Odin, the Northern Inuit Dog who played Bran Stark’s direwolf Summer on Game of Thrones, died on Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 10 years old and a very good boy.
Owner William Muhall bought Odin and Thor, another Northerin Inuit who played Robb Stark’s Greywind, with money he saved up at age 18. Weeks later, both puppies were booked to star in the first episode of Season 1 of Game of Thrones. Since then, they’ve gone on tour, helped raise money for charities, and brought joy to countless fans’ lives. Muhall said he couldn’t be prouder of Odin and “his legacy speaks for itself.” Rightfully so, as Game of Thrones is officially one of the best TV shows of the 2010s.
Muhall recently revealed that Odin had cancer in an Instagram video. The medical costs of Odin’s treatment were skyrocketing and all direwolf tour company events had been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. As such, Muhall was under financial strain and sought help to raise the funds. Fans raised over £12,000 to help Odin in mere days, but ultimately the pup’s cancer took a turn for the worst. The donations will now be used to pay Odin’s vet bill, with the remainder donated to various dog charities.
The Game of Thrones Direwolves tour company shared the news publicly on Instagram. “It’s difficult to put into words how this has impacted us as a family for Odin lead a life like no other dog,” their post reads. “Odin was a family member first and we got him when he was a pup at 7 weeks old… We can all take great comfort in knowing that he is forever immortalised in the great TV show Game of Thrones as Summer Bran Starks Direwolf Pup in Season 1 episode 1. To everyone that was lucky enough to meet him and put a smile on your face, please remember that moment. It’s an incredible piece of luck to have a pet you love so well become world famous and touch so many peoples hearts.”
Maybe Odin could have improved the final season of Game of Thrones, which was an agreed-upon fiasco. We’ll never know, unfortunately, but at least fans are left with nothing but good memories of Odin, including adorable high-definition scenes, real-life meet-and-greets, and archived pupdates online.
Game of Thrones may have concluded, but HBO isn’t giving up that audience just yet. Instead, the network is working on a spin-off series called House of the Dragon and it’s already got a premiere date. We’ve got our fingers crossed that a new generation of adorable dogs will star in the show in some way.
If there’s one good thing to come from this coronavirus quarantine, it’s that George R.R. Martin is using it to finish the next Game of Thrones book. It’s called The Winds of Winter and it’s the sixth novel in his fantasy series that the TV shows is based on. Technically the book’s been in development for years now, so maybe this long stretch of isolation will help Martin finally finish it once and for all.
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R.I.P. Odin, Bran Stark’s Direwolf From Game of Thrones Dies at Age 10
Nina Corcoran
