Eddard Stark

Eddard Stark, also known by his friends as Ned, is a major character in Game of Thrones. He is played by Sean Bean and only appears in the first season of the series.

At the start of Game of Thrones, Eddard is the head of House Stark, one of the Great Houses of Westeros. He rules over the vast province known as the North from the castle of Winterfell. He is married to the Lady Catelyn of House Tully and has five legitimate children: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. He also has an illegitimate bastard son, Jon Snow, reportedly by a common serving girl named Wylla. Jon's presence at Winterfell is a source of friction between Eddard and his wife.

Eddard is a trusted, close friend and former counsellor of the late King Robert Baratheon, and supported Robert's play for the throne by acting as a general in several major battles. Eddard's sister Lyanna, who was betrothed to Robert, was kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, sparking the war. Lyanna died during the conflict, as did Eddard's father, Rickard, and brother, Brandon. Eddard's other younger sibling, Benjen, still lives and is a member of the Night's Watch, an institution of which Eddard is a keen supporter.

He wields a Valyrian greatsword named Ice (an heirloom of House Stark) which he uses on ceremonial occasions.

Season 1
Eddard Stark executes a deserter from the Night's Watch, a man named Will who tries to warn Eddard about the return of the White Walkers, but Eddard dismisses it as the ramblings of a madman. Eddard's sons Robb, Bran and Jon accompany him to the execution, and he makes a point of telling Bran that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword and take responsibility for his own decisions.

On the way back to Winterfell, the party finds a dead female direwolf and six pups she has given birth to. Eddard's first instinct is to kill them, but Jon argues that as the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark, this may be an omen. Eddard agrees to let his children look after them on the condition that they clean, raise and feed them themselves with no help from the servants.

A raven bears news of the death of Jon Arryn, Eddard's childhood mentor, to Winterfell, as well as news that King Robert and much of the royal court is on their way to the castle. Eddard realizes that Robert means to name him as Hand of the King to replace Jon. He ponders refusing, but when Robert arrives he makes it clear that he badly needs Eddard's help in King's Landing. He also sweetens the deal by offering to betrothe his son and heir Joffrey to Eddard's daughter Sansa. Eddard still considers refusing, but a secret letter from Lysa Arryn, Catelyn's sister, implicates the Lannisters in the death of Jon Arryn. Eddard decides to accept the offer as a means of investigating Jon's death and seeing if there is a plot against the king.

Bran is injured in a fall from a castle wall, but survives. Eddard reluctantly decides to leave as planned, to his wife's distress. Eddard, Arya, Sansa and the royal party head south to King's Landing. At their parting Eddard tells Jon that, though he does not have Eddard's name, he has his blood. He also promises Jon to tell him about his mother the next time they meet.



Days later, on the King's Road south to the capital, King Robert calls a halt to discuss some dire news that has just arrived with Eddard. Robert's spies have learned of Daenerys Targaryen's marriage to Khal Drogo, whose khalasar is reported to number over one hundred thousand warriors. Eddard points out that the Dothraki cannot cross the Narrow Sea, as they have no ships, but Robert is concerned that the Seven Kingdoms will soon face another war. Robert also asks about, Wylla, the mother of Jon Snow, but Eddard quickly deflects the line of questioning.



Following an incident between Arya and Joffrey which sees the latter mauled by Arya's direwolf Nymeria (which Arya then forces to flee), Eddard is brought before the King and instructed to punish Arya. However, due to Cersei's insistence that a direwolf must be punished, Robert also orders that Sansa's direwolf, Lady, must be killed in Nymeria's place. Eddard decides to attend to the matter himself, to Sansa's anger.

Arriving in King's Landing, Eddard finds the city and the castle awhirl in intrigue. Several members of the small council seem to be at the heart of this plotting: Petyr Baelish, the king's master of coin, known as Littlefinger; Varys, the king's spymaster; Grand Maester Pycelle, the king's scientific advisor; and Renly Baratheon, the king's master of laws and younger brother. Eddard learns that the crown is millions of gold dragons in debt (some of it to Lord Tywin Lannister) but that Robert means to throw him a lavish tournament regardless. While dealing with this headache, Eddard also has to try to repair the rift between Sansa and Arya, with mixed results. Sansa rejects his gifts, but Arya is delighted when he hires a swordmaster, Syrio Forel, to train her.



Littlefinger reveals to Eddard that Catelyn has followed him to the city with news that the Lannisters have apparently made an attempt on Bran's life, suggesting they were behind his original 'accident'. Eddard agrees to try to expose the truth and Catelyn urges him to trust Littlefinger, her childhood friend. Eddard reluctantly agrees, though he finds Littlefinger obnoxious and dishonorable.

Eddard's investigation reveals that Jon Arryn took an interest in Robert's numerous bastard children, such as a son called Gendry. He also learns that Jon consulted a book before his death, The Lineage and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. Eddard borrows the book but cannot see what use Jon would have had for it. Eddard also learns that Jon Arryn's squire, Hugh, was knighted just after Jon's death. He sends the captain of his guards, Jory Cassel, to investigate but Hugh refuses to talk to a mere soldier. Before Eddard can talk to him, Hugh is killed by Ser Gregor Clegane - a noted servant of Lord Tywin Lannister - in an apparent tourney mishap. As the tourney continues, Eddard questions Lord Commander Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard, one of the most decorated and honorable knights in Westros, about the death but cannot ascertain if Hugh was killed deliberately. Eddard convinces King Robert not to fight in the tourney, bluntly calling him too fat. Robert reluctantly agrees.

