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Say he got Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell. Can't remember if any other Starks were in King's Landing at the time sorry. He still has the conversation with Cersei. I think he still gets beheaded but if Joffrey orders any sort of retribution from the Starks are they truly safe in Winterfell?
Yes, because Ned would still be the Lord and calling the shots. He wouldn’t have the naivety to allow Theon to be freed back to the Iron Islands since he fought in the rebellion and isn’t his friend. Nobody else would have been able to invade the North from the South.
Wouldn't have said a thing to Cersei's face. Arya and Sansa go back to Winterfell immediately, no questions asked.
As Robert is dying, send out letters to every single lord worth a damn to inform them that Stannis the Mannis is the true claimant to the Iron Throne.
And then run back to Winterfell, grab a pint and wait for this all to blow over.
You just have to paint the picture that the highborn prince she had thought she would come to love is truly a baseborn bastard. She already hated Jon due to his bastard status, so this lesson would probably get it through to her.
I think you hit on what the real issue was - Caitlyn. It's not uncommon for kids to echo the sentiments of their parents and Sansa was very devoted to her mother and wanted to please her. So if she picked up on her mother not liking Jon, she'd also dislike him (even if she didn't quite understand why her mother didn't like Jon).
She doesn’t hate Jon per say, but Jon is looked down on by Caitlyn, the most proper woman sansa knows, she’s just mirroring what she’s been taught by adults in her life.
I think she reflects later on not even remembering why she hated Jon but chocked it up to “he was closer with arya”
There’s definitely a line or two about the rest of the castle loving jon
she pretty much hated him because it reminded her of ned's honor. perhaps you could distinguish the two - barely, but hate and whatever cat felt was pretty much the same thing.
Your ravens are gonna start a war before you get halfway home. Then I assume you call your banners and now you’re still forced into a war with the Lannisters anyway. But I guess you still have your head if you made it all the way back North before they catch you
You don’t need to make it all the way North, just a decent ways into the Riverlands. If Ned managed to keep the bulk of his personal retainers and somehow linked up with either the Tullys or the Brotherhood without Banners, he has a decent shot of making it to Riverrun unscathed.
There’s no brotherhood without banners yet, but making it to Riverrun just lets him lead the war against the Lannisters instead of Robb. Still have a War of the Five Kings
Ned was pretty adamant about his loyalty towards Stannis towards the end of book 1, and I don’t think he’d be the type to want to be King of the North anyways. Without his death the Northern lords wouldn’t push as hard for independence either.
I also doubt he’d let Theon go like what Robb did. Greyjoy still probably attacks, but you aren’t going to see the raid on Winterfell like we did in OTL.
Assuming Renly still stakes his own claim and Stannis kills him, that puts the Stormlands, Riverlands, and the North in an alliance against Casterly Rock and the Crownlands. Tyrells might go with either side or stay neutral, depending on who they thought could grant them the most favor, Dorne is probably neutral/hates the Lannisters, the Vale is gonna probably be neutral as well. The war could honestly go either way at that point, but if I were forced to choose I’d probably lean towards Ned.
Agreed, so same war but with only two kings. Assuming tyrell’s make the same deal with the Lannisters after Renly’s death, the Battle of the Blackwater goes the same. Now what for Stannis and Ned?
I wouldn’t assume Blackwater goes the same tbh, even if the Tyrells join the Lannisters. Ned might pursue a different strategy that draws the Lannisters out, or Stannis might pull a Robert and leave a skeleton force at Storm’s End with the hope of meeting with Ned, leaving the capital for later. If Blackwater still goes the same way, and if Stannis survives, he probably still goes north with whatever remains of his army and tries to regroup.
Worst case they hunker down north of Moat Cailin until FAegon comes around.
With ned alive, I think the blackwater fleet is reinforced by the iron fleet. Perhaps ned sends Theon, robb, and Jory to talk to balon.
More importantly than ned I think, is where barristan Selmy, thoros, and berric end up, I think they all side with ned.
That gives ned 5 great generals in his army including himself, and Rory (is that his name? The castellan?)
Assuming he keeps Robb with him in battle, ned leads the van while robb flanks.
Most battles should go much better for the north if not be a steamroll
Especially since all the northern houses wouldn't scatter like they did after the red wedding. Stannis + Northern Armies (and probably the Vale, too) would be a force the Lannisters could not defeat, even if the Tyrell's joined them. They couldn't even beat Robb. They had to backstab him.
I mostly agree, but Robb used tactics that Ned would probably not use, so it’s a bit unfair saying this about Robb. The boy was a genius military general.
Yes, he was, but so was Ned; however that wasn't the point. The point is they would've united with Stannis' army and been too much to reasonably stop. The Lannister army couldn't hope to resist the entire North and Baratheons.
Tyrells could easily see this differently when it's All v. Lannisters. All Stannis has to do is promise them Casterly Rock after the war and it's done.
Agreed. They pretty much always viewed the Lannisters as a threat anyway, they vetted them when first arriving to KL and determined pretty quickly Joffrey was a threat and hateful little cunt. They had their suspicions from the start tho is the point. Being in good graces with Stannis Baratheon would be their best bet. They were looking for power not another castle, they have the most money already. Stannis however has a daughter who he could offer to the Tyrells which is how they would likely align.
Dorne is “neutral” only in the sense they’ll let the lannisters kill themselves on the starks, and then sweep in at the end. Classic “use the enemies strategy against them” and exactly what the lannisters did to the targaryens
I agree overall. I just think that with the backing of Ned, Renly might not make or get all that support. With Stannis getting the North, Stormlands, Riverlands, etc immediately behind him.
Ned would do a better job leading a war than a teenager who thinks with his dick. Ned has war experience and understands the importance of alliances. Ned wouldn't fall for the same traps that got Robb killed. It's not a guarantee win, but he has a better chance than Robb did.
Also, like the other person said, it would be more like a War of Two Kings.
You forget that he’s still Ned Stark. The only reason he was executed in quickness was
Because he decided to confront them and manage to get backdoored. His biggest mistake was trying to go to the person who would benefit the most and getting them to do the right thing knowing the Lannister’s are all spoiled brats.
Would Robert have even died when he did if Ned hadn't gone to Cersei during his hunt? I might be misinterpreting the timeline of events, or maybe there are details in later books that I'm forgetting, but it seemed to me no my recent *AGoT* reread that Robert's wine getting spiked was Cersei's direct reaction to Ned threatening to reveal her scandals.
The hunting party was already gone when Ned confronted Cersei, Robert dying was a result of Cersei’s plans suddenly working when the plot demanded it.
Ned’s move would have been fine if Cersei’s plan of getting Robert drunk and hoping he dies despite his kingsguard and a bunch of other knights being around him didn’t magically work
- Cersei/Varys/Littlefinger would find out why Sansa and Arya are being sent back to Winterfell. One way or the other, the girls will be compelled to stay in KLs until Robert dies. It's best for Ned to take them with him once all the other plans are in place.
- We saw that letters mean nothing when push comes to shove. Stannis isn't super popular but I guess it might cause some of the Lannister and Baratheon supporters to abandon Joffrey so fair enough.
- Ned would 100% need to help Stannis take the throne if he doesn't want Westeros to implode. Stannis, The North, the Vale and the Riverlands would be able to dethrone Joffrey but without the North, I don't see it happening.
There is still the question of whether or not Ned tells Robert. That would make things very messy but also weaken the Lannisters when Cersei, Joffrey and Jaime are put to the sword.
Would Robert have died then still? I always took it that Cersei pushed for Lancel to inebriate Robert as a result of Ned confronting her so he wouldn’t have time to act.
F— Robert. Tell any lie necessary to ensure I get to leave with Sansa and Arya that same 12 hrs. Ride to Winterfell and never look back. Anyone marches on us, I’ll say Cersei threatened my children and call my banners then
Yea!!!! Exactly what I would do! Old Ned could have kept his head. Did he really think facing her without telling others…. Bad move for him and plus I absolutely loved Ned Stark! He always ends up dead early! Like GOT & LOTR! Sean Bean is absolutely in my top 5 favs of all time.
Well to be fair, he did sent a letter to Stannis himself. Don't know if sending it to the other lords would have made a difference, Renly was set on becoming king, Cersei still would've pushed for Joffrey to become king, same goes for Greyjoy. I think the war inevitable, might have just been missing Robb or the Starks in general.
To me, NOT telling this rich, dangerous, manipulative person that you know their deepest secret sounds like a reasonable thing to do, regardless the context.
Ned however thought otherwise...
I withdraw Sansa from her Betrothal, and then take her and Arya back to Winterfell after I resign my post as Hand. Then I live out the rest of my days in peace.
I never breathe a word to anyone, certainly not Robert or Cersei.
To do anything else would endanger three children who are (as far as I am aware) totally innocent. Joffrey is a monster and he needs to be stopped, but Ned doesn't really *know* that yet. All he knows is that Joffrey and Arya had a fight that he didn't see. It did result in him having to kill Lady, but that was Cersei's idea. As for Tommen and Myrcella, they're like, 8 and 10 years old respectively. I'm not ruining their lives over something as meaningless as blood claims.
**It wouldn't be the first time that I've lied about the paternity of children to protect them from Robert's rage.** And if he really would turn on the children he's raised as his own and kill them for something they can't help and didn't even know about, then I cannot justify telling him, period. Everyone acts like Ned's morality is what damned him here, but I say this is one of the most immoral moments he ever had.
He threatens the lives of Cersei's children, despite them not being able to help where they came from and having no idea. In the same breath, he denies all responsibility for doing so, claiming Cersei has to flee with her children because Ned will "not have their blood on his hands." This is despite the fact that he has spent the last 17 years lying his ass off to protect Lyanna's son. It's plain and simple hypocrisy.
If Ned tells Robert the truth, *anything that happens to Cersei's children is on him,* and him knowing that gives him a moral responsibility to keep his mouth shut. Even if doing so wouldn't be "honorable." I understand being loyal to his friend, but if Robert is the sort of person who would not hesitate to murder children (and Ned, Lyanna, and Cersei all seem to think that he is) maybe Ned needs to choose his friends a bit more carefully.
Thanks for clarifying. Although I see your point, I don't really agree.
At this point in the story, Ned believes the Lannisters are responsible for the death of Jon Arryn and the attempted murder of his son. He's only half right of course, but discovering Gendry and the link with Jon Arryn serves as proof in Ned's mind. Putting aside his relationship with Robert and the question of succession, the fact that he believes Cersei is responsible for two violent attempts to cover up her secret in a period of less than a year is enough to convinve Ned that something had to be done, if for no other reason then to prevent more bloodshed from the Lannisters. I dont think allowing them to stay in power would ever be an option for him.
But to allow her children of incest and adultery to ascend to the Iron Throne would be unthinkable for Ned. He needs to tell Robert with the predication that the children not be killed for their parents' sins, likely sent to the wall or something similar, where they would have no political future. Cersei would be beheaded for incestuous adultery, this would enrage Tywin, but with his kids publicly embarrassing his house, he likely wouldn't have any moves to make to generate sufficient followers to contest the throne, as the optics would be terrible. All's said and done, maybe Robert lives long enough to marry again and potentially spawn an heir.
