A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Episode 2 Recap: The Targaryens Arrive & The Tournament Begins

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Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 2 ahead!

The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 marks the start of the tournament with the arrival of the Targaryens at Ashford Meadow. The show, a Game of Thrones spin-off, began by introducing Dunk, a young man whose knight mentor recently died. Now without a clear path forward, Dunk travels to the tournament hoping to prove himself and earn knighthood. Along the way, he takes on a young boy named Egg as his squire.

When I arrived at Ashford Meadow with Dunk, his biggest problem was that he had no proof he was a knight. He kept telling everyone about Ser Arlan, hoping someone important at the tournament would remember him and confirm Dunk’s knighthood. But when the Targaryens actually showed up and the tournament officially began, it felt like his chances were slipping away. It was really frustrating to watch, because he deserved to be recognized!

The Targaryens Have Officially Arrived At The Tournament

Okay, so in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Daeron II is sitting on the Iron Throne. We don’t actually see him make an appearance in episode two, but his sons definitely do. Baelor, the elder, is the heir apparent and currently acting as the King’s Hand – basically his right-hand man. His brother, Maekar, is much further down the line of succession, so he’s not quite as powerful or influential at this point.

Watching Lord Ashford greet the Targaryen princes, Dunk has a bad encounter with Aerion, one of Maekar’s sons. Aerion is clearly unpleasant – much like Prince Joffrey from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he’s a spoiled royal who enjoys being cruel to those he considers beneath him.

Dunk Overhears That Two Targaryen Princes Are Missing

Prince Maekar had four sons, but only Aerion joined the Targaryen group at the tournament. In the second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk finds a hidden passage leading to Lord Ashford’s house. He ends up near the hall where the royal brothers are staying and overhears that Maekar is missing two of his sons.

In the second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Princes Daeron and Aegon have been missing for a full day. Dunk overhears a conversation where Baelor suggests Maekar made a mistake by having Daeron compete in the tournament, implying the young prince wasn’t eager to participate. While Baelor believes the princes will reappear, Lord Ashford’s unusual daughter tells Dunk she thinks they are likely dead.

Prince Baelor Targaryen Confirms Dunk’s Knighthood

Given how big and awkward Dunk is, it wasn’t surprising that the Targaryen princes discovered where he was hiding in episode 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Maekar demands he reveal himself, and Dunk takes a chance, explaining that he can’t compete without someone to vouch for him. Unfortunately, none of the knights present remembered Ser Arlan, and Dunk is hoping Prince Baelor will be the exception.

Surprisingly, Baelor remembers something about Dunk’s former master. He recalls that Ser Arlan of Pennytree wasn’t a winning knight, but he always fought with honor. However, knowing Ser Arlan was a knight wasn’t enough to prove Dunk had been his squire. So, Baelor decided to test Dunk’s story. He mentioned that Ser Arlan had once unseated a knight known as the Grey Lion, and asked Dunk what the Grey Lion’s real name was – something Dunk would surely know if he’d heard the story as often as he claimed.

It takes Dunk a beat, but he finally identifies the Grey Lion as Ser Damon Lannister, who is now Lord of Casterly Rock. Baelor appears truly happy that Dunk guessed correctly. He speaks well of the hedge knight and gets confirmation from the Master of Games that Dunk is allowed to compete. With the future King’s approval, it was clear that Ser Duncan the Tall was a legitimate knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Dunk’s New Sigil & Armor Explained

After leaving the Targaryen princes, Baelor made me realize this new knight, Dunk, needed a shield repaint – apparently, only someone from the Arlan family is allowed to joust with that sigil. That led me to Taselle Too-Tall, the Dornish girl I’d seen working the puppet shows. When I found out she actually painted the puppets, I had to ask if she could do my shield too, and give it a completely new design!

Dunk, assisted by Egg, creates a new design for his sigil. He envisions a central elm tree, inspired by the one they camped under, set against a sunset-colored background. Above the tree, he wants a shooting star, remembering the lucky sign they saw when they first arrived in Ashford. Tanselle agrees to create the design, though Dunk embarrasses himself trying to flirt with her first.

Having given his shield to Tanselle, Dunk went to see Steely Pate, a highly respected armorer known for his quality and direct manner. It soon became clear in the second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms that Dunk couldn’t afford Steely Pate’s services. However, the armorer took pity on him and agreed to accept Ser Arlan’s old armor as part of the payment. To cover the remaining cost, Dunk sadly sold his favorite horse, Sweetfoot, hoping to buy her back once he became a celebrated champion.

Dunk’s Revelation About Ser Arlan In Episode 2 Explained

The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a significant step in Dunk’s development. He essentially earns his knighthood in this episode. When he arrived at Ashford, he lacked the symbols of a knight – a family crest, proper armor, and even official proof of his title. It seems likely that Ser Arlan may not have formally knighted him at all, as hinted at in a previous flashback. But by the end of the episode, Ser Duncan the Tall has impressed Prince Baelor and finally obtained his own armor and crest.

While trying to become a real knight, Dunk starts thinking about Ser Arlan and what kind of man he was. The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showed flashbacks of Arlan’s life. By the end, Dunk realizes that Ser Arlan wasn’t a famous hero and didn’t have many close friends, making Dunk question if he was a truly great knight.

Dunk felt a fatherly love for his master. But after witnessing the beginning of the tournament, Ser Duncan decided he didn’t want to simply follow in Arlan’s path. As the story, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, unfolds, Dunk is driven to become a truly exceptional knight, surpassing Ser Arlan in skill and reputation. Whether he succeeds will depend on the events of the Tournament at Ashford.

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2026-01-26 06:39