Confirmed: Joffrey Sent the Catspaw

Apparently, it's been known since 2018, though it is news to me. In an article about the differences between the HBO show and the books, Vanity Fair disclosed some of George R.R. Martin's notes on the screenplay. In a section titled “The Bran Assassination Plot Finally Revealed” the article includes leaked notes that confirm the authorial intention that Joffrey be understood to have sent the catspaw.

Tyrion's Purple Wedding Breakfast Mousetrap

The section is in the books as well, but is less clear. For years I cited it as grounds to doubt whether Joffrey sent the catspaw. In A Storm of Swords, when Joffrey destroys Tyrion's wedding gift, a rare book, he tells Tyrion he and Sansa owe him a new gift.

“You and Lady Sansa owe me a better present, Uncle Imp. This one is all chopped to pieces.”

Tyrion was staring at his nephew with his mismatched eyes. "Perhaps a knife, sire. To match your sword. A dagger of the same fine Valyrian steel . . . with a dragonbone hilt, say?" Joff gave him a sharp look. "You . . . yes, a dagger to match my sword, good." He nodded. "A . . . a gold hilt with rubies in it. Dragonbone is too plain."

"As you wish, Your Grace." Tyrion drank another cup of wine.

Previously, I read this scene as exonerating Joffrey. I understood Joffrey's response to be “I have no idea what you are driving at, but I like daggers. But if your better gift is a dagger, it had best have a gold hilt and rubies.” Now, I must concede that the scene can be read as Joffrey being caught by the trap instead of exonerated. Here are the notes from the script for the HBO show:

Tyrion says: “Perhaps Your Grace would sooner have a dagger to match his sword. A dagger of Valyrian steel . . . and a dragonbone hilt. Your father had a knife like that, I believe.”

Martin writes that Tyrion’s words “strike home,” and the king becomes “FLUSTERED” as he responds with “guilt” on his face: “You . . . I mean . . . my father’s knife was stolen at Winterfell . . . those northmen are all thieves.” Then, to underline it all, Martin concludes in his stage directions: “Tyrion’s eyes never leaving the king. It has just fallen into place for him. It was Joffrey who sent the catspaw to kill Bran, the crime that started the whole war. But now that he knows, what can he do about it?”