One line from Game of Thrones’ ending, coming on the back of her descent into the show’s final villain. While the former Lord Commander was ostensibly a man of honor, he did what he thought was his duty to the realm - and his family - in killing her.

the Mad King. And just like him, she was killed by a person she trusted who was sworn to serve her. To drive that point home, a specific moment in Game of Thrones season 1, episode 3, "Lord Snow,", really lays bare the extent of Jon’s choice.

Jon Snow Killing Daenerys Called Back To A Jaime Lannister Quote From Season 1

Jon's Decision Made Him Into The Queenslayer

Jon Snow killing Daenerys turns him into the Queenslayer, an obvious parallel with Jaime being the Kingslayer. One was a member of the Kingsguard, the other had bent the knee and served in his ruler’s army, and both were duty-bound to serve and protect their king or queen. And yet, they’re two completely different characters: Jon Snow, while a bastard, is Ned Stark’s truest son, honorable to his core; Jaime is reviled by Westeros, and by Ned more than most, as highlighted by this exchange:

Ned: “Is that what you tell yourself at night? You’re a servant of justice? That you were avenging my father when you shoved your sword in Aerys Targaryen’s back?”

Jaime: “Tell me, if I’d stabbed the mad king in the belly instead of the back, would you ire me more?”

Well, Jaime may have stabbed Aerys in the back, but Jon did stab Daenerys in the belly. And, unfortunately for Jon, it doesn’t necessarily make it a more respectable choice.

Jaime’s actions were every bit as justified as Jon’s were; at that moment, Jon is no better or worse. For all the Starks believed in their moral superiority to the Kingslayer - and, to be fair, weren’t always wrong to do so - Jon made the exact same choice in a very similar situation.

Would Ned Stark Approve Of Jon Snow Killing Daenerys?

It Would Be Very Complicated For Ned

Ned looked down upon Jaime, treating him with contempt for what he did to Aerys, and never even contemplating allowing him to explain his actions. So what would Ned think if he knew that his sister’s own son, the boy he had raised as his own, basically did the exact same thing to the Queen he had pleaded fealty to?

Of course, there are some differences. For one, Ned did not have cause to like or trust the Lannisters, and found Jaime casually sitting upon Iron Throne after the deed. In contrast, Jon is his own flesh and blood, a person he knows to be decent.

Further, the Mad King threatened to burn the city, but Dany actually did it. Jon had bent the knee, but was not in her Queensguard, sworn to give his life for hers. And, undoubtedly, Ned - who fought in one rebellion against a Targaryen ruler who had to be removed - would understand that Daenerys could not be allowed to sit on the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. He'd listen, in a way he never did with Jaime. He, too, would be moved to action.

Game of Thrones' series finale, in which Jon Snow kills Daenerys, is the show's lowest-rated episode on IMDb, with a rating of 4/10.

But would it be the same action? I’m not so sure. I certainly think he’d be more understanding than he was with Jaime, and Ned’s honor could be set aside if it was for the good of his family. But he could be merciful (giving Cersei Lannister the chance to flee King's Landing, which backfired spectacularly), and, crucially, he also ruled that the man who es the sentence should swing the sword. Jon ed no sentence before he plunged a dagger into Daenerys.

It feels more like Ned would push for Daenerys to stand trial, and then perhaps be executed for her crimes

It feels more like Ned would push for Daenerys to stand trial, and then perhaps be executed for her crimes (I could even imagine him doing this himself), rather than approve of Jon’s actions, even if it was a swift death for Dany. And he definitely would've agreed that Jon, even if his actions were justified, would need to face the consequences of them. Little could he have known, all those years before in Game of Thrones season 1, that when he was ing judgment on Jaime, he was effectively condemning Jon’s actions too.