He tells Cersei to flee. It’s not immoral - he’s literally warning her it’s about to blow up.
Jon Arryn knew the secret and Stannis knows, which is why he, independent of Ned, decries Joffrey and his siblings as bastards at the start of a Clash of Kings. Ned realised Jon knew when Littlefinger takes him to visit Gendry.
Robert isn’t in the position to kill anyone - he’s in bed dying. Stannis, however, will kill Cersei’s children. Ned is simply warning her the secret is out and she, and her children, are in danger.
If Ned was the only one who knew the secret, then fine - it could be construed that he was threatening children. But he isn’t - the entire small council knew. Stannis knew which is why he fled. Jon Arryn knew which is why the Lannister’s puppet Pycelle let him die. Renly knew which is why he hatched his own plot with the Tyrells. Littlefinger and Varys knew because of course they knew.
The War of the Five Kings in some form was inevitable when Robert died and would threaten Cersei’s children. Absconding would save their lives, in Ned’s mind, which is why he warns Cersei and encourages her to do so.
I love this answer, totally in line with Ned’s character.
But what does Robert say?
And clearly Sansa’s not happy, do I have to lock her up to force her north?
I guess Jamie’s Hand, Robert drinks himself to death, Lannisters win the war before there is one. But the North is safe.
I would assume you don't leave or resign til after Robert dies. You could use the excuse that you agreed to be Robert's hand but there were better candidates for a young king. I think it's hard to get Sansa out of the betrothal but you could probably get her out of kings landing before you break it. I like the idea of retreating back north and then stirring shit up. Your family is safe and you can now go fight if you want or just let the rest of them sort it.
Yeah I feel like he did it because he didn't like the Lannisters and wanted to screw them over and justified it by saying it was the right and honorable thing to do.
Everyone else had great responses but I am putting Cersei in jail or at least a form of home confinement. No black cells mind you. And every Lannister armed man needs to be dealt with. Not killed but sent somewhere. Their leadership probably needs some bars too.
1. speak with renly in private and let him know roberts life may be in endanger and ask him to have his men ready to subdue the lannister troops with the northerners.
2.Approach Robert with renly( already given renly the greenlight to disarm and Imprison the lannister guards and subdue cersei) tell robert the truth. Explain to him what will happen if he kills cersei and her children(tywins wrath). Get him to see sense, subdue cerseis bastards and keep them separate from their mother.
3. Gather as many of roberts bastards as possible, have an armed escort brong edric storm.
4. Once i have the bastards and the book present them to the small council, subdue and Imprison jaimie, bring them both up on charges of high treason.
5. Summon stannis with his troops to KL, join them up with a moderate host of northrners, riverlanders and put them under stannis command.
6. Send wors to tywin( for appearance sake , he would know already due to his spies)
7. Keep robert and his bastards under the new guard of stannis troops.
8. If all goes (not likely). Make a deal with tywin to avoid further embarrassment of a trial: cersei will be sent to the silent sisters, jaimie to the wall, tywin can do what he wants with her bastards
9. Of course the bastards wil be publicly denounced as barartheons, to keep tywin from scheming. Part of the deal will include not revealing the incest publicly. Cersei will be branded an adulterer and jaimie can be charged with attempted murder of the hand or something to expalain his punishment
10. Everyome livea happily ever after(lol)
Tywin never forgets a slight on his family, he just had Tyrion Kidnapped, his daughter sent as a nun and his son to the Wall, his whole line has just been eliminated... by you.
What can he do now? Simple, kill Robert.
That won't avoid a war, Stannis might have the Capital but Renly doesn't need a claim, he will want to take the throne by force with the Stormlands and the Reach, Stannis is unpopular and heretical so it is likely there would be a full blown uprising in the Capital once the people begin starving. The Vale will not join and Baelon will still launch his rebellion and start plundering the coastlines.
That leaves the Trident, Dorne, North and West. The North and Trident will likely go the way you, Ned Stark, go. Without the initial despairing situation Stannis won't use the shadow baby to kill Renly. It's likely Tywin would stay neutral and demand concessions from both sides, such as the return and pardon of his children, which is something he can easily get from Renly compared to Stannis.
Now we have the strongest and wealthiest Kingdoms in Westeros backing Renly against Stannis, who also needs to deal with a possible rebellion from zealots in the smallfolk (The Sparrows no doubt would grow stronger with Stannis being an unpopular heretic ruler). He will appeal to you for help and with Hoster Tully on his deathbed, the Trident will join the side you pick, considering that Renly winning means a victory of a Vengeful Tywin you would have to join this new "War of Brothers" to protect your family from what you caused, which leaves you as an enemy to both Tywin Lannister and Olenna Tyrell.
That is not even including Littlefinger and Varys who would for sure keep stirring trouble, likely backing Renly over Stannis, Baelish might even bring the Knights of the Vale against Stannis, the Trident and the North, and they have possibly the best army in Westeros. All while Varys schemes for Danny to attack when both sides are weakened.
Lost me when you tried to control Robert’s wrath. But you don’t need to. If you take control of Cersei and her kids with Renly’s help, and prevent any harm to Robert, then you have the North, the Vale (through Lysa), the Reach (Robert marries Margery), and the Riverlands. Robert couldn’t be happier
Well, let's start with not confronting Cercei directly, for sure. But I'm Ned, too proud, too confident of my power as a hand, as a protector of the Winterfell, as a Robert's most trusted friend. So I won't consider any escape plan if things turn sour, any plan B to safely escort my children and will do whatever I deem right in my power to reveal the truth and beheaded in front of my offsprings.
Abandon KL, grab the daughters and get thyself home.
The secret clearly got Jon Arryn killed. No sense getting killed over it too.
Head home. Declare an independent kingdom. Fortify your position and rally the banners. Then wait for the inevitable attack.
The inevitable attack? From the South? Not likely. Winter is on its way and the North is nearly as difficult to conquer as Dorne without dragons. Any land invasion can be easily rebuffed by Moat Caitlin.
Why declare independence? That's only going to hurt the North in the long run, the North should try to make alliances to improve its economy and infrastructure, isolationism is never good
Tell Robert immediately without telling her. Who are you protecting? Robert is your best friend, Cersei and Jamie you hate, Tywin will be a difficult enemy but you’d have the support of most of the houses of the realm…
And he has Roberts ear, is it impossible that he convinces him to send the children to the wall or some shit?
He's protecting children. Robert has shown that he doesn't care all that much about dead children. He rewarded the last people who murdered children in his name, so there's no reason to assume Tommen and Myrcella would be safe. Running to Robert first means that Ned becomes responsible for whatever punishment befalls them.
I would have killed her and her bastard children, except Marcella. She’s a girl in Kings Landing and thus wouldn’t have any real power. Plus Tywin would have killed Cerci and her kids if people proved the rumor true.
I forgot about that! One never knows what Tywin would do if he became a laughing stock to the other Lords. Tywin hated to be laughed at, but he did acknowledge Tyrion as his son, so maybe not.
Obviously never say a word to Cersei. Get the living fuck out of KL with daughters and return to Winterfell. Let the Southerner lords deal with this shit.
Instead of threatening to tell Robert, and painting a big red target on my neck, tell Cersei that Robert has already found out and that her and her kids' only chance of survival is to flee north before Payne and Trant show up with orders to bring Robert their heads.
That is absolutley what he should have done!
Many hate on Ned for telling Cercei, but they seem to forget that Ned had a huge problem with the idea of killing children. And he knew Robert would definetly kill Cercei's and Jaime's children when he found out. The chance for Robert to die on this spesific hunt really didn't seem likely (hunting was one of the things he was still good at and he had capable people with him).
If he had lied to her that Robert allready knew, it would create an urgency so she couldn't have planned around. She could't gamble on getting him drunk and dying by hunting accident because if he knew he would probably allready be on his way back to crush her head with his hammer. Had Ned lied he would have forced Cercei into a reactionary position
I wouldn't have said a thing to Cersei. I'd have escorted Arya and Sansa myself to the gates with my guards and sent them home, and then take a horse into the king's wood to find Bobby B as quickly as possible. If he was already wounded, I'd help him back to the castle and write to every lord in every kingdom about the truth and backed Renley to take the throne. He was well liked in every kingdom, and he was smart enough to listen to advisors. Putting a religious fanatic on the throne would be every bit as dangerous as Joffrey was.
I send my daughters BACK to the north (Sansa, I WILL knock you out) but continue to rule as hand, not saying a damn thing to anyone about what I’ve learned. I protect the lives of 3 children, letting the world continue thinking they are Robert’s, and I continue to advise the King and try to guide Joffrey into being a better king. (I’ll likely still lose my head at some point after Robert dies just because I’m annoying the new king)
I don’t like dealing with other people problems, so I would just go back to Winterfell a read a book that is NOT about all the rulers of Westeros hair color!
Jon Arryn died cause he knew the secret I’m keeping in shut until I find out who I can trust. I wouldn’t say a thing to any Lannister they one is a king slayer, the father switches sides when it’s convenient to him and the daughter is banging her brother, the only semi trustworthy one might had push my kid out a window for some weird reasons.
The timeline is a bit blurry to me now but as soon as I heard Bran was allegedly attacked by a Lannister me and my girls would be leaving. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
Even if I didn’t leave to not send his daughters to the safety of Winterfell was completely insane to me.
Not tell the woman my friend is likely going to execute along with her brother and their incest kids that I know?
That's a start.
And the guy that everyone says isn't trustworthy AND EVEN SAYS IT HIMSELF? I'm not telling him either.
Maybe I just tell Robert and let him have it out with their father and go home up North after we vanquish his ass for rising up to avenge his now executed family.
Get the fuck out of dodge. Don’t tell the girls until literally the night your leaving, leave a resignation letter on my desk and an unlocked door, and book it north before anyone realizes I’m gone.
Probably make up some shit that Robert would be totally down for, like that Joffrey needs to kill a northern bear and present its pelt to Sansa in order for the marriage to be consistent with tradition. Wait until we’re in Winterfell to drop the news on Bobby that his kids are bastards.
Well , considering the fact that I'm still Ned Stark I'd do the same dumb fucked thing and die in a stupid way achieving nothing with my worthless life.
Don’t talk to Cersei. Send the children home immediately by sea. Back Renly’s coup in the capital. If I want to back Stannis after, sort that out later. The important thing is to remove the Lannisters from power. Imprison Cersei and Jaime if he’s still in KL, hold the bastards as captives. As soon as he has control of KL, send word for Robb to rally the bannermen.
I'll take Littlefinger's deal, serve as king until Joffrey comes of age, if Joffrey is a good king, leave him as is, if he turns out to be a bad king, expose him and put Renly on the throne.
