Eddard Stark

Eddard “Ned” Stark is a man for whom honor and justice are not abstract concepts, but a guide to action. He is not an intriguer or a politician, but a warrior and a ruler, accustomed to speaking the truth to people’s faces and being accountable for his decisions. His tragedy lies in the fact that these qualities, ideal for the North, prove disastrous in King’s Landing, where cunning and compromise are valued. At the same time, his adherence to principle is not absolute: when the lives of his loved ones are at stake, he is ready to sacrifice his reputation and even his honor, as in the case of admitting guilt in order to save his daughters. In essence, he is a “northern wolf” who has found himself in a world ruled by southern snakes.