One undeniable aspect that fans came to associate with Ned was that the Lord of Winterfell was an honorable man through and through. He was just and firm when he had to be, but he also knew mercy and compassion in a world where both were rare. Although, it was probably that same unyielding honor – or his "loyalty," as Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) puts it – that got him killed in the end.
It's along these lines that Bean distinguishes Ned from his previous characters. In a 2019 interview with Vulture, the actor was asked whether the head of the Starks was a new kind of character for him at the time, and Bean confirmed that it was.
The actor said: "I've played characters before that were 'decent' people, but not genuinely good, you know? There was always a bit of a [dark] side to the characters I played. Like Boromir in 'The Lord of the Rings.' He was a good man, he meant well, but he had this weakness which cost him his life. They're interesting characters, but Ned was just out-and-out a good man."
The fact that Ned was such an uncompromisingly just human being was what made his untimely death one of the most devastating in "Game of Thrones." Although he was only an active part of the "Game of Thrones" for a mere nine episodes, Ned Stark made a lasting impression in the series, fans, and on Sean Bean.