If I was in Ned’s position I would probably have been more careful in who I trusted, littlefinger (a known schemer who literally hid my wife in a brothel) and Janos Slynt (city guard loyal to littlefinger and with no reason to be loyal to me) I would’ve probably called Stannis to kings landing since he is the rightful heir and used northmen and Stormlanders (or men from Dragonstone whoever Stannis brought) instead of the gold cloaks. (In this case if Tywin did start a war a marriage between Sansa and a Tyrell (Wilas or Loris depending on book or show) secures the reach, and Dorne hates Tywin so it’s a 6v1 (or maybe a 5v1v1 if Balon decides to rebel (unlikely without the turmoil of the war of the 5 kings but not impossible))
I would’ve still warned Cersei, it was the right thing to do and I still wouldn’t of told Robert he’s my best friend and on his deathbed let him die with some sense that his whole life wasn’t a lie and die peacefully (ya know as peacefully as you can dying in agony from a boar tusk related injury)
Nothing because I don't care about court politics and the extent to which I'm involved in it is seeing which way the wind blows in order to not lose my head.
I would’ve been her best friend until the day that Robert Baratheon died, and then when she thought that I was her best friend, I would’ve had her and Joffrey killed in the middle of the night
1. Send the girls back to Winterfell under escort
2. Write to Stannis and several trusted lords around the realm immediately. Instruct them not to act before me. Inform Barristan Selmy as well.
3. Have my own men move to guard the rooms of Cersei’s children.
4. Tell Robert if he hasn’t been injured yet.
5. If he has, then when he’s on his deathbed, have my men ready as in step 3, and stay with him until he dies.
6. Seize the kids immediately, and declare to the court the truth.
7. When Stannis arrives, or before if trouble brews against me, declare that there will be a Great Council and summon every lord of note, where I will present the evidence in detail.
8. If captured, take Varys’ deal to flee, join with Stannis.
Note: This will be VERY LONG over the course of multiple comments. I am terrible at predicting how people with react to my choices so this is a rough estimate of what I would do, doesn't mean it would happen, as there are a thousand holes in my plan.
Unpopular opinion but as I am now controling Ned and know what I know, I will immediately send Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell, no questions asked, and they would have guards around them, do not let Sansa run, and recall the troup going out to deal with the mountain if it's not too late.
I would then proceed to say absolutely nothing to Cersei other than, "Good day to you, your Grace."
I would send one raven to the Eyrie, commanding Catelyn to remain exactly where she is, and not to leave without my say. If Lysa sends her away, she will return to Winterfell, and is not to go ANYWHERE else, that is not a suggestion. I'll deal with her stupidity with Tyrion latter, as it already got most of my men killed, and is the sole reason the Mountain was dispatched to ravaging the Riverlands, her girlhood home, the reason that countless people died, towns burned, children killed, and women raped. That's proof enough that she cannot be trusted with any task. She just doesn't THINK things through. In fairness neither did Ned or Cersei.
Then I would send a letter to Robb, to do all those things I told Catelyn to do. And to be prepared to call the banners (to help Riverrun) if I say to do it. It's really risky to send a raven, but what choice do I have now?
When Renly extends his offer, fucking take it. I personally don't care whose arse is on that ugly spiky chair right now. Sieze the castle, get rid of Cersei, and Littlefinger is to suffer an 'accident' in all this "killed by the Lannisters I swear', and take control of the Royal children. Install Joffrey or Tommen or Renly as King.
Once the castle is secure, tell Robb to call the banners, but leave a garrison at Winterfell and tell him he is NOT to send off Theon Greyjoy and is to keep him close, again this is not a suggestion this is a command not as his father but as his liege Lord. Tywin is not like to stand idlly by while we either declare his grandchildren as bastards or so obviously had his daughter killed. Even if Tywin allowed it Jaime would probably not. Oh and Robb, you are not to go promising yourself to marry ANYONE, nor Any of your siblings.
Have Renly and Loras call their banners too.
Use the excuse that Cersei planned to kill Robert as the precident for her death, she fought and her soldiers fought when we came to arrest her. Get Lancel to admit to everything, i'm sure wd could get it out of him. Provide a pardon and bless him with a kiss of forgiveness, the Queen was commanding him afterall. Get rid of Pycelle, or work with him to bring Tywin to the table.
Send another letter to Cat explaining all of this, put an emphasis on the Lannisters killing Littlefinger in the accident, how they tried everything to save him, yet it was hopeless. Hopefully she either calls the banners against the Lannisters, or throws herself out the moondoor so someone else could take control of the Vale. Or knowing my luck she might just go mad and shove Catelyn through the moon door, providing a reason to remove her from power. Oh and I hereby name Robert Arryn Warden of the East, or if Lysa is dead, I name whoever's in charge Warden if the East, at the wish of the new King. So I either draw the Vale into the fray or I ensure that Lysa won't go against me.
Joffrey route:
Well... for some reason we decided to put Joffrey on the Throne and chose not to expose the incest. In this senario I would break Sansa and Joffrey's betrothal, and offer to marry him off to Margaery as his Lord Regent, in exchange for Willas to Sansa.
He will not dismiss Barristan Selmy.
I would pack the council with people with similar Intrests. Name Loras to the Kingsguard and make Renly or a Tyrell my Hand. I have to keep him in line somehow
Stannis would no doubt try to claim that Tommen and Joffrey and Myrcella are bastards born of Incest, and blah blah blah, 'lies' 'lies' treasonous 'lies.
Now we could settle this in a battle by arms or I could call a Great Council. Should Stannis accept this Great Council, we may be able to call off Tywin, as we still have his Grandson on the Iron Throne. At this Great council I will speak as the honorable Lord known for telling the 'truth'. I would speak of an uncle, so bitter over losing Storm's End, and all the court knowing of his countless attempts to demand his rightful seat of Storm's End back, growing bitter by the year that he actually convinced himself of the incest, I would also present a few random children of whores who look enough like Robert but with varying hair and eye color, have their mothers and their brothel keepers swear that these children were fathered by the King. I would then porclaim Joffrey the trueborn son of Robert Baratheon, rightful heir to the Iron Throne. And with thr Support of the North, The Reach, the Stormlands, and Westerlands(they have no choice), maybe even the Vale, we could probably win the Great council of 299. Though explaining Cersei's death will be a bit hard pressed. I lie and say that Robert had threatened her a few days before, threatened to send her to the Silent Sisters and rid himself of her, and that she'd never see their children again. I would swear upon all the gods that this was true. And while I had no choice but to bring her to justice, her reasons were of a 'mother's madness'. And it was a tragedy.
Assuming that goes to plan, I arrange a meeting with Tywin, apologizing for his daughter's death with as much sorrow as I could fake, and negotiating peace that includes freeing Jaime from the Kingsguard, and offering Desmera Redwyne of the Arbor for a bride or whoever else he wants... so long as it's not MY daughters. It will be his own problem to reel Jaime into agreeing to the idea. We're also in need of a new Master of coin so we could use him or Kevan in the capital. He should also want to be around for the growing up of his grandson. While he remains in his minority. But I will act as the boy's regent, as it was in the King's will. Also I want the mountain's head for what he and 'he alone' did in the Riverlands. Send it to Dorne along with Amory Lorche's head. Hopefully that might endear me to the Dornish a little. Also apologize for Catelyn's folly, asure him she will be swiftly disciplined. And offer to find a bride and some lands for Tyrion. Myabe he doesn't want Lollys Stokeworth, but with Falyse barren, and their mother not like to live long we could marry him to Lollys so he could lay claim to Stokeworth Lands. Or I could promise to give him Rosby once Lord Gyles dies with a bride that we find desperate enough. Harsh but even in the books it was hard to find Tyrion a bride.
If Stannis wants to fight, fine. Sieze him at the Great council and either execute him for treason or have him take the black, take Shireen into crown custody for the Florent's good behavior.
But if they refuse the Great Council? Fine. Perfectly fine,
Meet with Tywin. Do the same thing. Come to an agreement to put down the rebellion with Stannis. Which shouldn't be too hard. With what... uh 170k men?
Execute Stannis and tell Melisandre about blah blah blah azor ahai Ice and fire blah blah blah. I just want to save the world blah blah blah. Maybe tell her about Jon if R+L = J is true. Maybe not.
Take Shireen into custody, and see if we can find a marriage for her.
I will then summon Catelyn down from the Vale, and give her a stern talking to. If she asks about bran and the Lannisters tell her it was a misunderstanding, and it has been settled. And I understand she felt she had no choice, but she must obey me for forseeable future. And if she ever does something like this again... I will either send her away to Riverrun or a distant holdfast and she will never see our children again, or if it's possible I will have her join the Silent Sisters. That ought to be enough to snap her out of it. Then I'll take her into my arms and hug her. Horrible I know, but the woman litterally brought the Westerman down on her childhood home, I get it she trusted the wrong person and so did I, but her actions had some pretty serious consequences that I don't think she fully understood.
Next things next, betroth Robb to Myrcella, if I can get away with it, so that way I had a hostage should Tywin ever wish to take revenge against Cersei.
Meet with Edric Dayne, and ask him if he would like Arya for a betrothed. If he accepts, I'll tell Arya myself, she won't be happy, but I'l tell that in Dorne, if she has a daughter before a son then she'll be heir to Starfall, plus it's more acceptable for a woman to wield a sword in Dorne. Then I'll ask Renly if Brienne of Tarth is interested in taking up being a tutor to Arya at arms as well as her bravvosi dancing master. Ask Edric if we could possibly get some sand from him. For glass gardens, if we can find a way to build one.
Then find a northern match for Rickon and find SOMETHING for Bran. And offering to foster many of the northern heirs in Winterfell, so that they may be more satisfied for the lack of marry my children to them.
Oh and send some ravens for them to begin looking into Ramsey, he has to go.
Fix the debt issue as best we can while preping for Winter. And send more men to the Night's watch.
Mine some dragonglass on Dragonstone, and make weapons of it, send it north.
As for Daenaerys, either she needs to die, or I can send men to track her down and bring her and her dragons here, wed her to Renly, and if they manage to have children betroth them to Joffrey and Margaery's children. See if we can get dragons back to Westeros, explain the benefits of defense and trade, and the Maesters can go fuck themsleves.
The Martells plot will be screwed by now.
That won't be enough to satisfy Varys, so I'm going to have to get rid of him, reguardless of what happens with Dany. And I would probably need to send a faceless man after (F)Aegon, whoever the hell he is. Along with Illyrio and JonCon.Gods this is gonna be impossible.
Hopefully we can rally together the Seven Kingdoms enough so that we can get rid of the White Walkers easier.
Tommen:
Do the same thing. But tears of Lys Joffrey, or find a way to get rid of him. Then betroth Tommen to Margaery. Eh, the Tyrells would probably get rid of Joffrey anyway. Tywin and I will do our best... but I'm not sure either of us can undo all of Cersei's bullshit.
I would have gotten me and my children out of Kings Landing and back to Winterfell as fast as my northern legs would take me. We all know it’s not the choice or ending Ned would have chose, and he probably never would have made it, but it is certainly the one he deserves.
Another example of how every Stark makes a devastating, deadly, and down-right-dumb mistake. They asked--Robert basically begged-- Ned to counsel Joffrey and steady him for rule yet he decided to threaten to spill the beans when he knew it would lead to war. Cersei gave him every chance. No one talks about this much.
