the psychology of EDDARD STARK | Therapist analyzes Game of Thrones/ASOIAF

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Therapist breakdown of Eddard Stark from Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. ASOIAF Psychological analysis of Ned Stark. Why is he like that? Is he an honourable fool, a hero too pure foe Westeros, or something more complex? What can we understand of his relationships to Robert Baratheon, Brandon and Lyanna Stark and to his ideals of honor? This videoessay provides psychology and character analysis for one of the most beloved characters in A Game of Thrones A Song of Ice and Fire by Goerge R.R Martin.

My Little Thought Tree is my channel for drawing out the deeper meaning and emotion in film, TV, and the world at large through relaxed, analytical video essays. I am a professional counsellor and often draw on my psychology and therapy background to better understand characters, themes, and emotion in fiction. I upload every Saturday and occasionally on Tuesdays, if I'm feeling productive.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
03:42 The Quiet Wolf
09:38 World Anvil
15:14 Rebellion
23:11 Winterfell
30:09 Judgement
32:42 The Father
37:49 Honour

Music (in order, though some songs repeat again later on)
Merlyn - The Night King lofi
Merlyn - The Night King
Calme - Ever So Blue
Sage Ousler - Ethelda's Last Breath
Johannes Bornlof - We Trust
Kevin MacLeod - Yallahs
Chill Astronaut - Goodbye Brother (lofi remix)
Chill Astronaut - Light of the Seven (lofi remix)
Merlyn -The Last of the Starks
Merlyn - Goodbye Brother
Merlyn - Light of the Seven
Idealism - Phosphenes
Merlyn - Jenny of Oldstone
Chill Astronaut - Game of Thrones theme but it's lofi hiphop
Alan Ellis - Sea Terms

Thankyou to my small thought tree patrons: Alexa Rives, Apple Chip, CapoXproductions, Cormac Walsh, Daniel Zafer-Joyce, Eugene, Hailey, Hantzen Stapert, Incomplete Sentience, Josh McKean, Maria Verghelet, Matt Carlson, Paul Wilson, Sam Moore, Jeremy Coyle, Darragh, anonymous_patron.
#eddard #stark #psychology

[mylittlethoughttree]

Or else try it out for free!!

Hope you enjoy the video, let me know what else you want me to analyze...

...also, let me know if you can spot the BEANS

[gang]

Ned is the breaker of generational cycles, maybe in the harsh physical world his actions seem ineffective, but because of his loving nature he managed to raise kids that were strong and kind and who make better leaders for a better world. That is the true power of love

[erikandchristine]

Ned has always been my favorite, not only because he is one of the more “noble” characters, but he also feels the most human to me. Him holding in all his rage and sadness and being so distant, but loving really speaks to me.

[CNTconnoisseur]

I like how in the book Ned realizes his great mistake of killing Lady after he hears how Bran's wolf saved him from an assassin.

[mr_yoru]

I think it's interesting how quickly people get pulled into the ethical standards of the world of ASoIaF so as to harshly criticize a character who represents the absolute moral height of the series. Someone who is disgusted by those who employ child murder in a world where it's commonplace. Who wants to be merciful among people who would abuse their power with impunity. With hindsight of later events people are quick to pick the easier and less moral path for the "greater good, " but I think the picture GRRM is ultimately trying to paint is that a world where people pick the ruthless options because they grant the most immediate and pragmatic results are not building a stable world that truly lasts.

[MusikCassette]

I do think that GRR Martin wanted to convey a message with Neds dead. He needed to show the cost of Neds way before he could show its benefits. Otherwise it would feel less true. Yes he gets himself killed and the Starks to the brink of extinction. But they bounce back from a point probably no other of the great houses could. Certainly not the Lanisters.
At least in part that is possible because there is an extra ordanery amount of Loyalty they have built up in the North over centuries, if not millenia. You can not do that by maximizing short term opportunism. The fact that there is a deap tradition for holding up certain values in the Stark family is instrumental for that.

[jeanpaulsinatra]

Ned's commentary on King's Landing is felt deep in the heart of every Yorkshireman in London

[lizcollinson]

I don't think Ayra is deliberately favoured over Sansa. Ned is simply a man with no exposure to a girly girl. I'm sure he simply left her raising of a girl to his wife, and only intervened withAyra due to her familiarity in personality.
Neds sister was more like Ayra so he understands how to talk to her.
Ned does not understand Sansa, the life she aspires to, or her desire to aspire to Kingslanding position, no doubt in large part due to his lack of availability in her early years, and his neglect of telling her the reality of Kingslanding.

