‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Captures the Magic of ‘Game of Thrones’ in a Colorful Quest of Bloody Adventure and Ale-Fueled Humor

Alci Rengifo

There are many tales to tell in a grand mythology. HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is not a mere spinoff of “Game of Thrones,” but a refreshing adaptation of another section of author George R. R. Martin’s broad fantasy world. The source material is “The Hedge Knight,” the first novella in Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” series. For the non-fan, these are smaller entries that detour from, yet still connect to the grander “Game of Thrones” saga. In that spirit, this highly entertaining series is smaller in scale, even in its running time of 30 minutes per episode. There is great richness to the storytelling in these brisk chapters, combining comedy with Martin’s folky observations on life and heroism. 

Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey) is our would-be hero, the squire of an aged knight, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). When Ser Arlan dies, Dunk buries his mentor and sets off with trusted horse Sweetfoot. He needs to make some money while proving himself as a knight. There is just one problem: The slightly dense Dunk was never knighted by Ser Arlan, so he technically lacks the needed credentials to protect the innocent, fight wickedness, etc. Like someone faking their resume, he carries on and bumps into Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), a young boy with a shaved head eager to be his squire. Their first stop will be a tourney where Dunk hopes to win in combat. He will need someone to vouch for him, which may prove difficult among the rough and tested crowd present. There is the flamboyant Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) and the ominous Targaryens, who still lord over Westeros despite the absence of dragons.

Much of what made “Game of Thrones” the defining fantasy series of the last decade had to do with its focus on good storytelling. Even at its grandest, the best episodes worked like an intelligent drama about politics, human folly and the nature of violence. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdom,” adapted by Martin himself with Ira Parker, does the same with more humor and picaresque spirit. It is set after the events of the other ongoing “Game of Thrones” series, “House of the Dragon,” and features no massive CGI creatures or tall castles. The music teases us at the beginning of the first episode, seeming to initiate the franchise’s famous theme before abruptly cutting to Dunk having stomach problems behind a tree. For the rest of the season’s six episodes, there will be no flashy intros. The narrative is all confined to the tents and muddy grounds of the tourney, with only a flashback or two to give us some of Dunk’s tragic, moving backstory or memories of his time with the hard-drinking Ser Arlan.

The tourney becomes its own engrossing world, each character colorfully drawn. By avoiding casting big marquee names for the leads, we’re able to meet these personas fresh. Peter Claffey’s Dunk is a wonderful TV hero, defined by being too nice for a cruel environment. Others mistake his soft nature for stupidity. It takes a highborn like Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) to have sympathy enough for the “hedge knight” (meaning a knight with no stability) to vouch for him to compete. Baelor is the sanest, calmest of the infamous clan of silver-haired maniacs that here includes the vile Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett). Egg also sees in Dunk a good soul, which is why the boy trusts him while having a suspiciously high knowledge of the realm. Dexter Sol Ansell is a revelation in the role, giving Egg both a liveliness and mysterious sadness. He annoys Dunk with his philosophical musings on the songs drunken knights sing while downing cider, but is so endearing when the two watch a shooting star and Egg notes it means good luck. 

There is resonance in this narrative so many other fantasy shows lack. It pays attention to the smaller details, like good literature. Dunk meets a Dornish puppeteer, Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), who agrees to paint his official shield. The design is one of those eloquent details Martin excels at (a tree in twilight with a shooting star). Her show, which involves fighting a puppet dragon, will get her in trouble with the Targaryens and test Dunk’s heroism. It will not be some easy cliché twist. In this world, even fantasy characters are prone to the same unfairness and betrayals of real life. A knight may insist he will support Dunk before being bought out the next day. True friends, and true loyalty, are rare. Support can come from surprising corners, like the wild Lyonel Baratheon who likes to drink and sing with an antler crown, yet is no coward in the jousting grounds. The very concept of knighthood is stripped of shine in this series. Ser Arlan could summon courage when needed, but Dunk also had to endure the man’s womanizing and near-ragged lifestyle, though the old man could impart genuine wisdom. A burning question that haunts Dunk is why Ser Arlan never thought to knight him. The mystery will remain unanswered.

Swords will indeed clash in the series. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” does not shy away from the graphic violence that peppered “Game of Thrones.” The brutality of medieval combat gets all too real when the knights joust and a horse can get run through or an eyeball lost. It isn’t violence without purpose and speaks to the world Dunk inhabits. To be a defender of what is good means confronting the fact that the world is crushingly violent and predatory. The second to last episode places us right in Dunk’s helmet visor, making us participants in a battle where one feels every blow and cut. Yet, it doesn’t feel morbid for its own sake. We feel even more for the characters as they fight to see another day. In the end, this is a stirring tale of friendship, loneliness and seeking one’s place in the world with uncertainty. You could watch it without ever having seen “Game of Thrones” or “House of the Dragon.” It stands on its own as a wonderful adventure with more than enough tale left to tell.

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” premieres Jan. 18 and airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.