Game of Thrones director reveals why we didn't see Jon Snow's direwolf Ghost in the Battle of the Bastards

‘Battle of the Bastards’ gave us some seriously epic moments, and as satisfying as Ramsay Bolton getting punched in the face by Jon Snow was, we can’t deny the fact that we missed one of the most important characters/animals on the show. Jon Snow’s direwolf Ghost, who has been there with him for as long as we can remember, wasn’t present in the battle of the north.

Fans wanted to know why the direwolf was left out, since we would’ve loved him ripping Ramsay apart (not that we didn’t appreciate his own hounds killing him).

Miguel Sapochnik, who directed the episode, was asked about Ghost not being present in the battle, and in answer to that he revealed, “[Ghost] was in there in spades originally, but it’s also an incredibly time consuming and expensive character to bring to life. Ultimately we had to choose between Wun-Wun and the direwolf, so the dog bit the dust.”

We all know that ‘Battle of the Bastards’ was a particularly challenging episode to film, and the director had to make a lot of efforts to deliver it in the perfect way that it was done in, and we can’t really blame the showrunners for leaving Ghost out seeing as how important it was to focus on a few particular things. Wun-Wun’s track was clearly more vital to the episode than anything, since he led Jon into the gates of Winterfell so Ramsay could eventually be killed. Though we’d really have loved to see Jon’s direwolf in the episode, it wasn’t disappointing in any way, and surely we’ll see him in later episodes and seasons to come.

If it was up to us, we would have wanted Game of Thrones to run for a couple of more seasons at least. Not more than that because we wish to sound reasonable. But whether we digest it or not, the sensational HBO show is over for good. Books and spinoffs aside, of course. Despite the end of its run, it’s a show that’s bound to remain with us as is the case with all stories that indulge, enchant, and entertain.

There’s no doubt indeed that it was the biggest show ever and perhaps one of the best in most all-time lists. But a little more validation doesn’t hurt anyone. Thus, Game of Thrones fans would be glad to hear that the fantasy show has secured the #1 position in a list of 100 Greatest TV Shows of the 21^st Century featuring on Digital Spy’s debut magazine issue on Apple News+. Read on to find out more.

Digital Spy is a U.K.-based entertainment, film, and TV website. They have produced the final list based on a readers’ poll; where people were asked to vote for their favorite TV shows from a list of 150 shows that began airing from 2000 onwards. So, the shows that premiered in the 1990s or 1980s but still running in the 21^st century could not find their way into the list. Thus, no Friends or The Sopranos.

Game of Thrones grabbed the top position by popular opinion, followed by Stranger Things and Doctor Who in the second and third spots respectively. The digital magazine also contains audio stories titled “An Oral History of the Greatest TV Show of Our Time”; which feature words from the cast and many other insider stories from the decade-long run of GoT.

The following shows made it to the top ten in the list of 100 Greatest TV Shows of the 21^st Century –

1) Game of Thrones

2) Stranger Things

3) Doctor Who

4) Sherlock

5) Breaking Bad

6) The Great British Bake Off

7) Killing Eve

8) Gavin and Stacey

9) Line of Duty

10) Chernobyl

Laurence Mozafari, the editor of Digital Spy, shared his thoughts about the list, reports ET Canada. “Digital Spy readers are deeply passionate about their favorite TV shows and that’s shone through with the voting on this poll. Whist there’s been an array of amazing shows from the last 20 years, it’s not too hard to see why ‘Game of Thrones’ has resonated so strongly with the public. George R.R. Martin likes to tell a big story and it’s no easy thing to pull off a fantasy epic without looking silly; but with 269 awards worldwide and more plaudits coming its way, ‘Game of Thrones’ really has raised the bar for entertainment.”

Mozafari also discussed the strong British presence on the list. “It was also extremely interesting to see top 10 placings for U.K. shows like ‘Gavin and Stacey’ – which despite one Christmas special has not aired a new episode for 10 years – and ‘The Great British Bake Off’, which has generated entertainment around baking that no one could have predicted. They prove that British humour and genres really do strike a special chord with the public.”

The full list of the 100 greatest shows appears in the digital magazine issue of Digital Spy; available to be read on Apple News+ with a free one-month trial. So, if you have an Apple device, good for you.

What are your thoughts on this distinction for Game of Thrones? Talk to us in the comments section.

We have been locked in for a good part of this year. Although things are gradually opening up, it’s still the norm that you should only go out if and when it’s necessary. So, we can say that many activities which aren’t strictly need-based are still shut down. During this period of COVID-19 lockdowns, hopeful things have eluded us constantly. However, we have heard about a few exciting developments as well; prime among which was the news about the progress on The Winds of Winter.

