Nymeria is the direwolf of Arya Stark of Winterfell. As the litter mate of Grey Wind, Ghost, Summer, Shaggydog, and Lady, Nymeria got bonded to her owner Arya and got controlled while the little girl slept; this bonding was because of the Starks’ ability to warg. After Arya and her sister Sansa Stark left Winterfell, they traveled in King Robert Baratheon’s company. An accident occurs that forces Arya to send Nymeria away. Soon the direwolf becomes the leader of a pack of wolves.
Nymeria Details
- Name: Nymeria.
- Year of Birth: 298 AC.
- Species: Direwolf.
- Owner: Arya Stark.
- Aliases: The Night Wolf, The Little Sister.
- Eye Color: Dark Golden.
- Fur Color: Grey.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
Lord Eddard Stark leaves Winterfell with his sons to execute Gared, a deserter of the Night’s Watch. After the execution, Bran and his brothers stumble on a dead direwolf. Before leaving, they realize the direwolf has five pups, and though Ned Stark orders them to get killed, Bran begs his father to keep them.
Jon convinces Ned and agrees that the direwolves should get given to each of his children. Before leaving, a sixth white direwolf gets found, and Jon takes it as his own. On returning to Winterfell, Ned’s children are each given their direwolf. Arya names hers after the Nymeria, the Princess of Dorne who founded House Nymeros Martell.
When Ned agrees to become the Hand of the King, Nymeria accompanies Arya south to King’s Landing. In the Trident, Prince Joffrey Baratheon and Sansa go on a walk and get drunk. They stumble across Arya and Mycah, the son of a butcher.
After mocking them for fighting, Joffrey orders Mycah to battle him, and when the young boy refuses, he pricks him with his sword, Arya steps in for her friend and gets cut by Joffrey. Before he injures her further, Nymeria steps in and wounds the prince. Arya tosses Joff’s sword away and flees with her direwolf. When a court gets held, Cersei asks that the direwolf get killed.
Jory Cassel gets sent to find Arya, and he sees her alone with her direwolf. Knowing Nymeria would get killed, he helps Arya chase the beast away. Sansa’s direwolf, Lady, gets killed instead.
When Bran wakes up from his coma, he begins dreaming through Nymeria’s brother, Summer’s body. He and his brother Rickon learn that their father got executed.
A Clash of Kings
After escaping from King’s Landing with Yoren, Arya hears rumors of a large female wolf who leads a pack around the Gods Eye and has no fear of men. Lord William Mooton tries to hunt her but loses their hounds and retreats.
A Storm of Swords
When she escapes from Harrenhal, Arya comes across a pack of wolves while searching for the way to Riverrun. She howls at them, and the pack leader responds, although she does not see their leader. Later, her warg bond kicks in as she dreams in Nymeria’s body.
While having a wolf dream, Arya watches Iggo of the Bloody Mummers and his companions, who got sent after her, get killed. Later, Arya sees Nymeria pull out her mother, Catelyn Stark’s body from a river after the Red Wedding. Catelyn’s body gets discovered by the Brotherhood without Banners. Lord Beric Dondarrion gives her the kiss of life, and she becomes Lady Stoneheart.
A Feast for Crows
Arya travels to the House of Black and White in Braavos, and while in Essos, she dreams through Nymeria and realizes the direwolf now leads a mighty pack in the forest. Meanwhile, Septon Meribald reports the emergence of wolves in the Trident.
The wild animals become a problem as Ser Danwell Frey complains to Jaime Lannister about getting attacked by beasts in the Riverlands when they travel from the Twins. When Ser Dermot of the Rainwood scouts Riverrun, he discovers that two of his sentries got killed by wolves, and before the last one died, he talked about a monstrous she-wolf.
A Dance with Dragons
While in a wolf dream, Jon Snow sees Nymeria singing with the wolves of her pack. Meanwhile, in the temple of the Faceless Men, Arya gets blinded for killing Dareon of the Night’s Watch. She walks into Nymeria’s body and witnesses the first snow in the Riverlands. She watches her direwolf and pack feast on a shepherd and his flock.
Appearance in Adaptation
Nymeria got featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones seasons 1 and 7 along with her siblings. She followed Arya to as far as the Inn at the Crossroads. However, when she injured Joffrey, Arya chased her away. Later, she meets the Stark kid on her way to Winterfell. On realizing Nymeria has a new life, Arya lets her go with her pack.
Nymeria: The Fierce Beast
Though she got separated from her brothers and sisters, Nymeria became one of the fiercest beats in Westeros. Before being the leader of a great pack, she was a loyal companion to Arya and defended her with her life. Her resilience and bond with Arya made her discern enemies from friends as she preyed on those who hated the Starks.
FAQs
Is Nymeria the fiercest direwolf?
In A Song of Ice and Fire, Nymeria becomes the most feared beast in the Seven Kingdoms. Though her brother Grey Wind was also a terror, he got killed during the Red Wedding.
What happens to Nymeria?
After Arya and Jory Cassel chase her away, she becomes the leader of the wolves and causes terror. With Arya dream-walking in her, she pulls Catelyn Stark’s body from a river and kills the men chasing Arya and her friends.
Why did Arya name her direwolf Nymeria?
Arya always loved the tale of Princess Nymeria of Dorne. She idolized the Princess who created House Nymeros Martell and named her direwolf after her to show her love.
What did Arya do after meeting Nymeria again?
In Game of Thrones, Arya lets Nymeria go after meeting her. Because her direwolf had a new family, she let her run off into the wild.
