The Man Who Passes The Sentence

Eddard Stark states this principle in A Game of Thrones (1996) by George R.R. Martin. It is the foundational law of the Stark household, inherited from Ned's father Rickard and traced to the traditions of the First Men. The principle matters because in Westeros — where justice is often delegated to executioners — Ned insists that responsibility cannot be separated from action. The line is also adapted in Season 1 of Game of Thrones (2011).