On Game of Thrones, King Joffrey was a merciless tyrant, but one of his most disturbing kills was Ros. Why he did it, and who else was to blame.
On Game of Thrones, killing the prostitute Ros not only satisfied King Joffrey Baratheon's twisted desires but helped Petyr "Littlefinger" Balish strike a blow to his enemies. Joffrey emerged as a villain during season 1 of the HBO series, but the lingering influence of his parents suppressed his bullying. Joffrey's antics foreshadowed the threat he would become. Following Robert Baratheon's death, Joffrey's rise to power emboldened him, and during subsequent seasons, his cruelty went unchecked. Joffrey's focus became lashing out at the oppressed and undeserving.
During season 2. as the War of the Five Kings waged on, Joffrey remained safely tucked away in the castle in King's Landing. The Small Council headed by Tyrion Lannister, who quickly realized Joffrey's temperament and youth made him a liability handled the real governing. After Tyrion saved Sansa Stark from a very public display of abuse orchestrated by his nephew, he and Bronn decided that puberty could be the driving force behind Joffrey's behavior. Tyrion arranged a belated birthday gift for the new king - a night with Ros and another whore from Littlefinger's brothel. The only pleasure Joffrey derived was ordering Ros to beat her companion and make sure Tyrion saw the result. This was Joffrey's retaliation for his uncle coming to Sansa's defense and chastising him in front of the members of the court.
During season 3, it became clear Joffrey was a sadist. His sexual desires were satisfied by inflicting pain, and he was using Ros to fulfill this proclivity. It's unclear if Joffrey was aroused enough to engage in any actual sex or if he prioritized violence over any intimate gratification. When queen-in-waiting Margaery Tyrell showed an interest in Joffrey's crossbow and questioned if he'd like to see her kill something with it, he admitted he would. It wasn't Margaery he found alluring but the possibility that she could understand and accept his deviant behavior. The weapon had become an extension of Joffrey himself at the start of season 3. Joffrey was at his most dangerous when he felt emasculated, and since he possessed no physical strength or prowess, he had to rely on the submissiveness of his victims. In the final moments of season 3's "The Climb," Ros' lifeless body hangs from a bed pierced by several arrows. It could be considered the result of Joffrey climaxing after all those months of merely torturing Ros.
Even Cersei Lannister, one of the series strongest female characters, found herself at the receiving end of Joffrey's cruelty. She endured it not only because he was the king, but she actually blamed herself for his brutality. She confided in Tyrion that Joffrey's behavior could be a punishment for her incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime. On Game of Thrones, after all, incest went hand in hand with madness. Whatever the reason(s) for Joffrey turning out to be a bad seed, Ros was ultimately the victim of a power struggle between Littlefinger and Varys.
Varys enlisted Ros to help him execute his plan to help the Tyrells consolidate power, promising her a partnership and protection in exchange for spying on Littlefinger. Naturally, Varys' actions conflicted with Littlefinger's agenda to use Sansa for his gain and a bid for the Iron Throne. Realizing Ros had betrayed him, Littlefinger handed her over to Joffrey, who wanted to try "something new," "something daring." In one fell swoop, Littlefinger disposed of an enemy and gained favor with Joffrey, who knew nothing of the politics of the situation. The series even foreshadowed Ros' grim fate during season 2. Ros' failure to perform her duties led to a conversation with Littlefinger about a previous girl who disappointed him. It transpired that he had sold her to a man who appeared to share Joffrey's predilection for torturing women.
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