# Game of Thrones n3wb: Cersei is so funny **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458 "2015-01-31T20:54:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/21 "2015-02-02T21:40:42Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > What redeeming qualities can you find in Joffrey? > > … Lovely head of hair. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/22 "2015-02-02T21:46:55Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > What redeeming qualities can you find in Joffrey? Good with a bow? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/23 "2015-02-02T22:00:26Z")
He, like his mother, is certainly unburdened by doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/24 "2015-02-03T01:57:29Z")
Or moral scruples. Lessee. He also had a robust sense of royal authority, but had the good sense to defer to his grandfather and Hand when glared at. His wedding was also quite memorable, although not in any way he planned it to be. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/25 "2015-02-03T07:51:50Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > What redeeming qualities can you find in Joffrey? Patron of the (dwarf) arts. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/26 "2015-02-03T09:37:52Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Or moral scruples. > > Lessee. He also had a robust sense of royal authority, but had the good sense to defer to his grandfather and Hand when glared at. His wedding was also quite memorable, although not in any way he planned it to be. Due to fear, but didn’t have the sense to listen to Tywin. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/27 "2015-02-03T17:28:07Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I think you must be watching a different show. Of all the characters in the show she’s probably the most villainous. That is you never see any real rationale for any of her actions. . . They kinda beat you over the head with the “mothers will do anything for their children” theme, both in the books AND in the show. :dubious: All of her rationale and motivations stem from her desire to everything possible to further her childrens’ places in the monarchy, with the possible exception of motivations stemming from her lust for Jaime. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/28 "2015-02-03T18:25:08Z")
Thing is Cersei is a horrible monster, but she’s a realistic horrible monster. She doesn’t do evil things because she likes evil, she does evil things out of selfishness, boredom, vanity, spite, pettiness, and shortsightedness. Contrast with other characters like Joffrey or the Bastard who are just sadistic psychopaths. In real life we have a few examples of literal psychopaths who held power, but most of history’s greatest monsters were just garden variety assholes of the kind you find in every workplace. Even Hitler wasn’t a psychopath, he was just an asshole like Cersei. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458/29 "2015-02-03T19:18:27Z")
Actually, the Bastard also is a realistic monster - he’s got a horrible role model whom he’s trying to impress. He goes over the top because he figures that’s what the world (and Roose) want and expect of him, that that’s his path to grandeur. So he works hard at being a cunt, at the same time as\* he’s \*damaged by his being a cunt. He’s basically crossed a moral event horizon, much like an SS camp guard would have : once you’ve done or seen a few truely horrible things you can either walk back in horror (and/or top yourself), or confidently stroll forward into the happy, peaceful fields of insanity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-n3wb-cersei-is-so-funny/711458.md?page=1)