Som redan nämnts måste Joffrey ha varit medveten om rykten som flyger om hans incestuous parentage men det finns inga bevis för att han någonsin visste att de var sanna eller sköt dem en tanke. En sak saknas emellertid, vem trodde Joffrey vara sin far?
Vi ser följande i samtal mellan Jaime och Cersei:
Cersei frowned. "Joffrey had no love for Robb Stark, but the younger
boy was nothing to him. He was only a child himself."
"A child hungry for a pat on the head from that sot you let him
believe was his father." He had an uncomfortable thought. "Tyrion
almost died because of this bloody dagger. If he knew the whole thing
was Joffrey's work, that might be why . . ."
ASOS - Jaime
IX
Så Jaime, som hade varit runt Joffrey för hela sitt liv, säger här att Joffrey var hungrig för uppmärksamhet och kärlek från Robert, mannen han trodde var hans pappa. Detta uppmärksammande beteende kan kopplas till Roberts försumlighet, men varför skulle Joffrey utveckla det om han inte trodde att Robert verkligen var hans far? Det här är inte det enda fallet där vi ser detta komplex. Joffrey hade dödat en gravid katt och tog ofödda kattungar ur livmodern som jag misstänker är för att han trodde att Robert skulle ge honom lite uppmärksamhet. Han fick uppmärksamhet, inte riktigt det slag han förväntade sig emellertid.
"And what were you telling him, pray? I did not fight a war to seat
Robert the Second on the Iron Throne. You gave me to understand the
boy cared nothing for his father."
"Why would he? Robert ignored him. He would have beat him if I'd
allowed it. That brute you made me marry once hit the boy so hard he
knocked out two of his baby teeth, over some mischief with a cat. I
told him I'd kill him in his sleep if he ever did it again, and he
never did, but sometimes he would say things . . ."
ASOS -
Tyrion VI
En smart kille som Tywin visar omedelbart att Joffrey verkligen bryr sig om sin pappa eller åtminstone tycker om honom att vara stolt över honom. Naturligtvis glider Cersei över den faktiska mischief av rädsla för Lord Tywins reaktion.
Stannis gav oss mer information till evenemanget:
"I suppose not." The king ran his fingers across the table. "Joffrey .
. . I remember once, this kitchen cat . . . the cooks were wont to
feed her scraps and fish heads. One told the boy that she had kittens
in her belly, thinking he might want one. Joffrey opened up the poor
thing with a dagger to see if it were true. When he found the kittens,
he brought them to show to his father. Robert hit the boy so hard I
thought he'd killed him." The king took off his crown and placed it on
the table. "Dwarf or leech, this killer served the kingdom well. They
must send for me now."
ASOS - Davos VI
Vidare finner vi Joffreys egna uttalanden där han visar stolthet i hans pappa Robert jämfört med sin farfar.
Joffrey had that sullen, sulky look he got. Cersei had him firmly by
the shoulder, but perhaps she should have had him by the throat. The
boy surprised them all.
Instead of scuttling safely back under his rock, Joff drew himself up
defiantly and said, "You talk about Aerys, Grandfather, but you were
scared of him."
Oh, my, hasn't this gotten interesting? Tyrion thought. Lord Tywin
studied his grandchild in silence, gold flecks shining in his pale
green eyes.
"Joffrey, apologize to your grandfather," said Cersei. He wrenched
free of her.
"Why should I? Everyone knows it's true. My father won all the
battles. He killed Prince Rhaegar and took the crown, while your
father was hiding under Casterly Rock. " The boy gave his
grandfather a defiant look. "A strong king acts boldly, he doesn't
just talk."
ASOS - Tyrion VI
Således bygger vi på allt detta:
Joffrey känner till rykten.
Joffrey trodde faktiskt att han var Roberts son.