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Uncover the hidden details and easter eggs tucked away in the captivating tale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms! From character backstories and subtle hints about the Long Night to surprising house cameos and symbolic imagery, we dive deep into the nuances that even the most devoted fans might have missed. Prepare to see Dunk, Egg, and Westeros in a whole new light!
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00:00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a look at some of the most fascinating pieces
00:00:13of trivia from HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
00:00:17If you haven't yet watched the show, this is your spoiler warning.
00:00:32Lionel Stag Kane The Laughing Storm of Storm's End is a character
00:00:37with loads of extra scenes not included in the novella.
00:00:41This makes him substantially more memorable, especially with Daniel Ings doing such a terrific
00:00:47job at playing him.
00:00:54Now a first small detail is his impressive stag-themed cane, which he carries with him in his final
00:01:01scene.
00:01:02If you don't already know, the Baratheon sigil is a crowned stag, reflecting his house's
00:01:08most cherished animal.
00:01:16It's only a minor detail, but it's one of many examples of the props and costume department
00:01:22doing a wonderful job bringing the world to life.
00:01:36Star Symbolism
00:01:42It's common knowledge that shooting stars are believed to bring good luck.
00:01:46This has been reflected a few times in the show through the shooting star Egg Seas and
00:01:51the one painted upon Duncan's shield.
00:01:53In this episode, the stars start to take on a more pessimistic meaning.
00:01:58It opens with a shot of the night sky fading into a stone cell's ceiling.
00:02:03Now, the stars are more symbolic of freedom, with the transition showing how Duncan's
00:02:08future is becoming increasingly hopeless.
00:02:11Well, to him at least.
00:02:12We viewers know countless adventures are waiting for Sir Dunk.
00:02:22Hard Salt Beef Symbolism
00:02:24If you hadn't caught on already, series creator George RR Martin loves using food as a literary
00:02:31device.
00:02:32This is reflected in the TV shows, particularly with Sir Duncan and his fondness for hard salt
00:02:38beef.
00:02:48It's so important to his character that the second episode was named after it.
00:02:53The cured meat is a valued source for hedge knights, plus it represents the harsh lifestyle
00:02:58they lead.
00:03:06It's also symbolic of what Sir Arlen taught Dunk, as was shown in episode 2.
00:03:12It opens with a flashback of Dunk and his master eating together, but ends with the young knight
00:03:17eating alone while talking about being Arlen's successor.
00:03:32Prophetic Play
00:03:33Prior shows set in Westeros are teeming with foreshadowing, and a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
00:03:39is no exception.
00:03:40This episode features a play telling the tale of Florian the Fool.
00:03:45He's a mythologized hero claimed to have lived thousands of years before Aegon's conquest.
00:03:59The legend says he was a lowborn knight of the Riverlands, and he was also famously a
00:04:04fool with terrible armor.
00:04:07It's hard not to see the similarities between Florian and Dunk.
00:04:12Fascinatingly, the tale of Florian falling in love with a woman while bathing is where
00:04:16Maidenpool gets its name.
00:04:26Dumping on a familiar theme.
00:04:29Burying his late master, Dunk sums himself up with this early line.
00:04:35Dunk doesn't know who he is without his master.
00:04:38Holding Sir Arlen's longsword though, Dunk is inspired to become a knight.
00:04:43Cue the opening notes of Ramin Djawadi's iconic theme, setting us up for another epic series.
00:04:49Or cut to Dunk taking a dump.
00:05:00Some might see this as crude humor, which it is.
00:05:03Yet it also establishes that this isn't Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, which used
00:05:09the same theme music.
00:05:10A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms doesn't even have a lavish intro reflecting Dunk's current
00:05:16status.
00:05:17His name ignites little fanfare now, but the path he carves could be one of legend.
00:05:22Or at least a worthy footnote.
00:05:28The trial begins with a religious speech dedicated to some of the seven gods, the Andal gods, who
00:05:35are popular in the southern kingdoms.