George R.R. Martin had informed us that the lockdown had helped him to write and that he was writing every day. Now, the author of the ASOIAF (A Song of Ice and Fire) series has given another update on his journey of finishing the penultimate novel in the book series. He also shared the position of the prequel TV series, The House of the Dragon in response to pandemic problems. Read on to find out more.

Martin has been posting regularly on his Not a Blog throughout the period of the lockdown. In a recent post titled “Writing, Reading, Writing”, he talked about The Winds of Winter. “If nothing else, the enforced isolation has helped me write. I am spending long hours every day on THE WINDS OF WINTER, and making steady progress. I finished a new chapter yesterday, another one three days ago, another one the previous week,” he wrote.

Further, he cautioned us against assuming that the book is almost complete. “But no, this does not mean that the book will be finished tomorrow or published next week. It’s going to be a huge book, and I still have a long way to go. Please do not give any credence to any of the click-bait websites that like to parse every word of my posts as if they were papal encyclicals to divine hidden meanings.”

GRRM expressed his sadness over the fact that the Worldcon in New Zealand (CoNZealand) this year has had to go virtual. But he’s positive that now he doesn’t have to compromise with the rhythm he’s in lately. “The last thing I need right now is a long interruption that might cost me all the momentum I have built up. I can always visit Wellington (in New Zealand) next year, when I hope that both Covid-19 and THE WINDS OF WINTER will be done.” So, that’s the latest estimate Martin provided which suggests that we could expect TWOW somewhere in 2021.

He is still participating in the Worldcon through the virtual domain though. While he has been busy in pre-recording some of his parts for the event, he keeps attending to his writerly duties in Westeros. “In between tapings, I return to Westeros. Of late I have been visiting with Cersei, Asha, Tyrion, Ser Barristan, and Areo Hotah. I will be dropping back into Braavos next week. I have bad days, which get me down, and good days, which lift me up, but all in all I am pleased with the way things are doing.”

Industries and businesses have taken a serious hit when people had to go indoors due to coronavirus. But Martin reassured us about the confirmed Game of Thrones prequel. “Hollywood has slowed to a crawl thanks to the pandemic, but THE HOUSE OF THE DRAGON is still flying wonderfully, thanks to Ryan Condal and his writers, and the tireless Ti Mikkel.” Mikkel is one of the writers who are assisting the show creators with the scripts.

GRRM left us with a tempting taste of blood when he signed off. “Now you will have to excuse me. Arya is calling. I think she means to kill someone,” he wrote at the last. We know who comes to your mind by that. But the books do not deal with White Walkers the same way as the show did. So, Arya here could be just after anyone on her list.

What are your thoughts about this update? Talk to us in the comments below.

Raging protests took place in the United States along with the rest of the world after George Floyd, an African-American, was pinned to death by four policemen. The incident took place on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and ever since then, the Black Lives Matter movement has caught fire across the globe; including all the fifty states of the USA. Although violent riots broke out in some places, most people raised their voices peacefully against racial injustice and police brutality. George R. R. Martin, the man whose words brought Game of Thrones to life, also voiced his opinion on his Not a Blog.

In a post titled “Words for our Times”, Martin posted a picture with two quotes by Frederick Douglass; a famous African-American social reformer who spoke and wrote against slavery. “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will,” read the first one. The American author wrote no words of his own yet clearly expressed his unease and anger towards the way people have segregated various sections of the society based on class, race, and gender. The ignorance of the society and of those in power regarding such issues has cost the safety of our freedom, life, and diversity. It has only spread hatred and brought ruin to the marginalized groups.

Many from the Game of Thrones cast had come out in the open to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Actors like Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Kerry Ingram (Shireen Baratheon), and Richard Madden (Robb Stark) took to streets and walked and chanted with the protesters. Other celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pitt, and Michael B. Jordan also spoke for equality and the stake of black voices in different aspects of the society. Slogans like “No justice No peace”, “White silence is violence”, “I can’t breathe” echoed through the streets.

The US President, Donald Trump’s recent statement calling “Black Lives Matter” a symbol of hate has raised questions about the role of the people in power. However, the office of the President has made it clear that it was meant for the organization of the same name that they claim is leading people to violence and extremism. Whatever the reasons, it’s not possible to rule out any government from the equations of injustice. It’s a burden shared by every citizen which is mirrored in the face of our leaders.

You can tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.