"No. Now it ends." Ned a key player in Rhaegar's Plot

[The Answer]

My theory becomes crack-potery as I expand on a theory which I believe to be true despite its lack of popularity. 

If you clicked the link you have an idea of the theory I’ll expand on, if not… the premise is that Ned’s promise to Lyanna was not to keep Jon safe, hide his identity from the world, and raise him as his own.  The promise was actually to help fulfill Rheagar’s vision and help his 3^rd son rise to the Throne as TPTWP. 

What triggered me to expand on this was the preview of S06E03, where Arthur Dayne proclaims “And now it begins…” & Ned shuts him down with the legendary, “No. Now it ends.”  My belief is that AD’s proclamation was not in reference to the 3 on 7 fight of the Century that was about to take place, it was about something bigger.  The same goes for Ned’s response – Now it ends didn’t mean… Your life is about to end, Authur. Instead, it meant this fantasy we’ve been living the past year or so is no longer possible, and I’m going to put an end to it once and for all. 

My theory is that Ned, being close to Lyanna, was aware of her relationship (to a certain extent) with Rhaegar and their mutual infatuation.  Being in Rhaegar’s “circle of trust” along with Dayne, Whent, & Hightower, Tyrells, etc., Ned was set to play a larger role in Rhaegar’s rise to the Throne, by rallying the North and Other houses (below) to the Prince’s cause.  He did NOT, however, at the time of his involvement, realize that the 3^rd son he was going to help ascend to the Throne would be mothered by his sister.  When things went horribly wrong (abduction), it was a no brainer for Ned to back out of his role in the ploy & join forces with his best friend/brother in arms Robert. 

In the text, Ned assures the Kings Guard Knights of recent events:

“I came down on Storm’s End to lift the seige,” Ned told them, “and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them.”

He shares this news in a state of confusion, in other words, “why the hell weren’t you guys there too? It’s too late… our plot was foiled long ago.”  Reiterating the fact that Tyrells dipped their banners indicates they were involved in the original plot, and even they finally realized their Prince’s plot was for naught.

Then there is the exchange between Jaime and Rhaegar:

"When this battle is done, I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago but... Well it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when we return."

Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago but... He meant to do it long ago when the council originally/quietly contained Ned.  He had the North’s support which would have made things much easier.   Clearly, now there’s regret.

Remember.. the exchange between Ned & Arthur is what sparked this theory, and one descriptive word supplied by GRRM raised the red flag.

“No,” Ned said with sadness in his voice. “Now it ends.”

Why is Ned saying this with sadness in his voice?  It’s not fear, or anger… it’s sadness.  Sadness because he’s about to fight the best swordsmen in Westeros?  No – that doesn’t make sense.  It’s sadness because he once believed in the cause Ser Authur was about to defend, but he was forced to toss that aside for reasons mentioned above. 

[Lord of Raventree Hall]

Your theory has a lot more logic than most on this site, but I think its not exciting enough for most! Anyways, its a solid theory. I would love to see some more evidence, but it makes a lot of sense, and I won't dismiss it right away (Like I do for 90% of the theories on here...because they are so very illogical). 

[Boarsbane]

Ned is sad because he believes Dayne and his lot are good and honorable men but the actions of others have conspired to force them to fight each other. I don't believe the Tyrells were in Rhaegar's inner circle, no one remarks on it and Mace and Rhaegar don't seem the type to get along, I don't think even Hightower was friends with Rhaegar really.The Tyrells dipped their banners because it was obvious Robert had won, Aerys and Rhaegar dead and KL taken. Also it wouldn't make sense to ally with Ned, Rickard is still alive and Lord before Rhaegar disappeared and Brandon is the heir, Ned offers him nothing. 

[Dorian Martell]

On 5/12/2016 at 3:14 PM, The Answer said:

My theory becomes crack-potery as I expand on a theory which I believe to be true despite its lack of popularity. 