00:05:37It ends with the iconic line, one of the core themes of the universe.
00:05:45It's first heard from Mirimaz Durr in the first season of Game of Thrones, then repeated
00:05:50all over.
00:05:56Not only is it literal, with many resurrections requiring death to work, but it also reflects
00:06:02on the series' central anti-war messages.
00:06:05While few small folk will be aware of the feasibility of resurrection in Westeros, it's pretty interesting
00:06:11that lines such as this are commonly known.
00:06:22It could be indicative of Westeros' ancient history, but we won't truly know until the
00:06:28books conclude in location name drops.
00:06:31While tonally quite different than its predecessors, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is still set
00:06:37in the same universe.
00:06:38Even the more casual Thrones fans will pick up on Dunk's passing references to King's Landing
00:06:44or Lannisport.
00:06:53Lesser known locales also get a shout-out.
00:06:56Dunk mentions that the only time he didn't deserve one of Ser Arlan's slabs was in Maidenpool,
00:07:01a town found in the Riverlands.
00:07:03You never beat me when I didn't deserve it.
00:07:10Although unseen in Game of Thrones, Arya Stark once claimed she was from Maidenpool, a lie
00:07:17that Tywin Lannister saw right through.
00:07:29Dunk travels to Ashford, where a tawny is taking place.
00:07:32Ashford is another location we haven't seen portrayed on screen, but it stands out as
00:07:38the only place Robert Baratheon lost a significant battle during his rebellion.
00:07:43Valar Targaryen.
00:07:53We get a fantastically written exchange between Duncan and Baylor's oldest son, Valar Targaryen,
00:08:00shortly after the funeral's conclusion.
00:08:02The dialogue in this scene is almost identical to the novellas.
00:08:06We've only seen Valar a couple of times before, with him fighting in episode 2's tourney,
00:08:11but despite his small role, he became unforgettable.
00:08:24He's one of Baylor's two children, the other being Matera's, who isn't featured in this
00:08:29series.
00:08:30Valar could become important going forward as the first son of the King's first son has
00:08:36a stronger claim than his uncles, like Makar.
00:08:39You may remember this being an important plot point in young Griff's story in A Dance
00:08:44with Dragons, so it could become relevant in the future, but we won't spoil.
00:09:04Flashbacks Setting A sizeable portion of this episode is
00:09:08centered around Duncan's childhood in Flea Bottom.
00:09:16We can safely assume this is set during 196 AC, which is 13 years before the tourney at
00:09:23Ashford.
00:09:24This will be during the closing stages of the first Blackfyre Rebellion, a major Targaryen
00:09:30rebellion still fresh in the minds of Westeros.
00:09:33The war concluded with the victory of Daeron II Targaryen, the current King of Westeros, and
00:09:39Aegon's grandfather.
00:09:40This political turmoil is probably the main reason Duncan wants to escape Flea Bottom,
00:09:45alongside it simply being impoverished.
00:09:53It was also the first of many Blackfyre rebellions, so it's partially setting up future events.
00:10:00The boy will not spill.
00:10:02Baelor Targaryen is the man responsible for telling Duncan what fate befalls him.
00:10:07In the same scene, he utters this subtle line after asking Egg to grab the Hedgeknighter
00:10:14drink.
00:10:27As we know from the first three episodes, Egg goes to great lengths to hide his true identity.
00:10:33We can interpret this line as Duncan and Baelor discussing how well he keeps his secrets.
00:10:39If Aegon truly wants to become a squire, he is going to have to keep his identity hidden
00:10:44for his own safety.
00:10:45So this line is cleverly referencing Egg's sealed lips and Duncan's faith in his trusty
00:10:50squire.
00:10:55Puppet Show Controversy
00:10:57The episode concludes with them finally revealing Egg's identity.
00:11:01This happens after Prince Aerion gets enraged about a play where a dragon dies.
