The 30 most iconic moments from Game of Thrones, ranked

6. Joffrey chokes to death at his own wedding

Joffrey Baratheon is easily one of the most despised characters on television, and his death left Game of Thrones fans everywhere exclaiming “finally.” His antics throughout the first four seasons of the series left fans understandably infuriated, his casual cruelty matched only by of Ramsay Bolton. Joffrey’s death is a satisfying moment, and one most viewers felt was very deserved.

Outside of the satisfaction of watching this stain choke to death, Joffrey’s death marked the beginning of the Lannister family’s downfall. In the chaos of his disastrous wedding feast, Sansa escapes, leaving Cersei without any leverage over the North. Joffrey’s death also puts distance between Cersei and Jaime, and they were already on shaky ground.

But the worst thing Joffrey’s death does for the Lannisters is alienating Tyrion. Persistent in her hatred and mistrust of her youngest brother, Cersei immediately blames Tyrion for her son’s poisoning. Tywin, also not a fan of the littlest Lannister, allows the charade to play out, and even Jaime can’t do much to save his brother from prosecution. Tyrion is put on trial for Joffrey’s murder and is almost executed for it. After such a spectacle, it’s no surprise that Tyrion turns on his family, causing for trouble for them later on when Daenerys arrives back in Westeros.

Joffrey’s death sets all of this into motion. When Tyrion escapes and kills Tywin, he weakens Jaime and Cersei considerably. The lords of Westeros feared Tywin, but his twin children they feel they can handle. Losing Joffrey was good for the realm in the long run, and certainly great for the audience, but it was a disaster for his surviving family members.