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Though many human characters die in Game of Thrones, many fans are more concerned about which direwolves survive. The direwolf was the animal featured on the House Stark sigil and thus incredibly important to the Northern rulers. Direwolves are portrayed as a species of wolf, but much larger and significantly more intelligent. In Game of Thrones' premiere, a litter of direwolves was discovered with each Stark child, including Jon Snow, allowed to care for one. The animals quickly bonded with their corresponding owners. However, many of them faced troubles throughout the series, with most dying.
To some, the Game of Thrones direwolf might have just been viewed as pets to the main characters, but they were much more than that. The Stark direwolves were beautiful creatures who served a much greater purpose. Many Game of Thrones book fans felt the show failed the direwolves as they were gradually pushed aside and made less important due to budget concerns. This sometimes included randomly killing off the direwolves, although there were some that managed to survive until the end of Game of Thrones.
|
Grey Wind |
Robb Stark |
Killed at the Red Wedding |
|
Lady |
Sansa Stark |
Executed on Robert Baratheon's orders |
|
Nymeria |
Arya Stark |
Leading a pack of wolves in the North |
|
Summer |
Bran Stark |
Killed by the Night King's soldiers |
|
Shaggydog |
Rickon Stark |
Killed by the Umbers |
|
Ghost |
Jon Snow |
Gone Beyond the Wall with Jon |
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Every Direwolf In Game Of Thrones, From Worst To Best
Direwolves are a vital part of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones universe. Here are all six House Stark direwolves in the show, ranked.
Grey Wind
Owned By Robb Stark
Grey Wind is a Stark direwolf that was very protective of his owner Robb. The Game of Thrones direwolf accompanied Robb and his army and played a role in the Battle of Oxcross by sneaking onto the enemy camp, killing guards, and scaring horses. Grey Wind also proved to be a good intimidation tool during some of the tense confrontations Robb had as King in the North.
When Greatjon Umber pulled a knife on Robb when he called him an oathbreaker, Grey Wind bit off the man's fingers. And while Jaime Lannister attempted to put on a brave face as Robb's captive, he couldn't hide his fear of Grey Wind. Unfortunately, Grey Wind was present for the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones.
Interestingly, the direwolf seemed to sense the trouble before the Freys' ambush began as he was seen howling and trying to get out of his pen. Sadly, he was trapped inside when the Frey men came and shot him with their crossbows. The image of Arya Stark seeing Grey Wind's eyes close as the direwolf dies is one of the saddest moments in the Red Wedding massacre. As a final insult, Robb's corpse is beheaded and Grey Wind's head is sewn to the body to mock his nickname of "the Young Wolf."
Lady
Owned By Sansa Stark
Lady was the first of the direwolf casualties and one of the Game of Thrones characters to die in season 1. Lady is Sansa Stark's direwolf and seems to take after her owner's demeanor. She is gentle and well-behaved, listening to Sansa and going on walks with her. That makes the punishment Lady receives at the hands of the Lannister all the more unjust.
...Lady's death was significant as it amplified the rift between the Starks and the Lannisters...
After Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, bit Joffrey and ran off, Cersei Lannister was not willing to let the assault go unanswered. Though Lady had nothing to do with what happened to Joffrey, Cersei ordered the animal to be executed. Ned carried out the execution himself, reasoning that a beast of the North deserved better than to be killed by Lannister men. While she was not among the direwolves who survived, Lady's death was significant as it amplified the rift between the Starks and the Lannisters and also seemed to cause Bran Stark to wake from his coma.
Nymeria
Owned By Arya Stark
The question of which direwolves survive is somewhat unanswered, as Nymeria is a bit of a question mark. Nymeria is Arya Stark's direwolf and shares a lot of her fierceness. She continues to show how protective the direwolves are of their owners as Joffrey threatens Arya with a sword only for Nymeria to bite his arm and disarm him. When Cersei's men were searching for Nymeria to punish the direwolf for biting Joffrey, Arya secretly sent her away.
Nymeria wasn't seen again until Game of Thrones season 7 when Arya ran into her while traveling back to Winterfell. The direwolf was revealed to be the leader of her own pack. Arya tried to get her old companion to follow her home, but she understood that Nymeria, like Arya herself, was too wild now to be a pet and was left in the wild.
