In the 8 seasons of Game of Thrones, people die constantly, so it’s nothing special. But one death has occupied MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes since season 1 because it perfectly shows the direction in which the series has evolved.
Attention: In the following article, we will spoil events from Game of Thrones.
That in Game of Thrones someone is constantly dying is probably also known to people who haven’t watched the series at all. However, there is one death that has occupied me since season 1: that of Ned Stark.
In the overall context of the series, his execution seems almost unremarkable; after all, there are events like the Red Wedding, but even after 8 seasons, Ned’s role is special and I simply cannot forget it.
Much more humorously, the prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms goes:
A unique detective in Westeros
Ned Stark is not only the head of his family, he is the first real main character of the series. Thanks to his past with King Robert, he is appointed as his Hand, although he actually has no desire for it. Early on, he learns of a conspiracy regarding the previous Hand, and it begins an almost classic detective story.
He investigates in King’s Landing and gets caught in an ever-deepening swamp that threatens him and the king. That alone is already special, especially since you never get such a detective theme again. The casting is also remarkable. Sean Bean as Ned has a strong presence and embodies a mix of honor, family love, and nostalgia. He is almost the only true hero in Game of Thrones.
Together with Robert, he personifies an old era of Westeros. Of classic wars and battles fought with swords, and heroic deeds that immortalize knights in history books.
That is also the reason why Ned’s death makes me so sad. It’s not about his mourning family; it’s about the death of a character that almost solely shows: Westeros is not just made up of dubious figures.
But at the same time, I must also admit: Ned had to die; he no longer belongs in Game of Thrones after season 1.
Ned doesn’t fit into the series
When comparing Ned with the many other main characters and the later seasons, he feels almost like a foreign body. In Game of Thrones, it becomes clear early on that the most important fights do not take place on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table.
Ned doesn’t know that at all. He comes from a time of wars, and his most formative moments were during Robert’s rebellion against the Mad King. Robert and Ned cannot stand in the fight for the throne because they lack the ability to intrigue. That’s why both were also fairly easily dealt with.
At the same time, their death symbolizes the start of a new era full of secrets and power games. With Ned’s death, the old Westeros dies and a new world emerges that Ned likely despises and in which he probably wouldn’t have survived. As a hero, he probably couldn’t have adapted.
How it can be done differently is shown by Jamie and Tywin. They have acted dishonorably in the past. Jamie betrayed the Mad King and thus his oath, and Tywin killed many children just to offer the king a gift.
What Game of Thrones also shows: No matter how perfidious the world is, there is still room for heroes.
The legacy of Ned Stark
With Ned Stark, the old Westeros died, but in a time full of despair, he left a legacy: Jon Snow. Ironically, no one embodies Ned’s heroism as well as his nephew Jon. Symbolically, he is even brought back to life to be the savior of Westeros.
Jon has the aura and the heroic vein of his uncle. He wants to help the innocent and banish the greatest threat to Westeros. But even here he fights actively and not at the table. It just doesn’t work that way. On the good
side, Tyrion and Varys take care of the intrigues, but also show that they themselves are not always the good ones.
Game of Thrones shows that a classic hero like Jon has a hard time not making immoral decisions as well. He stands in contrast to the others. He wants to stop the White Walkers, but for the other actors, the throne is always in the back of their minds. This results in a disaster that Jon probably could never have prevented.
His final act in the series is controversial, as is the 8th season in general, but in the context of the story told, it was probably the only way to be a true hero.
Still, I often wonder how Game of Thrones would have played out if Ned had survived. Would he have been influential or just an appendage that wouldn’t work in the new world? But what do you think, and which death would you like to undo? Feel free to write it in the comments. More about Westeros kings can be found here: The 10 best kings from the Game of Thrones universe in ranking
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