King Joffrey Would Have (Eventually) Become a Good King

Joffrey’s flaws and follies Joffrey would be worse than almost any other character in Westeros for continuing on the throne. He was a mix of tyranny and incompetence. Tyrion states "we've had vicious kings, and we've had idiot kings, but I don't think we've ever been cursed with a vicious idiot for a king!" He was cruel, violent, sadistic, and pretentious as well as incompetent, cowardly, rash, unintelligent, deluded, and naive. Joffrey inspired not a shred of loyalty yet expected it unconditionally; he left it to others to save the realm and took the credit for it; his only interests were that of his own well-being, power, and enjoyment. And cruelty was a game to him. He thought he could do whatever he wanted. He was deluded and demanded unquestioned loyalty by mere virtue of his status. http://tinyurl.com...; Power corrupts Joffrey was on the path to absolute power. When does an evil person ever become good after gaining absolute power? Pro’s entire case rests on the premise that Joffrey would become a good person, yet he’s the biggest dick in the realm and with the most power in the realm. Joffrey was a psychopath; psychopaths don't change Joffrey exhibits all the qualities of psychopathy. He never expresses remorse, never takes responsibility, had a strong sense of entitlement, was very violent and acted rashly. “Psychologists... state that psychopaths suffer from a severe “personality disorder,” not just normal human flaws that can be worked on and ameliorated…Personality disorders are character deficiencies that are so deeply ingrained in one’s personality that they are, for all practical purposes, unchangeable.” Joffrey would never change because he was incapable of it, thus Pro's case falls apart. http://tinyurl.com... Westeros is plagued with major problems that Joffrey could never handle The kingdom is severely divided and vulnerable. At a time when Westeros most needs a king that will unite and protect them, Joffrey is an abysmal hope. He would instead magnify the problems as he always does. 1. "He lies through his teeth" There is no reason to believe Joffrey knew how to lie particularly well, nor that he could lie wisely--an important factor. The art of deceiving is much more than an ability to act out a lie and a willingness to lie: you have to know when to lie and who to lie to. King's Landing is a nest of deceivers and plotters and lying is a vital art for survival. Joffrey is willing to lie, but that doesn't mean he's shrewd. 2. "He's a sadistic monster" All major persons in power are willing to inact violence, the difference is that Joffrey does so for pure pleasure and without any prudence at all. King Aerys was a sadistic monster with similarities to Joffrey. In the end, his own Hand, Tywin, turned on him and sacked the city. A member of his own Kingsguard killed him. Violence needs to be reserved only for times when it is necessary. Sadistic monsters are not the kind to moderate their violence. 3. "He's supremely arrogant" Arrogance is neither necessary for rule nor is it in itself a good thing. Eddard Stark may have been hopeless in the politics of King's Landing, but he generated a mass amount of loyalty and respect while remaining a supremely humble man. Arrogance can be good, but Joffrey is blindly arrogant and estranges those around him. Joffrey changing Joffrey does not exhibit any potential to make the extreme change required, nor is it easy to sway people in power. Joffrey is not submissive or respectful to Tywin--nor anyone. He says to Cersei, "My grandfather's stupidity in the field of battle is the reason Robb Stark has Jaime in the first place." http://tinyurl.com... latter, when Tywin says he’ll win his war for him, he angrily responds that his father won the real war while Tywin "hid in Casterly Rock during the fighting". Joffrey would hate to be under the control of his grandfather, and as he got older and more used to being king, his defiance would only increase, especially as Tywin approached old age. Joffrey detached himself from Cersei, not to attatch himself to Tywin, but because he's becoming more independent and less heeding of advice as he grows into power. Joffrey could at any time turn the Tyrells against him. Margaery's grandmother is willing to do much for her sake, and Loras Tyrell is both much devoted to his sister as well as arrogant and extremely skilled at fighting. When Joffrey inevitably brought Margaery to harm, House Tyrell would no doubt react. Moreover, Tywin's agenda is the furthering of the family. If Joffrey threatens that, Tywin would, without hesitation, remove him, perhaps to put his more prudent and subtle brother Tommen on the throne. Thus Joffrey's reign would be a disastor. Maturity Pro gets two things wrong. Joffrey was not very young--easily past the age of adulthood in Westeros, and Joffrey was not in any way becoming more receptive of advice. As demonstrated, persons like Joffrey do not change, especially when they are in positions of power.