ll have a convenient “accident.”

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/224 "2013-05-08T14:26:40Z")

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> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> What happens after it’s _Margaery_ he murders? Would the Tyrells stand for that? Or what if it’s Sansa? Or Shae.

Well, from the conversation between Olenna and Tyrion, it’s pretty clear that the Lannisters are depending pretty heavily on the money, supplies, and soldiers being supplied by the Tyrells. Tywin would not be in a good position if Joffrey were to kill Margaery.

Sansa at this point has some value to the Lannisters as a possible heir to Winterfell if Robb is gotten out of the way. But, really, she’s not all that critical. Her death would not be devastating to them, and it would also be relatively easy to cover up.

The only person who cares about Shae is Tyrion. And his hand is fairly weak now too. Varys might be in a position to help her, but he wasn’t able to save Ros, so that’s what that is worth.

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**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/225 "2013-05-08T14:46:32Z")

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> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> His hobbies of torturing and murdering people? I think that Margaery and everyone else is overestimating to what degree Joffrey can be “handled.” After all, he _started_ his reign by having someone beheaded **and then all his bastard siblings murdered**.

Fair’s fair, that was on Cersei AFAIK.

ETA: BTW, I’ve been rewatching season 2 and that move striked me as \*particularly \*boneheaded. Way to ignore “slander”. Might as well have posted a video of her and Jaime screwing on YouRaven.

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**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/226 "2013-05-08T14:48:52Z")

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> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Well, we know what happened to another king when his insanity and cruelty got to be too much. So presumably if Joffrey’s behavior becomes excessive, he’ll have a convenient “accident.”

Then what? Stannis gets the throne, no questions asked? Tywin sits on the throne and refuses to budge? Marge sits as the Queen Regent? Loras, via his relations to Marge?

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/227 "2013-05-08T14:50:55Z")

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> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Fair’s fair, that was on Cersei AFAIK.
> 
> ETA: BTW, I’ve been rewatching season 2 and that move striked me as \*particularly \*boneheaded. Way to ignore “slander”. Might as well have posted a video of her and Jaime screwing on YouRaven.

Wasn’t it one particular person who publicized the incest story between Cersei and Jaime? Who was that? I think it was in the first season.

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**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/228 "2013-05-08T15:00:04Z")

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> [@pancakes3](#):
>
> Then what? Stannis gets the throne, no questions asked? Tywin sits on the throne and refuses to budge? Marge sits as the Queen Regent? Loras, via his relations to Marge?

Joffrey has a younger brother and sister who would be next in line ( presumably in that order ). Tyrion describes both as being sweet kids. We saw the sister being sent off to Dorne to be engaged and the brother was the one Cersei was going to poison to save him from being…whatevered…if Stannis took King’s Landing during the battle of Blackwater.

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/229 "2013-05-08T15:01:30Z")

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> [@pancakes3](#):
>
> Then what? Stannis gets the throne, no questions asked? Tywin sits on the throne and refuses to budge? Marge sits as the Queen Regent? Loras, via his relations to Marge?

Yeah, that’s a really good question. Joffrey’s brother Tommen?

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**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/230 "2013-05-08T15:08:41Z")

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> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Wasn’t it one particular person who publicized the incest story between Cersei and Jaime? Who was that? I think it was in the first season.

Yup, it was Stannis, first ep. season 2. His rationale was “Jon Aryn found out and died shortly after. Ned Stark found out, came straight to tell me (and only me) and now _he_’s dead. Fuck that noise - I’m telling everyone I possibly can right now. Send the ravens, all the ravens”.

Then Joffrey asked Cersei about it, she went “nuh-UH !”, then had a couple dozen kids slaughtered throughout the capital, in broad daylight, in full view of everyone. Every bit the mastermind, that one.

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/231 "2013-05-08T15:09:35Z")

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Tommen would be king and Joffrey dies and has no heirs. Of course, if he has a son and then dies, the son would be queen and Margaery would be Queen Regent. Then the Tyrells would be in the position the Lannisters are now, which might be their plan all along.

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**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/232 "2013-05-08T15:10:40Z")

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> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Fair’s fair, that was on Cersei AFAIK.
> 
> ETA: BTW, I’ve been rewatching season 2 and that move striked me as \*particularly \*boneheaded. Way to ignore “slander”. Might as well have posted a video of her and Jaime screwing on YouRaven.

It was revealed in a conversation between Tyrion and Cersei that it was Joff who ordered it to avoid other people finding out about the Baratheon black hair thing.

I wonder if Joff isn’t impotent, apparently it is one of the things that afflict the product of incest. When doesn’t seem interested in sex at all (quite rare at that age).

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/233 "2013-05-08T15:13:47Z")

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> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Fair’s fair, that was on Cersei AFAIK.

I’m not so sure about that. I seem to recall a scene in which Cersei implies or at least fails to deny that Joffrey ordered it.

> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Wasn’t it one particular person who publicized the incest story between Cersei and Jaime? Who was that? I think it was in the first season.

Wasn’t it Ned who told Stannis and then Stannis who told everyone else?

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**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/234 "2013-05-08T15:48:13Z")

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> [@AlsoNamedBort](#):
>
> Tommen would be king and Joffrey dies and has no heirs. Of course, if he has a son and then dies, the son would be queen

No, no, it would be his uncle Loras who’s the queen.

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**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/235 "2013-05-08T15:50:02Z")

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On a different subject, did it feel to anyone else that the deal with the Freys was just a little too easy? I’m sure it’s not over yet, but they made such a big deal about Robb breaking his oath last season. Now it’s just “We want an apology, the crappiest castle in all of Westeros, and your uncle to marry my daughter.” Big whoop.

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**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/236 "2013-05-08T15:50:02Z")

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If Joffrey did something to Margaery and the Tyrells wanted to remove him they wouldn’t simply hand the throne to the next in line, that would be insane. At that point it would just be another rebellion with the eventual goal of taking the throne for themselves. There is no succession rule that trumps “whoever wins the war gets the throne”.

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**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/237 "2013-05-08T16:07:17Z")

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> [@AlsoNamedBort](#):
>
> On a different subject, did it feel to anyone else that the deal with the Freys was just a little too easy? I’m sure it’s not over yet, but they made such a big deal about Robb breaking his oath last season. Now it’s just “We want an apology, the crappiest castle in all of Westeros, and your uncle to marry my daughter.” Big whoop.

Walder Frey is obviously very very desperate to marry off one of his daughters.

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/238 "2013-05-08T16:12:29Z")

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Harrenhall might be a crappy castle, but being lord of something also gives you tax revenue and control from the lands associated with it, so it’s clearly a pretty huge deal to be awarded something like that.

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**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/239 "2013-05-08T16:12:58Z")

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While the castle of Harrenhal is kind of crap, the lands that are connected to it are rich. Or potentially rich, when there’s not a war on.

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**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-06-the-climb-5-5-2013-no-spoilers/657592/240 "2013-05-08T16:13:16Z")

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> [@Mighty\_Girl](#):
>
> It was revealed in a conversation between Tyrion and Cersei that it was Joff who ordered it to avoid other people finding out about the Baratheon black hair thing.
> 
> I wonder if Joff isn’t impotent, apparently it is one of the things that afflict the product of incest. When doesn’t seem interested in sex at all (quite rare at that age).

IIRC, Cersei speculated that Joffrey’s behavior could be the punishment for incest, but that the Targaryen line was incestuous for years before the madness began to show up.

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