3 Most Powerful Beasts in Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones takes place in a magical world, just like The Lord of the Rings, but the similarities more or less stop there. J.R.R. Tolkien’s story focuses on the battle between good and evil, whereas George R.R. Martin’s work chooses to blur the lines, creating room for a gray area. No one in Westeros has the ability to be selfless because the world around them is dark and full of terrors. However, there is one group of characters that becomes nothing more than pawns in the battle for the Iron Throne: animals. From the birds to the fish, every kind of animal in Game of Thrones finds a way to impact the story.

Like the human world, the animal world has a pecking order in Westeros. The strong prey on the weak, but it’s not really a fair fight after looking at all of the options. Here are the three most powerful beasts in HBO’s Game of Thrones.

3) Direwolves

The very first episode of Game of Thrones features the first appearance of direwolves in the series. The Stark family, which uses a direwolf as its sigil, stumbles upon a litter of puppies and takes them in. Each one of the Stark children takes one of the babies, including Jon Snow, Ned Stark’s bastard son. As the direwolves grow bigger, they become effective bodyguards, shielding their owners from harm when it presents itself.

Direwolves are just as much sword as they are shield, though, with Robb Stark taking his direwolf Grey Wind into battle during the War of the Five Kings. Jon’s direwolf, Ghost, also doesn’t shy away from a fight, helping his owner take down rogue members of the Night Watch and the occasional White Walker. As the Red Wedding proves, it’s not all that hard to kill a direwolf, but they aren’t something to cross when they’re living.

2) Mammoths

Jon’s world becomes bigger than he ever imagined when he travels to the lands Beyond the Wall. Initially, the most surprising thing he comes across is the giants, massive humanoid creatures that team up with the Free Folk when things start to get dicey in the North. However, Jon’s perspective changes quickly when he lays his eyes on a mammoth, which the giants ride into battle.

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Elephants also exist in Game of Thrones, as the Golden Company uses them in the final season, but they have nothing on the mammoths. During the Battle for the Wall, a mammoth tears apart part of a gate at Castle Black, allowing the wildlings to advance into the fortress. At least one mammoth goes down during the skirmish, though, so it’s hard to put the beast any higher than second on this list because there’s another creature that’s nearly indestructible.

1) Dragons

At one point, dragons were the greatest power in Westeros. However, after years of being hunted, they are nothing but a fantasy at the start of Game of Thrones. Daenerys Targaryen receives three dragon eggs as a wedding present, but she doesn’t think much of them. Things change when they burn on a pyre and hatch, giving birth to three real dragons. Daenerys treats the beasts like her children, growing very attached as she continues her journey across Essos.

As the dragons get bigger, they start causing more and more problems. Eventually, Daenerys has to lock up her babies, but a fight in Meereen grants them their freedom. From that point on, the three dragons act as Daenerys’ hammer, laying waste to any enemy in her way. The good times don’t last forever, though, because two of the dragons lose their lives, one at the hands of the Night King and the other to Euron Greyjoy’s scorpion weapon. Fortunately, the biggest of the three, Drogon, is enough to seize King’s Landing. They don’t finesse in their arsenals, but there’s a reason the Targaryens call on dragons anytime they have a problem.

Game of Thrones is streaming on HBO Max.

Do you think dragons, direwolves, and mammoths are the strongest beasts in Game of Thrones? Are there any other creatures that call Westeros home that deserve to be recognized for their strength? Let us know in the comments below!