We returned once again to the land of Westeros on HBO, but this time, we leave behind the machinations of the throne, the threat of ice zombies, and a globe-trotting adventure spanning multiple protagonists. No, this time we’re in the dirt, grime, and actual poop of the peasantry in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s a bit of a departure for the Song of …
We returned once again to the land of Westeros on HBO, but this time, we leave behind the machinations of the throne, the threat of ice zombies, and a globe-trotting adventure spanning multiple protagonists. No, this time we’re in the dirt, grime, and actual poop of the peasantry in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s a bit of a departure for the Song of Ice and Fire series, and it does have a bit of an uneven start, but its smaller story might end up working in its favour.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms stars Peter Claffey as Ser Dunk, a near penniless hedge knight whose master has unexpectedly passed away on the road. With barely any coin to his name, three horses, and his master’s sword, he ventures towards Ashford Meadow, where a tourney is slated to take place in a few days. If he can enter the lists and win some games, he may be able to survive. Of courses that’s a big “if”. He has no armour, and his master wasn’t exactly famous, so the eligibility of Dunk’s claim of knighthood is in doubt unless he can get a noble to back his claim. As the show points out, Dunk’s belt is made of rope, so this may prove challenging, as even the whores of the tourney mock him for his lot in life.
While he doesn’t feature much in the first episode, which largely establishes the mood and the overall objective of this six-part season, the co-lead of the show is the boy known as Egg (Dexter Sol). Dunk first meets him at an inn on the road, and later at the tourney itself. He’s a soft-spoken child with nowhere really to go and would love nothing more than to squire for Dunk, but the hedge knight is having none of that. At best, he’s a thief, at worst, he’s a sassy child who deserves a good clout on the ear (Dunk’s words, not mine). The two scenes they share together are definitely the highlight of the episode, as they have really fantastic chemistry together, with Dunk being confrontational yet ultimately accepting of the boy, while Egg carries great interest and maybe a bit of hope for the destitute knight.
Unlike the other Westeros shows, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms features only Dunk as the protagonist. So there’s no bouncing around the continent and shifting POVs. We’re with him in every scene, so we have to care for him. And thankfully, we do. Claffey portrays Dunk perfectly. He’s a bit of a witness wonder, a little aloof, but he’s true of heart and displays more chivalry and compassion than Ser Manfred does, who refuses to vouch for Dunk despite his master’s past services for that family.
But the show certainly aims for a lighter tone relative to Game of Thrones and especially House of the Dragon. Despite the filth and implied desperation, the show has a bit of cheek to it, whether that be between Dunk and Egg, or when Dunk is pulled into a dance competition with none other than Lyonel Baratheon, who, unlike his kin Robert from the original show (I’m not sure of the direct relation), isn’t a complete witless oaf. It’s a nice change of pace to not feed the impending doom in this world. There’s danger, sure, but the end of the world, this is not.
As mentioned, this is a show about the peasantry as much as it’s about the nobility. In a shot that can only be described as unnecessary and out of place, we literally see Dunk projectile defecating on the side of the road right before the Game of Thrones theme is about to kick in (and ultimately never does, with a new composer taking over from Ramin in this series, Dan Romer, who is doing fine work as well). While I really didn’t like it, I do understand why. This isn’t about royals and the heroes of the land in shiny armour. This world that Dunk inhabits is muddy and dirty, and he’s beyond poor. I do think the show could’ve illustrated this in a better way, and the overall few minutes, which feel a bit lost as Dunk tries to collect his thoughts, result in an iffy first impression. The poop was done mostly in humour, but it didn’t land as a joke and felt out of place not only in the episode, but within the shared universe of the shows too. Thankfully, the show quickly recovers and locks into a better groove once Dunk arrives at the inn.
I should add that I’ve read The Hedge Knight and all the novellas published collectively as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, so I do know where this is going, and my review is both as a piece of entertainment and as an adaptation. So far, it feels very faithful to the source material, so points in that regard. I should note, as the show hasn’t mentioned yet, that this takes place before Game of Thrones, but after House of the Dragon, meaning there are no dragons left (hence the giant puppet in the tent). The larger issues of the world are not addressed, with only avid fans picking up on the most subtle of clues presented so far. But you don’t need to know anything about Westeros, really, if you want to start your journey here. This was the first of six episodes, and this episode largely felt like it was establishing tone and stakes more, so not much really happened otherwise in this episode. But the stakes, world and protagonist are established now, and I’m on board with the setup.
