The Entire House Stark Backstory Explained
By Christopher Ramos
Unfortunately for Ned, his discovery regarding Joffrey's real father is met with immediate pushback from the powerful Lannisters, especially after Robert dies in a hunting accident and Joffrey is crowned as the new king of the Seven Kingdoms. As retribution, Joffrey sentences Ned to death, and though he tells Sansa that he'll spare her father's life, he cruelly beheads Ned anyway. Arya makes a run for it, but Sansa, now a pawn in the Lannister's schemes, is a glorified captive in King's Landing.
When news of Ned's execution reaches Robb and Catelyn — who are already waging a war against the Lannister family, partly because Catelyn falsely believes that Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) tried to murder Bran, even though it was Jaime who pushed the boy from a tall tower — they vow revenge. As for Bran and Rickon, who are still at Winterfell, they're devastated. Before long, Bran and Rickon are forced to leave Winterfell and assumed dead when Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) turns on the Starks and overtakes the castle. From there, the two youngest Stark boys head north, aided by wildling Osha (Natalia Tena) and Hodor (Kristian Nairn), the longtime, mostly mute strongman servant to the Stark family.
