Will the Direwolves Come Back on 'Game of Thrones'?
I had so much hope for the beautiful, wild, symbolically relevant direwolves that the Stark children discover in the first season of Game of Thrones. But with Jon Snow officially gifting Ghost to Tormund without so much as a pat on his fluffy white head, I have to say it: I am so upset at the way the direwolves were handled on the show.


Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. I had so much hope for the beautiful, wild, symbolically relevant direwolves that the Stark children discover in the first season of Game of Thrones. Each one paired to a particular Stark child, with the fate of each bound together (making the death of Sansa's direwolf, Lady, at the hands of evil Joffrey huge foreshadowing into her fate, for example) was a gorgeous and meaningful construct. But with Jon Snow officially gifting Ghost to Tormund without so much as a pat on his fluffy white head (opens in new tab) in episode 4 of season 8, I have to say it: I am so upset at the way the direwolves were handled on the show.
I know, I know: The creators have talked about how goofy it looks to have an enormous wolf via CGI (somehow weirder than the totally fake dragons? Ok.). And they thought it would be more powerful for Jon to just simply walk away (opens in new tab) (Um, no). And the direwolves belong to the North as the Starks (or at least Arya and Jon) head South—so they have to abandon their Northern selves to accept their Southern identities/potential deaths? (Sure...) And the direwolves have played less and less of a part in the show as the creators have had to jam in more content in a shorter timeframe. I get all that. But it's still the wrong way to handle it, in my opinion.
It seems like the initial purpose of the direwolves were for them to sacrifice themselves to protect their owners. I cried the most when Bran's direwolf Summer fell at the hands of wights coming for the Three Eyed Raven as Hodor held the door (sniff) and Bran made his last second escape. The brutal deaths of Rickon and Rob and their direwolves showed how cruel their enemies could be. But the metaphor and significance have just limply wilted from there. Given that Jon and Arya's direwolves are both still alive, I think that bodes sort of well for the characters making it through to the end of the series. But Bran and Sansa are still alive, so I don't think it's a one-to-one correlation. So even the metaphor has lost its significance in the lightning-quick pace of the show.
Wouldn't it have been so much better to at least have Ghost fight alongside Jon in the big battle? Or have Nymeria make a last-second return for Arya in her time of need? Fans speculate that this might still happen, but I'm not hopeful. I'd love a Ghost and Nymeria team-up to save the day for our much-beloved characters, but I doubt it. I think this is the last we've seen of the direwolves on this show, and it breaks my animal-loving heart even more than the killing off of Dany's dragons.
I suspect and hope that George R.R. Martin will do something with the direwolves in the books that will be more significant, because honestly, if that was just one big MacGuffin with no payoff at all, I will be so mad. Madder than I am already, anyways.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
SUBSCRIBE HERE (opens in new tab)
RELATED STORIES

Katherine’s a Boston-based contributor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle—from “Clueless” to Everlane to news about Lizzo. She’s been a freelancer for 11 years and has had roles with Cosmopolitan and Bustle, with bylines in Parents, Seventeen, and elsewhere. It’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.
-
Power Pick: Sonos Two Room Set With One
Big sound, small package.
By Brittany Holloway-Brown
-
Night Creams That Work Magic
Why, yes, I did wake up like this!
By Deena Campbell
-
Renée Zellweger Shares Why She “Loved” Turning 50: “You Must Embrace Your Age”
The actress also revealed her thoughts on “garbage” anti-aging products.
By Samantha Holender
-
'Manifest' Season 4: Everything We Know
The once-canceled NBC show is returning for a final chapter (or two) on Netflix.
By Jenny Hollander
-
Where Is 'Virgin River' Filmed?
The Netflix show is set in California—but filmed in Canada.
By Bianca Rodriguez
-
Charli XCX Isn't Here to Appease Anyone
The pop star talks authenticity, her new album, and taking care of herself while on tour.
By Gabrielle Ulubay
-
The 15 Best Shows Featuring the 'Squid Game' Cast
If you can't get enough of Squid Game, try these K-dramas next.
By Quinci LeGardye
-
The 54 Best K-Dramas You'll Be Completely Hooked On
Wait, how is it already 2 a.m.?
By Quinci LeGardye
-
The 28 Best Korean Movies on Netflix in 2022
See you guys never.
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Rose Leslie and Theo James Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Time Traveler's Wife' stars prove their chemistry is one for the ages.
By Marie Claire Editors
-
The 30 Best Black TV Shows Ever
Clear your schedule. You have some binge-watching to do
By The Editors