In a Westeros overflowing with dishonest and dishonourable types, Ned Stark is always held up as the paragon of honour. In the books, he is plagued with self-doubt and moral struggles but his treatment of his secret nephew exposes his true nature. Ned may have kept the baby safe but ultimately he completely destroyed Jon’s destiny. He did it on purpose and not to protect Jon.
When the Stark lord found his sister Lyanna dying, she made him promise to protect her newborn baby. She also revealed the baby was not born of rape and abduction, but that she had actually married Rhaegar Targaryen.
Ned allowed everyone to think Jon was his bastard to keep the secret of his parentage safe. The HBO show implies Ned planned to tell Jon the truth the next time he saw him, but did he really?
Not in the books. In fact, Ned did everything he could to take away Jon’s hopes and chances for the future, to prevent Jon ever becoming who he was supposed to be.
Sending Jon to the Night’s Watch would have trapped him forever. It took all his choices away from him before he even knew he had any. Jon only accepted his fate at the time because he had lived always believing there was something dishonourable about his existence.
Jon had a right to know who he was. And he had a right to know before he swore an oath that would completely remove his ability to do anything about it.
Ned Stark was in a difficult position and his summons to King’s Landing put him in a difficult position, but he should have told Jon about his true parents before he allowed him to join the Night’s Watch.
It is impossible to believe Ned could not find the time but the truth is it was easier for Ned if Jon was trapped on The Wall forever. Ned completely decided Jon’s future to serve his own interests not those of his nephew.
Ned wasn’t just loyal to Lyanna. He was also Robert’s best friend and loyal to his throne. Ned didn’t just send Jon to the Wall to protect him, he did it to make sure Jon would never be a threat to Robert’s rule. It was also a selfish act on Ned’s part.
Ned did not want a return to Targaryen rule. King Aerys had killed his brother and father and he would never have forgiven Rhaegar even after Lyanna revealed she had married him.
Yes, Ned protected Jon but he also made sure Jon could never fulfil his birthright. It was a clever balancing act by the most honourable of men which served his oaths to his king and his sister, as well as his own personal feelings.
Imagine how Jon would have felt if Ned had lived and told him the truth. Would he have continued to worship the Stark lord and hold him up as his role model?
