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George R.R. Martin discusses culprit behind Purple Wedding on 'Game of Thrones'

The author suggests a particular culprit, but says he makes no promises.

By Annie Martin
King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) get married on HBO's "Game of Thrones." (HBO/Helen Sloan)
King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) get married on HBO's "Game of Thrones." (HBO/Helen Sloan)

SANTA FE, N.M., April 14 (UPI) -- George R.R. Martin discusses the culprit behind the Purple Wedding on Game of Thrones in an upcoming interview with Rolling Stone.

The magazine has released a preview of the discussion after Sunday night's episode left King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) dead. The young king died during his own wedding to Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) after he appeared to choke.

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The current season of Game of Thrones is roughly based on the second half of the third A Song of Ice and Fire book, A Storm of Swords. Series author George R.R. Martin says that Joffrey appears to have been killed by Queen of Thorns Olenna Tyrell in the books, but adds that he makes no promises.

"I make no promises... and I may have more surprises to reveal," Martin says. "The conclusion that the careful reader draws is that Joffrey was killed by the Queen of Thorns, using poison from Sansa's hair net."

"I think that's an interesting question of redemption," the author continues. "That's more like killing Hitler... Did the Queen of Thorns kill Hitler, or did she murder a 13-year-old boy? Or both?"

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"She certainly had good reasons to remove Joffrey," he adds. "The Queen of Thorns had studied Joffrey well enough that she knew that at some point he would get bored with Margaery, and Margaery would be maltreated, the same way that Sansa had been."

"So is that a case where the end justifies the means?" Martin asks. "I don't know. That's what I want the reader or viewer to wrestle with, and to debate."

Game of Thrones airs at 9 p.m. ET Sundays on HBO.

[Rolling Stone]

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