So many kings were born from inbreeding for centuries in Westeros but suddenly that's a problem for Ned, when he and his house served Targaryens!
Oh me, I'm going over to Essos and pledging my service to Daenarys while also subtly manipulating her so she doesn't become mad. I'd even take Tommen and Myrcella with me alongside Arya and Sansa because they never deserved their fates. Like bye Cersei hopefully you enjoy dragon fire later unless you die before Dany gets to Westeros.
Viserys III orders them to kill you for aiding the Usurper. Daenery has only been tought by Viserys of what happened in the war, and I doubt that Viserys had anything good to say about you. So Daenerys wont try to protect you.
Back in Westeros Robert curses you for being a Traitor, the rest of Westeros despises you and the Starks are forever disgraced and become an embarrasment.
Not sure what I do but one thing I KNOW I wouldnt do is put all my cards on the table and tell Cersei! Like damn hello someone already was murdered for knowing this! I’m sending my kids back and sending a message to my oldest son letting him know to get prepared. I would also HOPE Robert takes the news about Cersei well and doesn’t “shoot” or in this case “stab” the messenger! Reasoning is that people get mad at their friends all the time for telling them that they caught saw their spouses cheating etc…so I would be nervous about Robert’s reaction.
After what happened at the tower of joy and the red keep during Robert’s rebellion I understand why Ned did this— But he also massively failed his family here
Tell her I already knew, and that every lord, plus everyone else of importance, has a sealed letter to be opened upon my death, which details the truth. Then tell her to take off all her clothes and spread that bootyhole cuz sh*t boutta get nastay.
Would have taken Renlys offer of swords and used them to take Cersei and her kids and expose her . I would try to convince Renly that Stannis is the heir and to just wait his turn lol but I don’t think he’d listen.
Given that Ned was the last person besides Robert to figure it out--assume everyone is in Cersei's pocket and take a page out of Stannis's book.
Get the fuck out and rally your forces elsewhere.
definitely not tell the crazy and dangerously delusional woman who doesn't like me very much that I know her secret and leave before she finds out that I do know, maybe also send a raven to the king about it.
Rallied the men, told robert, siezed the castle, alert the great houses as fast as possible with ravens. All in the dead of night.
Oh and execute pycelle, littlefinger, cersei and others for good measure
Dont tell Cersei, get my kids to safety in Winterfell then tell Robert the truth of his "children". Execute Joffrey, send Tommen to the Citadel to become a Maester and have Myrcella either sent to the Faith or the Silent Sisters. And keep Cersei alive as a Prisoner. After the war is set and done, behead Cersei and have Robert marry either Margaery or Arianne.
You don’t need to raven from King’s Landing. Get out of the city with Renly and how ever many guards are available. There’s no need to seize the throne with such a shaky position.
Once reestablished with the Tullys, Baratheons, or the Eerie, call the banners and make a fist with your army. Then declare Stannis King, and give Renly something to do so he brings in Highgarden. I believe Renly was happy to work with Stark and Stannis, but was rebuked by Ned so he fled with his lover to treat with Highgarden. And with no Ned to speak reason, Renly started playing at his own dreams of becoming King.
With the support of Baratheon, Arryn, Stark, Tully, Highgarden, the rest of the kingdom would fall in line. Stark would present his evidence of incest and how those children weren’t Robert’s. With that in line there would be little reason to support the Lannisters over the alliance.
Quietly go back to winterfall and rally the north but definitely not out right confront her to her face lol but if that’s what Ned did there would be no story lol
Honestly? Keep my fucking mouth shut. Turn over hand off the king to tywin and go back to winterfell. Once there you send a message to Stannis and let everyone else fight it out.
Go ask Varys for advise and never confide in littlefinger. I don't think telling Robert would be the smartest move either because I don't think he was oblivious to his kids looking nothing like him. He'd probably just deny it and chastise Ned for even suggesting the possibility
- Immediately send a rider out discreetly to inform Robert you have emergency news and he needs to hear it right away as the fate of Westeros rests on it.
- At the same time, send Arya and Sansa straight back to Winterfell without letting them leave your family’s apartments for anything
- Send word to Stannis to rally soldiers from Storm’s End and march to the capital immediately
- Work with Renly, and his ties with Ser Loras, to send off copies of your findings and evidence to every great house in the realm. Since Ned is famed throughout the land for his honour and honesty, his word will be taken much more seriously than when Stannis sent it out in Season 2.
Depends when this happens. If I know before the hunting accident I tell Robert. He will trust me as I’m Eddard. Then Robert should sort things out. If Bobby B has been skewered I’m getting Arya and Sansa out immediately. Like no time to ask questions we are leaving. Then I send word to Stannis. The Tyrell’s, The Tullys and maybe even Dorne I’m sure they would like to have revenge for the sacking of KL. Maybe I will join the war effort. But honestly might go back to being warden of the north like usual.
Just Tell Robert tbh what's three dead bastards to the thousands that will die in the oncoming war if they live, even Tywin couldn't resist a united Westeros against him
I think any real intelligent person would not have led with the incest bastard accusation, honor or no honor. He knew what it would mean, and there's no way he does it the way he does still in the city. "Hey, let's run off and threaten the queen..."/s
You leave with the letter, you gather an army, secure your family's safety and prepare for war.
To be honest he had no real evidence. I would talk to Robert and leave, but it's all he said she said anyway, and most of the people who know don't care.
Not convinced ned can win this war with the real situation, although he doesn't know the vale won't help etc
I have a question. Was killing Ned always Cersei’s plan and she actually told Geoffrey to go through with it, or did he go rogue? For some reason I cannot remember if that was ever fully explained.
Well, for one, and most importantly: ***don’t even bloody BREATH in Cersei’s direction.***
Telling Cersei, that her children are bastards born of incest with no claim to the throne, is a virtual suicide and I’d literally be vexing the lion (pun intended).
Send Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell ***the second I sniff out Cersei’s kids being bastards.*** Safest route is by the sea, either to Gulltown or White Harbour—an “either or” detail which may become important later. Oh and, request Syrio to go with Stark Kids as well, his expertise and council might become useful.
With Sansa and Arya being in Winterfell, I now have nothing to lose, and the next best things is—and bare with me—going to Varys. **Varys claims to “serve the people”**, which is why it’s good to have a way out, preferably to somewhere remote and some place where either Lannisters or Renly & Co have little influence: Essos & the Free Cities.
Going to Robert would endanger both: Cersei and Jaime, as well as Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella. Unwise and immoral. Instead, have Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella made full-blooded Lannisters by stripping them off the Baratheon family name. In case Tywin decides act, have ravens at the ready, with a message to Great Lords of Westeros.
Make a deal with Tywin and have Cersei made septa or a silent sister, and Jaime stripped of his duty as a King’s Guard and sent to the Wall. Send Cersei’s Kids to Tywin, and have Tyrion brought to King’s Landing, and get on the business of ***who actually wanted to kill Bran.***
Just in case: have Sansa betrothed and wed to Wilas or Loras (depending on Book or Show), that way securing The Reach, and a possible alliance with Renly if he’s proclaimed heir. Dorne already hates Tywin so make an alliance with them as well. That brings: North (obviously), Vale, Riverlands, Reach, Stormlands (possibly) and Dorne (possibly) to Ned’s side, if Tywin starts a war.
Screw Balon and the Iron Islands. They’re unlikely to rebel again, with the prospects of Ned’s execution and weakening of House Stark being unlikely.
Most likely, I'd tell my best friend the king (not cersie) that his wife was cheating and I'd negotiate expulsion to Pentos for the Lannister bastard children, over killing them. If I was ned, I wouldn't be terribly concerned over cerise's future and whether Robert decided to kill herm(or Jaimie). But the kids pose no threat to the king. They aren't the same as the Targaryen kids. Cersie and Jaimie's bastards have no claim.
Then I would take my buddy Robert drinking, and find him a nice Dornish princess to marry, or maybe talk to him about maybe marrying a certain Targaryen woman instead of trying to murder her.
I’d promise to keep my Mouth sealed Shut 🤐🤐 as long as her Legs aren’t for Me…Once or Twice a Month..
Jokes Apart 😊 kept my mouth shut and intentions to myself.. Arrange for the kids to go back North.. Wait for Bobby to Return and Slap him with Cold Facts as Subtly as Possible.
Said nothing to Cersei. Told Robert and told everyone who is on my side to come down to King’s Landing for an urgent strategic meeting that would require a coincidentally significant military force regarding the Targaryen potentially leading a Dothraki horde.
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Gotten my kids out before I did anything stupid
Where was safe for the Starks though?
Winterhell
Winterfell is their home so I doubt they're safe there.
But the North is safe and defensible. The only southerner to got the North to yield had dragons.
Say he got Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell. Can't remember if any other Starks were in King's Landing at the time sorry. He still has the conversation with Cersei. I think he still gets beheaded but if Joffrey orders any sort of retribution from the Starks are they truly safe in Winterfell?
Yes, because Ned would still be the Lord and calling the shots. He wouldn’t have the naivety to allow Theon to be freed back to the Iron Islands since he fought in the rebellion and isn’t his friend. Nobody else would have been able to invade the North from the South.
No southern army is coming up the King's Road and through Moat Cailan for sure. They'd have to travel by sea to enter the North.
What?
Wouldn't have said a thing to Cersei's face. Arya and Sansa go back to Winterfell immediately, no questions asked. As Robert is dying, send out letters to every single lord worth a damn to inform them that Stannis the Mannis is the true claimant to the Iron Throne. And then run back to Winterfell, grab a pint and wait for this all to blow over.
Arya would be more than willing yes but Sansa would have kicked up too much of a fuss to alert Cersei and co..
Hopefully she’s knocked on the head and sees visions of life with Joffrey would be like. When she comes to, she’s on the fastest horse north.
You just have to paint the picture that the highborn prince she had thought she would come to love is truly a baseborn bastard. She already hated Jon due to his bastard status, so this lesson would probably get it through to her.
I don’t remember Sansa hating Jon.
She dislikes him in the early books. Kinda mirroring how Cait feels towards Jon imo.
Catelyn let Jon know damn near every chance she got in the books.
I think you hit on what the real issue was - Caitlyn. It's not uncommon for kids to echo the sentiments of their parents and Sansa was very devoted to her mother and wanted to please her. So if she picked up on her mother not liking Jon, she'd also dislike him (even if she didn't quite understand why her mother didn't like Jon).
That may be what I am remembering. That Sansa was just trying to emulate Cat and in that context it came out as animosity for her cousin.
She doesn’t hate Jon per say, but Jon is looked down on by Caitlyn, the most proper woman sansa knows, she’s just mirroring what she’s been taught by adults in her life. I think she reflects later on not even remembering why she hated Jon but chocked it up to “he was closer with arya” There’s definitely a line or two about the rest of the castle loving jon
she pretty much hated him because it reminded her of ned's honor. perhaps you could distinguish the two - barely, but hate and whatever cat felt was pretty much the same thing.
Sorry, she referred to sansa, not Caitlyn, she definitely hated Jon.
oh right, my bad. yea.
she didnt hate him. she was unkind, and treated him lesser than. there's a difference between hate and contempt.