00:11:10Dragons have been extinct for decades at this point, but to a Targaryen, they're family.
00:11:16So, while it's unclear why the dragon is slain, the fact that they're depicting such an event
00:11:22is treason.
00:11:23At least to Aerion, but he's not known for his sound judgment.
00:11:27He's one of the few Targaryens canonically confirmed to be mad before Game of Thrones.
00:11:32This episode gives us the first major clues about his mental state, alongside how obsessed
00:11:38he is with becoming a dragon.
00:11:46Let's hope that obsession doesn't lead to trouble for him later down the line.
00:11:58Tug of War
00:11:59Towards the episode's conclusion, Sir Lionel Baratheon invites Dunk and Egg to aid him in
00:12:05a tug of war.
00:12:09You would be forgiven if you assumed they weren't acting, because most of them weren't.
00:12:14In an interview, Dexter Sol Ansel, actor for Egg, stated that it became a real battle.
00:12:26Egg's jumping on the rope was an unscripted decision, plus author George R.R. Martin was
00:12:31on set that day, and he adored seeing it.
00:12:35After winning, Dunk throws Egg high in the air.
00:12:38Ansel didn't fall gracefully.
00:12:40His eye ended up accidentally smashing into Peter Claffey's nose.
00:12:45While the shot was used, the injury was cut.
00:12:56It's just one of many things revealing how much passion this pair has for their characters.
00:13:02The Green Apple
00:13:03It's pretty tough to miss the bright green apple painted on Sir Raymond's shield.
00:13:12It's a lot easier to miss the significance of his coat of arms.
00:13:16It's not just a shiny new logo, he's created an entirely new breakaway house, leaving his
00:13:22brother Stefan behind.
00:13:26Raymond's descendants go on to turn up in the main series, pledging their allegiance to
00:13:31Renly in A Clash of Kings, then later Stannis Baratheon, whom they believe to be the one
00:13:37true king.
00:13:38A sentiment many fans agree with.
00:13:40Jon Fosseway is potentially the most important, who is pledged to Mace Tyrell, and is also married
00:13:47to his sister.
00:13:49He only appears in the appendices, though, but it's a fascinating connection between
00:13:54these two stories.
00:13:56The Blackfyre Rebellion
00:13:58One reason we know it took place at the end of the Blackfyre Rebellion is that we see the
00:14:03Battle of Red Grassfield's aftermath.
00:14:13This was the war's final battle, which took place somewhere near King's Landing, and even
00:14:19included Ser Arlen explaining why he's in Flea Bottom.
00:14:26The Targaryen side was led by Baelor, Maegar, and fascinatingly, Brynden Rivers, also known
00:14:33as Bloodraven.
00:14:34If you've forgotten Game of Thrones, he was the three-eyed raven who taught Bran magic powers.
00:14:45We also learn what attitudes General Smallfolk had towards the Blackfyres.
00:14:50This is done when a fence refuses to buy their leather from Duncan, revealing they were mainly
00:14:55seen as rebels to locals, not true-born Targaryen claimants.
00:15:05Trial of Seven
00:15:09Any Game of Thrones fan can instantly tell you what a trial by combat is.
00:15:13Tyrion ends up asking for two in the main series in an effort to win his innocence.
00:15:25In this episode, we're introduced to a new flavor of the custom, the Trial of Seven.
00:15:32It's exactly what it sounds like.
00:15:34It's a trial by combat, but this time it's Seven vs Seven.
00:15:39It's heavily tied to the faith of the Seven, as they believe having seven combatants on
00:15:44each side makes the gods more inclined to deliver justice.
00:15:47It's been practiced for thousands of years, but we've never seen it in the main series.
00:16:00Some fans do theorize Cersei will request a trial by Seven in the sixth book, though.
00:16:05Sir Robin Reisling
00:16:12We're introduced to another grizzled knight in this episode, Sir Robin Reisling.
