A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the second Game of Thrones spinoff to hit HBO, is certainly not what casual fans of the franchise expect. There’s a healthy amount of violence, and the setting and names will feel familiar, but this is a very different tale, in a good way. The Targaryens might still be at the center of all stories told in Westeros, but this one feels very far removed from Daenerys or Rhaenrya.
Perhaps that’s why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has no problem establishing itself as its own thing. Fans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon will find something to love here, but even as a casual fan who doesn’t know or care about those two shows, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms works.
It does so because Peter Claffey is, perhaps, the most lovable hero we’ve ever seen in this franchise. You thought you liked Jon or Arya? Wait until you meet Ser Duncan “The Tall,” a kind, surprisingly funny, and endlessly loyal character who never falls into any of the stereotypes you’d expect from a knight like him.
Then there’s Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, a total ray of sunshine who isn’t just there to be cute and cause Dunk to have a change of heart, but who has his own story, his own wants and needs, and who manages to be truly interesting in his own right.
But above both of them, the show works in the way seemingly simple stories of heroism and friendship work: because you like the characters, you care about what they do, where they’re going, and what lessons they’re learning. It’s as simple as that.
Which doesn’t mean the relationship between Dunk and Egg isn’t at the center of this show. For those coming to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms after reading Tales of Dunk and Egg, the series of novellas by George R.R. Martin, the show is based on, the story isn’t surprising. But the amount of heart Claffey and Ansell bring to the show might be. And it is the two of them that truly make the show enjoyable.
Some of the secondary characters also really work, and they provide a good overview of Westeros one hundred years after the Dance of Dragons, and yet almost one hundred years before dragons are born again. This story is set squarely between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. The Targaryen family is in power. But these are different Targaryens, ones without dragons—ones trying to hold onto a throne that not everyone believes should be theirs without them.
It feels like a weird setting for a simple tale of a knight and his squire, no matter who the squire turns out to be. But if you look deeper, you’ll realize it is the perfect time to explore what makes Targaryens who they are. Is it all in the lineage, or does the upbringing change things? Can Egg (and Dunk) truly make a difference in the Seven Kingdoms? And what kind of adventures do they have to go to get there?
Surprisingly enough, we’re very excited to find out.
Are you excited for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? Share with us in the comments below!
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will premiere on HBO on Sunday, January 18, with episodes airing weekly on Sundays after that.
