While Game of Thrones has grown a lot since that initial season on HBO — turning into a cultural juggernaut — the memories of that first season shaped expectations and hype for the show moving forward. The first true surprise (or heartbreak) of the series was Ned Stark. Ned, the most honorable of all of the Game of Thrones characters, felt very much like the main character of the series throughout the early episodes. Sure, he could be a bit stubborn at times, but he always wanted what was best for his family and the Seven Kingdoms.
Those of us who had read the books prior to the series (read: nerds) knew what to expect, but the initial outrage, shock and disbelief that followed the big Ned Stark reveal in season one was just a small taste of what was to come in Game of Thrones. The death of Ned Stark helped to set the tone for the rest of the series; absolutely anything could happen and anyone, no matter how important they may be, can and will die. This show wasn’t messing around and didn’t care who your favorite character was. In fact, maybe you should never say that someone is your favorite character, because they might just die because of that (or at least it can feel that way).
Thanks to some of Bran’s visions and flashbacks there has been a deeper glimpse into the honor and code of Ned Stark, as well as what kind of circumstances helped to make him that honorable man that he grew into. This video is a melancholy look at the most honorable man in all of Westeros and how his sense of honor and duty helped to shape the world of Game of Thrones and bring it all to horrifying life to the many (and we do mean many) viewers of the show.