There is no more evidence about what happened to Nymeria on Game of Thrones, but in the books, it is hinted that she is leading a pack of wolves that are targeting the Freys, suggesting she is still protecting the Stark family.
Summer
Owned By Bran Stark
Summer is Bran Stark's direwolf and one of the most protective of the pets. Catelyn Stark is at first weary of these animals, but she quickly changes her mind when Summer kills a would-be assassin who comes to kill Bran while he is in his coma. Summer constantly stayed by Bran's side after Winterfell was taken over and accompanied him on his journey Beyond the Wall.
Through Summer, Bran learns to warg, entering the direwolf's mind and controlling him. When Bran's group made it north of the Wall, they traveled to the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven. While there, a horde of White Walkers and wights invade the cave. Summer tried to protect Bran by fighting off the Night King's forces. The direwolf was killed in the season 6 attack, but she gave Bran enough time to escape.
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Shaggydog
Owned By Rickon Stark
Shaggydog is the direwolf pet for Rickon Stark and like his owner, he is the one the audience learns the least about. Interestingly, though Rickon is the quietest and most unassuming to the Starks, Shaggydog is somewhat aggressive, angrily cornering Brand and Osha in the crypts of Winterfell before Rickon calls him off.
Shaggydog also accompanied Rickon and the others when the group left Winterfell. Rickon, Osha, and the direwolf eventually split to seek refuge through House Umber. The Umbers later betrayed Rickon and killed Shaggydog to give to Ramsay Bolton as a gift. It was the most unceremonious demise for one of the direwolves on the show and seemed to suggest they were just trying to get rid of them at that point.
Ghost
Owned By Jon Snow
When it comes to which direwolves survive, Ghost is the only one the audience sees make it to the end in Game of Thrones. Despite being the runt, Ghost grew to be the biggest direwolf of the pack. He accompanied Jon to the Wall to serve on the Night's Watch. Not only did he remain Jon's protector, but he also kept a watchful eye on Jon's best friend Sam as well. He also fought in many battles on Game of Thrones, including the Battle of Castle Black and the Battle of Winterfell.
In the books, following Jon's assassination by his fellow Night Watch brothers, it is strongly hinted that Jon wargs into Ghost. Fans of the show were disappointed with how little Ghost was used in the later seasons of the show, disappearing at times for no reason and then having Jon ask Tormund to take him back Beyond the Wall. However, the finale finds Jon and Ghost reuniting as they lead the Wildlings Beyond the Wall.
How The Direwolves' Fates Connect To Their Stark Owners
The Fan Theory Suggests A Deeper Bond Between Stark And Direwolf
Many of the Starks shared similarities with their direwolf counterparts, to the point that Game of Thrones fans began to theorize that the fate of the direwolves would connect to the outcome of their owners. The theory may not have played out as many had predicted, but there are some correlations. For example, Arya is a leader and fiercely protective of her family but decides to leave them behind and venture forth on her own. Nymeria's arc was similar, as she was forced to leave her home at a young age and learned to fend for herself.
Ghost was the odd one out as the albino of the litter, something that Jon struggled with as the bastard child of the Starks. The direwolf needed a role in the world, just as it seemed Jon was destined to work for the Night's Watch. Robb and Rickon were killed in a despicable fashion just like their direwolves. Summer sacrificed herself just as Bran gave up his mind and body to become the Three-Eyed Raven.
Then there's Sansa, who often suffers the consequences of other people's actions, just like Lady. Sansa never had a chance in her early life, but she grew into an admirable woman. The death of her direwolf was another motivator for Sansa to overcome her oppressors.
Direwolf Differences In A Song Of Ice And Fire
The Direwolves' Stories Differ In The Source Material
The question of which direwolves survive didn't exactly play out on-screen in the same fashion as it did in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. In the novels, only Grey Wind and Lady have been killed thus far. Nymeria was chased away by Arya just as she did in the HBO show, but Summer, Shaggydog, and Ghost are continuing to serve as companions to their respective owners.
It's not surprising that Game of Thrones changed from the books with direwolves, as the show did so with multiple elements. That's not to say that some of the direwolves won't meet their deaths in the future. There's also the case of warging as it is often suggested in the books that Bran isn't the only Stark who can pull this off. As noted, Jon seemingly goes so with Ghost when he's killed, but that's the last chapter of his written so far so only time will tell.