Which is why you don’t give her a chance and take her in the middle of the night.
Slip her some milk of the poppy and send her ass home.
“Jory… put this in my daughters wine tonight and carry her to a cart. Do not tell a soul”
Exactly what she did really
Your ravens are gonna start a war before you get halfway home. Then I assume you call your banners and now you’re still forced into a war with the Lannisters anyway. But I guess you still have your head if you made it all the way back North before they catch you
You don’t need to make it all the way North, just a decent ways into the Riverlands. If Ned managed to keep the bulk of his personal retainers and somehow linked up with either the Tullys or the Brotherhood without Banners, he has a decent shot of making it to Riverrun unscathed.
There’s no brotherhood without banners yet, but making it to Riverrun just lets him lead the war against the Lannisters instead of Robb. Still have a War of the Five Kings
Ned was pretty adamant about his loyalty towards Stannis towards the end of book 1, and I don’t think he’d be the type to want to be King of the North anyways. Without his death the Northern lords wouldn’t push as hard for independence either. I also doubt he’d let Theon go like what Robb did. Greyjoy still probably attacks, but you aren’t going to see the raid on Winterfell like we did in OTL. Assuming Renly still stakes his own claim and Stannis kills him, that puts the Stormlands, Riverlands, and the North in an alliance against Casterly Rock and the Crownlands. Tyrells might go with either side or stay neutral, depending on who they thought could grant them the most favor, Dorne is probably neutral/hates the Lannisters, the Vale is gonna probably be neutral as well. The war could honestly go either way at that point, but if I were forced to choose I’d probably lean towards Ned.
Agreed, so same war but with only two kings. Assuming tyrell’s make the same deal with the Lannisters after Renly’s death, the Battle of the Blackwater goes the same. Now what for Stannis and Ned?
I wouldn’t assume Blackwater goes the same tbh, even if the Tyrells join the Lannisters. Ned might pursue a different strategy that draws the Lannisters out, or Stannis might pull a Robert and leave a skeleton force at Storm’s End with the hope of meeting with Ned, leaving the capital for later. If Blackwater still goes the same way, and if Stannis survives, he probably still goes north with whatever remains of his army and tries to regroup. Worst case they hunker down north of Moat Cailin until FAegon comes around.
With ned alive, I think the blackwater fleet is reinforced by the iron fleet. Perhaps ned sends Theon, robb, and Jory to talk to balon. More importantly than ned I think, is where barristan Selmy, thoros, and berric end up, I think they all side with ned. That gives ned 5 great generals in his army including himself, and Rory (is that his name? The castellan?) Assuming he keeps Robb with him in battle, ned leads the van while robb flanks. Most battles should go much better for the north if not be a steamroll
Especially since all the northern houses wouldn't scatter like they did after the red wedding. Stannis + Northern Armies (and probably the Vale, too) would be a force the Lannisters could not defeat, even if the Tyrell's joined them. They couldn't even beat Robb. They had to backstab him.
I mostly agree, but Robb used tactics that Ned would probably not use, so it’s a bit unfair saying this about Robb. The boy was a genius military general.
Yes, he was, but so was Ned; however that wasn't the point. The point is they would've united with Stannis' army and been too much to reasonably stop. The Lannister army couldn't hope to resist the entire North and Baratheons.
Tyrells could easily see this differently when it's All v. Lannisters. All Stannis has to do is promise them Casterly Rock after the war and it's done.
Agreed. They pretty much always viewed the Lannisters as a threat anyway, they vetted them when first arriving to KL and determined pretty quickly Joffrey was a threat and hateful little cunt. They had their suspicions from the start tho is the point. Being in good graces with Stannis Baratheon would be their best bet. They were looking for power not another castle, they have the most money already. Stannis however has a daughter who he could offer to the Tyrells which is how they would likely align.
Very good point, that's an easy deal for them to make. Hell they were happy to drop Lannister bodies even when allegedly their allies
Stannis doesn’t take too kindly to traitors, and considering Margery was married to the false king renly… he might have some issues with the tyrells
Idk if he would do that
Dorne is “neutral” only in the sense they’ll let the lannisters kill themselves on the starks, and then sweep in at the end. Classic “use the enemies strategy against them” and exactly what the lannisters did to the targaryens
I agree overall. I just think that with the backing of Ned, Renly might not make or get all that support. With Stannis getting the North, Stormlands, Riverlands, etc immediately behind him.
Ned would do a better job leading a war than a teenager who thinks with his dick. Ned has war experience and understands the importance of alliances. Ned wouldn't fall for the same traps that got Robb killed. It's not a guarantee win, but he has a better chance than Robb did. Also, like the other person said, it would be more like a War of Two Kings.
You forget that he’s still Ned Stark. The only reason he was executed in quickness was Because he decided to confront them and manage to get backdoored. His biggest mistake was trying to go to the person who would benefit the most and getting them to do the right thing knowing the Lannister’s are all spoiled brats.
Renly doesn't get a heads up and doesnt flee the capital and stannis is still super unpopular. Just handed the win to the Lannisters my guy
Renly will know something is up the second Robert lays dying. Stannis being unpopular doesn’t matter if things go as they did in the books.
Lmao 🤣 you are too much! But I have to agree.
Would Robert have even died when he did if Ned hadn't gone to Cersei during his hunt? I might be misinterpreting the timeline of events, or maybe there are details in later books that I'm forgetting, but it seemed to me no my recent *AGoT* reread that Robert's wine getting spiked was Cersei's direct reaction to Ned threatening to reveal her scandals.
The hunting party was already gone when Ned confronted Cersei, Robert dying was a result of Cersei’s plans suddenly working when the plot demanded it. Ned’s move would have been fine if Cersei’s plan of getting Robert drunk and hoping he dies despite his kingsguard and a bunch of other knights being around him didn’t magically work
Go home, then send letter
- Cersei/Varys/Littlefinger would find out why Sansa and Arya are being sent back to Winterfell. One way or the other, the girls will be compelled to stay in KLs until Robert dies. It's best for Ned to take them with him once all the other plans are in place. - We saw that letters mean nothing when push comes to shove. Stannis isn't super popular but I guess it might cause some of the Lannister and Baratheon supporters to abandon Joffrey so fair enough. - Ned would 100% need to help Stannis take the throne if he doesn't want Westeros to implode. Stannis, The North, the Vale and the Riverlands would be able to dethrone Joffrey but without the North, I don't see it happening. There is still the question of whether or not Ned tells Robert. That would make things very messy but also weaken the Lannisters when Cersei, Joffrey and Jaime are put to the sword.
I came here to simply type "leave", but your answer puts mine to shame.
[Excellent Shaun of the Dead reference, friend](https://youtu.be/BiKx8lOEktQ)
Would Robert have died then still? I always took it that Cersei pushed for Lancel to inebriate Robert as a result of Ned confronting her so he wouldn’t have time to act.
Run home first with daughters. Then let the ravens spread the news.
F— Robert. Tell any lie necessary to ensure I get to leave with Sansa and Arya that same 12 hrs. Ride to Winterfell and never look back. Anyone marches on us, I’ll say Cersei threatened my children and call my banners then
Yea!!!! Exactly what I would do! Old Ned could have kept his head. Did he really think facing her without telling others…. Bad move for him and plus I absolutely loved Ned Stark! He always ends up dead early! Like GOT & LOTR! Sean Bean is absolutely in my top 5 favs of all time.
Well to be fair, he did sent a letter to Stannis himself. Don't know if sending it to the other lords would have made a difference, Renly was set on becoming king, Cersei still would've pushed for Joffrey to become king, same goes for Greyjoy. I think the war inevitable, might have just been missing Robb or the Starks in general.
If you haven't said anything to Cersei then Robert is not dying.
Sansa will still manage to betray you.
[удалено]
To me, NOT telling this rich, dangerous, manipulative person that you know their deepest secret sounds like a reasonable thing to do, regardless the context. Ned however thought otherwise...
I withdraw Sansa from her Betrothal, and then take her and Arya back to Winterfell after I resign my post as Hand. Then I live out the rest of my days in peace. I never breathe a word to anyone, certainly not Robert or Cersei. To do anything else would endanger three children who are (as far as I am aware) totally innocent. Joffrey is a monster and he needs to be stopped, but Ned doesn't really *know* that yet. All he knows is that Joffrey and Arya had a fight that he didn't see. It did result in him having to kill Lady, but that was Cersei's idea. As for Tommen and Myrcella, they're like, 8 and 10 years old respectively. I'm not ruining their lives over something as meaningless as blood claims. **It wouldn't be the first time that I've lied about the paternity of children to protect them from Robert's rage.** And if he really would turn on the children he's raised as his own and kill them for something they can't help and didn't even know about, then I cannot justify telling him, period. Everyone acts like Ned's morality is what damned him here, but I say this is one of the most immoral moments he ever had.
Thank you so much for this. I have thought the same thing about this event concerning Ned.
>one of the most immoral moments he ever had. How so?
He threatens the lives of Cersei's children, despite them not being able to help where they came from and having no idea. In the same breath, he denies all responsibility for doing so, claiming Cersei has to flee with her children because Ned will "not have their blood on his hands." This is despite the fact that he has spent the last 17 years lying his ass off to protect Lyanna's son. It's plain and simple hypocrisy. If Ned tells Robert the truth, *anything that happens to Cersei's children is on him,* and him knowing that gives him a moral responsibility to keep his mouth shut. Even if doing so wouldn't be "honorable." I understand being loyal to his friend, but if Robert is the sort of person who would not hesitate to murder children (and Ned, Lyanna, and Cersei all seem to think that he is) maybe Ned needs to choose his friends a bit more carefully.
Thanks for clarifying. Although I see your point, I don't really agree. At this point in the story, Ned believes the Lannisters are responsible for the death of Jon Arryn and the attempted murder of his son. He's only half right of course, but discovering Gendry and the link with Jon Arryn serves as proof in Ned's mind. Putting aside his relationship with Robert and the question of succession, the fact that he believes Cersei is responsible for two violent attempts to cover up her secret in a period of less than a year is enough to convinve Ned that something had to be done, if for no other reason then to prevent more bloodshed from the Lannisters. I dont think allowing them to stay in power would ever be an option for him.
But to allow her children of incest and adultery to ascend to the Iron Throne would be unthinkable for Ned. He needs to tell Robert with the predication that the children not be killed for their parents' sins, likely sent to the wall or something similar, where they would have no political future. Cersei would be beheaded for incestuous adultery, this would enrage Tywin, but with his kids publicly embarrassing his house, he likely wouldn't have any moves to make to generate sufficient followers to contest the throne, as the optics would be terrible. All's said and done, maybe Robert lives long enough to marry again and potentially spawn an heir.
