JLE Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I wouldn't entirely call him lacking in common sense. The surprise is that, within a mere few weeks, he found out as much as he did, and came *this* close to actually winning. Only Littlefinger's dishonesty - and willingness to set the realm aflame to get whatever he wanted - prevented it, for all the treachery of the Lannisters, the blundering of Robert, the machinations of Varys and even the political smarming of Renly (who was himself doing nothing more than attempting to stage a coup with Ned's backing - Ned rejected him, not because he was stupid, but because he knew perfectly well that as soon as Renly took power, he would have no use for an honourable man who knew too much.)If anybody else would have fared better in the situation, I would be surprised - they would have either tried to make a deal with Renly, or the Lannisters, and either way, the other side would have gone to war, Stannis would have taken up arms and stopped Renly making his own power grab, the throne would still have ended up with the Lannisters, Edmure and the Tullys would still be besieged in Riverrun (if Eddard had escaped back to Winterfell, he would have had to come to the aid of his wife's kin anyway, and the North would have marched to relieve Riverrun, made enemies of the Lannisters and been forced to declare independence or be declared outlaws by the Lannisters anyway...So yeah, Ed didn't make a deal with Renly or a deal with Cersei which *might* have saved his own neck... temporarily: either way, he would have had to flee North and come back with an army, or be got rid of as the honourable man who knew too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Lack of common sense. I don't think it was his honor. If you want to warn Cersei make sure your children are away and can't be used as blackmail. Take care of your own children first before you worry about someone else's. ^What he said. It smelled suspiciously like plot, but there you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grand old duke of stark Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Oh, he had common sense and honour. Even out of his element he was doing fine and would have continued to succeed with more support from Robert in a nest of vipers where everyone was jockeying over ultimate power. He was a great father, soldier, leader and lord--but he was not a great politician. Even so, he did pretty well considering how the ground kept shifting under his feet. I've always thought that from the moment Ned agreed to be Hand, he anticipated that he might be doomed. Yet he did his duty to his sovereign. And even as he was about to be executed he knew that somehow Winter was coming and the Starks would prevail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roddy the Ruin Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Naïveté Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Broke Howard Hughes Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Its not that Ned was stupid. Its that the world around him was so corrupt. Some of us confuse a character's lack of moral compass as evidence of them being smart. Littlefinger isn't exceptionally smart, just wise enough to fly under the radar. The moment the world learns not to take his word for anything, his BRAINS become useless. That doesn't make Ned dumb, it just makes him predictable. Thats his biggest flaw, predictability. You know how he'll react to almost anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djinn Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Naiveté or lack of common sense or political stupidity. Ned deluded himself in thinking that he could be a Great Lord and a Warden while ignoring the political realities of it's time. Which actually makes a lot of sense considering that he was a second son and so raised to be a follower, not a leader(not that Brandon seemed any better). His sigil should've been a ostrich with her head in the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Oh, he had common sense and honour. Even out of his element he was doing fine and would have continued to succeed with more support from Robert in a nest of vipers where everyone was jockeying over ultimate power. He was a great father, soldier, leader and lord--but he was not a great politician. Even so, he did pretty well considering how the ground kept shifting under his feet.He actually seemed to be a great politician. Except for declining Renly. That move made no sense, and even Ned thinks it was dumb. What makes it worse is that he never tries to rectify the situation. Ned deluded himself in thinking that he could be a Great Lord and a Warden while ignoring the political realities of it's time. pfft, what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valandui Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Thinking that people are as honourable as he himself is. I mean, he gets that Cersei is evil, but he would never have thought she would murder Robert. He kind of expects her to hold onto the code of honor even though he knows honor means nothing to her. But even then, he didn't trust her. He had a backup plan in place and his backup plan betrayed him. He was wary of LF as well until Cat talked him into trusting him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valandui Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 He actually seemed to be a great politician. Except for declining Renly. That move made no sense, and even Ned thinks it was dumb. What makes it worse is that he never tries to rectify the situation. pfft, what?LF actually gave him sound advice about going to the Royces as well, but presented it in a way that he knew Ned would refuse. With the Royces, Tyrells, and Renly behind him, even if LF still betrayed him the whole realm, minus Dorne and the Iron Islands, would be bound to the cause. Although, in retrospect, LF may have suggested House Royce as a way to remove another obstacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggs Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 LF actually gave him sound advice about going to the Royces as well, but presented it in a way that he knew Ned would refuse.when did that happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jory