Game Of Thrones: 20 Stupid Character Decisions With Terrible Consequences
9. Ned Doesn't Follow Important Leads
Ned learns of a young squire in Jon Arryn's service, who quickly became a knight shortly after the previous Hand's death. He then dies in suspicious circumstances at the new Hand's tourney. The strangest thing happens next, Ned starts asking the right questions! And then... does nothing... This is by far the most practical lead that he has in his investigation into foul play, and he follows all the right lines of enquiry: how did the boy become a knight so quickly, and why? How did he afford the new, untested suit of armour that he died in? Who drew the straws that set the boy against the Mountain in the tourney? A bout he could never have won. Everything points to the young squire being rewarded for his role in Jon Arryn's poisoning, and then being permanently silenced, and yet Ned bizarrely never follows up on any of this. It is brought up only once later, in a scene with Lord Varys, which I will get to. Ned even speaks in private with Robert in the following scene and doesn't mention a thing. If ever there was a time or a person with whom to raise the subject, it was in that scene! Robert even brings up Jon Arryn in their conversation and Ned says nothing!
8. Ned Ignores Varys' Warning
This is the only other time where the unfortunate squire of Jon Arryn is mentioned, it is later in the same episode, during a closed doors meeting with Varys in the Hand's office. Varys literally confirms Ned's suspicious about the nature of Jon Arryn's death, that it was the squire who got close to him and fed him the poison (Varys even names the poison), and was then promptly taken out of the picture by whomever was orchestrating the entire conspiracy. Does Ned follow up on who the man (or woman) behind the curtain is? You bet he doesn't! Does Ned enquire as to exactly how Varys knows so much about it, yet won't name the perpetrator? You bet he doesn't! What Ned does ask is, "Why kill him?" Varys replies, not half threateningly, "He started asking questions."