[Traye]

Ned chose not to drag children out of their beds and allow their eventual murder. That’s not stupidity, or honor, it’s morality.

[coreyloucks]

I definitely never saw Ned as stupid. I think he always made the right decision based on the information available. He had no idea that Robert was going to die by a boar when he confronted Cersei. He had nod idea that his wife was going to arrest Tyrion when they were plotting their plan which caused Jaimie to attack him. He didn't know that Littlefinger would betray him even though he never trusted him to begin with, but it was because Katlyn trusted him. He trusted his wife, so he begrudgingly trusted little finger. He didn't know his own daughter would go to Cersei to inform on him about them leaving. There were so many terrible things that just went against Ned in the worst way to undo his actually brilliant but flawed plan. And as you said, he had a morality which most of the people around him in King's landing lacked. It is both a strength and a weakness.

[reesehendricksen]

Honestly a fantastic video, I never really considered how Ned's trauma would effect who he becomes, as he just seems so. . . normal. Most people, like the Lannister's and Robert end up as shells of who they were. I never considered Ned being who he is, is a doubling down on what you believe is right via that trauma, hence his rigidity. Truthfully you did a brilliant job with this one, and ought to be proud of it.

[gwyndolinstentacle]

That ptsd scene where he recollects war memories while wathcing Arya and Syrio shows whatever happened then constantly is with him.This seems to cause lots of indecisiveness and passivity except when it comes to protection of children.Also, I don't if it was intentional or not but you can see a slight grief in sean bean's face even when there is a jovial situation.

[mrmoviemanic]

Ned Stark is literally one of the greatest characters in fiction and to me is a great example of someone who never broke in a world where people praise those who break who they are for power and glory.

Great video man. You gave a good idea about Ned as more than what his critics see him as being the stereotype good guy who gets killed. I see so much of myself in Ned for the reason that he never stops questioning things but knows deep down who and what he values and what he would give up for them.

[seanmellor]

And just because I don't think I heard you say anything on it (not out of malice), but MAD props to Sean Bean on the portrayal of Ned

[grossliz]

As you describe the father and brother's death I remembered what Jamie said. How nobody said a word as it happened.

[loonie]

I've always seen Ned and Robert as the two sides of an ideal soldier. Ned is a near perfect representation of a soldier's duty, which distinguishes them from a vain glory-seeking savage, but as you described he snuffed out all the fire that would allow him to become truly great at fighting and actually achieve what he felt was right (pretty good guess that he kills that part of himself due to feeling internally disgusted at his own hidden impulses after witnessing King's Landing and becomes even stricter with himself). Robert on the other hand has all the natural fire that makes a soldier truly exceptional and perform the most amazing deeds, but he has next to no sense of duty despite Arryn's best attempts to the contrary and after he 'slays his dragon', it never occurs to him to change himself even a little bit in his later years. He likely feels he doesn't have to change either, when he can just ask his childhood friend Ned to serve as his Hand, clean up his messes again and thus enable him to keep on wallowing in his misery that he masks through whoring and drinking.

Also as for 'monster' being a bit too strong of a word for Robert, I felt the Histories and Lore at the end of season 7 summed it up perfectly with Jaime narrating it, in regards to the Targaryen children being killed: "I saw what Ned couldn't. Robert was ashamed of the bodies...and more ashamed of his relief. He knew that they had to die, or his position as the new king would never be safe. But 'glorious heroes' don't go around killing children. They simply don't punish their murderers."

[SabakuNoGaara]

Thank you ❤👏
Not so many people seem to understand characters like Ned (even though he's rather the classical hero archetype kind of character). Many misunderstand kindness for stupidity and, imo, mistakingly think being Machiavellian and ruthless is the better way.

[lestergordon]

Ned Stark was brought up to be his older brothers banner man and to be a honorable knight. He basically was raised to be a follower not a leader and is put in a position of leadership only because his father and brother died. He's a good man with a kind heart always trying to do what is right. I believe it's because of that it's what makes him a rarity in a world of GOT.

[buglamps]

I’d love to see an introspective on Sansa! She’s probably one of my favorite characters, and I’d love to see your take on her!

[darthcarrots]

I find it interesting that all of Ned’s trueborn sons are named for men he lost: Rob (to grief) Bran (for his brother) and Rickon (for his father)