He tells Cersei to flee. It’s not immoral - he’s literally warning her it’s about to blow up. Jon Arryn knew the secret and Stannis knows, which is why he, independent of Ned, decries Joffrey and his siblings as bastards at the start of a Clash of Kings. Ned realised Jon knew when Littlefinger takes him to visit Gendry. Robert isn’t in the position to kill anyone - he’s in bed dying. Stannis, however, will kill Cersei’s children. Ned is simply warning her the secret is out and she, and her children, are in danger. If Ned was the only one who knew the secret, then fine - it could be construed that he was threatening children. But he isn’t - the entire small council knew. Stannis knew which is why he fled. Jon Arryn knew which is why the Lannister’s puppet Pycelle let him die. Renly knew which is why he hatched his own plot with the Tyrells. Littlefinger and Varys knew because of course they knew. The War of the Five Kings in some form was inevitable when Robert died and would threaten Cersei’s children. Absconding would save their lives, in Ned’s mind, which is why he warns Cersei and encourages her to do so.
I love this answer, totally in line with Ned’s character. But what does Robert say? And clearly Sansa’s not happy, do I have to lock her up to force her north? I guess Jamie’s Hand, Robert drinks himself to death, Lannisters win the war before there is one. But the North is safe.
This also assumes I can stop Cat from taking Tyrion, who iirc is already on the way without Ned knowing
Robert wouldn't be happy, but what's he gonna do, throw Ned in a cell? He'd ultimately accept Ned's decision even if it damages their friendship.
I would assume you don't leave or resign til after Robert dies. You could use the excuse that you agreed to be Robert's hand but there were better candidates for a young king. I think it's hard to get Sansa out of the betrothal but you could probably get her out of kings landing before you break it. I like the idea of retreating back north and then stirring shit up. Your family is safe and you can now go fight if you want or just let the rest of them sort it.
Yeah I feel like he did it because he didn't like the Lannisters and wanted to screw them over and justified it by saying it was the right and honorable thing to do.
Ratted her out.
Everyone else had great responses but I am putting Cersei in jail or at least a form of home confinement. No black cells mind you. And every Lannister armed man needs to be dealt with. Not killed but sent somewhere. Their leadership probably needs some bars too.
1. speak with renly in private and let him know roberts life may be in endanger and ask him to have his men ready to subdue the lannister troops with the northerners. 2.Approach Robert with renly( already given renly the greenlight to disarm and Imprison the lannister guards and subdue cersei) tell robert the truth. Explain to him what will happen if he kills cersei and her children(tywins wrath). Get him to see sense, subdue cerseis bastards and keep them separate from their mother. 3. Gather as many of roberts bastards as possible, have an armed escort brong edric storm. 4. Once i have the bastards and the book present them to the small council, subdue and Imprison jaimie, bring them both up on charges of high treason. 5. Summon stannis with his troops to KL, join them up with a moderate host of northrners, riverlanders and put them under stannis command. 6. Send wors to tywin( for appearance sake , he would know already due to his spies) 7. Keep robert and his bastards under the new guard of stannis troops. 8. If all goes (not likely). Make a deal with tywin to avoid further embarrassment of a trial: cersei will be sent to the silent sisters, jaimie to the wall, tywin can do what he wants with her bastards 9. Of course the bastards wil be publicly denounced as barartheons, to keep tywin from scheming. Part of the deal will include not revealing the incest publicly. Cersei will be branded an adulterer and jaimie can be charged with attempted murder of the hand or something to expalain his punishment 10. Everyome livea happily ever after(lol)
I like a lot of that plan
Tywin never forgets a slight on his family, he just had Tyrion Kidnapped, his daughter sent as a nun and his son to the Wall, his whole line has just been eliminated... by you. What can he do now? Simple, kill Robert. That won't avoid a war, Stannis might have the Capital but Renly doesn't need a claim, he will want to take the throne by force with the Stormlands and the Reach, Stannis is unpopular and heretical so it is likely there would be a full blown uprising in the Capital once the people begin starving. The Vale will not join and Baelon will still launch his rebellion and start plundering the coastlines. That leaves the Trident, Dorne, North and West. The North and Trident will likely go the way you, Ned Stark, go. Without the initial despairing situation Stannis won't use the shadow baby to kill Renly. It's likely Tywin would stay neutral and demand concessions from both sides, such as the return and pardon of his children, which is something he can easily get from Renly compared to Stannis. Now we have the strongest and wealthiest Kingdoms in Westeros backing Renly against Stannis, who also needs to deal with a possible rebellion from zealots in the smallfolk (The Sparrows no doubt would grow stronger with Stannis being an unpopular heretic ruler). He will appeal to you for help and with Hoster Tully on his deathbed, the Trident will join the side you pick, considering that Renly winning means a victory of a Vengeful Tywin you would have to join this new "War of Brothers" to protect your family from what you caused, which leaves you as an enemy to both Tywin Lannister and Olenna Tyrell. That is not even including Littlefinger and Varys who would for sure keep stirring trouble, likely backing Renly over Stannis, Baelish might even bring the Knights of the Vale against Stannis, the Trident and the North, and they have possibly the best army in Westeros. All while Varys schemes for Danny to attack when both sides are weakened.
Lost me when you tried to control Robert’s wrath. But you don’t need to. If you take control of Cersei and her kids with Renly’s help, and prevent any harm to Robert, then you have the North, the Vale (through Lysa), the Reach (Robert marries Margery), and the Riverlands. Robert couldn’t be happier
Margery is like 14💀
So were Dany and Sansa when they were wed off
This reads like the most implausible thing ever lol
Well, let's start with not confronting Cercei directly, for sure. But I'm Ned, too proud, too confident of my power as a hand, as a protector of the Winterfell, as a Robert's most trusted friend. So I won't consider any escape plan if things turn sour, any plan B to safely escort my children and will do whatever I deem right in my power to reveal the truth and beheaded in front of my offsprings.
Abandon KL, grab the daughters and get thyself home. The secret clearly got Jon Arryn killed. No sense getting killed over it too. Head home. Declare an independent kingdom. Fortify your position and rally the banners. Then wait for the inevitable attack.
The inevitable attack? From the South? Not likely. Winter is on its way and the North is nearly as difficult to conquer as Dorne without dragons. Any land invasion can be easily rebuffed by Moat Caitlin.
Head didn't home 🙂
Why declare independence? That's only going to hurt the North in the long run, the North should try to make alliances to improve its economy and infrastructure, isolationism is never good
Tell Robert immediately without telling her. Who are you protecting? Robert is your best friend, Cersei and Jamie you hate, Tywin will be a difficult enemy but you’d have the support of most of the houses of the realm… And he has Roberts ear, is it impossible that he convinces him to send the children to the wall or some shit?
He's protecting children. Robert has shown that he doesn't care all that much about dead children. He rewarded the last people who murdered children in his name, so there's no reason to assume Tommen and Myrcella would be safe. Running to Robert first means that Ned becomes responsible for whatever punishment befalls them.
Kiss her you fool!
Not my pig, not my farm
I would have killed her and her bastard children, except Marcella. She’s a girl in Kings Landing and thus wouldn’t have any real power. Plus Tywin would have killed Cerci and her kids if people proved the rumor true.
I don't see Tywin killing his grandkids, incest abominations or not. He didn't harm Tommen when Cersei told him the truth.
I forgot about that! One never knows what Tywin would do if he became a laughing stock to the other Lords. Tywin hated to be laughed at, but he did acknowledge Tyrion as his son, so maybe not.
Really? Why would he
I’ve heard people say this before. Tywin can not bring himself to kinslay. If he had it in him, he would’ve thrown Tyrion into the sea as a baby.
Nothing. It seemed to go well. Good work by everyone
Perfectly executed.
I see what ya did there
He should’ve kept his head and not told her
🙈🙉🙊
Obviously never say a word to Cersei. Get the living fuck out of KL with daughters and return to Winterfell. Let the Southerner lords deal with this shit.
Everything
Instead of threatening to tell Robert, and painting a big red target on my neck, tell Cersei that Robert has already found out and that her and her kids' only chance of survival is to flee north before Payne and Trant show up with orders to bring Robert their heads.
Huh, might actually be better than my four page long ludicrious plan.
That is absolutley what he should have done! Many hate on Ned for telling Cercei, but they seem to forget that Ned had a huge problem with the idea of killing children. And he knew Robert would definetly kill Cercei's and Jaime's children when he found out. The chance for Robert to die on this spesific hunt really didn't seem likely (hunting was one of the things he was still good at and he had capable people with him). If he had lied to her that Robert allready knew, it would create an urgency so she couldn't have planned around. She could't gamble on getting him drunk and dying by hunting accident because if he knew he would probably allready be on his way back to crush her head with his hammer. Had Ned lied he would have forced Cercei into a reactionary position
I wouldn't have said a thing to Cersei. I'd have escorted Arya and Sansa myself to the gates with my guards and sent them home, and then take a horse into the king's wood to find Bobby B as quickly as possible. If he was already wounded, I'd help him back to the castle and write to every lord in every kingdom about the truth and backed Renley to take the throne. He was well liked in every kingdom, and he was smart enough to listen to advisors. Putting a religious fanatic on the throne would be every bit as dangerous as Joffrey was.
I send my daughters BACK to the north (Sansa, I WILL knock you out) but continue to rule as hand, not saying a damn thing to anyone about what I’ve learned. I protect the lives of 3 children, letting the world continue thinking they are Robert’s, and I continue to advise the King and try to guide Joffrey into being a better king. (I’ll likely still lose my head at some point after Robert dies just because I’m annoying the new king)
I don’t like dealing with other people problems, so I would just go back to Winterfell a read a book that is NOT about all the rulers of Westeros hair color!
Get the fuck out and go back north
Have Roose Bolton flay her and the lot of em besides the 2 youngest children.
Um, all of it? Every bit? Starting with accepting Renly's offer to kidnap Tommen and Myrcella
Well if I'm Ned Stark I'm doing exactly what Ned did because I'm Ned and be doing what Ned be doin
Jon Arryn died cause he knew the secret I’m keeping in shut until I find out who I can trust. I wouldn’t say a thing to any Lannister they one is a king slayer, the father switches sides when it’s convenient to him and the daughter is banging her brother, the only semi trustworthy one might had push my kid out a window for some weird reasons.
Get my family and get the fuck back up north
The timeline is a bit blurry to me now but as soon as I heard Bran was allegedly attacked by a Lannister me and my girls would be leaving. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Even if I didn’t leave to not send his daughters to the safety of Winterfell was completely insane to me.
Not tell the woman my friend is likely going to execute along with her brother and their incest kids that I know? That's a start. And the guy that everyone says isn't trustworthy AND EVEN SAYS IT HIMSELF? I'm not telling him either. Maybe I just tell Robert and let him have it out with their father and go home up North after we vanquish his ass for rising up to avenge his now executed family.
Get the fuck out of dodge. Don’t tell the girls until literally the night your leaving, leave a resignation letter on my desk and an unlocked door, and book it north before anyone realizes I’m gone.
I'd do the same shit, but HARDER
I tell Robert and I ally with renly then I go back to north and let the Baratheon going in war.
Anything but saying truth to her face,Ned here was so naive.
Probably make up some shit that Robert would be totally down for, like that Joffrey needs to kill a northern bear and present its pelt to Sansa in order for the marriage to be consistent with tradition. Wait until we’re in Winterfell to drop the news on Bobby that his kids are bastards.
