What is Ned Stark's most negative trait or feature, if any?

[FC_Lymond]

Another thing I have been thinking of is how he never consulted the Northern Lords before accepting the position of Hand of the King. I think a lord should consult with his lieges about that. There's some signs of trouble: wildings, direwolves, etc.

Even if he still left, convening a council would have organized the North a lot better in his absence.

Kings did this sort of thing when they went on crusade.

Edit - so the trait is basically his making decisions without consultation.

[David Selig]

Sansa gave her the head's up. And the killing started within a couple of hours. Clearly, Cersei was caught by surprise.

How exactly is it clear? Cersei knew Robert was dead, knew that Ned was aware Joffrey wasn't Robert's son and is honorable to a fault. She had to act against him ASAP.

All Sansa told her was that her father made a plan to send his daughters away before he knew Robert was mortally injured. Not relevant to the timing of his currently planned actions.

And the bells didn't begin tolling until several days after Robert died. Shouldn't the immediacy of danger have prompted them to announce Robert's death, and thus Joffrey's coronation, earlier?

The people who mattered in the capital all knew about Robert's death much earlier. It was announced to the public the next day after Ned's arrest, don't see how this proves Cersei wasn't planning act ASAP with or without Sansa coming to her.

[Sansa_Stark]

How exactly is it clear? Cersei knew Robert was dead, knew that Ned was aware Joffrey wasn't Robert's son and is honorable to a fault. She had to act against him ASAP.

All Sansa told her was that her father made a plan to send his daughters away before he knew Robert was mortally injured. Not relevant to the timing of his currently planned actions.

The people who mattered in the capital all knew about Robert's death much earlier. It was announced to the public the next day after Ned's arrest, don't see how this proves Cersei wasn't planning act ASAP with or without Sansa coming to her.

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Regarding_Sansa

The SSM seems to indicate Sansa played a role.

"all of which was useful to Cersei in planning and timing her move."

Also seems to indicate that her knowledge did help Cersei time things.

[Jory Cassel]

You see things rather simple do you. Of course he already knew Aerys was mad, but it's one thing to be torturing people and another to plan to murder half a million people and command you to go kill your own father. Of course it wasn't very "honourable" what he did, but it was arguably the right thing to do. There is a difference between the two, and I believe Ned's weakness to be that he doesn't recognize that at all. And let's not turn this into a jaime love or hate discussion, this isn't the thread for that.

(...)

Ned had no (...) reasons to assume that Jaime did what he did only to save the city, (...)

Yeah, exactly this, there was absolutely no indication that Jaime's action did save the city, and besides, Tywin's men just had sacked KL in a horrendously violent way.

Plus: Smartass Jaime killed all the pyromancers who could've corroborated a justification of his in regard to the wildfire, and let's face it, if he had "days" to hunt them down, their immediate dangerousness couldn't have been that high.

[PrimeRhaegar]

other than too brutus level of honourable, he seems to have massive self doubt about himself especially when his brother Brandon is mentioned.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I would say his naiveté and the fact he is honorable to a fault.

[Sages]

I would say his most negative trait is his hypocrisy particularly when it comes to mercy. He acts as if he is the only one capable of making his own decision. He rebels against the iron throne along with Robert, yet looks down on Jaime for doing the same. Everyone says that Aery's was Jaime's king and they judge his character because of his betrayal but Aerys was everybody's king and they all rebelled against him. You don't get to judge one person for rebelling. Eddard had his reasons and Jaime had his. Its not right that Eddard get to decide that Jaime's reasons aren't good enough and his are.

Another example is when Eddard executes the Nights watch man who had run from the wall. Without even investigating he simply beheads him right away. Yet later own we learn that Lord commander mormont knows that the brothers routinely break their vows like visiting moles town. He says something to the effect of if we punished everyone that broke their vows their would hardly be anyone to man the wall (paraphrasing there).

