User blog comment:Veldorn01772/Ned's death/@comment-210608-20120329094806

Yes. He had to die.

1. It sets up the rest of the storyline of his children. 2. It establishes the danger of the world. 3. It defines Joffrey's character. 4. It shows that this is a more realistic story where the presumptive good guys do not automatically triumph. 5. It is a great moment that the viewer will not soon forget. 6. It is a key point in the source material.