I recently read Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings, and it had a character called the King's Wit. (Possible spoilers) Wit was basically a court jester, with several scenes of him snarking and sassing the king's courtiers.

I'm glad I read Sanderson first, because I can already find his dialogue in general to be cringey, and I think Wit's insults definitely would have paled in comparison to some of the Fool's snark. I'll post a couple of quotes below for comparison. My point isn't to pit these two heavyweights of fantasy against each other, but I did just want to highlight the cleverness of the Fool. It's so impressive how charming yet enigmatic Hobb has managed to make the Fool, especially given how easy it is for obvious sass in a book to come off as obnoxious instead.

Usually I find "sassy" characters to be cringey blowhards more often than not. I think the Fool comes off so appealing because he sounds like he's speaking nonsense only if you're not paying attention, so other characters tend to dismiss him, but we the audience and Fitz know that there is salience to his insanity. For instance, take the Fool's "Fitz fits" rant from their first real convo, and now Fitz's seizures. He also does more than sass people - he cares about King Shrewd, Fitz, and the animals. I think it's also important that we tend to get the Fool in small doses. He shows up a lot, but usually only for a page at a time.

I guess I just wanted to rant about how well-done the characters in these books are. Robin Hobb is such a good writer and is very intentional with the words and behaviors her characters use. I think if you gave me a character quote out of context, I could tell you which character said it - Regal, Burrich, Fitz, Patience, etc.

" "Ah, and is that Lady Navani behind you? How long have you been back at the Plains and how did I not notice the smell?" Dalinar froze. What? "Obviously your own stench overpowered mine, Wit," a feminine voice said. "Has no one done my son a service and assassinated you yet?" "No, no assassins yet," Wit said, amused. "I guess I've already got too much ass sass of my own." " The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson, Chapter 22

" "Twice shall be thrice, Wall Ass, dear, and your presence replaced with my presents. Toddle off hence, and tell Regal all your tattling. If walls have ears, then so must you, for you've already the Wall's Ass. Such ears are filled to overflowing with the King's business. You might physick our dear prince while you enlighten him. For the darkness of his glance, methinks, betokens that his bowels have backed up so far as to blind him." " Royal Assassin, Robin Hobb, Chapter 7