00:16:17We're given a brief flashback showing how he lost his eye half a decade ago.
00:16:22Their house sigil is depicted as an iron-framed oaken door on a grey stone wall.
00:16:27They're one of the lesser-known houses, so much so that their sigil and motto aren't
00:16:32technically canon.
00:16:33They're so niche, such information hasn't been revealed in the main series, so this is
00:16:39the most Reisling lore we've ever seen.
00:16:42Interestingly, their name may be a reference to the Reisling Award, a literary achievement
00:16:48given to sci-fi and fantasy poems.
00:16:51Alternatively, it could be referencing the Reisling variety of grapes, so they could be tied
00:16:57to wine production.
00:17:08Lord Stokeworth
00:17:09When Dunk is trying to persuade the Targaryens to let him fight in the tawny, they mention
00:17:15a battle between his old master and Lord Stokeworth.
00:17:26If you have a major interest in the Dance with Dragons, you may remember a Lord Stokeworth
00:17:31pledged their allegiance to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen.
00:17:35Sir Arlan fought one of Stokeworth's descendants, subtly linking the series to House of the Dragon.
00:17:42You may also remember Lolis Stokeworth from Game of Thrones, who was betrothed to Bronn briefly
00:17:47during Season 5.
00:17:49The arrangement fell through, but if it hadn't, Sir Arlan would have bested Bronn's grandfather-in-law.
00:17:57A drunken dream
00:17:58Arriving at an inn for the night, Dunk encounters a heavy drinker passed out at his table.
00:18:04When the stranger comes to, he recounts having a dream about Dunk, warning him to keep his
00:18:10distance.
00:18:20It's worth noting that he pays the innkeeper with a coin featuring a three-headed dragon.
00:18:26This is the sigil of House Targaryen, with the three heads representing siblings Aegon the
00:18:32Conqueror, Rhaenys and Visenya.
00:18:34The sigil not only points to the drunk's true identity, but also the nature of his dream.
00:18:39While there might not be any living dragons during this period, that doesn't mean Dragon
00:18:44Dreams can't still hint at things to come.
00:18:50Did Arlan knight Dunk?
00:18:58Looking to join the tourney, Dunk claims that Sir Arlan knighted him before he died.
00:19:02This is met with skepticism, which isn't unwarranted.
00:19:05The show opens with Dunk digging Arlan's grave without revealing how his master passed.
00:19:11We do get a flashback to Dunk's past, although when he asks Arlan if he's to become a knight,
00:19:17his master doesn't respond.
00:19:27This might lead some to believe that Dunk is lying.
00:19:31This is further evidenced through Dunk's demeanor following his master's death.
00:19:36He's overcome with uncertainty, which likely wouldn't be the case for a squire who's had
00:19:41his dream of knighthood fulfilled.
00:19:43That said, the source material never gave a definitive answer.
00:19:54King Daeron Baelor had a relatively small funeral
00:19:57You might have missed it, but a few important Targaryens are standing around his pyre.
00:20:09The most important is easily King Daeron the Good, who seems to have traveled all the way
00:20:15from King's Landing to attend his son's funeral.
00:20:18For those unaware, he's considered one of Westeros' greatest rulers.
00:20:22This is mainly because he brought Dorne under Targaryen rule, something they'd struggled
00:20:28with for about two centuries.
00:20:30Secondly, he was the victor of the historically significant First Blackfyre Rebellion.
00:20:36Aside from this one major rebellion, his reign was relatively peaceful, making him an admired
00:20:42ruler.
00:20:48The Black Dragon
00:20:49Another reason we can place this flashback is the mention of the Black Dragon's death.
00:20:55This was a common nickname for Daemon Blackfyre, leader of the Blackfyre Rebellion and legitimized
00:21:01son of King Aegon the Unworthy.
00:21:03The title comes from his coat of arms, a black three-headed dragon.
00:21:08It's mentioned that he perished in the battle, but not how.
