Game of Thrones Left a Devastating Detail Hiding in Plain Sight During 1 of the Show's Most Satisfying Deaths (2025)

The latest season of House of the Dragon is currently in the works, and a new spin-off set within Westeros will be launching later on in 2025. There's a lot for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire to enjoy in the coming years, therefore, but many continue to go back to those earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, which were politically tense and narratively gripping. Not only did those seasons have some of the best writing on TV, but they also boasted nuanced performances that demonstrated how considered the actor's every move really was. The material elevated the performers and vice versa, leading to Emmy wins and universal acclaim.

Game of Thrones pivoted around complex personal relationships and critical rivalries that would go on to define the Seven Kingdoms. However, family was so often the source of conflict, and who knows about familial fights better than the Lannisters? Each member of that royal household politicked and schemed for the chance to grasp power. Well... all but one of them. Tywin Lannister might have been the worst of the bunch, but one specific moment that many fans missed the first time around shows that perhaps the old lion had a heart. And who brought it out of him? The most gentle of the Baratheons and a gracious king, Tommen could barely be considered to be a Lannister aside from his parentage, and the scene in question says so much about the monarch, too.

Game of Thrones' Early Seasons Prided Itself On Minor Details

Fans Had to Keep an Eye on the Background of Scenes

Game of Thrones' earlier seasons were put together with real integrity. There was a road map to follow and a sense that every move made on screen was critical to the understanding of a character. That meant that audiences were constantly looking at the background of scenes, hoping to find a clue as to how a figure may think or feel. Those minor details would often have large payoffs, as fans found animosity, tension, fear and regret in the slightest of movements. For the likes of Olenna Tyrell, her snide yet controlled remarks would ultimately lead to the revelation that she was behind Joffrey Baratheon's death. Meanwhile, Cersei's own plotting would lend itself to her initial downfall.

It's the duality of those two examples that makes this discussion especially interesting, because there was a major sequence in the second episode of Season 4 of Game of Thrones that took the show in a daunting new direction. Until that point, after the death of Robert Baratheon, it was Joffrey who had sat atop the throne. Intended to be married to Margery Tyrell, it was Olenna who believed that Joffrey's cruelty was too much for her granddaughter and the kingdom. Thus, the novels' famed Purple Wedding took place, which saw Joffrey poisoned on his wedding day, leaving Tommen the throne.

It's a sequence that fans have watched on repeat, in part because Joffrey's death is just so satisfying, considering he was once the most hated character on television. But also because no one was entirely sure who was to blame for this twist of fate. Those who had read the books were well aware that events can play out differently, while those who hadn't were left completely in the dark. Fingers were naturally pointed to Tyrion Lannister, whom the family believed wanted to claim the throne for himself eventually. Others suggested Sansa Stark was directly responsible, getting revenge for the cruelty she had experienced.

Regardless of the answer, the scene has so many layers. Cersei's grief, which transforms into anger, is contrasted with Tywin's own strength and resolve. Meanwhile, Tyrion is caught in a panic, with a hint of pleasure in the horrible demise. Sansa is struck with relief and terror that she may take the blame. And all the while, Olenna Tyrell is thrilled by the success of her scheme. Every choice is well-considered, and every performance is telling. There's so much at play here, in what is arguably one of the most important scenes in the show. Each character has a critical part to play in selling this twist, from Jaime to Margery. But one specific duo has a minor role to play that establishes the next era for the show.

Joffrey's Death Revealed Something New About Tywin Lannister

He Obviously Cared For the Future King

A split-second shot during the death of Joffrey sees Tywin Lannister covering the eyes of the future king, Tommen Baratheon. It is seemingly an insignificant act, but one that says everything fans need to know about both characters. For Tywin Lannister, it represents the contrast in the character displayed throughout Game of Thrones. Tywin has so often been deemed to be a cruel man, uncaring for his family and his children. But that's not totally true. While he might despise Tyrion for killing his wife in childbirth, he has a great respect for Jaime Lannister, and a love for Cersei. He has significant pride in the Lannister name and almost all those who hold it.

This act, of shielding Tommen from the death of his brother, could be seen as a kindness. A signal that Tywin does care for the younger Baratheon, who is about to hold the throne. On some level, that speaks to the love he has for his family; an instinctual act finally reveals he has a heart. However, there is more at play here. He knows how damaging such a traumatic event can be for a mind so young and fragile. There's a sense that perhaps shielding him from this terrible act is also protecting the future of the kingdom, giving Tommen the support he needs as his whole world changes forever. Joffrey's death could have further scarred him, but there's a literal and metaphorical barrier suddenly placed around the next monarch.

There is another reason that Tywin preferred Joffrey to Tommen, though, and not just because the younger brother is far kinder and caring. Tommen lacks the strength that Tywin so often looks for in his most trusted men, but he is also malleable because of that. Tommen is a king that Tywin is able to control, which certainly cannot be said for Joffrey. Tywin knows that as soon as Joffrey is dead, he essentially owns the throne, with Tommen hanging on his every word. His move, to cover Tommen's eyes and take him into his own care, is the first of many as Tywin takes control of the young king, and takes on the horrors so that he must not face them himself.

