Ned Would Have Been a Better Lord If Not a Lord

Ned is generally understood to be compassionate, merciful and dutiful. He initially seems, through Bran's eyes, like an infallible lord and father. However, we already know that the man he beheads in that early chapter is only scared out of his mind. Yes, Gared is an oathbreaker and yes, broken men are theoretically dangerous, but Gared probably wasn't.

Through Ned we see that even a good lord who applies conscience and rules responsibly is less compassionate and merciful than he would be if only a man. His lord's duty makes Ned feel he must be hard. Ned considers it might be best to see the direwolf pups given quick, painless deaths when the master of horse is totally against the idea of them being raised at Winterfell. He wants to do the right thing and knows that's not always what feels fun. He's a lord who can see his son cradling a puppy and decide that that puppy should be killed for its own good, breaking his son's heart, because he knows Robb must grow up and make decisions with an understanding of how they effect all involved.

Ned is both idealized as a lord and painted as deeply struggling with the weight of his decisions. He tells Catelyn he feels like he was never prepared and that Brandon made confident decisions quickly. Of course, that just makes Ned seem a better ruler than Brandon would have been. It's being so very put upon that makes Ned seem unintelligent. He is not made for rule and even though that makes him seem an ideal ruler, his misery calls something into question. Ned is loved in the north because a loving man, despite having struggled with rule.

Ned's judgment not to investigate Gared's extreme terror is even a pivotal decision. Had Ned questioned Gared as a brother, intended to investigate and involved Robert, the king might have wanted to go hunting beyond the Wall and discovered the threat of the Others: an enemy he could hit.