00:21:18In the fight, he was taken down by Bloodraven's personal group of archers, the Raven's Teeth.
00:21:24They also killed both of Daemon's sons and heirs, but they didn't kill the whole Blackfyre
00:21:29line.
00:21:30It's commonly theorized that one major character from the main series is secretly a Blackfyre.
00:21:35So, if Book 6 ever releases, this may be major foreshadowing for it.
00:21:41The Andals
00:21:43The Andals were easily one of the most influential cultures in shaping Westeros.
00:21:47While their customs are seen all over the series, their origins are barely explained in the TV
00:21:53shows.
00:21:54The three largest ethnic groups in Westeros are the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men.
00:21:59The Andals migrated to Westeros around 6,000 years ago, bringing with them the Faith of
00:22:05Seven.
00:22:06The dominant religion is the Faith of the Seven.
00:22:10First brought to its shores by the Andals some 6,000 years ago.
00:22:14They came from Essos, but it's unclear why.
00:22:17According to the Faith, they were promised kingdoms overseas, but the Maesters believed the
00:22:21Valyrians pushed them out.
00:22:23It came across the narrow sea with the Andals and their seven gods.
00:22:30Regardless of why they came, the result was them conquering and settling most of Southern
00:22:34Westeros, then establishing many of the houses still around today.
00:22:39The Hammer and the Anvil
00:22:41Egg's identity is finally revealed at the episode's conclusion, with him turning out
00:22:46to be a Targaryen all along.
00:22:48This has been heavily alluded to in all three episodes.
00:22:51One example comes from The Hammer and the Anvil, a song sung by Egg while whittling away in
00:22:57a tree.
00:23:09If you're not obsessed with Westeros lore, you may have missed the fact that it's referencing
00:23:14the Battle of the Redgrass Field.
00:23:16This was the defining battle of the first Blackfyre Rebellion, a brutal civil war 13 years prior.
00:23:23The Blackfyre Rebellion ended with the extinction of the entire line.
00:23:29Fascinatingly, the song has been criticized in-universe as being biased against Blackfyres,
00:23:34downplaying Daemon Blackfyre and Bloodraven's involvement.
00:23:38So, it's only a song a Targaryen supporter would sing.
00:23:42Blackfyre's not a true born, he came from the wrong country, was in peril, the Anvil was
00:23:48a rock.
00:23:49The Hammer smashed the bastard with his giant feigning, host of dawnish fairmen.
00:23:56Notable House Cameos A favorite pastime of hardcore fans is hunting
00:24:01for interesting sigils and characters from Westerosi houses.
00:24:04The Baratheons are major players, but we've also had a sneak peek into the Tyrells of the
00:24:11period.
00:24:19Dunk begins chatting with Leo Tyrell, also known as Leo Longthorn.
00:24:24In the original books, Longthorn is considered one of the greatest Tyrell knights in history,
00:24:29so celebrated that Loras Tyrell controversially claims he's a better jouster than him.
00:24:41We also get a peek of a few more sigils at the beginning of the joust.
00:24:45This includes the Hightowers, leaders of the Greens in House of the Dragon.
00:24:50Summerhall Mention We also get yet another Summerhall name drop
00:24:54in this episode.
00:24:55It's easily the most important location in Westeros for both Duncan and Egg, despite only
00:25:01the latter visiting it so far.
00:25:11It was recently built during Egg's lifetime, but by Game of Thrones, it's been famously
00:25:16destroyed for quite some time.
00:25:18Fans have spent decades trying to figure out what happened to the duo that decimated the
00:25:24Targaryen holiday home, but nothing is clear.
00:25:27This might be explained in future seasons, or even in the final two books of the main series,
00:25:33but only time will tell.
00:25:35Flea Bottom is extra grim.
00:25:37We've seen Flea Bottom loads before, with it getting the most focus during one drunken
00:25:42night out in House of the Dragon.
