A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Recap: Oak and Iron

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The latest episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now available to stream on HBO Max, having premiered ahead of schedule this week.

“Oak and iron guard me well / Or else I’m dead and doomed to hell”
— Old Westerosi ‘Shield Rhyme’

George R.R. Martin is a master storyteller known for his unexpected twists. He expertly leads readers to believe one thing will happen, then throws in a completely unforeseen complication. Game of Thrones fans will always remember the shocking Red Wedding and Purple Wedding – in fact, any wedding in the series was fraught with danger. I personally keep thinking about the fight between Oberyn Martell and the Mountain; Oberyn had almost won against his much larger opponent, but a moment of hesitation proved fatal, resulting in a devastating injury.

The beauty of a Martin story is that you can’t predict where it’s going. Take the early chapters of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, for instance. It initially feels like a classic underdog sports story, or even a comedy about outsiders taking on the establishment. This newcomer, Ser Duncan the Tall – who isn’t even a proper knight – enters a jousting tournament with his small squire, risking everything on the chance he can defeat the more experienced and wealthy lords and princes. You think you know how it will play out – the unlikely pair of Dunk and Egg will somehow overcome the odds and prove everyone wrong. Don’t you?

That’s not how things work in this story. Last week’s episode ended with Dunk being arrested, which means he’s lost his chance to win the tournament. He’ll continue to compete, but now he’s fighting for more than just his career – his life is on the line.

This week’s episode, “Seven,” isn’t as relaxed and enjoyable as last week’s excellent “The Squire.” It’s more serious and focused on characters dealing with consequences, which is necessary for the story to move forward, but it’s still very compelling.

The episode opens with Prince Aegon confronting Ser Duncan in Lord Ashford’s dungeon. Aegon, who needs to explain his actions, seems both apologetic and unwilling to fully admit fault. He claims he didn’t realize he was doing anything wrong, but Dunk clearly disagrees. Aegon explains he’d been excited to serve as a squire at the tournament for his brother, Prince Daeron – known for his heavy drinking – whom Dunk discovered passed out at a tavern. Because Daeron was unable and unwilling to compete, Aegon took matters into his own hands and found someone to take his place.

Duncan isn’t comforted by Egg’s explanation at all. In fact, it makes him feel like he’s simply being used to cater to a prince’s desires – like someone who exists only to avoid disappointing royalty. Despite his frustration, when Duncan is summoned before Egg’s uncle, the just Prince Baelor, he defends his squire, calling him a “good boy.” He’s angry with Egg, but he believes in doing what’s right.

Considering how well Duncan and Baelor connected before, it’s encouraging that the king’s advisor is getting involved. Baelor understands what happened: Egg tricked Dunk into fighting Prince Aerion. He also believes knights should always protect the innocent, and he’s already assured Aerion that he won’t allow Ser Duncan to be executed without a proper trial.

Despite everything, the accusations against Dunk are too severe to ignore. He defended a woman who supposedly insulted the royal family, and then physically attacked Aerion, which legally calls for a harsh punishment – the loss of a hand and foot. Adding to the issue, Daeron claims Dunk kidnapped Aegon to cover up his own carelessness – admitting he was too drunk to notice his brother had wandered off. Because of all this, a trial is absolutely necessary.

That’s why Dunk finds himself going to the tournament grounds. Realizing he’d lose his case in court – and effectively end his knighthood if he lost a limb – Ser Duncan follows Baelor’s advice and asks for a trial by combat. This offer is presented to Aerion, who is informed that refusing it would be the same as dropping his accusation. Aerion then proposes a “trial by seven,” an old custom where each person involved is joined by six supporters on the battlefield, representing the judgment of the seven gods.

Dunk faces strong competition. Aerion will be fighting alongside his father, three members of the Kingsguard, and his brother Daeron. Daeron actually promises Dunk he won’t fight his hardest if Dunk manages to unhorse him quickly. Then there’s Ser Steffon Fossoway, who first pledges to help Duncan and even promises to gather more allies – saying, “I won’t let you die!” – but later betrays him when the Targaryens offer him a lordship. This is another example of expectations being turned on their head.

The disruption wasn’t what anyone expected. As Lord Ashford’s guests assembled to witness the trial, Ser Duncan delivered an impassioned speech, praising the bravery of Ser Arlan and urging the assembled nobles to join his cause and demonstrate their own courage. But instead of a noble response, a large, powerfully built man stood up… and immediately let out a loud fart.

Earlier, Steely Pate gives Dunk a reinforced and newly painted shield, created by Tanselle. In a typical tale, Dunk would have charmed Tanselle, and she’d have been his enthusiastic supporter, maybe even giving him a ribbon for his lance. But this is a story by George R.R. Martin, so Tanselle actually escapes the castle as quickly as possible. And when Dunk looks at the painting she did – a beautiful scene with a sunset and falling star – it makes him think about mortality.

The episode doesn’t end badly, as a few positive things happen. Steely Pate offers some encouragement, noticing that the elm tree Tanselle painted on Ser Duncan’s shield is still healthy and growing. And with Egg’s assistance, Dunk manages to gather seven knights to his side. Lyonel Baratheon is one of them, eager to fight the kingsguard, while Raymun Fossoway joins to avenge his cousin’s disloyalty. They’re also joined by Ser Robyn, known as one of the most volatile knights in Westeros, and Ser Humfrey Hardyng, who’s seeking revenge for his jousting injury last week. Ser Humfrey is accompanied by his brother-in-law, Ser Humfrey Beesbury.

The most exciting moment of the episode arrives when Prince Baelor decides to join Ser Duncan. This is a surprising yet familiar story element – Baelor’s unexpected arrival feels like a classic turning point, shifting the odds in favor of the underdog. Just like Steely Pate’s strong defense, Baelor’s decision significantly strengthens Duncan’s group, giving them a much-needed boost.

Baelor’s entrance is highlighted by the iconic Game of Thrones theme music – a move clearly designed to evoke strong emotions in viewers. But honestly, given the often difficult stories in George R.R. Martin’s world, a little emotional manipulation is perfectly acceptable.

A Few Clouts on the Ear

The episode began with a stunning visual: what initially appeared to be stars against a dark sky, reminiscent of Ser Duncan looking up from beneath his tree. The shot cleverly shifted focus, revealing itself to be the rough ceiling of a dungeon – a truly masterful opening.

This episode finally gives us a good look at Daeron, Aegon’s older brother. He seeks out Duncan to apologize for wrongly accusing him and asks for leniency. Daeron explains the rambling accusation he made while drunk – he had a dream about Dunk surrounded by fire, with a dead dragon on top of him. He claims his dreams are prophetic, leaving the meaning open to interpretation.

A recurring idea in this story is that social class affects everyone in Westeros, even the nobility, who are divided among themselves. We see this in moments like Aerion Targaryen forcing Lord Ashford to crawl for a nut, or Daeron Targaryen making fun of the Fossoways’ family orchards while boasting about dragons. Everyone tries to win favor with the Targaryens, but the family doesn’t show much respect to those they see as beneath them.

Further suggesting Ser Duncan wasn’t truly a knight himself is his reluctance to knight Raymun, as he expresses doubt about whether he even should perform the ceremony.

In the novels, Dunk frequently criticizes himself for being slow to understand, thinking of himself as “thick as a castle wall.” However, it’s difficult to show a character’s inner thoughts on TV, so the creators of Game of Thrones found creative ways to represent this. Two examples from this episode stand out: Dunk remembering a puppet show about “Florian the Fool” when he’s feeling inadequate, and later, picturing Ser Arlan dismissively shrugging down at him before giving an important speech.

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2026-02-06 11:56