The most recent episode of Game of Thrones left fans furious with Kit Harington’s Jon Snow.
The King in the North and rightful heir to the Iron Throne, Snow left Winterfell for the final battle at King’s Landing, abandoning his beloved direwolf Ghost rather unregally.
Although Ghost has been loyal throughout, Snow didn’t as much as give the animal a stroke or ear scratch as he left him behind.
Ghost watched his master leave him with sadness in his eyes, being left with Tormund, as Snow said, ‘a direwolf has no place in the South.’
Understandably fans were upset by Snow’s actions, and the lack of love he showed the pet.
The Australian Federal Police were too, sharing an image on Facebook of an officer with his direwolf, sending a message to Snow.
The caption read:
Jon Snow, take note! Our Tactical Response Team never leaves their Direwolves behind.
Fans endorsed this message, showing it some support with the post receiving over 14,000 likes at time of writing (May 8).
Responding to the criticism, director David Nutter explained to Huffington Post why Snow didn’t give Ghost a warm goodbye.
He said:
Since the direwolves are kind of CG creations, we felt it best to keep it as simple as possible. And I think that it played out much more powerfully that way.
Keeping Ghost off to the side, I thought that played out better.
Then he [Snow] just walks off by himself, he turns to Ghost and has this moment with Ghost that I thought was very, very powerful
Although you feel it is ‘powerful’ David, I think the audience disagree.
Also speaking to the outlet, Tormund actor Kristofer Hivju gave a further explanation as to why Ghost had to stay behind.
He said:
I think Jon is right that the south isn’t the place for a direwolf. In Episode 2 or 3 they killed one of them [Lady, Sansa’s direwolf] — it’s a wild animal, it’s like a wolf plus two! I think it’s best for Ghost to go north.
Although Hivju is right as it may be best, we just want Ghost and Snow never to separate again. You got that HBO?
Fans are concerned Snow may die in the next episode though, perishing at the hands of Cersei and her army.
This is all because of an interview the actor did with Entertainment Weekly, in which he described the episode as ‘Shakespearean’, a man who was a fan of tragedy.
Harington said:
One of my favourite episodes is four because the characters have seemingly got what they needed. The world is safe now. They’re celebrating and saying goodbye to lost friends.
But as an audience you’re going, ‘This is only episode 4, something’s going to happen.’ And that’s the cool thing because I think the characters are aware of this as well. There’s something twisted and uncomfortable about it. It’s so Shakespearean.
Well Jon Snow has come back from the dead before, so even if this does happen it may not last for long. Either way, he should learn a thing about looking after Winterfell’s best boy.
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