Another example is the likely possibility that R + L = J

Ned still is one of my favorite characters but when you look back at the evidence he was a bit too harsh at times, had he been a little more flexible things could have turned out differently.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I would say his most negative trait is his hypocrisy particularly when it comes to mercy. He acts as if he is the only one capable of making his own decision. He rebels against the iron throne along with Robert, yet looks down on Jaime for doing the same. Everyone says that Aery's was Jaime's king and they judge his character because of his betrayal but Aerys was everybody's king and they all rebelled against him. You don't get to judge one person for rebelling. Eddard had his reasons and Jaime had his. Its not right that Eddard get to decide that Jaime's reasons aren't good enough and his are.

I think that he looks down on Jaime because he backstabbed Aerys after they had won the war.

Another example is when Eddard executes the Nights watch man who had run from the wall. Without even investigating he simply beheads him right away. Yet later own we learn that Lord commander mormont knows that the brothers routinely break their vows like visiting moles town. He says something to the effect of if we punished everyone that broke their vows their would hardly be anyone to man the wall (paraphrasing there).

He doesn't have to investigate. The punishment about abandoning the NW is death and how he could ever investigate for that matter?

Another example is the likely possibility that R + L = J

What about it?

[Jory Cassel]

I would say his most negative trait is his hypocrisy particularly when it comes to mercy.

examples?

He acts as if he is the only one capable of making his own decision. He rebels against the iron throne along with Robert, yet looks down on Jaime for doing the same. Everyone says that Aery's was Jaime's king and they judge his character because of his betrayal but Aerys was everybody's king and they all rebelled against him. You don't get to judge one person for rebelling. Eddard had his reasons and Jaime had his. Its not right that Eddard get to decide that Jaime's reasons aren't good enough and his are.

He did not know Jaime's true motivation, and the apparent one was despicable.

Furthermore, Ned never dedicated his life to protecting Aerys.

Another example is when Eddard executes the Nights watch man who had run from the wall. Without even investigating

I'm not sure what exactly you expect him to "investigate", but he did ask questions, and you cannot seriously claim that Ned was obliged to consider the threat of mythical beings when it is unclear whether they ever existed.

he simply beheads him right away. Yet later own we learn that Lord commander mormont knows that the brothers routinely break their vows like visiting moles town. He says something to the effect of if we punished everyone that broke their vows their would hardly be anyone to man the wall (paraphrasing there).

Your point being..? I fail to see the hypocrisy.

Another example is the likely possibility that R + L = J

elaborate.

[Minsc]

I would say his most negative trait is his hypocrisy particularly when it comes to mercy. He acts as if he is the only one capable of making his own decision. He rebels against the iron throne along with Robert, yet looks down on Jaime for doing the same. Everyone says that Aery's was Jaime's king and they judge his character because of his betrayal but Aerys was everybody's king and they all rebelled against him. You don't get to judge one person for rebelling. Eddard had his reasons and Jaime had his. Its not right that Eddard get to decide that Jaime's reasons aren't good enough and his are.

There is a world's of difference between the oaths a lord swears to the king and that in which a kingsguard swears to their king. Moreover, Ned(and Robert) only decided to rebel after Aerys unjustly called for their heads despite them committing no crimes furthermore they rebelled openly against the crown. In contrast, Jaime appears to have "rebelled" against Aerys after the Targaryens had already been defeated (and had done nothing against him) furthermore Jaime did his by stabbing Aerys in the back like a coward.

Another example is when Eddard executes the Nights watch man who had run from the wall. Without even investigating he simply beheads him right away. Yet later own we learn that Lord commander mormont knows that the brothers routinely break their vows like visiting moles town. He says something to the effect of if we punished everyone that broke their vows their would hardly be anyone to man the wall (paraphrasing there).

As JQC said there was no need to investigate in how Gared was obvious guilty. Furthermore, Gared had hardly performed a minor breach of his vows by visiting a nearby town to sleep with a whore. Instead, he had traveled thousands of miles in desertion of his duty and general abandonment of the NW. Finally, that is hardly hypocrisy of Ned's in how it was Jeor who gave the relaxed standards to allow brothers to visit moles town not Ned.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

He did not know Jaime's true motivation, and the apparent one was despicable.