So, whether it's down to love or control, Tywin's act, to spare Tommen of the death of his brother, is one that carries great meaning. But there is something else to consider here. As soon as Joffrey is dead, Tywin moves away from Tommen and leaves him in the care of someone else. He has done his immediate duty, but when he is able to dispose of the Baratheon, he does so immediately so that he can push his own authority in the situation unfolding. Every decision is measured, and just as quickly as Tywin offers his protection to Tommen, he takes it away, so that he can find a more advantageous position. That, in a nutshell, perhaps reveals Tywin's true nature the most.

Tommen Has Been Protected All His Life

He Has Always Been Depicted As Kind-Hearted

Of course, this act has been analyzed from one angle, that of Tywin's point of view. But what about Tommen Baratheon? What part does he play in this grotesque sequence, if only for a moment? It seems that Tommen never fully grasped that he may one day sit on the throne himself. For those non-book readers, the character was barely featured on screen, and rose from obscurity to become king. Tywin may have been aware of what Joffrey's death meant for Tommen's future, but in truth, Tommen figuratively had his eyes closed. He was never able to see that the buck could pass on to him in the most horrendous way.

Tommen might have been hiding away from the grit and bloodshed of the Westeros around him, but he also demonstrates another personality flaw. He is quite happy being controlled. Regardless of his age, Tommen has always been babied, as if he is a child that needs looking after at all times. He is spoiled and doesn't realize it. What's more, he accepts his comfy lifestyle. It would be difficult to find another character in this scene who would allow Tywin to physically make a choice for them about what they are allowed to see, and accept that decision-making. Tommen is happy to be shielded, and will go on to let himself be manipulated by Tywin at almost every turn. He has no ambition for the battle for the throne.

The tiny shot also notes the differences between Tommen and his late brother Joffrey. While Tommen might be shielded from the brutality of the Seven Kingdoms, Joffrey openly embraces it. In fact, if Tywin were to cover Joffrey's eyes at such a moment, he would likely bat the old lion away and run towards the bloodshed to get a closer look. There's a significant contrast set up in this one scene, that shows how the throne may change in the coming years. While Joffrey goes out with a fight, the cruelty very much painted on his face, Tommen enters the game with fear and a distance between himself and danger.

Tommen's positioning in this scene is also fascinating. While the other major players are all moving in on Joffrey, with Tywin also stepping up on to the stage where the death plays out, Tommen is left in the background. He is never featured prominently in the shot, unlike Cersei, Jaime, Tywin, Tyrion, Sansa and Margery. It's ironic that the future king is barely considered at this moment, because of how weak and unassuming Tommen has been portrayed. He is a background character thrust into the spotlight, with no desire to be there. While all the surrounding adults are fighting for that attention, he is granted that moment on the throne, and hates every second.

This One Moment Speaks to the Character's Future

Both Tywin & Tommen Meet Dark Fates

It seems as if destiny is woven into the fabric of this scene, and this very subtle moment foreshadows a dark and twisted future. Both of these characters meet their end in progressive episodes, and this is the scene where that downfall begins. Joffrey's death is a catalyst for the collapse of the status quo. Tywin's demise cements that changing history. Tommen's death does this all over again. Indeed, these three characters and the loss of their lives consistently throws the Seven Kingdoms into chaos, and here they are, brought together, in a single scene full of horror.

Tywin Lannister was famously shot by Tyrion Lannister, his own son. He isn't able to run towards the danger, but he isn't shielded from it either. Instead, he sits on the toilet, facing his future killer, in shock that he has finally been caught off guard. Considering he is a man who must control every moment, as was the case during the Purple Wedding, it is rather poetic that his downfall comes when he has finally run out of clever ways to play a situation to his advantage. Joffrey's death gave Tywin an instant boost of power, taking Tommen into his clutches as soon as he could. But the shock of Tyrion's arrival was simply too much for Tywin to counter. Ironically, that blood feud really ramped up during the Purple Wedding.

Tommen, meanwhile, had been shielded from death and despair all his life, despite suffering plenty from it. But the death of Margery, who babied him just the same as his family before, was too much for him to handle. There was no Tywin Lannister to cover his eyes, and no one left to protect him. Tommen did the only thing he could think of when faced with the horror of the world without that shield, and removed himself from the game of thrones for good. Perhaps it's more prominent that it was a family member who cared for Tommen on the day of his brother's death, irrespective of Tywin's ultimate goals, and yet it was a family member who also threw Tommen into distress when his wife was murdered.

Those early seasons of Game of Thrones really do tell the story so completely that every move made progresses the conflicts and characters. This one shot, which so many missed, says everything fans need to know about the dynamic between these characters, while foreshadowing how their instinctual actions may affect their futures. House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms would do well to learn from those earlier episodes, because even on a subconscious level, these details are highly impactful. A tweak here and there can make all the difference, as audiences come to predict a character's every move and connect with them on a much deeper level. The Purple Wedding was a critical scene for more reasons than one, but go back and rewatch the chaos to spot those small details that said so much.

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Release Date

2011 - 2019-00-00

Showrunner

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

Cast

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  Kit Harington

  Jon Snow

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  Isaac Hempstead Wright

  Brandon Bran Stark

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