Direwolves: Where are they now? We catch you up on the Stark family pets
By Corey Smith
1. Ghost
Among the Stark direwolves, Ghost unquestionably has the largest role in the series, serving as the constant companion and faithful bodyguard of his master, Jon Snow.
When the Stark direwolves were initially found by Ned Stark and company, Jon suggests that, because there are five direwolves, each of Ned’s five children were meant to have the pups. As Jon points out to Bran, Jon is no Stark, and therefore has no right to a direwolf. The gods, or George R.R. Martin, disagree, and Jon finds Ghost having wandered away from the rest of the litter. Little heavy on the foreshadowing, no?
Ghost was allowed to remain with Jon after the young man joined the Night’s Watch, and would prove himself quite useful in the battles to come. Ghost helped Jon fight the wight that attempted to kill Lord Commander Mormont, killed Rast after the skirmish at Craster’s Keep, participated in the Battle of Castle Black, and gave us our first inkling that Jon would rise from the grave in Season 6.
Perhaps none of the direwolves took on their master’s personalities more than Ghost—the direwolf demonstrated time and again the same fearlessness and loyalty of his owner. Ghost has on more than one occasion defended Jon’s friends, twice saving Samwell Tarly’s life, and protecting Dolorous Edd, along with Jon’s body, in the Season 6 premiere. What the future holds for Ghost remains uncertain, but we hope the faithful companion manages to be the only direwolf to appear in every season of the show.