20 Most Important TV Deaths This Decade

11. Ned Stark - Game Of Thrones (Season 1, Episode 9)

For all but those who had read George R.R. Martin's source novels, the death of Ned Stark (Sean Bean) in the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones' first season was a massive shock, and easily one of the best-executed (pardon the pun) deaths in recent TV history. Though Ned appeared to be in mortal danger as the season progressed, few could have expected right up to the last minute that the show's seeming protagonist would end up being decapitated at the behest of the show's most loathed character, the weasel-faced Joffrey Baratheon. The death continues to have a major ripple effect throughout the show, but it made one thing clear: this was not a show that was screwing around, and if they were prepared to kill off their main character, then absolutely nobody was safe from death.