The director of the fourth episode of the final season of Game of Thrones, David Nutter, has elaborated on the farewell bestowed upon Ghost by Jon Snow in "The Last of the Starks."

Speaking with the Huffington Post, Nutter explained the decision to not have Jon pet his direwolf in the episode came down to simplicity due to the computer-generated nature of Ghost, adding that he felt it was a more powerful moment that way.

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"Since the direwolves are kind of CG creations, we felt it best to keep it as simple as possible," Nutter said. "And I think that it played out much more powerfully that way."

"Keeping Ghost off to the side, I thought that played out better," he continued. "Then he just walks off by himself, he turns to Ghost and has this moment with Ghost that I thought was very, very powerful."

Actors John Bradley (Samwell Tarly) and Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) also commented on Jon's decision to have Ghost go north of The Wall with the remaining Free Folk.

"I think that Jon knows what he's leaving behind," Bradley said. "Jon Snow is a noble man, and he knows all about sacrifice ... He knows what he has to keep safe, and he knows he has a responsibility to Ghost and a responsibility to Sam, Gilly and Baby Sam because he knows where they'll be safe. He was very aware of the sacrifice of leaving those figures behind, and they know — hopefully, Ghost knows what he means to Jon — and Jon knows what Ghost means to him."

"I think Jon is right that the south isn't the place for a direwolf," Hivju added. "In Episode 2 or 3 they killed one of them [Lady, Sansa’s direwolf] — it's a wild animal, it's like a wolf plus two! I think it's best for Ghost to go north."

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Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, Game of Thrones stars Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Maisie Williams as Arya Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow.