A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner admits this book change was “mistake”

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Ira Parker, a showrunner for the Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has admitted he wishes they hadn’t changed one thing from the original book.

The series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms closely follows the story of George R.R. Martin’s original Dunk and Egg novella.

The series adapts the original story in six short episodes, maintaining its humorous feel and closely following the plot and dialogue.

During a Reddit question-and-answer session, a fan pointed out that a line from the book was left out of the show, and the showrunner admitted they regretted the omission. Be warned, spoilers for Episode 4 follow…

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner reveals Episode 4 mistake he regrets

In the question-and-answer session, a Reddit user pointed out that many readers see the conversation between Dunk and Steely Pate – specifically Dunk asking, “Who am I to them?” and Steely Pate replying, “A knight who remembered his vows” – as the heart and central message of the entire story.

The power of this moment isn’t simply in the exchange of words, but in when it happens. It occurs when Dunk is at his most desperate, before he knows if anyone will come to his aid, or even that Breakspear will join him.

I’m curious about the decision to cut or postpone that scene. Removing it completely takes away a key emotional element of the story, and delaying it lessens its power because Dunk has already gained the Prince’s approval by that point. It feels unusual considering how closely you’ve followed the original story otherwise.

Ira Parker was very direct, acknowledging that the issue was his fault. He explained it wasn’t the first or last mistake he’d made on the show, and that the problematic scene had been included in an earlier version of the script but was later removed.

I definitely agree that the idea of a knight keeping his promises is central to the story. Even though I accidentally omitted this particular scene, that core theme still comes through – Dunk consistently acts in a way that honors his commitments, even without it being stated directly.

While it’s true that actions are more important than dialogue, that particular conversation might not have been crucial to the plot.

Ira Parker cops to second slip-up

Fans continued to point out details, with one asking why the personal crests of characters Maekar and Aerion weren’t shown on screen. They wondered if this was a deliberate decision by the creators, or if it was simply a practical choice to avoid clutter or make filming easier. The fan, who enjoys heraldry, said they would have appreciated seeing the crests included.

Parker acknowledged a fan’s observation about an error in the show, explaining, “Fans have already pointed out two mistakes I hadn’t noticed. This is one of them. They’re right – we should have given Maekar a distinguishing feature, like a specific item, to make him visible in the fog. My mistake!”

Want more from the world of Game of Thrones? Here’s the latest on a new Jon Snow series, an update on season three of House of the Dragon, details on how to watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and a helpful overview of the Seven Kingdoms themselves.

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2026-02-11 13:21