A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ep 4 Recap: Dunk’s Trial of Seven & Surprise Ally

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Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 4 ahead!

Ser Duncan the Tall finds himself in a tricky situation in the fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. In the previous episode, he bravely defended Tanselle from Prince Aerion Targaryen, but hitting a member of the royal family meant he’d likely face serious consequences. Fortunately, Dunk’s squire, Egg, unexpectedly revealed he’s actually Prince Aegon Targaryen, offering a temporary reprieve from punishment in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

In the fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk finds himself imprisoned under Ashford Castle, unsure of his fate. The episode opens with Egg visiting him, now dressed appropriately for his princely status. Following an emotional apology from Egg and a stern response from Dunk, Prince Baelor calls Dunk forward to decide what will happen next.

We learn that Egg’s brother, Daeron, accused Dunk of kidnapping him, making it even more important that Dunk be punished. While King Baelor acknowledges Dunk’s bravery, he feels he has no choice but to allow the trial to proceed. Dunk will be tried for his offenses against the Targaryen family. In the beginning of the fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Baelor suggests Dunk request a trial by combat, but the situation soon becomes much more complex.

Dunk Is Required To Fight In A Trial Of Seven

When Dunk is presented before the lords of Ashford and the Targaryen princes, he follows Baelor’s advice and requests a Trial by Combat. Aerion protests, but Baelor and Maekar point out that Dunk is legally entitled to this right. As a result, the prince insists that Dunk face a Trial of Seven.

In the fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we learn that a Trial of Seven is an old, but uncommon, practice used to settle disputes. It involves a battle between the accused and six of their chosen champions against the accuser and their own six fighters. This seven-on-seven fight is performed to invoke the Seven Gods and ensure a fair judgment.

Prince Maekar quickly realizes his son is requesting a Trial of Seven not to seek justice, but to avoid a direct duel with Ser Duncan. The rules state that if Dunk doesn’t appear with seven champions, the matter is considered settled by the gods. Arion understands, and Dunk himself knows, that it’s almost impossible for a poor, unknown knight to gather six supporters. To both of them, it’s clear Dunk would effectively be forfeiting his right to fight, and likely much more.

Dunk Receives His New Shield Ahead Of The Battle

In the third episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Egg was supposed to retrieve Dunk’s shield from Tanselle, who had repainted it. During this visit, Prince Aerion attacked Tanselle, and Dunk was called in to stop him. The fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shows that the puppeteers quickly left town after Dunk’s arrest, but Tanselle had already left the shield with the armorer, Steely Pate.

Taselle crafted a stunning shield for Dunk. But as he examines it, Dunk worries he’s unknowingly requested a symbol of his own demise. The shield’s orange background resembles a sunset, hinting at darkness to come, and the falling star seems to predict a significant downfall.

Okay, so things are pretty bleak for Dunk, and honestly, you can’t blame him for feeling down. But then Steely Pate shows up and offers a little bit of hope. It’s a small moment – pointing out the green of the elm tree, only asking for one copper for strengthening Dunk’s shield – but it’s powerful. It really hits home that Dunk isn’t as isolated as he thinks. He’s got people in his corner, more than he even realizes, and that’s a surprisingly heartwarming realization in a world that feels pretty grim.

Prince Daeron’s Dream About Dunk Explained

Dunk was feeling lonely, as the Fossoways were his only friends. Just then, Egg showed up with his brother, Prince Daeron. Dunk wasn’t happy to see Daeron, though. Earlier, Daeron, who had been drinking, falsely told his father, Maekar, that Egg had been kidnapped. Now, Dunk was facing charges for several crimes against the king. While it didn’t really help his situation, Daeron did seem genuinely apologetic.

So, Daeron’s stuck fighting with Aerion in the Trial of Seven, which is rough. He actually told Dunk he doesn’t plan on really fighting, which I found kind of interesting. But the big thing, the reason he came to Dunk, was to finally talk about this crazy dream he’s been having – the one he had that nightmare about way back in the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms after he first saw Dunk at the inn. It’s clearly been bothering him!

Daeron had a dream where a dragon fell on Dunk, but surprisingly, Dunk survived and the dragon died. In the fourth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk wonders if he was the one who killed the dragon. Daeron isn’t sure, but he has a feeling Dunk will somehow be involved in the death of a member of the Targaryen family.

Daeron claims his dreams often turn out to be real, suggesting he’s a “dragon dreamer” – a rare individual in the Targaryen family with prophetic dreams, as described in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the A Song of Ice and Fire series. These dreams generally end up happening in some form.

Ser Steffon Fossoway’s Betrayal Explained

Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO

Dunk’s main advantage at the Trial of Seven seemed to be Ser Steffon Fossoway, who volunteered to help and went off to gather support. The next morning, Dunk was surprised to find several men ready to fight with him, but they hadn’t been recruited by Steffon. It was actually Egg who’d convinced Lyonel Baratheon, Robyn Rhysling, and both Humfreys – Beesbury and Hardying – to join their side.

Dunk was almost set – he just needed one more man to reach the required seven – but Steffon Fossoway unexpectedly switched sides, declaring his support for Prince Aerion at the last possible moment. This was a cruel betrayal that could ruin Dunk’s chances. Luckily, Steffon’s cousin, Raymon Fossoway, quickly volunteered to take his place and asked to be knighted immediately. Ser Lyonel obliged, making Raymon a knight, but Dunk still needed one more fighter.

Prince Baelor Targaryen Takes Ser Duncan’s Side In The Trial Of Seven

Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO

Dunk’s search for the missing men in episode 4 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms might have been pointless. Without someone to vouch for him, he feared he’d be seen as guilty. In a last-ditch effort, Dunk gives an impassioned speech to the crowd at Ashford Meadow, reminding them he defended Tanselle because of his knightly oath and urging them to show their own honor by supporting him. For a moment, it seems like someone will step forward to help, but instead of offering his sword, the man lets out a loud fart.

Dunk’s speech didn’t exactly inspire the crowd, but his honesty and good manners did catch the eye of someone at Ashford. Just when Dunk was losing hope, Prince Baelor – the King’s Hand and future ruler – arrived in a grand display, announcing he would support Dunk.

Baelor’s declaration is undoubtedly the most impactful moment so far in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It was such a big moment, in fact, that the show used the iconic Game of Thrones theme song. This was a brilliant touch, as it’s incredibly compelling to see a Targaryen prince choose to battle his own family to defend the honor of a common knight. An ending like that leaves no doubt we’ll be tuning in for episode 5 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

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2026-02-06 11:30