Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season seven, including speculation of future events.
Sunday's premiere episode of "Game of Thrones" season seven started with a vicious, victorious scene for Arya Stark that left fans cheering. But it was the preview of what's to come for Arya on next week's episode that really sent fans into a tizzy.
In the preview for season seven, episode two, Arya appears to be confronted by a wolf that many fans are hoping is her former direwolf, Nymeria. And they lost their minds:
Nymeria and Arya reunion next week!#GameofThrones#GoTAtlantic#GoTS7pic.twitter.com/MfAepRkfWL
— Jon Snow (@JonNightsWatch) July 17, 2017
NYMERIA #ATimeForWolves#GameOfThronespic.twitter.com/nCUbLwEzAW
— Night's King (@WightsKing) July 17, 2017
THAT NYMERIA ON THE TRAILER!!!!!!!!! #GameOfTronespic.twitter.com/KqodbsGdJU
— Nanda Fiore (@Nanda_SC) July 17, 2017
On the next #GameOfThrones, the wolves return. Or, rather, one wolf does.
Welcome back, Queen Nymeria. pic.twitter.com/umRgwvdug7
— Ros (@GameOverRos) July 17, 2017#GameofThrones next week-
Did anyone else see #Nymeria?
What would make #AryaStark more badass? HER DIREWOLF!#thenorthremembers#GOTs7pic.twitter.com/uE6rWxPDGx
— A Girl Has No Name (@lorislifehacks) July 17, 2017Fans haven't seen Arya with her direwolf since season one when Arya forced Nymeria to run away because she feared for her direwolf's life after she attacked Prince Joffrey. It was a heartbreaking scene that didn't bode well for the Starks or Arya on their way to King's Landing.
Though that's the last we saw of the direwolf on the show (so far), in the books, it appears as though Arya has "wolf dreams" where she is able to warg into Nymeria's body, just like what her brother Bran could do with his direwolf Summer. It's implied from those dreams, as well as in tales across Westeros, that a ravenous wolf pack is terrorizing the Riverlands, helmed by a great huge she-wolf — we assume this to be Nymeria.
Obviously, fans are hoping Nymeria on next week's episode will also have a badass wolf pack. And they have reason to be excited. Time Magazine hinted at the presence of multiple wolves on the "Game of Thrones" season seven set.
"During my visit, wolves described in the script as 'skinny and mangy' showed up to the shoot looking fluffy and lustrous," Time reporter Daniel D'Addario wrote in a feature.
Seeing Nymeria would mean a lot to direwolf fans. The only other living direwolf on the show is Ghost — Jon Snow's albino companion — after Bran's direwolf, Summer, was killed by wights at the end of season six.
And while we do hope to see more of Ghost on season seven, the prospect of having Arya and Nymeria reunite is way, way cooler.
You can watch the preview for next week's episode here.