Furthermore, Ned never dedicated his life to protecting Aerys.

Very true. Also Ned hadn't even given any vow to Aerys and he [Aerys] had called for his head.

[Thucydides]

Another example is when Eddard executes the Nights watch man who had run from the wall... Yet later own we learn that Lord commander mormont knows that the brothers routinely break their vows like visiting moles town. He says something to the effect of if we punished everyone that broke their vows their would hardly be anyone to man the wall (paraphrasing there).

I get so tired of people bringing this up. There's a difference between outright desertion and visiting a brothel and returning in the morning. If the folks who visit Mole Town did not return in the morning, they'd be beheaded. If Jon had not returned, he'd have suffered the same fate.

In contract terms, heading to Mole Town for a few hours is not material breach of contract. Leaving outright is a material breach. Whatever else Ned might do that is hypocritical, beheading the NW deserter is not one of them.

[Lebron]

He's pretty dumb.

[Steve Stark]

I think having children made him a bit soft in terms of fighting wars or winning battles (even political ones). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in regards to surviving the political turmoil that is Kings Landing...he was ill prepared.

As Lord of Winterfell, he was probably used to people doing as he said and getting his way. This too could be a weakness, because Cersei and many like her are not the type to fear the word of honorable Ned. He threatened her verbally, but took no action. His enemies knew to take action, and struck first.

[House Mauldania]

He's quick to lose his head..

[Steve Stark]

He's quick to lose his head..

Har!

[OnionAhaiReborn]

Ned finds out that Jaime, the son of latecomer to the war effort Tywin Lannister, murdered the King while Tywin's army was sacking the city and some his soldiers were storming the Red Keep to murder Elia and her two children. He connects these killings in his mind, not unreasonably believing that Tywin ordered all of them. Ned not only sees Tywin as opportunistic, but also finds his tactics abhorrent. Because Ned thinks Jaime was in on all of this, and also acting out of opportunism, he doesn't respect him. Jaime, somewhat bafflingly, never bothers to tell anyone why he did it, so Ned can hardly be blamed for making these entirely reasonable assumptions about Jaime.

[The Fallen]

Ned could have easily turned to Renly, and even if he didn't trust LF he did continually rely on him.

I doubt Sansa was the one who informed her of Robert's death, especially seeing how Robert wasn't dead when Sansa went to Cersei. In contrast, the killing only began to occur after Robert's death meaning Cersei only fully moved after Robert's death thus when she no longer had to worry about Robert's interference.

Funeral bells are not required to announce Robert's death, as seen how Joffrey had already began pledges of loyalty at the throne room even before Ned's arrest.

Hell of a coincidence that Robert dies right after Sansa spills the beans. That damn Robert, why couldn't he have held on for just a little longer.

But seriously, how about citing some sources or text to back up your claims?

How exactly is it clear? Cersei knew Robert was dead, knew that Ned was aware Joffrey wasn't Robert's son and is honorable to a fault. She had to act against him ASAP.

All Sansa told her was that her father made a plan to send his daughters away before he knew Robert was mortally injured. Not relevant to the timing of his currently planned actions.

The people who mattered in the capital all knew about Robert's death much earlier. It was announced to the public the next day after Ned's arrest, don't see how this proves Cersei wasn't planning act ASAP with or without Sansa coming to her.

See above.

[David Selig]

What's your point exactly? That Cersei hastened Robert's demise because of what Sansa told her?

[The Fallen]

What's your point exactly? That Cersei hastened Robert's demise because of what Sansa told her?

No. That Sansa's information allowed Cersei to accelerate her own plans. And I think her plans leaned heavily on having Sansa and Arya as a way to control Ned. Hence her comment about all almost being lost had it not been for Sansa.

Regardless, there is no evidence that Cersei had plans ready-to-go at the confirmation of Robert's death (or even before). Sansa's info was the impetus.