Cassel Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Took him as a ward/hostage, then failed to act fatherly towards him because he was afraid to have to execute him eventually. This resulted in Theon being even more conflicted then he first was when he arrived in Winterfell. Only he probably never would've done that.. I honestly don't think Ned was distant towards Theon on purpose, I think Ned is just a distant person by nature except with his kids. Even Catelyn has commented on how distant Ned is with her after their 15yrs of marriage. I think he did what was expected of him with Theon but you're right he could have tried better with him. Also, this^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winterfell Resident Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 He does not play the Game of Thrones. Period. That is why he had no desire to sit on the Iron Throne during Roberts Rebellion. He knew enough to know that to play that Game Of Thrones, one has to be Dishonorable. Period. Not playing the Game of thrones was a negative trait, only in Kings Landing. I would say that is a good negative trait to have. Go Ned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsunad Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Honor before reason. He fits that trait almost perfectly. ETA: I just noticed that page has a GoT-centric comic as the example! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valandui Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 when did that happen? When they were discussing plans on how to handle the succession and Ned told him to go ahead and bribe the Gold Cloaks. LF suggested that Ned approach Bronze Yohn if he meant to go through with his plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iona Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 When I think of Ned and what happened to him in KL and why that was, I can't help but remember what I said when I was on one of my first driving lessons. "I would be a great driver, but so many of the other people on the roads are not playing fair". I guess it still applies, 10 years later... :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May1992 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Like Mr Bell said the lack of political skills and some of the most stupid decisions in the series is his. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernmonkey Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Ned's worst personality trait is that he's boring. Let's face it, we'd all much rather be friends with Robert than Ned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C0bR Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 He ain't hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack's Smirking Revenge Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Ned's worst personality trait is that he's boring. Let's face it, we'd all much rather be friends with Robert than Ned. Yeah....no. Robert was a cowardly, drunken, buffoon. I might have been friends with Robert when he was young but I agree with Ned that the crown changed Robert. I'd much rather be friends with a man I could respect and have my loyalty reciporcated and also a man that I viewed as an all around great leader, father, brother, and husband. Naiveté or lack of common sense or political stupidity. Ned deluded himself in thinking that he could be a Great Lord and a Warden while ignoring the political realities of it's time. Which actually makes a lot of sense considering that he was a second son and so raised to be a follower, not a leader(not that Brandon seemed any better). His sigil should've been a ostrich with her head in the ground. Oh please. Ned recognized the danger in being so in debt to Tywin Lannister. He also recognized the futility of trying to have Dany killed and he sure as shit understood that with the direction Robert was taking the realm it wouldn't be long before major problems presented themselves. If anyone should have a sigil with an ostrich with it's head in the ground it's Robert who would rather whore and drink his life away instead of being an actual leader. Its not that Ned was stupid. Its that the world around him was so corrupt. Some of us confuse a character's lack of moral compass as evidence of them being smart. Littlefinger isn't exceptionally smart, just wise enough to fly under the radar. The moment the world learns not to take his word for anything, his BRAINS become useless. That doesn't make Ned dumb, it just makes him predictable. Thats his biggest flaw, predictability. You know how he'll react to almost anything. Pretty much. Perhaps Ned's greatest flaw was that he didn't quite grasp just how corrupt Kings Landing was or perhaps what a coward and bumbling fool Robert was as king. Robert allowed Kings Landing to become a nest full of vipers and he did not have the intelligence to realize that he should back his Hand and closest friend. Took him as a ward/hostage, then failed to act fatherly towards him because he was afraid to have to execute him eventually. This resulted in Theon being even more conflicted then he first was when he arrived in Winterfell. Sorry but I'm calling bullshit. Ned did not mistreat Theon. Ned had absolutely no reason to treat Theon as a son because Theon was ultimately a hostage. From what we can see from the books Ned treated Theon like any highborn hostage would be treated. He even allowed Theon to be close friends with Robb. I agree with the poster who said you can't blame Ned for Theon's weakness/stupidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northernmonkey Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Yeah....no. Robert was a cowardly, drunken, buffoon. I might have been friends with Robert when he was young but I agree with Ned that the crown changed Robert. I'd much rather be friends with a man I could respect and have my loyalty reciporcated and also a man that I viewed as an all around great leader, father, brother, and husband. I'd still be friends with Ned, but if was having a party it's Robert who would be the first one I'd invite. I think Ned's brilliant, so brilliant in fact that the worst thing that can be said about him is that he's a bit boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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