Yoren of the Night's Watch arrives in the city and tells Eddard about Catelyn's arrest of Tyrion Lannister, allowing him to prepare a 'cover story' that he ordered the arrest. Lord Varys then confronts Eddard and tells him that there is indeed a conspiracy underway. It killed Jon Arryn and it may kill King Robert if Eddard cannot unearth and stop it. However, a rift is opened between Eddard and Robert when Eddard refuses to sanction the use of assassins to murder Daenerys Targaryen. Eddard resigns the Handship and prepares to return to Winterfell, but Littlefinger gives Eddard a tip-off about another lead. This leads Eddard to another of Robert's bastards, a baby girl named Barra Waters. Emerging from the brothel where her mother lives, Eddard is confronted by Ser Jaime Lannister, who is furious over Tyrion's capture. Jaime kills Jory Cassel and Eddard's other bodyguards and engages Eddard in single combat. A Lannister guardsman interferes and stabs Eddard in the leg, to Jaime's anger. He tells Eddard he wants his brother back and leaves.

The wounded Eddard wakes up in the Red Keep and King Robert convinces him to retake the Handship, but commands Eddard to make peace with the Lannisters, as he will not risk another civil war. Eddard reluctantly agrees. However, after Robert goes on a hunting expedition, Eddard receives word that Gregor Clegane is leading a series of pillaging raids on the Riverlands, possibly at Lord Tywin Lannister's command. Eddard commands Lord Beric Dondarrion to apprehend Gregor, whom he strips of all rank and title, and also orders that Tywin present himself in the capital to explain his vassal's actions.

Despite being restored to the King's favor, Eddard worries that the situation may yet come to war. He orders Sansa and Arya to return to Winterfell, but a chance comment by Sansa that golden-haired Joffrey is "nothing like" his dark-haired father makes Eddard realize the truth. He consults The Lineage book and sees that in every match between a Baratheon and a member of another house, the Baratheon black hair always dominates. He realizes with shock that this means that Joffrey and the other royal children are not Robert's at all, and have no claim to the Iron Throne.



Eddard confronts Queen Cersei and warns her that he knows that her three children are not Robert's, and are the product of incest between her and Jaime. He warns her to flee into exile before King Robert returns from his hunt, otherwise he will lay out the truth to the king. However, Robert is mortally wounded whilst on the hunt. Not wishing to upset him, Eddard doesn't tell him what he has discovered. Robert names Eddard Protector of the Realm, to rule until Joffrey comes of age. Eddard secrently rewrites the command as that Eddard will rule until his rightful heir comes of age, not mentioning Joffrey by name.

Eddard writes to Robert's brother and true heir, Stannis, urging him to take the crown. He also tells Littlefinger the truth of the matter, but rejects Littlefinger's suggestion that they take advantage of the situation to increse their own power and prestige. Reluctantly, Littlefinger agrees to recruit the King's Landing City Watch to Eddard's cause. Renly also offers Eddard the use of soldiers in securing Cersei and her children but Eddard refuses to dishonor Robert's last few hours by spilling blood and frightening children. Renly flees the castle instead.



Robert dies and Joffrey takes the throne. Cersei tears up the letter proclaiming Eddard as Protector of the Realm. Eddard tells Joffrey that he has no right to the Iron Throne and commands the City Watch to take him and his mother into custody. Instead, the City Watch turns on Eddard's men and kills them. Littlefinger holds a knife to Eddard's throat, telling him that he shouldn't have trusted him.



Eddard is incarcerated in the dungeons under the Red Keep. He is visited by Varys, who is bemused by Eddard's 'mercy' in telling Cersei that he knew about the parentage of her children. Varys tells Eddard that his mercy is what killed Robert. Eddard also learns that Catelyn has lost Tyrion. When he asks if he will be killed, Varys says, "Not today." . Some time later, Varys returns to urge that Eddard confess to treason in return for being allowed to take the black and go into exile on the Wall. Eddard refuses, but Varys points out that the Lannisters still have Sansa (though Arya has escaped) as a hostage and need him alive so they can bargain with his son Robb, who is leading an army to confront the Lannisters in the Riverlands. In his public confession, Ned admits to being a traitor and that Joffrey is the rightful king. Joffrey ignores his mother's suggestion that Eddard be exiled to the Night's Watch and proceeds with an unexpected public execution. Lord Stark is decapitated in front of the whole horrified council and rooting crowd. Before he dies, Eddard spots both Yoren and Arya in the crowd and is able to get Yoren to spirit Arya away and to safety.

After his death, Eddard's head is placed on a spike on Traitor's Walk, a walkway of the Red Keep. Joffrey forces Sansa to look at it, but she is able to overcome her disgust and revulsion and does not give Joffrey the satisfaction of seeing her upset.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, Eddard Stark is in his mid-thirties when the story begins. He has a reputation for chivalry, honor, honesty and command, but can also sometimes be remote. He has a frosty relationship with Ser Jaime Lannister, believing that the latter should have been, at the very least, stripped of his rank in the Kingsguard for his murder of the former king.

King Robert traveled to Winterfell to ask Eddard to replace Arryn as Hand of the King, the monarch's closest adviser. Ned wanted to decline, but went south at his wife's urging to investigate Arryn's death. He eventually discovered that Cersei and Jaime were lovers and Cersei's three children were Jaime's, not Robert's. Ned warned Cersei to flee the city, but instead she remained and Robert was mortally wounded on a boar hunt. When Ned attempted to expose the truth of Joffrey's parentage, his men were executed and he was captured due to the treachery of Littlefinger.