00:25:44This episode glamorized the area heavily though, with Daemon and Rhaenyra having a blast partying
00:25:51in the slum.
00:25:56Here we finally get to see the harsh realities of that area.
00:26:00It's far more cramped and unsanitary than in previous depictions, plus quite a few locals
00:26:06have Irish accents.
00:26:20The series is famously terrible at accent consistency, with Davos having a Newcastle accent, despite
00:26:27being from the same place as Duncan.
00:26:33This could be a proper attempt at establishing an accent for the residents of Flea Bottom though.
00:26:39House Fottoway
00:26:40So far, we've been introduced to two members of House Fottoway.
00:26:57Their northern accents might make you assume they're from colder lands, but in actuality,
00:27:03they come from the Reach.
00:27:05Their coat of arms is a red apple on gold, with the phrase, a taste of glory.
00:27:10Take note of this, as the apple's colour will become important later.
00:27:22The Fossaways aren't regular nobles though, they're a house of landed knights.
00:27:27This means they're technically nobles, but not lords, and they don't have enough status
00:27:32to secure a marriage with a great house, unless they're extremely lucky.
00:27:46House Harding
00:27:47Another lesser known house included was Harding, represented by Humphrey with the red and white
00:27:53shield.
00:27:53He's first spotted jousting someone from House Beesbury in an honourable fight.
00:28:02When he's pitted against Aryan, things go terribly.
00:28:06Humphrey has chosen intentionally to be his opponent, as Harding are some of the most honourable
00:28:11knights in Westeros.
00:28:17They're a family of landed knights, so they're technically nobles, but not necessarily lords.
00:28:23The house also comes from the Vale of Arryn, a region obsessed with honour among knights.
00:28:29All this combined makes Aryan fighting dirty feel even more cruel, as his opponent is unlikely
00:28:35to have ever done the same thing back.
00:28:44Fish Munching
00:28:45New timers to the series will likely be perplexed by the knights biting into a raw fish at the
00:28:51tawny's outset.
00:28:52His name?
00:28:53Lord Medgar Tully, a member of the Great House who rules the Riverlands, therefore making him
00:28:59an ancestor of Catelyn Stark.
00:29:01Their sigil is a trout, a fish commonly found in rivers.
00:29:05So that's the main reason he's tucking into a raw fish, but he also hopes it'll intimidate
00:29:11his opponents.
00:29:20House Tully has a few customs, but this is our first time seeing one eat a raw fish, so
00:29:26it's probably just Medgar's thing.
00:29:30Maybe in the original series, people would have been a bit more scared of Catelyn if she'd
00:29:34eaten a raw fish and screamed at them.
00:29:36Dunk breaks the wheel.
00:29:39Hitting a child is never warranted, Joffrey notwithstanding.
00:29:44Regardless, Dunk believes that almost all the slaps he took from his master were deserved.
00:29:49Dunk is far from the only squire who endures abuse, as seen through how Stefan Fasaway treats
00:29:55his cousin, Raymond.
00:30:00It'd be easy for Dunk to repeat the cycle of violence when he encounters young Egg.
00:30:05Dunk even tells Egg multiple times that he could use a clout in the ear.
00:30:18He threatens to beat Egg, but instead decides to bring him along.
00:30:23Dunk also promises not to beat Egg, except when it's justified.
00:30:27I promise not to beat you, except when you deserve it.
00:30:32While Dunk's words echo his master, his actions don't.
00:30:35For all Arlen taught him, how to discipline is one lesson that thankfully didn't rub off.
00:30:42Houses Speaking of Stefan and Raymond,
00:30:44The Apple is the sigil of House Fasaway.
00:30:48This is not only reflected through the symbol on Stefan's armour, but also in the multiple
00:30:53apple buns that the cousins make.
00:31:00This isn't the only familiar sigil that Dunk comes across.