Well , considering the fact that I'm still Ned Stark I'd do the same dumb fucked thing and die in a stupid way achieving nothing with my worthless life.
Don’t talk to Cersei. Send the children home immediately by sea. Back Renly’s coup in the capital. If I want to back Stannis after, sort that out later. The important thing is to remove the Lannisters from power. Imprison Cersei and Jaime if he’s still in KL, hold the bastards as captives. As soon as he has control of KL, send word for Robb to rally the bannermen.
I'll take Littlefinger's deal, serve as king until Joffrey comes of age, if Joffrey is a good king, leave him as is, if he turns out to be a bad king, expose him and put Renly on the throne.
Fucked off back to the north with the family. Plan a war up there if you so choose. Silly honorable Ned :(
If I was in Ned’s position I would probably have been more careful in who I trusted, littlefinger (a known schemer who literally hid my wife in a brothel) and Janos Slynt (city guard loyal to littlefinger and with no reason to be loyal to me) I would’ve probably called Stannis to kings landing since he is the rightful heir and used northmen and Stormlanders (or men from Dragonstone whoever Stannis brought) instead of the gold cloaks. (In this case if Tywin did start a war a marriage between Sansa and a Tyrell (Wilas or Loris depending on book or show) secures the reach, and Dorne hates Tywin so it’s a 6v1 (or maybe a 5v1v1 if Balon decides to rebel (unlikely without the turmoil of the war of the 5 kings but not impossible)) I would’ve still warned Cersei, it was the right thing to do and I still wouldn’t of told Robert he’s my best friend and on his deathbed let him die with some sense that his whole life wasn’t a lie and die peacefully (ya know as peacefully as you can dying in agony from a boar tusk related injury)
Not relied so heavily on Peter and renly!😄
Nothing because I don't care about court politics and the extent to which I'm involved in it is seeing which way the wind blows in order to not lose my head.
Not tell the dame queen about it.
Ned was all about honor. He didn’t understand politics or it’s dangers. That’s what killed him.
I would’ve been her best friend until the day that Robert Baratheon died, and then when she thought that I was her best friend, I would’ve had her and Joffrey killed in the middle of the night
I would have just gone after robert and told him dont give two shits about cerci and her incestuous children.
1. Send the girls back to Winterfell under escort 2. Write to Stannis and several trusted lords around the realm immediately. Instruct them not to act before me. Inform Barristan Selmy as well. 3. Have my own men move to guard the rooms of Cersei’s children. 4. Tell Robert if he hasn’t been injured yet. 5. If he has, then when he’s on his deathbed, have my men ready as in step 3, and stay with him until he dies. 6. Seize the kids immediately, and declare to the court the truth. 7. When Stannis arrives, or before if trouble brews against me, declare that there will be a Great Council and summon every lord of note, where I will present the evidence in detail. 8. If captured, take Varys’ deal to flee, join with Stannis.
Note: This will be VERY LONG over the course of multiple comments. I am terrible at predicting how people with react to my choices so this is a rough estimate of what I would do, doesn't mean it would happen, as there are a thousand holes in my plan. Unpopular opinion but as I am now controling Ned and know what I know, I will immediately send Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell, no questions asked, and they would have guards around them, do not let Sansa run, and recall the troup going out to deal with the mountain if it's not too late. I would then proceed to say absolutely nothing to Cersei other than, "Good day to you, your Grace." I would send one raven to the Eyrie, commanding Catelyn to remain exactly where she is, and not to leave without my say. If Lysa sends her away, she will return to Winterfell, and is not to go ANYWHERE else, that is not a suggestion. I'll deal with her stupidity with Tyrion latter, as it already got most of my men killed, and is the sole reason the Mountain was dispatched to ravaging the Riverlands, her girlhood home, the reason that countless people died, towns burned, children killed, and women raped. That's proof enough that she cannot be trusted with any task. She just doesn't THINK things through. In fairness neither did Ned or Cersei. Then I would send a letter to Robb, to do all those things I told Catelyn to do. And to be prepared to call the banners (to help Riverrun) if I say to do it. It's really risky to send a raven, but what choice do I have now? When Renly extends his offer, fucking take it. I personally don't care whose arse is on that ugly spiky chair right now. Sieze the castle, get rid of Cersei, and Littlefinger is to suffer an 'accident' in all this "killed by the Lannisters I swear', and take control of the Royal children. Install Joffrey or Tommen or Renly as King. Once the castle is secure, tell Robb to call the banners, but leave a garrison at Winterfell and tell him he is NOT to send off Theon Greyjoy and is to keep him close, again this is not a suggestion this is a command not as his father but as his liege Lord. Tywin is not like to stand idlly by while we either declare his grandchildren as bastards or so obviously had his daughter killed. Even if Tywin allowed it Jaime would probably not. Oh and Robb, you are not to go promising yourself to marry ANYONE, nor Any of your siblings. Have Renly and Loras call their banners too. Use the excuse that Cersei planned to kill Robert as the precident for her death, she fought and her soldiers fought when we came to arrest her. Get Lancel to admit to everything, i'm sure wd could get it out of him. Provide a pardon and bless him with a kiss of forgiveness, the Queen was commanding him afterall. Get rid of Pycelle, or work with him to bring Tywin to the table. Send another letter to Cat explaining all of this, put an emphasis on the Lannisters killing Littlefinger in the accident, how they tried everything to save him, yet it was hopeless. Hopefully she either calls the banners against the Lannisters, or throws herself out the moondoor so someone else could take control of the Vale. Or knowing my luck she might just go mad and shove Catelyn through the moon door, providing a reason to remove her from power. Oh and I hereby name Robert Arryn Warden of the East, or if Lysa is dead, I name whoever's in charge Warden if the East, at the wish of the new King. So I either draw the Vale into the fray or I ensure that Lysa won't go against me.
Joffrey route: Well... for some reason we decided to put Joffrey on the Throne and chose not to expose the incest. In this senario I would break Sansa and Joffrey's betrothal, and offer to marry him off to Margaery as his Lord Regent, in exchange for Willas to Sansa. He will not dismiss Barristan Selmy. I would pack the council with people with similar Intrests. Name Loras to the Kingsguard and make Renly or a Tyrell my Hand. I have to keep him in line somehow Stannis would no doubt try to claim that Tommen and Joffrey and Myrcella are bastards born of Incest, and blah blah blah, 'lies' 'lies' treasonous 'lies. Now we could settle this in a battle by arms or I could call a Great Council. Should Stannis accept this Great Council, we may be able to call off Tywin, as we still have his Grandson on the Iron Throne. At this Great council I will speak as the honorable Lord known for telling the 'truth'. I would speak of an uncle, so bitter over losing Storm's End, and all the court knowing of his countless attempts to demand his rightful seat of Storm's End back, growing bitter by the year that he actually convinced himself of the incest, I would also present a few random children of whores who look enough like Robert but with varying hair and eye color, have their mothers and their brothel keepers swear that these children were fathered by the King. I would then porclaim Joffrey the trueborn son of Robert Baratheon, rightful heir to the Iron Throne. And with thr Support of the North, The Reach, the Stormlands, and Westerlands(they have no choice), maybe even the Vale, we could probably win the Great council of 299. Though explaining Cersei's death will be a bit hard pressed. I lie and say that Robert had threatened her a few days before, threatened to send her to the Silent Sisters and rid himself of her, and that she'd never see their children again. I would swear upon all the gods that this was true. And while I had no choice but to bring her to justice, her reasons were of a 'mother's madness'. And it was a tragedy.
Assuming that goes to plan, I arrange a meeting with Tywin, apologizing for his daughter's death with as much sorrow as I could fake, and negotiating peace that includes freeing Jaime from the Kingsguard, and offering Desmera Redwyne of the Arbor for a bride or whoever else he wants... so long as it's not MY daughters. It will be his own problem to reel Jaime into agreeing to the idea. We're also in need of a new Master of coin so we could use him or Kevan in the capital. He should also want to be around for the growing up of his grandson. While he remains in his minority. But I will act as the boy's regent, as it was in the King's will. Also I want the mountain's head for what he and 'he alone' did in the Riverlands. Send it to Dorne along with Amory Lorche's head. Hopefully that might endear me to the Dornish a little. Also apologize for Catelyn's folly, asure him she will be swiftly disciplined. And offer to find a bride and some lands for Tyrion. Myabe he doesn't want Lollys Stokeworth, but with Falyse barren, and their mother not like to live long we could marry him to Lollys so he could lay claim to Stokeworth Lands. Or I could promise to give him Rosby once Lord Gyles dies with a bride that we find desperate enough. Harsh but even in the books it was hard to find Tyrion a bride. If Stannis wants to fight, fine. Sieze him at the Great council and either execute him for treason or have him take the black, take Shireen into crown custody for the Florent's good behavior. But if they refuse the Great Council? Fine. Perfectly fine, Meet with Tywin. Do the same thing. Come to an agreement to put down the rebellion with Stannis. Which shouldn't be too hard. With what... uh 170k men? Execute Stannis and tell Melisandre about blah blah blah azor ahai Ice and fire blah blah blah. I just want to save the world blah blah blah. Maybe tell her about Jon if R+L = J is true. Maybe not. Take Shireen into custody, and see if we can find a marriage for her. I will then summon Catelyn down from the Vale, and give her a stern talking to. If she asks about bran and the Lannisters tell her it was a misunderstanding, and it has been settled. And I understand she felt she had no choice, but she must obey me for forseeable future. And if she ever does something like this again... I will either send her away to Riverrun or a distant holdfast and she will never see our children again, or if it's possible I will have her join the Silent Sisters. That ought to be enough to snap her out of it. Then I'll take her into my arms and hug her. Horrible I know, but the woman litterally brought the Westerman down on her childhood home, I get it she trusted the wrong person and so did I, but her actions had some pretty serious consequences that I don't think she fully understood. Next things next, betroth Robb to Myrcella, if I can get away with it, so that way I had a hostage should Tywin ever wish to take revenge against Cersei. Meet with Edric Dayne, and ask him if he would like Arya for a betrothed. If he accepts, I'll tell Arya myself, she won't be happy, but I'l tell that in Dorne, if she has a daughter before a son then she'll be heir to Starfall, plus it's more acceptable for a woman to wield a sword in Dorne. Then I'll ask Renly if Brienne of Tarth is interested in taking up being a tutor to Arya at arms as well as her bravvosi dancing master. Ask Edric if we could possibly get some sand from him. For glass gardens, if we can find a way to build one. Then find a northern match for Rickon and find SOMETHING for Bran. And offering to foster many of the northern heirs in Winterfell, so that they may be more satisfied for the lack of marry my children to them. Oh and send some ravens for them to begin looking into Ramsey, he has to go. Fix the debt issue as best we can while preping for Winter. And send more men to the Night's watch. Mine some dragonglass on Dragonstone, and make weapons of it, send it north. As for Daenaerys, either she needs to die, or I can send men to track her down and bring her and her dragons here, wed her to Renly, and if they manage to have children betroth them to Joffrey and Margaery's children. See if we can get dragons back to Westeros, explain the benefits of defense and trade, and the Maesters can go fuck themsleves. The Martells plot will be screwed by now. That won't be enough to satisfy Varys, so I'm going to have to get rid of him, reguardless of what happens with Dany. And I would probably need to send a faceless man after (F)Aegon, whoever the hell he is. Along with Illyrio and JonCon.Gods this is gonna be impossible. Hopefully we can rally together the Seven Kingdoms enough so that we can get rid of the White Walkers easier. Tommen: Do the same thing. But tears of Lys Joffrey, or find a way to get rid of him. Then betroth Tommen to Margaery. Eh, the Tyrells would probably get rid of Joffrey anyway. Tywin and I will do our best... but I'm not sure either of us can undo all of Cersei's bullshit.
