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The prophetic nature of the wolves


The Dire Wolf

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Hello all! I just finished AGOT and am surprised there is no thread about this. I am finding out that there is a LOT of symbolism in these books, but the one that has stood out to me the most is how the wolves are prophetic when it comes to their masters.

Nymeria, Arya's wolf: named after a warrior, has to run away to save herself after the fight at the river, and then Arya has the same fate.

Lady: Sansa's wolf. The perfect little lady who has to be killed for associations and the lies and lack of mercy of Joffrey...will Sansa share that fate eventually?

Shaggydog: Rickon and that wolf seem to be 100% on the same page. Will Rickon end up a half crazed loose cannon?

I could go on, but some things I would mention are from season 2 of the HBO show...

So, now when I read the books, I pay particular attention to the animals. Has anyone else noticed this? Are there any other examples like this in the book?Are there things I should watch for that may indicate what is to come for that character?

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Just go on and read the second book, there is nothing special you need to look for. You will know it while reading. I do not want to spoil anything. But I have never seen these similarities between the girls and their wolves. Now that you mention it I think how blind I must have been ;)

I have not heard about that Warg Link yet, but I am in the middle of book 2. So maybe we will find out soon.

Yes, I warn you to look too much in these forums or the Wiki, spoiled myself a few times there :(

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

A warg is a person that has a spiritual and personality bonds with animals. Grey wind is a leader of the pack(Robb) nym a surviver(arya) Summer, does what's needed to be done(Bran) lady, to trusting in others(Sansa) Ghost dutiful to pack(Jon) shaggy dog, untrained (Rickon). The reason why shaggy is uncontrollable is because Rickon received him at age 3, just as Rickon too is untrained duties to the pack, so he's fearful and savage towards others that he does not recognise

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I read somewhere that the whole idea for ASOIAF was based on the image of a direwolf mother dead by a deer antler with 6 cubs in the snow, so I feel like GRRM is definitely using the wolves in very direct ways. I'm just afraid that Lady's death is foreshadowing a similar fate for Sansa, and am I the only one praying Nymeria and Arya Wolfsblood will be reunited?! Nymeria and Syrio would have made one hell of an entourage!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Of course there is a direct symbolism.

Even in all of the first Bran chapters of the book (before he wakes). He is the only one who hasn't given a name to his wolf yet. And he only does so after dreaming of the three eyed crow and looking in the dephts of winter.

The three eyed crow told him something like "you've seen, this is why you need to live. Because Winter is coming". Then right after, Bran wakes up and his first words are "His name is Summer" about the dog.

So the first book and the wolves story is already setting up the big lines. Bran has to live because he will somehow be the key to beat the winter and to allow the summer to come again.

Same for the other Starks. I think the links Robb/Grey Wind, Jon/Ghost, Nymeria/Arya are obvious. For Sansa/Lady, I think it means Sansa has to change and be in charge of her own destiny or she will die. For Shaggydog/Rickon, it makes sense as well, as of all of the Starks, Rickon will be the one to have the lesser memory of his family joined together in Winterfell as he was still a toddler when they were separated (and more, but no spoils here ;))

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Well, the kids named the wolves, so they would name them something they like. I don't think there is 'foreshadowing' or 'clues' in the way Arya or Sansa, for instance, named their wolves. It's not like Arya was going to name a direwolf 'Lady'

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  • 5 months later...

There is foreshadowing on many instances with the direwolves especially Bran's wolf before he fell.

Not sure if this is a spoiler or not but in case it is then I will hide it. Bran's wolf before he was named tried to get Bran not to climb that fateful day. As Bran climbed he continued to howl as a warning. Next, Bran's wolf would not leave his window and continuously howled and everyone tried to chase him away, but he would always return. Also it is shown Bran's vitals became stronger with his wolf's howling then when they tried to close the windows. Hence, it could be said Summer saved Bran many times. The wolves do not leave the Starks, Arya had to throw rocks at Nymeria in order to have her quick following them. As Ned stated " Even a blind man could see that wolf would not easily leave your side." It is explained in ACOK the link between the STarks and their wolves. Lady's death symbolizes that Sansa may never become a Lady and needs to change. The rest are still bonded even if seperated as one will see in the Arya' chapters in ACOK. Part of the Starks are in the wolves and vice versa. The wolves personality sometimes matches the personality of the STarks. Shaggy is untrained because Rickon is to little to train his dog, is the youngest and scared and angry because his whole family leaves him. The wolves were howling even before Lady's bones were brought back to WInterfell, so they can sense each other even far away.

Summer has the most prophetic reactions than the others that seems to be his gift. Grey Wind is the fastest hence his name. Nymeria is a firece warrior hence her name. Shaggy is because Rickon is so small, but Shaggy seems to be the fiercest of them all and the strongest. Lady is the prettiest and most trusting as noted by Ned before he kills her. Ghost is because he is completely silent and can disappear at night w/o being seen and a=can easily sneak up on people. As the they are bonded, so is the bond they have with the old gods and the weirwoods. As long as they each live they are forever connected with their wolf whether together or seperated.

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