HBO executives knew what they were getting into when they took on Thrones, and programming president Sue Naegle says axing Ned Stark made the show creatively more attractive. “I loved it,” Naegle says. “The book series was filled with unexpected twists and turns. I loved this idea we’d bring together the group of characters, then once you started to believe all the tropes of heroes, you pull the rug out from under them. It’s the opposite of feeling manipulated.”
The story and world of Thrones, Naegle says, is bigger than any one character. “Sean brings a giant following,” she says, “but Thrones is not just about the promise you’re going to see one of your favorite actors week in and week out. The star is the story.”
