If there’s one thing Game of Thrones fans can pretty much universally agree on, it’s been the general lack of respect paid to Ghost over the course of the past few seasons. Jon Snow’s faithful direwolf — who was featured prominently in the first several seasons of the show — was completely omitted in season seven and then not exactly given a hero’s welcome when he returned in season eight.
But the biggest insult came in Sunday night’s new episode, “The Last of the Starks,” when Jon callously sent Ghost off to go live north of the wall with Tormund as he was preparing to ride south to King’s Landing with Daenerys. “That’s where he belongs too,” said Jon. “A direwolf has no place in the south.”
And then — then!!! — as Jon said his farewells, giving hugs to Sam, Tormund, and even Gilly — he only tossed a casual nod in Ghost’s direction, whose head sunk as he resigned himself to his new fate. Ghost! Who has watched over Jon and saved his life how many times! Ghost, who even refused to abandon Job’s corpse before Melisandre brought him back to life! Ghost, who lost a damn ear fighting the wights in the Battle of Winterfell! His ride-or-die from day freaking one.
Yet, Jon couldn’t spare so much of a head scratch of belly rub for his old friend, and people are sounding off on Twitter to say that this very good boy deserved better.
We will all say what Jon couldn’t:
You’re a good boy Ghost 🐺#GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/bUlEOdZjDt— Stephanie Gutierrez (@Steph_ahhh) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/johnblutarsky4/status/1125236107090833410
https://twitter.com/Fardeen_02/status/1125233598410289153
ghost fought for the north, was always on jon's side, was loyal to him his whole life and jon just decided that ghost is better off some place else… the way he put his head down when jon was leaving him behind, PLEASE, let me protect him pic.twitter.com/eH2Iil3waN
— ellie (@odairannies) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/TheWindKraken/status/1125226838622703616
I don’t care who ends up on the iron throne. I just want this good boi to be happy. 😭 #GoT #GhostDeservedBetter pic.twitter.com/aR3XKRknTh
— Gina Buckley, PhD (@GbuckTeo) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/cocannut/status/1125224600722391042
Give me ghost over a dragon any day 🐺 #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/8PTtCXKQ5S
— Robb Stark (@KingRobbStarkk) May 6, 2019
Ghost watching as Jon rides off to fight Cersei without so much as a “good boy” after fighting the dead for him. #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/LIbh4SwckJ
— Es (@BarbersWolf) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/ThePharaoh20/status/1125229436033470465
https://twitter.com/husamxn/status/1125280323330289664
https://twitter.com/THOTPATROL2K18/status/1125231031152467969
For what it’s worth, VFX supervisor Joe Bauer said in an interview last year that Ghost has “a fair amount of screen time” in the final season, adding: “He’s very present and does some pretty cool things in Season 8.” But with just two episodes of Thrones left forever, fans are probably not holding their breath at this point.
