Even though Ned Stark was only in Game of Thrones for one season, he made a huge impact on the show and became one of the most popular characters of the series. His relationship with Catelyn Stark, however, didn’t end up being beloved by people. During her appearances, Catelyn always came across very different from Ned. For he was warm, kind, and loving, Catelyn always seemed to be moody, cold, and argumentive. They might have been a top power couple in the North, but what if they had never gotten together?
Within this list, we will take a look at some other possibilities for Ned. In an alternate reality, perhaps the leader of the Stark family could have been with someone else, and here are 10 possible examples.
10 Lady Lysa Arryn
We will kickstart this list with the sister of Catelyn Stark and therefore it is quite easy to see how she could have been someone that Ned ended up with instead. This is one that could have easily happened simply through circumstance, by being in the same place at the same time.
While Ned chose wisely by marrying Catelyn, considering just how crazy Lysa is, this is a relationship he could have had. However, it might have hindered him in the long run, because it is unlikely he would have been as successful with Lysa by his side.
9 Ashara Dayne
Not every single character from the world of Game of Thrones made it into the television show, and one of those was Lady Ashara. She was Arthur Dayne’s sister and is the person that Ned originally fell in love with prior to meeting Catelyn Tully.
Ultimately, being shy gets in the way of Ned making a real move on Lady Ashara, which is why the relationship never happens. But had he plucked up the courage or met her later in life, then perhaps this is a relationship that could have happened instead.
8 Ellaria Sand
Someone who was shown within the HBO series was Ellaria Sand, and she was a character who was very capable of handling her own business. She ends up in a relationship with Oberyn Martell, but in a different reality perhaps she could have ended up with Ned Stark.
Ellaria is quite cunning and has no problem backstabbing people, which is quite different from how Ned operates. But Catelyn had that side to her personality as well, which was shown more once he had been killed, and that’s why they might just have worked.
7 Selyse Florent
Selyse Florent isn’t a character that is given much time to really show her personality in Game of Thrones. Most of the time she is shown quietly stood in the background as her husband, Stannis Baratheon takes control of the situation, but had she been married to Ned that might have been different.
The two of them together might have worked really well, because from what we get to see of Selyse, she is kindhearted and caring. Unlike her husband, she is left heartbroken when her daughter is sacrificed, and it would have been an interesting relationship.
6 Brienne Of Tarth
Two of the most powerful fighters in Game of Thrones history working together, side-by-side? That is a power couple that very few in Westeros would have been able to handle, as they were incredibly dominant in terms of battles.
Brienne of Tarth is one of the best characters throughout the series, and she is someone who is incredibly loyal and caring, particularly to the Stark family. Had she ended up meeting Ned at some stage, it would have been great to see them together.
5 Robert Baratheon
Something that Game of Thrones has always excelled at is highlighting homosexual relationships, with the show having plenty of LGBTQ+ characters. While neither Robert nor Ned are homosexual, that doesn’t mean the show couldn’t have put them in a relationship together.
It would have been very interesting to see two of the most powerful men in all of Westeros together as a proud and happy couple. They could have still been in a great position of power, especially considering the fact that they’re such great fighters.
4 Melisandre
Melisandre, who is perhaps best known as the Red Woman, is arguably the most powerful female character in Game of Thrones. Her ability to use the lord of the light to her advantage allows her to do things that others can only dream of.
Putting her with Ned Stark, who is also incredibly powerful could have been an intriguing prospect. Even though Melisandre seemingly does end up hurting a lot of people, she does always try to do what is best, which would have worked well alongside Ned.
3 Cersei Lannister
This might seem like a crazy idea considering the fact that Cersei Lannister is arguably the evilest character throughout the series and someone who plays a part in Ned’s death. However, if she had married Ned instead of his best friend, Robert Baratheon, perhaps things would have been different.
Ned was more open to listening to a woman’s opinion, and that could have given Cersei the sense of power that she always wanted. Bringing the Stark’s and the Lannister’s together would have arguably made them unstoppable as well, having a grip on the North and King’s Landing and he just may have been able to control her a little better than others.
2 A Wildling
It takes Jon Snow to bridge the gap between the North and those beyond the wall, but what if Ned had been able to do it years earlier? Would the world of Westeros have been able to stop the white walkers before things escalated as far as they did?
Even though he isn’t technically his father, Jon very much acts like Ned throughout the show. He has a similar personality, so had Ned made it beyond the wall himself, perhaps he might have fallen in love with someone just as Jon did.
1 Olenna Tyrell
While she might be a little older than Ned, a relationship with Olenna Tyrell could have proven to be unstoppable. The Tyrell family has some of the greatest resources of anybody in Westeros, and for the most part, they are kind and caring, wanting what is best for the world.
However, Olenna is also incredibly cunning and smart, much more so than Catelyn. She knows exactly how to play the game, and with Ned’s fighting abilities, they could have worked well together to rule over Westeros.
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