A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is about a hedge knight named Dunk the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire and acquaintance, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).
The two meet unexpectedly while Dunk is on his way to a jousting tournament held in Ashford. At first, Dunk refuses Egg’s offer to be his squire. He just doesn’t want trouble, but it’s also mostly because he’s poor, inexperienced, and barely scraping by himself. He can’t properly take care of him during his travels. But Egg is determined, and Dunk realizes that he actually needs him.
So the two bond, share stories, and learn to live and grow with each other. Dunk tells Egg what it means to be a knight through the things he learned from the forgotten knight, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). And in return, Egg helps Dunk sharpen his mind and understand politics, power, and responsibility.
But their adventure doesn’t come without trouble, and trouble seems to arrive at unexpected times and places.
When Prince Aerion (Finn Bennett) harassed a woman named Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), whom Dunk and Egg are enamored with, Dunk recklessly jumped in to protect her, because that’s what knights do: they protect the weak and the innocent. But there’s a rule in Westeros that you do not lay hands on a prince of the blood. Striking a member of the royal family, especially a Targaryen, is considered treason and is punishable by death.
This put Dunk and Egg in hot water, a situation they never thought would happen to them.
It’s kind of odd to have two ongoing Game of Thrones spinoffs at the same time. On one side, there’s the dark, political, and tragic House of the Dragon. A series that’s very much in the spirit of the later seasons of Game of Thrones. On the other side, there’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is almost its tonal opposite. It is funny, heartwarming, and surprisingly sincere.
For those following the Game of Thrones series, we are already used to the violence, tragedy, and backstabbing inherent in Westeros. One day you are on top; the next day you are dead. It is satisfying when our favorite character gets the upper hand, but that does not happen often. Most of the time, it is those with malicious intent, castles, gold, soldiers, dragons, and power who gain the advantage.
Hence, it’s refreshing to watch a series like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Even if there is still conflict, political tension, and the occasional betrayal, the story is not driven by relentless cruelty or an unhinged desire to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Instead, it is about humility, sincerity, bravery, and a knight genuinely trying to do the right thing in a world that rarely rewards it. It imparts a valuable lesson and that is what makes this series so different and so good.
It also helps that Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are so likable as Dunk and Egg. Casting is always crucial in Game of Thrones, especially in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is much smaller in scale, more character-driven, and less focused on the other houses and their larger-than-life princes and princesses. A great portion of the show revolves around these two, and much of its tone depends on the time we spent observing how they act and interact with each other. Thankfully, they aced it. You only need to spend an episode with them to feel their chemistry, the warmth of their friendship, and the goodness of their hearts. It is a tough job to appear sincere on screen, but they pull it off beautifully.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms also has incredible production design. The environment and locations may be limited, but they are all well executed in terms of aesthetics and vibe, helping us become immersed in medieval times. What I really love more is the armor design. Because, I think, it tells the story of the wearer with just one look. Prince Aerion wearing dragon-like armor with flame-like ornamentation communicates to us and his enemies his personality, prestige, and strength. Now compare that to Dunk’s armor, which is simple, practical, and unadorned.
There is a lot more to rave about in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which encapsulates how beautifully crafted the show is. It is short, only six 40-minute episodes, and very accessible for viewers new to the world of Westeros. Barely any nudity or incest appears, although there are some poop jokes. Pivotal moments like the jousting tourney, the Egg reveal, the climactic ‘Trial of Seven’ battle, and the poignant yet hopeful ending are all unforgettable and define the series’ unique charm, drama, and intensity.
Easily, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-watch.
5/5