HBO's series A Game of Thrones attracted many viewers, but many have not read the books by George R.R. Martin that it is based on. Some of those people may have been confused by the dire wolves and their importance in the series. While readers understood it, they found that the role of the wolves was downplayed in the series premier.
There are no book spoilers in this article and only the events of the first episode of A Game of Thrones will be covered. This article is intended to clarify the role of the dire wolves and events in the novel for viewers of the show without spoiling it.
What Are Dire Wolves
In Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series dire wolves are a species of highly intelligent, large wolves. These animals are only found north of The Wall, a giant wall of ice that divides the inhabited country from the wild lands of the north. Winter in this world can last for centuries and the discovery of dire wolves south of The Wall is another sign that winter is coming.
Lord Eddard Stark is the ruler of Winterfell, the northernmost kingdom. Every ruling family in Westeros, the continent where the story takes place, have their own Words and animal symbol. The Words are like a motto and the Stark Words are "Winter is Coming..." and their animal is the dire wolf.
Finding Dire Wolves in A Game of Thrones
In the first episode, some of the Starks come across a dead dire wolf, far south of the wall. The female wolf has a stag antler embedded in her throat, which is evidently what killed her. While not mentioned in the episode, the stag is the sigil of the Baratheon family. Shortly after the discovery of the wolf, Lord Stark learns that King Robert Baratheon, the king of Westeros, is riding north to Winterfell. Lord Stark's wife Catelyn is disturbed by the symbolism she sees in a dire wolf being killed by a stag and worries about what King Robert may want.
The dead wolf is not alone. The Starks find five puppies, three male and two female, with her. Lord Stark has three sons and two daughters. Stark's bastard son Jon Snow sees it as a sign that the Stark children were meant to have the puppies. Shortly after, Jon finds a sixth puppy, an albino runt. The little puppy is the odd one out, just like Jon.
The Stark Children and their Wolves
The puppies are raised and cared for by the Stark children. The wolves prove intelligent and completely faithful to their owners. Lady Catelyn hates the idea of the vicious animals being with her children and refuses to acknowledge what the reader sees; the wolves would never hurt the children. The conflict between Catelyn and the wolves, as well as how they become more than pets, is glossed over in the television series.
Robb, the eldest Stark son, names his wolf Grey Wind. Bran names his Summer, an interesting choice for a winter-loving Stark. The youngest Stark child, Rickon, names his wolf Shaggy Dog. Sansa, the eldest daughter who wants to be a proper lady names her wolf, appropriately, Lady. Arya, the total opposite of her sister, names her wolf after the warrior queen, Nymeria. Jon names his white dire wolf, Ghost.
Dire Wolves in A Song of Ice and Fire
Without giving away future events, it seems that Jon was right and the Stark children were meant to have their wolves. The dire wolves become much more than mere pets and seem bonded to the children in some mysterious way. After the first episode the children go their different ways and the wolves go with them.
As the books advance the role of the wolves grows increasingly important. After reading this article, hopefully viewers of the series who have not read the books will have a better understanding of the dire wolves and their relationship with the Stark family.
Learn more about the book that the HBO series is based on: A Game of Thrones
Katie Ouderkirk - Katie Ouderkirk started working at a barn when she was ten. As the years went on she worked at a number of different barns, two zoos, and ...
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