Ghost Is Returning (To Probably Die) In Game Of Thrones Season 8
Jon Snow's direwolf is coming back for GoT's final season, but should we be worried?
One of Game of Thrones' biggest MIA characters is returning for the eighth and final season, with it confirmed that Ghost will indeed be back for the last run of episodes.
Jon Snow's direwolf hasn't been seen since early in Season 6 - his last episode was Oathbreaker, the one after Jon's resurrection - and his presence has been keenly felt. We've had the Battle of the Bastards, Jon going beyond the wall, and the Dragonpit, all events where Ghost SHOULD have been by Jon's side, without any sign of his faithful companion.
That's largely in keeping with the show's reluctance to use the direwolves - partly because of the cost involved, and the difficulties of making them look realistic - but Ghost WILL be back for Season 8, according to VFX supervisor Joe Bauer, who told The Huffington Post:
“Oh, you’ll see him again. He has a fair amount of screen time in Season 8. He does show up. … he’s very present and does some pretty cool things.”
While the budget has been an issue with the direwolves before, it should be less so in Season 8, with a reported $15m being spent on each episode. There'll obviously be increased dragon action to go with that, but the direwolves getting a moment to shine is long overdue, although also a little bit worrying.
While it will be great to see Ghost back in action, it's that action itself that offers cause for concern. Season 8 is going to involve a lot of fighting against the army of the dead, and you've got to image the plans for Ghost involve him being present on the battlefield alongside Jon. With that in mind, then, it's quite likely we'll see the direwolf making the ultimate sacrifice in order to save his master.
It'd be a great, heroic moment for an oft-overlooked character, it'd be a way of showing just how strong the connection between Jon and the wolf is (something the show has really neglected so far), and it'd be tragic. Add in the possibility of Nymeria returning - and dying in similar fashion - and you've got another example of one of Thrones' favourite themes, which is things coming full circle: it started with the direwolves and White Walkers coming back into this world; it'll end with both of them gone again.