[SPOILERS] Game of Thrones Season 1 How did everyone react to that characters death?

Spoilers for Season 1-2 and 3 episodes of Season 3

My friend and I started watching Game of Thrones. I’m currently on Season 3. I started it today and it is amazing. My friend just finished watching Season 1 and I’m currently on a call and he’s ranting about Ned Stark’s death. He’s so mad about it and he thinks that Ned is essentially the only driving force of the story aside from Jon Snow. He thinks Ned’s death was absolutely unnecessary and that it makes the Stark’s irrelevant

I completely disagree with him and I love the effects of his death and how it effects the res of the characters in Season 2. I’m trying to explain to him that the story is more than just about Ned. My friend thinks he should have gotten an honorable death and that it would have made more sense if Tyrion died (that I don’t understand his view)

I wonder how everyone else react when he died. I thought it was handled really well.

Oh and I’m enjoying the show so far. Amazing