So long, little Ned Umber, we hardly knew ye.
Ned inherited his lands and title from his father, Smalljon Umber, after the latter died supporting House Bolton in their insurrection of House Stark (shoutout to Tormund). Portrayed by young English actor Harry Grasby, Ned was not as large in stature as his sire, or his grandfather Greatjon Umber. Little Ned was next in line for a house that had long stood for House Stark, and wasted no time in pledging his house’s fealty to Winterfell.
We first saw young Ned in the season 7 premiere, “Dragonstone,” as the lords of the North met in Winterfell’s great hall to discuss the reordering of their kingdom under Jon Snow. Sansa argued for stripping Ned of his house and title and giving the Umber lands to Northerners who fought for Jon in the Battle of the Bastards, but Jon, who had the final say, opted for mercy.
Grasby’s performance here wasn’t exactly the highlight of the episode, but he was convincing as a young lord called upon to shoulder a responsibility beyond his years. And it certainly had to be intimidating to make your debut in a room full of some of the show’s biggest stars. Good job, Harry!
And that would be the last we’d see of Ned Umber in season 7. He returned in the season 8 premiere, where Grasby actually got a line. He was note-perfect as little Ned sheepishly asked Sansa for wagons to help bring his people from the Last Hearth to Winterfell, trying to keep his cool in front of the Lady of Winterfell, the King in the North, and the Dragon Queen. I felt sympathy for the kid.
Alas, that tender moment was the last time we would see Ned alive. After returning to Last Hearth, which lies closer to the Wall than any other Northern castle, Ned Umber was killed along with his subjects. What happened next will be burned in our memories.
Before departing Last Hearth, the Night King or his cronies decided it would be fun to nail poor Ned Umber to the wall of his own great hall, surrounded by human arms and legs in the shape of that spiral the White Walkers are always making. Ned reanimated when Tormund (who killed his father) Beric and Edd found him on the wall. Beric lit the little dead lord on fire. He screamed as he died. Again. Now, Grasby wasn’t actually playing Ned as he screamed and burned, but still, what a way to go out!
Grasby’s time on Game of Thrones was short, as is the 12-year-old’s resume. It mostly consists of Thrones, “the part of Jeremy in West Yorkshire Playhouse’s production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and a handful of commercials. We wish him all the best in his future career! Ride that flaming death spiral to success.
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h/t HarryGrasby.com