As the “Game of Thrones” theme song plays over the opening scene of HBO Max’s new spinoff, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” the audience is reminded of the controversial ending that smudged the series’ era-defining reputation. To everyone’s surprise, the theme song harshly ends, cutting to our main protagonist defecating behind a tree. Within six episodes, the spinoff exemplifies the power of honor, justice and resilience, showcasing the brutish, downright comical nature of the medieval world, which regains the reputation it lost over six years ago.
The show chronicles the short adventure of newly crowned hedge knight Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall as he rises in the ranks of knighthood in the land of Westeros alongside his young, bald squire, Aegon “Egg” Targaryen. Dunk, played by former pro-rugby player Peter Claffey in his first major role, is a simpleminded, tall knight known to no royalty, yet his encounters with such stand to test his resilience. He seeks to wager his former mentor’s horses to join a jousting tournament to prove his worth and be showered with glory, just as most noble knights are. When he encounters Egg, who seemingly has no family to support himself, Dunk brings him along to squire in the tourney and teach him, just as his late mentor raised and knighted Duncan himself.
The royal houses of Westeros, such as the ruling Targaryens, come to the tournament, and Dunk is unwillingly thrust into the politics and brutal reality of the upper class. His caring, soft nature comes into conflict when he attacks the arrogant prince of the Targaryens for beating a woman, and this simple story quickly unfolds into epic proportions with Dunk’s trial by combat.
The fantastical, medieval setting that the show places us in feels utterly real. The quiet, grassy plains Dunk travels through are vast and gleaming with vivid, green foliage. The knights in the background of scenes are draped in heavy metal armor, with intricate detail such as their shields’ sigils representing their loyalty to a certain house. The bombastic feasts these peasants, knights and royals partake in are alive with song and ale; they are simply impossible to turn away from.
Unlike “Game of Thrones,” this show has an easy-to-follow, small cast of characters. Dunk and Egg are the primary focus of every scene, building their mentor-squire relationship in a quiet, heartwarming fashion. There’s also the joyful Ser Lyonel Baratheon, whose witty lines and bashful love for Dunk’s simple nature creates a character that steals whatever scene they’re in. As well as the previously mentioned Targaryen prince, Aerion, whose young and vile nature works as a formidable villain to Dunk’s desires.
Yet apart from its engaging narrative and immense detail, the show’s theme is what stands out above all. Dunk is a pure-of-heart protagonist to root for, whose character stands in comparison to the carefree, occasionally vile royals he comes into contact with. He aims to be the one who stands up for the innocent, to fight for the weak and, above all, to be a true knight. It’s this deeply respectful theme that protrudes through the show and relates to the desire of every human to stand up for those unspoken for.
If you’ve given up on “Game of Thrones” because of its anticlimactic ending or you wish to experience the rush of honor and justice, HBO Max’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” will deliver upon what made its original series special and provide a short, powerfully entertaining story for anyone to enjoy.