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Fans Were Disappointed With How The Show Handled The Direwolves
The Stark's Animal Companions Were Underutilized
Game of Thrones may be one of the most successful and acclaimed TV shows of the 21st century so far, but that doesn't mean it's without flaws. On the contrary, there are many aspects of the show (especially the much-bemoaned final season of Game of Thrones) that were heavily criticized by the conclusion of the HBO series. Much like John Snow getting resurrected or Arya's ability to change her appearance, the amount the Direwolves appeared in Game of Thrones (or, more accurately, didn't) upset many fans of the show.
In the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, especially season 1, there was a lot of focus on the Stark direwolves. They were the Stark equivalent of the Targaryen dragons, a unique aspect of the Stark household which set them apart from the other noble houses of the Seven Kingdoms. Given just how distinctive they made the Starks as characters, there were expectations that the direwolves would feature heavily in the plot of GoT - or, at the very least, be present for the majority of it.
While Arya's Nymeria was still alive by the end of Game of Thrones and Ghost went north of the Wall with John, the rest of the Stark direwolves met gruesome ends, many early on. What's more, they didn't really have any relevance to the overall plot - especially notable with Bran's direwolf, Summer, who many felt would play a greater role given Bran's ability to warg. To add to the chagrin this caused many fans, the show never fully explained why the Starks all had direwolves in the first place. Being such a unique aspect of both House Stark and Game of Thrones, there should have been much more focus on the direwolves. Sadly, however, the show mishandled them as characters and a concept.
House Of The Dragon Can Fix GoT's Direwolf Misuse
The Inclusion Of Cregan Stark Could Bring Direwolves Into The Prequel
The Stark direwolf is not only on the family's sigil, but the creatures had massive importance in the books which was wasted in Game of Thrones — but House of the Dragon has the chance to change that. In the books, the Starks have the ability to warg into their pets, something not really explored in the television show.
The appearance of the direwolves grew less and less with each passing season, to the point that they were virtually nonexistent by Game of Thrones' ending. Essentially, direwolves are to Starks as dragons are to Targaryens. As House of the Dragon begins to expand on what is known about dragons and their connection to Targaryens, the show could also touch on direwolves and their importance to House Stark.
House of the Dragon season 1 only really explored three families: the Targaryens, the Velaryons, and the Hightowers. However, season 2 saw the scope expanding, and Cregan Stark was introduced into the mix, with the character playing a big role in the Dance of the Dragons. Bringing House Stark back into HotD allows showrunners to properly use the direwolves. The special bond between Stark and direwolf portrayed in the books finally has a chance to be shown on the screen, something that Game of Thrones sorely missed out on.
Direwolves & Dragons Kind Of Define A Song Of Ice & Fire
The Creatures Highlight Certain Aspects Of House Stark And House Targaryen
While the direwolves and dragons have been background aspects of the Song of Ice & Fire franchise, they are key parts of this world that hold a big significance for the main houses of the story – House Stark and House Targaryen. Just as the direwolves of the North are the sigils of House Stark, the dragons are the sigil of House Targaryen, each creature representing the “Ice” and “Fire” of the larger story.
The creatures also come to reflect the houses they represent as well. The direwolves are only found in the North and rarely interact with the rest of the world. They travel in packs and are fiercely protective of their loved ones. Dragons, on the other hand, come from an exotic place and are not creatures of Westeros. They are mesmerizing and oddly beautiful, but they are also unpredictable and can be destructive.
House of the Dragon has done a better job exploring the dragons and their connection to the Targaryens and it would be nice to see a Game of Thrones spinoff give the direwolves a similar treatment, exploring the ways in which these fearsome beasts are so connected to the Starks. While a Jon Snow spinoff series could have potentially done this, since that series has been scrapped, fans will have to look elsewhere to see justice for the direwolves.
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Based on George R.R. Martin's novels, this fantasy series follows the power struggles among noble families as they vie for control of the Iron Throne in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The series is known for its complex characters, political intrigue, and unexpected plot twists.
Release Date April 17, 2011
Seasons 8
English (US) ·