Top 10 Things You Missed In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 1

WatchMojo

From familiar theme music twists to hidden character motivations, this new Westeros tale is full of subtle details! Join us as we break down the easter eggs and hidden meanings from the premiere of HBO's latest Game of Thrones prequel. Did you notice the significance of the robin, Targaryen sigils, or Dunk's unique path to knighthood?

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're looking at things you missed in the first episode

00:10of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

00:17We'll be going into some spoilers, although we'll try to avoid revealing events that

00:22happen in future episodes.

00:25Dumping on a Familiar Theme

00:27Burying his late master, Dunk sums himself up with this early line, Dunk doesn't know

00:34who he is without his master.

00:37Holding Sir Arlan's longsword though, Dunk is inspired to become a knight.

00:41Cue the opening notes of Ramin Djawadi's iconic theme, setting us up for another epic

00:46series, or cut to Dunk taking a dump.

00:59Some might see this as crude humor, which it is, yet it also establishes that this isn't

01:04Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, which used the same theme music.

01:08A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms doesn't even have a lavish intro reflecting Dunk's current

01:14status.

01:15His name ignites little fanfare now, but the path he carves could be one of legend, or at

01:20least a worthy footnote.

01:22A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is still set in the same universe.

01:34Even the more casual Thrones fans will pick up on Dunk's passing references to King's

01:38Landing or Lannisport.

01:48Lesser known locales also get a shout-out.

01:51Dunk mentions that the only time he didn't deserve one of Sir Arlan's slabs was in Maidenpool,

01:56a town found in the Riverlands.

02:06Although unseen in Game of Thrones, Arya Stark once claimed she was from Maidenpool, a lie

02:11that Tywin Lannister saw right through.

02:24Dunk travels to Ashford, where a tawny is taking place.

02:28Ashford is another location we haven't seen portrayed on screen, but it stands out as the

02:33only place Robert Baratheon lost a significant battle during his rebellion.

02:388.

02:39A Drunken Dream Arriving at an inn for the night, Dunk encounters

02:44a heavy drinker passed out at his table.

02:47When the stranger comes to, he recounts having a dream about Dunk, warning him to keep his distance.

03:02We won't reveal who this character is just yet, as the show hasn't, however it's worth

03:08noting that he pays the innkeeper with a coin featuring a three-headed dragon.

03:14This is the sigil of House Targaryen, with the three heads representing siblings Aegon the

03:19Conqueror, Rhaenys, and Visenya.

03:22The sigil not only points to the drunk's true identity, but also the nature of his dream.

03:27While there might not be any living dragons during this period, that doesn't mean Dragon

03:32Dreams can't still hint at things to come.

03:39Did Arlen knight Dunk?

03:46Looking to join the tawny, Dunk claims that Sir Arlen knighted him before he died.

03:51This is met with skepticism, which isn't unwarranted.

03:54The show opens with Dunk digging Arlen's grave without revealing how his master passed.

04:00We do get a flashback to Dunk's past, although when he asks Arlen if he's to become a knight,

04:05his master doesn't respond.

04:16This might lead some to believe that Dunk is lying.

04:20This is further evidenced through Dunk's demeanor following his master's death.

04:24He's overcome with uncertainty, which likely wouldn't be the case for a squire who's

04:29had his dream of knighthood fulfilled.

04:31That said, the source material never gave a definitive answer.

04:36The show may keep it ambiguous, or perhaps it'll set the truth in stone.

04:48Dunk breaks the wheel

04:50Hitting a child is never warranted, Joffrey notwithstanding.

04:54Regardless, Dunk believes that almost all the slaps he took from his master were deserved.

05:00Dunk is far from the only squire who endures abuse, as seen through how Stefan Fastaway treats

05:06his cousin, Raymond.

05:11It'd be easy for Dunk to repeat the cycle of violence when he encounters young Egg.

05:16Dunk even tells Egg multiple times that he could use a clout in the ear.

05:20He threatens to beat Egg, but instead decides to bring him along.

05:34Dunk also promises not to beat Egg, except when it's justified.

