The beloved “Game of Thrones” dire wolf has returned … or has it? Folks online are sharing their take after a genetic engineering company called Colossal Biosciences brought the canine — that has been extinct nearly 10,000 years — back to life. While some are just having fun with it all, others are providing some clarification amongst the chatter.
“This one is F—G WILD. Literally. Ben Lamm and his team are Colossal Biosciences have brought back the Dire Wolf,” former TV host and podcaster Joe Rogan tweeted on Monday.
Colossal announced the news on Monday with the introduction of Romulus and Remus, “the first animals ever resurrected from extinction.”
“The dire wolf, we lost to history over 10,000 years ago, has returned. Reborn on Oct. 1, 2024, these remarkable pups were brought back to life using ancient DNA extracted from fossilized remains,” the company explained. The feat was accomplished through the DNA extraction of two fossils in addition to 20 edits of the genetic code of a gray wolf, which is the most closely related family member, per Colossal.
In between sharing adorable videos, many are calling out the news as a bit “misleading,” especially for devout “Game of Thrones” fans. The dire wolf is the ultimate symbol of the House Stark of Winterfell, a Great House of Westeros that rules the north. The most popular pups in the series were Jon Stark’s Ghost, Arya Stark’s Nymeria and Robb Stark’s Grey Wind.
“Misleading as f—k,” one X user said. “This is a Grey Wolf with genetic modification. There is no Dire genes in this.”
“It’s not a dire wolf,” another X user chimed in. “It’s a gray wolf clone with 20 dire-wolf gene edits, and with some dire wolf traits.”
And others, well, they are just having a good time with it all.
“Bro, we literally got actual dire wolves before we ‘Winds of Winter,’” one X user tweeted, referring to “A Song of Ice and Fire” novelist George R.R. Martin and the forthcoming release of his sixth book, “The Winds of Winter.” Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” was adapted into the beloved HBO series.
“Even direwolf khaleesi is the youngest sister of two brothers and the last of an extinct family,” another X user joked.
Whether folks are just laughing at the news or taking things more seriously, here are some of the best reactions:
