10 best moments from the Game of Thrones series premiere

The Stark children find the direwolf puppies

After Ned Stark executes the Night’s Watch ranger, he and his boys come upon a dead stag and a dead direwolf. Given that the sigils of Houses Baratheon and Stark are a stag and direwolf respectively, the omen is pretty ominous.

But it’s not all grim: the family also finds a brood of newly born direwolf puppies, one for each of the trueborn Stark children and Jon.

The Stark children name their pups Grey Wind (Robb), Lady (Sansa), Nymeria (Arya), Summer (Bran) and Shaggydog (Rickon). Jon names his pup Ghost, who has all-white fur and piercing red eyes. By the end of the series, only Nymeria and Ghost are still living.

These direwolves are associated with the Stark children throughout their time on the show, and the children’s relationships with the animals tell you a lot about their personalities, as do the animals’ names. They’re one of the most memorable symbols to come out of the series.