However, he did base the concept for outsized wolves on dire wolves, a real animal that died out around 9,500 years ago. Hulking beasts several times the size of ordinary wolves, they were as fierce as they were protective, capable of ripping you limb from limb or settling down for a good pet as the situation called for.ĭirewolves were not real George R.R.
On Game of Thrones, the direwolves given to each of the Stark children sort of became mascots for the show, from Grey Wind to Nymeria to Jon Snow’s own direwolf Ghost.
The direwolves on Game of Thrones are based on real-life dire wolves of North America, which haven’t been around for thousands of years.
