Eddard Stark

"A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is." - Eddard to his son Bran after executing Gared.

Eddard Stark, also known as Ned, is the Hand of the King, Lord of Winterfell, head of House Stark and Warden of the North. Eddard is a major POV character and has the most chapters in A Game of Thrones.

A Game of Thrones
Eddard executes Gared, a member of the Night's Watch for desertion with his valyrian sword Ice.

When he goes to clean up Ice in the Godswood, his wife Catelyn approaches him and tells him about the death of Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King. Eddard is saddened by this, as Jon was like a father for him. She also tells Ned that the king is riding for Winterfell, they both know it could only mean that he will ask Ned to become Hand of the King.

When the royal party arrives at Winterfell, Eddard and the others greet them. King Robert Baratheon immediatly wants to go to the crypts with Ned, where he also asks Eddard to become Hand of the King, which Eddard accepts. Eddard is present at the feast.

Maester Luwin later shows Ned and Catelyn a letter written by Lysa Arryn, stating that her husband was poisoned by the Lannisters.

His youngest son Bran falls off a tower and is in a coma. Ned and his girls Sansa and Arya go to the south with the king and his bastard son Jon goes to serve at the Wall.

While travelling to King's Landing, Ned and Robert discuss Daenerys Targaryen her marriage to Khal Drogo. While Robert wants to kill Daenerys, Eddard goes against it. They also discuss about the Warden of the South, as Robert wants to make Jaime Lannister warden. Ned doesn't approve as his father Tywin is already Warden of the East.

While at Darry, Arya and prince Joffrey have a fight, as he cut her friend Mycah in the face. Arya's direwolf Nymeria attacks Joffrey but Arya and the previous Captain of the Guards at Winterfell, Jory Cassel, manage to lead the Direwolf away.

As a direwolf still needs to be punished for wounding Joffrey, Ilyn Payne is given the task to kill Sansa's direwolf Lady. Eddard does it himself and gives the task to return Lady's bones to Winterfell.

Eddard arrives at King's Landing where he joins the Small Council as Hand of the King. When there, he learns that Catelyn arrived at King's Landing and she shows him a dagger from an assassin send to murder Bran, and Petyr Baelish, the Master of Coin in the Small council, tells them the dagger belongs to Tyrion Lannister. He also confronts his daughter Arya after the events of Darry and gives her a dance/sword master named Syrio Forel.

Eddard learns about the depths to be paid by the crown. Eddard goes to find out the death of Jon Arryn, and discovers the bastard of Robert, Gendry. He is suspicious of Jon's squire Hugh, who was knighted after the death of Jon Arryn.

A Tourney of the Hand is held in Ned's honour where Hugh is killed while riding against the Mountain. He also learns of the book Jon read, and Grand Maester Pycelle gives the book to him as he wants to read it.

Eddard is visited by the Night's Watch recruiter Yoren, who was joining Tyrion Lannister, and informs him of his imprisoned caused by Catelyn.

News arrives to King's Landing that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant, and Robert wants her dead. Eddard is disgusted by this and leaves the Small Council, planning to return to Winterfell. Before he does that however, he visits another one of Robert's bastards, Barra, being only a baby.

When the meeting is done, Jaime Lannister confronts Eddard, as he is angered by his brother's imprisonment. Eddard and his guards duel Jaime and his guards. The guards Wyl and Heward are killed, and the Captain of the Guards Jory is also killed. Eddard's leg gets crushed by a horse.

While waking up again, he learns about the death of the Lannister guard Tregar. He is very saddened by Jory's death and replaces Tomard as Captain of the Guards. He also becomes Hand of the King again.

Eddard has to rule on the Iron Throne when Robert goes on a hunt, and he listens to what people have to say. Due to Tyrion's imprisonment, Tywin Lannister sends the Mountain to create chaos in the Riverlands, the seat of House Tully. The people of Wendish Town and Mummer's Ford are all dead while some from Sherrer are still alive.

Due to this, Eddard sends Beric Dondarrion to kill the Mountain. The small council think it's a thing for the king to decide, but Ned wants to handle quick. A while later, Robert returns from his hunt, wounded. Robert is dying and Eddard learns that Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are made of incest between Cersei and Jaime after doing research while Sansa made a comment about wanting to make golden boys with Joffrey. He informs the legimate heir to the Iron Throne, Stannis Baratheon, the brother of Robert, about this.

Petyr Baelish and Renly Baratheon both approach Ned. Renly asks Ned to support him in taking the crown while Littlefinger (Petyr Baelish) tells Ned to let Cersei and Joffrey rule. While Sansa and Arya are planned to be sent away, Sansa stops it and reveals Eddard's plan to her to still marry Joffrey.

However, this doesn't help. After Robert dies, Renly leaves the capital to marry Margaery Tyrell in Highgarden. Eddard confronts Cersei and Joffrey, but Littlefinger and the City Watch betray him.

While sitting in the dungerous, the Master of Whispers, Varys, confronts Ned and tells him how he serves the realm and wants to do the good for the realm, telling Ned to confess about his actions. At the same time, Eddard's son, Robb, is attacking Tywin Lannister's men and the two fight in the Riverlands, as Robb wants to free Eddard.

Eddard is brought before the Sept of Baelor, where he confesses. Joffrey still orders Ilyn Payne to behead Ned.

After Ned dies, his head is put on a spike. Joffrey forces Sansa to watch it together with the head of her septa, septa Mordane. When the news is spread, Robb is crowned king while having Jaime Lannister as hostage. He wants revenge for his father's death and Catelyn wants to save her daughters.

A Clash of Kings
Tyrion Lannister orders Eddard's head to be removed from the spikes, and sends his remains to Riverrun. Catelyn later tasks Hallis Mollen to escort Ned's bones to Winterfell. However, due to Theon Greyjoy sacking Winterfell they didn't reach the destination and their whereabouts are unknown.

A Storm of Swords
On the road to the Twins to attend to Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey's wedding, Catelyn and a group stumble on a few bodies. Catelyn wonders if Hallis Mollen ever reached Winterfell with Ned's bones.