05:42While Dunk's words echo his master, his actions don't.

05:46For all Arlen taught him, how to discipline is one lesson that thankfully didn't rub off.

05:535.

05:54Houses

05:55Speaking of Stefan and Raymond, the apple is the sigil of House Fastaway.

06:00This is not only reflected through the symbol on Stefan's armour, but also in the multiple

06:05apple puns that the cousins make.

06:12This isn't the only familiar sigil that Dunk comes across.

06:15When Dunk first arrives in Ashford, he's quickly drawn to a flag with purple lightning

06:20and white stars.

06:26This sigil belongs to House Dondarrion, which Dunk recognizes due to the arrow that Arlen

06:31took while hunting the Vulture King.

06:34Dunk thus hopes that Sir Manfred Dondarrion will vouch for him, but Beric's ancestor is anything

06:40but grateful.

06:48Eagle-eyed viewers also might have noticed the flags depicting three beehives, which is the

06:53sigil for House Beesbury.

06:554.

06:56Lionel Baratheon

06:57House Baratheon is also well represented here.

07:01Not only are the House's trademark antlers used in all of their decorating, but Lionel

07:05Baratheon himself appears.

07:11It's mentioned that Lionel is known as the Laughing Storm.

07:16This isn't just because Lionel is the life of the party, but he delights in laughing at

07:20his opponents.

07:25Dunk assumed that Lionel would be bigger, which could be a reference to one of his descendants.

07:38While the family tree is a bit murky, Lionel is suspected to be Robert Baratheon's great-grandfather,

07:43or great-great-grandfather.

07:46Watching Lionel, we can see that Robert inherited his boisterous spirit and love of feasting.

08:03He isn't someone you want on your bad side.

08:06If you're on his good side, though, Lionel might let you wear his crown.

08:10A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms occurs decades between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.

08:28As such, the only dragons we'll be seeing in this show are of the puppet variety.

08:33Dunk encounters one such dragon, as Tansel, the puppeteer, recounts the Sirwin of the Mirror

08:38Shield legend.

08:40According to this tale, Sirwin managed to slay a dragon by using the reflection from

08:44his shield.

08:46While the legend of Sirwin may not be grounded in fact, it does mirror Dunk's own story.

08:51Like Sirwin, Dunk has set out alone, looking to make a name for himself.

09:00Assuming that Dunk was lying about Arlen knighting him, he too must conceal his secrets, or else

09:06the future he's working towards will go up in flames.

09:132.

09:14Robin in a Thorn Tree

09:18Before setting out on his journey, Dunk notices a Robin in a tree.

09:31Dunk later says that this Robin was the only witness to his dubbing, again implying that

09:36Arlen didn't actually make him a knight.

09:42Although this could be written off as a joke, the Robin may represent something deeper.

09:47Robins are said to symbolize renewal, mirroring Dunk's pursuit of a fresh start.

09:53Despite his height, Dunk is a humble individual who feels small, not unlike a Robin.

09:58Even if Dunk wasn't granted knighthood by his master, the Robin's presence could be a sign

10:03that nature recognizes him as someone worthy of the sword he now carries.

10:08The hedge knight's story remains rooted in nature, ending this first chapter where it

10:12began, under a tree.

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10:331.

10:36Egg Truly Sees Dunk

10:45Although Dunk stands out in more ways than one, he also blends in with others, seeming

10:50inconsequential.

10:52Even Lionel, who takes a liking to Dunk, doesn't see him as more than a drinking and dancing

10:57buddy.

10:58Egg is the only one who can instantly read Dunk.

11:01The precocious child sees that Dunk doesn't look or act like the other knights.

11:13He might not be a good knight, but Egg recognizes that there's worth in Dunk's humble nature.

11:19Where Egg quickly detects the true value in Dunk, the hedge knight ironically fails to notice

11:24that his new squire is more than he seems.

11:27Again, we won't spoil who Egg is, but there's a reason why he didn't leap at the coin that

11:32Dunk gave him.

11:36Did you catch anything else from a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 1?

11:40Let us know in those comments below!

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