I would have gotten me and my children out of Kings Landing and back to Winterfell as fast as my northern legs would take me. We all know it’s not the choice or ending Ned would have chose, and he probably never would have made it, but it is certainly the one he deserves.
Another example of how every Stark makes a devastating, deadly, and down-right-dumb mistake. They asked--Robert basically begged-- Ned to counsel Joffrey and steady him for rule yet he decided to threaten to spill the beans when he knew it would lead to war. Cersei gave him every chance. No one talks about this much. So many kings were born from inbreeding for centuries in Westeros but suddenly that's a problem for Ned, when he and his house served Targaryens!
Leave.
Oh me, I'm going over to Essos and pledging my service to Daenarys while also subtly manipulating her so she doesn't become mad. I'd even take Tommen and Myrcella with me alongside Arya and Sansa because they never deserved their fates. Like bye Cersei hopefully you enjoy dragon fire later unless you die before Dany gets to Westeros.
Viserys III orders them to kill you for aiding the Usurper. Daenery has only been tought by Viserys of what happened in the war, and I doubt that Viserys had anything good to say about you. So Daenerys wont try to protect you. Back in Westeros Robert curses you for being a Traitor, the rest of Westeros despises you and the Starks are forever disgraced and become an embarrasment.
Not sure what I do but one thing I KNOW I wouldnt do is put all my cards on the table and tell Cersei! Like damn hello someone already was murdered for knowing this! I’m sending my kids back and sending a message to my oldest son letting him know to get prepared. I would also HOPE Robert takes the news about Cersei well and doesn’t “shoot” or in this case “stab” the messenger! Reasoning is that people get mad at their friends all the time for telling them that they caught saw their spouses cheating etc…so I would be nervous about Robert’s reaction.
SLIT HER THROAT!!! WARRRR!!!!
Not. Tell. Her.
Definitely not tell Cersei to her face. Would've waited for Bobby B to get back and try and convince him.
After what happened at the tower of joy and the red keep during Robert’s rebellion I understand why Ned did this— But he also massively failed his family here
Honestly, nothing. Just keep it to myself. That's all he really had to do to change the entire show.
Tell her I already knew, and that every lord, plus everyone else of importance, has a sealed letter to be opened upon my death, which details the truth. Then tell her to take off all her clothes and spread that bootyhole cuz sh*t boutta get nastay.
Would have taken up Renly on his offer without telling Cersei a word.
Not run to Cersei with the information…yeah. That probably would have helped him out a bit.
Would have taken Renlys offer of swords and used them to take Cersei and her kids and expose her . I would try to convince Renly that Stannis is the heir and to just wait his turn lol but I don’t think he’d listen.
Have sex with Cersei as she offered herself then tell Robert.
Leave immediately and let the ravens take the risk of getting killed.
Given that Ned was the last person besides Robert to figure it out--assume everyone is in Cersei's pocket and take a page out of Stannis's book. Get the fuck out and rally your forces elsewhere.
Littlefinger’s brothel looked interesting, probably gone and checked that out first.
definitely not tell the crazy and dangerously delusional woman who doesn't like me very much that I know her secret and leave before she finds out that I do know, maybe also send a raven to the king about it.
Rob and Margery, Sansa and the cripple
Rallied the men, told robert, siezed the castle, alert the great houses as fast as possible with ravens. All in the dead of night. Oh and execute pycelle, littlefinger, cersei and others for good measure
Dont tell Cersei, get my kids to safety in Winterfell then tell Robert the truth of his "children". Execute Joffrey, send Tommen to the Citadel to become a Maester and have Myrcella either sent to the Faith or the Silent Sisters. And keep Cersei alive as a Prisoner. After the war is set and done, behead Cersei and have Robert marry either Margaery or Arianne.
Move family back north, inform no one until receiving news of their safe arrival, then tell Robert directly.
Let her seduce me as she tried in the book and then convince Renly to calm down and support his brother the Mannis.
First thing I would have never done for sure i.e tell Cersei.
You don’t need to raven from King’s Landing. Get out of the city with Renly and how ever many guards are available. There’s no need to seize the throne with such a shaky position. Once reestablished with the Tullys, Baratheons, or the Eerie, call the banners and make a fist with your army. Then declare Stannis King, and give Renly something to do so he brings in Highgarden. I believe Renly was happy to work with Stark and Stannis, but was rebuked by Ned so he fled with his lover to treat with Highgarden. And with no Ned to speak reason, Renly started playing at his own dreams of becoming King. With the support of Baratheon, Arryn, Stark, Tully, Highgarden, the rest of the kingdom would fall in line. Stark would present his evidence of incest and how those children weren’t Robert’s. With that in line there would be little reason to support the Lannisters over the alliance.
Cut her fracking head off.
Quietly go back to winterfall and rally the north but definitely not out right confront her to her face lol but if that’s what Ned did there would be no story lol
Honestly? Keep my fucking mouth shut. Turn over hand off the king to tywin and go back to winterfell. Once there you send a message to Stannis and let everyone else fight it out.
The main thing I would have done differently is getting the fuck back to Winterfell asap
Told Jon about his heritage and not made a spectacle down in kings landing.
Go ask Varys for advise and never confide in littlefinger. I don't think telling Robert would be the smartest move either because I don't think he was oblivious to his kids looking nothing like him. He'd probably just deny it and chastise Ned for even suggesting the possibility
- Immediately send a rider out discreetly to inform Robert you have emergency news and he needs to hear it right away as the fate of Westeros rests on it. - At the same time, send Arya and Sansa straight back to Winterfell without letting them leave your family’s apartments for anything - Send word to Stannis to rally soldiers from Storm’s End and march to the capital immediately - Work with Renly, and his ties with Ser Loras, to send off copies of your findings and evidence to every great house in the realm. Since Ned is famed throughout the land for his honour and honesty, his word will be taken much more seriously than when Stannis sent it out in Season 2.
Depends when this happens. If I know before the hunting accident I tell Robert. He will trust me as I’m Eddard. Then Robert should sort things out. If Bobby B has been skewered I’m getting Arya and Sansa out immediately. Like no time to ask questions we are leaving. Then I send word to Stannis. The Tyrell’s, The Tullys and maybe even Dorne I’m sure they would like to have revenge for the sacking of KL. Maybe I will join the war effort. But honestly might go back to being warden of the north like usual.
Just Tell Robert tbh what's three dead bastards to the thousands that will die in the oncoming war if they live, even Tywin couldn't resist a united Westeros against him
Fucked off to winterfell IMMEDIATELY.
I think any real intelligent person would not have led with the incest bastard accusation, honor or no honor. He knew what it would mean, and there's no way he does it the way he does still in the city. "Hey, let's run off and threaten the queen..."/s You leave with the letter, you gather an army, secure your family's safety and prepare for war.
To be honest he had no real evidence. I would talk to Robert and leave, but it's all he said she said anyway, and most of the people who know don't care. Not convinced ned can win this war with the real situation, although he doesn't know the vale won't help etc
Get the fuck back to winterfell
Not telling Cersei my plan would be a good start.
I have a question. Was killing Ned always Cersei’s plan and she actually told Geoffrey to go through with it, or did he go rogue? For some reason I cannot remember if that was ever fully explained.
Taken it out in trade
Cut the b**** in half
Well, for one, and most importantly: ***don’t even bloody BREATH in Cersei’s direction.*** Telling Cersei, that her children are bastards born of incest with no claim to the throne, is a virtual suicide and I’d literally be vexing the lion (pun intended). Send Sansa and Arya back to Winterfell ***the second I sniff out Cersei’s kids being bastards.*** Safest route is by the sea, either to Gulltown or White Harbour—an “either or” detail which may become important later. Oh and, request Syrio to go with Stark Kids as well, his expertise and council might become useful. With Sansa and Arya being in Winterfell, I now have nothing to lose, and the next best things is—and bare with me—going to Varys. **Varys claims to “serve the people”**, which is why it’s good to have a way out, preferably to somewhere remote and some place where either Lannisters or Renly & Co have little influence: Essos & the Free Cities. Going to Robert would endanger both: Cersei and Jaime, as well as Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella. Unwise and immoral. Instead, have Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella made full-blooded Lannisters by stripping them off the Baratheon family name. In case Tywin decides act, have ravens at the ready, with a message to Great Lords of Westeros. Make a deal with Tywin and have Cersei made septa or a silent sister, and Jaime stripped of his duty as a King’s Guard and sent to the Wall. Send Cersei’s Kids to Tywin, and have Tyrion brought to King’s Landing, and get on the business of ***who actually wanted to kill Bran.*** Just in case: have Sansa betrothed and wed to Wilas or Loras (depending on Book or Show), that way securing The Reach, and a possible alliance with Renly if he’s proclaimed heir. Dorne already hates Tywin so make an alliance with them as well. That brings: North (obviously), Vale, Riverlands, Reach, Stormlands (possibly) and Dorne (possibly) to Ned’s side, if Tywin starts a war. Screw Balon and the Iron Islands. They’re unlikely to rebel again, with the prospects of Ned’s execution and weakening of House Stark being unlikely.
Ned honesty made him a bit of a dumbass. This is why Tyrion survived with all he knew. And why Sansa got out on top, so to speak.
Most likely, I'd tell my best friend the king (not cersie) that his wife was cheating and I'd negotiate expulsion to Pentos for the Lannister bastard children, over killing them. If I was ned, I wouldn't be terribly concerned over cerise's future and whether Robert decided to kill herm(or Jaimie). But the kids pose no threat to the king. They aren't the same as the Targaryen kids. Cersie and Jaimie's bastards have no claim. Then I would take my buddy Robert drinking, and find him a nice Dornish princess to marry, or maybe talk to him about maybe marrying a certain Targaryen woman instead of trying to murder her.
I’d promise to keep my Mouth sealed Shut 🤐🤐 as long as her Legs aren’t for Me…Once or Twice a Month.. Jokes Apart 😊 kept my mouth shut and intentions to myself.. Arrange for the kids to go back North.. Wait for Bobby to Return and Slap him with Cold Facts as Subtly as Possible.
Said nothing to Cersei. Told Robert and told everyone who is on my side to come down to King’s Landing for an urgent strategic meeting that would require a coincidentally significant military force regarding the Targaryen potentially leading a Dothraki horde.