Though Ned Stark was a noble and heroic man, he was also not one of the smartest characters on Game of Thrones. Ned's early exit from the show was the result of poor decisions on his part and not realizing the cutthroat political world of King's Landing. But while Ned's reputation as a strategist isn't great, he did make some intelligent decisions at times.
Most of Ned's choices come down to his belief in doing the right thing or looking out for his family. It just so happens that there were time in which that was the smartest thing he could do. These decisions might not have saved his life, but they prove Ned Stark was smarter than people think.
Taking The Fall For Tyrion's Arrest
Acting impulsively seems to be a trait among the of House Stark as Catelyn ignited the war by hastily arresting Tyrion Lannister. However, when Jaime Lannister confronts Ned with the news, Ned insists it was done on his orders.
While that makes him a target of Jaime, Ned was right to take the blame. Not only would the truth put Catelyn at risk, but it also made the Lannisters see the Starks as more of a threat rather than just acting without thinking.
Reg As Hand Of The King
As soon as Ned accepted the position of Hand of the King under Robert Baratheon, his days were numbered. Though he is a great warrior and respected lord, Ned has no place being among the political intrigue of King's Landing.
So when Ned and Robert have a disagreement over killing Daenerys Targaryen, Ned makes the decision every fan had hoped he would make and resigns the position. Even though Robert's concerns about Daenerys turned out to be valid, Ned should have taken that as an excuse to return to the North.
Holding Tywin Responsible
Following the arrest of Tyrion, Tywin Lannister lets his displeasure be known by sending the Mountain to raid Catelyn Stark's family land and kill the smallfolk in the Riverlands. When Ned learns of this, he calls for The Mountain's execution and summons Tywin to King's Landing to answer for these crimes.
Given Tywin's power in Westeros, many saw this as a reckless decision on Ned's part. However, it was clear he had no other choice. Tywin was boldly declaring war on another of Westeros's great houses and Ned's reaction was appropriate and necessary.
Changing Robert's Will
Robert Baratheon was another character who died early thanks to his own poor judgment. As he is on his death bed, he gives his will to Ned which names him as the king of Westeros until Joffrey Baratheon comes of age.
Knowing that Joffrey is not really Robert's son, Ned changes the will to indicate Robert's "true heir" instead. It was one of the closest times Ned comes to being dishonest, but he was right to keep Joffrey's name off of the decree, even if the entire thing was ultimately ignored by the Lannisters.
Telling Stannis About Joffrey
The decision that most certainly led Ned to his own death was when he chose to tell Cersei Lannister that he knew the truth about Robert's children. It was a merciful gesture yet ended up being a disastrous one. But Ned was at least clever enough to tell more than just her.
Before his death, Ned sent a letter to Stannis Baratheon informing him of the truth which made Stannis the rightful heir to the throne. Without Stannis fighting against them, the Lannisters would have easily conquered Westeros by season 2.
Teaching His Children Good Values
With so many morally corrupt or downright evil characters on Game of Thrones, it is no coincidence that the majority of the show's heroes come from the same family. Ned Stark taught his children good values and how to rule honorably which ended up saving many lives.
While the likes of Robb and Jon might have shared their father's rigid sense of honor to a fault, Ned's influence was pivotal in shaping these children into good people who made Westeros a better place in the end.
Sending Yoren To Protect Arya
Though political strategy is not Ned's talent, he does have an ability to think fast in even the direst of situations. Even as he is being led to what turns out to be his own execution, he is able to make a quick call that saves his daughter's life.
After seeing Arya in the crowd, he subtly tells the Night's Watch member Yoren who is able to find her and get her out of King's Landing. Without his quick thinking, Arya would certainly have been captured by the Lannisters.
Letting His Children Keep The Direwolves
In the very first episode of the show, Ned and his children come across a litter of direwolf pups whose mother was killed. Instead of allowing the animals to die in the wild without their mother, Ned orders them to be killed mercifully.
However, Ned is wise enough to listen to Jon Snow's advice about taking it as a sign and letting each of the Stark children take a direwolf as a pet. As they grow, the direwolves help to save the Stark children on many occasions.
Protecting Jon Snow
Though most fans had figured it out long before, the truth about Jon Snow's parentage was finally revealed in season 6. The flashback shows that Jon was the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, and Ned took him as his own son to protect him.
Not only is this a moment that cements how heroic and honorable Ned is, but saving Jon's life ended up having huge repercussions for the future of Westeros and Jon's role in shaping it.
Letting Arya Train
Ned was not only a protective father who taught valuable lessons, but he was also a loving father who wanted his children to be happy. Initially, Ned was one of the many people who told Arya that she should be more like other girls and not be so interested in swords.
But after seeing how ionate she was about it, Ned arranged for Syrio Forel to train Arya as a fighter. Not only was it a kind gesture as a father, but it sent Arya on her path as a warrior who would eventually kill the Night King.