If you clicked the link you have an idea of the theory I’ll expand on, if not… the premise is that Ned’s promise to Lyanna was not to keep Jon safe, hide his identity from the world, and raise him as his own.  The promise was actually to help fulfill Rheagar’s vision and help his 3^rd son rise to the Throne as TPTWP. 

What triggered me to expand on this was the preview of S06E03, where Arthur Dayne proclaims “And now it begins…” & Ned shuts him down with the legendary, “No. Now it ends.”  My belief is that AD’s proclamation was not in reference to the 3 on 7 fight of the Century that was about to take place, it was about something bigger.  The same goes for Ned’s response – Now it ends didn’t mean… Your life is about to end, Authur. Instead, it meant this fantasy we’ve been living the past year or so is no longer possible, and I’m going to put an end to it once and for all. 

My theory is that Ned, being close to Lyanna, was aware of her relationship (to a certain extent) with Rhaegar and their mutual infatuation.  Being in Rhaegar’s “circle of trust” along with Dayne, Whent, & Hightower, Tyrells, etc., Ned was set to play a larger role in Rhaegar’s rise to the Throne, by rallying the North and Other houses (below) to the Prince’s cause.  He did NOT, however, at the time of his involvement, realize that the 3^rd son he was going to help ascend to the Throne would be mothered by his sister.  When things went horribly wrong (abduction), it was a no brainer for Ned to back out of his role in the ploy & join forces with his best friend/brother in arms Robert. 

In the text, Ned assures the Kings Guard Knights of recent events:

“I came down on Storm’s End to lift the seige,” Ned told them, “and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them.”

He shares this news in a state of confusion, in other words, “why the hell weren’t you guys there too? It’s too late… our plot was foiled long ago.”  Reiterating the fact that Tyrells dipped their banners indicates they were involved in the original plot, and even they finally realized their Prince’s plot was for naught.

Then there is the exchange between Jaime and Rhaegar:

"When this battle is done, I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago but... Well it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when we return."

Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago but... He meant to do it long ago when the council originally/quietly contained Ned.  He

had the North’s support which would have made things much easier.   Clearly, now there’s regret.

Remember.. the exchange between Ned & Arthur is what sparked this theory, and one descriptive word supplied by GRRM raised the red flag.

“No,” Ned said with sadness in his voice. “Now it ends.”

Why is Ned saying this with sadness in his voice?  It’s not fear, or anger… it’s sadness.  Sadness because he’s about to fight the best swordsmen in Westeros?  No – that doesn’t make sense.  It’s sadness because he once believed in the cause Ser Authur was about to defend, but he was forced to toss that aside for reasons mentioned above. 

first, the only recollection of the TOJ episode is in Ned's opium dream after a rather brutal injury. The sadness is from him reliving what became the defining moment of his entire life. 
Second, there is no reason to believe Ned was in any of the prince's "circle."  If anyone would be in the prince's circle of trust, it would be Ned's dad. 

[Peter Haroski]

It doesn't seem likely, that Ned would have been a part of bigger plan but the events causing Roberts rebellion started after Brandon Stark was captured after trying to get Lyanna back.. Neds father was the ruler of the North, his brother the heir, so it would have been really hard to get the whole north to support Rhaegar if the 2 most important Starks weren't in the plot.

[Scorpion92]

Ned's promise to Lyanna and raising Jon as his own is the ultimate "power" move in the "game", if you would like, that won House Stark the right to rule Westeros. Ned won right there, we just do not realize it yet.

[house of dayne]

Fascinating theory...it casts a dark light on ned...perhaps he was not in rhaegars circle per se, but maybe he was involved in the disapearance of lyanna or his father and older brothers reaction to it..it can be fairly said that no one, save robert himself, profited more from the rebellion...from second born son with no prospects to lord paramount of the north..perhaps the sadness in his voice betrays the guilt of his own ambitions and the cover up he maintained his whole life...

[house of dayne]

If ned was complicit in the abduction, it would explain why house stark seemed to make no effort in searching for lyanna during the rebellion...it would also explain how and why ned knew to go to the tower of joy, of all the places in westeros. He knew all along...