Reading the books is just trading one set of unknowns for another, and I guarantee the show will be better

Was prepared to say this episode sucked, because it actually kinda did, but the dragon fire and walkers kinda cured it

And to be king of Westeros, you need nothing other than not to royally piss off everybody. We know of three kings so far, one who went Hitler on everybody, one who died by accident, and one who's a coward who does virtually nothing yet still can't die. I think Ned would have done just fine