Game of Thrones is a show filled with violent and despicable people. But through it all, audiences could usually count on House Stark to be a beacon of hope in the cruel world of Westeros. Each member of the family had grown up in the harsh North and learned to be strong because of it. However, they also learned to be noble and do fight for just causes.
Though the Starks are certainly a lot better than most of the characters on the show, they are still not perfect. Each of them has made their fair share of mistakes, some of them rather big mistakes. Here are the worst things each Stark has done on Game of Thrones.
10 Rickon: Running In A Straight Line
Poor Rickon. He was the least talked about Stark on the show and the one who talked the least. After disappearing following Season 3, he pops up again as a prisoner of Ramsay Bolton which leads to one of the most avoidable death in the series.
In an effort to draw Jon Snow into battle, Ramsay has Rickon run across the battlefield as Ramsay fires arrows at him. But Rickon makes the foolish mistake of running in a straight line, making him a very easy target. It might be cruel to blame Rickon for his own death, but if he had zigzagged, he would have saved everyone a lot of trouble.
9 Benjen: Insulting Tyrion
Benjen Stark is the younger brother of Ned Stark and another character we don’t see much of in the show. He is the head ranger in the Night’s Watch and a very well-respected member of that ancient order.
Though he is shown to be respectful to his fellow brothers and his bastard nephew, Jon Snow, Benjen is a bit of a jerk to Tyrion. While it must be frustrating to hear a southern lord demean the Night’s Watch while he risks his life Beyond the Wall, Benjen just needs a better sense of humor.
8 Sansa: Lying To Protect Joffrey
Sansa Stark has a very interesting arc over the course of the series. She started out as the least likable Stark for her selfish choices and love of Joffrey. By the end of the series, she is the main protector of House Stark, but those early decisions were costly.
After Arya is attacked by Joffrey and Joffrey is in turn injured by Nymeria, the children are asked to give their side of the story to clear up this mess. Sansa chooses to lie in order to protect Joffrey. Not only is this a great betrayal to her own sister, but it’s insane that Sansa would still like Joffrey after this incident.
7 Catelyn: Freeing Jaime Lannister
Catelyn is the matriarch of House Stark and, in many ways, the glue that holds the entire family together. As the family is separated across Westeros and with a war raging, Catelyn’s main concern is with keeping her family safe. That noble goal ultimately leads to a terrible choice.
With Jaime Lannister held as Robb’s prisoner, Catelyn makes a secret deal with Littlefinger to free him in exchange for her daughters’ safe return. While trusting Littlefinger is foolish enough, freeing Jaime has lasting implications for Robb’s army and plays a significant role in his eventual downfall.
6 Arya: Leaving The Hound To Die
Arya Stark had resisted the stereotypical path a lady is meant to take in Westeros, instead of hoping to become a great warrior. As the series went on, she became more skilled and more intense, losing much of her childhood innocence over time.
Though she and the Hound have an uneasy relationship, they did manage to find some common ground. However, after the Hound is severely injured in a fight with Brienne, he asks her to put him out of his misery. Arya coldly refuses, leaving him alone, helpless and dying.
5 Ned Stark: Telling Cersei
Ned Stark represented the noblest of people in this story. He is a man who will always do the right thing, no matter how difficult it might be for him. It’s no wonder he didn’t last very long. As noble as he was, Ned made some foolish decisions.
After discovering that Joffrey is not Robert Baratheon’s true son, Ned brings the information to Cersei. Though he means to give her fair warning to save herself and her children, Cersei uses the opportunity to have Robert killed and Ned arrested which leads to his death.
4 Bran: Sacrificing Hodor
Bran’s journey in the show is maybe of the most controversial. His quest to become the Three-Eyed Raven started in the first season, but by the end, it didn’t seem to play as big a role as the setup had implied. This makes some of the losses along the way particularly brutal.
In an unforgettable scene, Bran wargs with Hodor in order to fight back against the army of the dead. Bran tells Hodor to “Hold the door” as we see a young Hodor have his mind taken over and the tragic origins of his catchphrase. As Hodor dies, Bran realizes he was responsible for ruining his life.
3 Jon: Siding With Daenerys
Jon started out as a noble but naive bastard trying to find his way in the world. He eventually became the hero of the story and the one that seems destined to lead the heroes to victory. However, Jon became a strangely inactive character in the final season, especially when it came to Daenerys’ turn to the dark side.
Ignoring the fact that Jon didn’t seem nearly concerned enough that he had sex with his aunt, he foolishly sticks by Dany even when everyone is telling him what a bad idea it is. Even after she slaughters the people of King’s Landing, Jon still holds out hope she is good.
2 Robb: Breaking His Promise
After the death of Ned, fans wanted justice for House Stark and for a while, it seemed like Robb was the one who would deliver it. Robb proved to be a natural general, leading the Northern army to victory after victory. However, his decision to follow his heart proved a disaster.
Despite pledging to marry Walder Frey’s daughter, Robb broke his promise and married Talisa instead. This led to him losing a large portion of his army and the respect of many of his men. His attempt to make peace led to the Red Wedding and the death of his wife, his unborn son, his mother, many of his men and Robb himself.
1 Lyanna: Running Away With Rhaegar
Lyanna Stark might only be seen in flashbacks but she is a very important figure in the overall story. Lyanna is the sister of Ned and later revealed to be the mother of Jon Snow, having married Rhaegar Targaryen. However, this is a secret they kept from the rest of the world.
The people of Westeros all thought Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna and it was that event that kickstarted Robert’s Rebellion and continued years of bloodshed throughout Westeros. Had Lyanna and Rhaegar been honest, so much death could have been avoided.