00:31:03When Dunk first arrives in Ashford, he's quickly drawn to a flag with purple lightning and white stars.
00:31:14This sigil belongs to House Dondarrion, which Dunk recognizes due to the arrow that Arlen took while hunting the Vulture
00:31:21King.
00:31:22Dunk thus hopes that Sir Manfred Dondarrion will vouch for him, but Beric's ancestor is anything but grateful.
00:31:36Eagle-eyed viewers also might have noticed the flags depicting three beehives, which is the sigil for House Beesbury, Princes
00:31:44Baelor and Maegar.
00:31:45It's established that the Targaryens still rule Westeros, even if their hold is weaker than in House of the Dragon.
00:31:52In this episode, we're introduced to some of the most important princes in the family.
00:31:59This includes Baelor and Maegar Targaryen.
00:32:03Both of the sons of Daeron II, also called Daeron the Good, the current king.
00:32:08Baelor is his oldest son, making him the current heir and also the hand of the king.
00:32:32Maegar, on the other hand, is the fourth son and has four sons himself, which will become relevant later.
00:32:38His third son is someone we all know and love, Maester Aemon of Castle Black, one of the few Game
00:32:45of Thrones characters alive during this era.
00:32:48The Tragedy at Summerhall
00:32:50The books frequently mention a famous fire that happened about 40 years before Game of Thrones.
00:32:56It's one of the most notable mysteries in Westeros' history.
00:33:09It's unclear why the fire began, but they believe it was started by Aegon trying to revive dragons.
00:33:15The incident was prophesied to Aegon by a random fortune teller.
00:33:30As you may expect, the rest of what she says is all true according to the main series.
00:33:36The tragic fire was motivated by a prophecy told to Aegon, but a different one from the novels for simplicity.
00:33:43Aegon was also given a dragon egg when he was younger, which he kept at Summerhall, similarly foreshadowing the tragedy
00:33:50to come.
00:33:51Daeron's Backstory
00:33:52Aegon is the youngest son of Maegar, with Daeron being his eldest brother.
00:34:02He's named after his grandfather, Daeron the Good, but unfortunately doesn't live up to his ancestors' reputation.
00:34:14Maegar sent Daeron and Aeg to Ashford together, hoping Daeron would participate in the tourney, with his brother serving as
00:34:21his squire.
00:34:21Obviously, this isn't going to happen, since Daeron and Aeg ran away on the journey.
00:34:27It was a pretty confusing decision, in fairness, since the drunk Targaryen detests fighting.
00:34:33The silver lining is him being on the accuser's team definitely increases Dunks' chances of winning.
00:34:49In the original novellas, we get some insight into Duncan's childhood, but not as much as we see here.
00:34:56This is because Duncan is far younger in the novella, so he barely remembers his time in Flea Bottom.
00:35:02In the books, we know he had three friends, Ferret, Rafe and Pudding.
00:35:14They're called Little Monsters by the Hedge Knights, with all four of them getting up to constant mischief.
00:35:21In the show, Rafe is a young girl and a love interest.
00:35:31Rafe is also never mentioned to have died, plus Duncan claims he met Sir Arlan in entirely different conditions.
00:35:41Originally, he was spotted by Sir Arlan chasing a pig, then became his squire pretty much on the spot.
00:35:49Pennytree's Origins
00:35:50Sir Arlan hails from Pennytree, a sizable village north of Riverrun.
00:35:55In the novella, he never talks about it, leading Duncan to have no idea where it is.
00:36:01In the show, we get this interesting exchange between Mazda and Squire, with Arlan explaining his village's titular tree.
00:36:09When a lord calls his banners and sends us boys off to war, it's custom for each to nail a
00:36:16penny to the oak in the square, and if we return, to take it down.
00:36:23It's a completely new scene, but it might be hinting for a future visit there for Dunk and Egg.
00:36:38This hasn't happened yet in the three novellas, so it may be something George has planned for sequels.
00:36:45He could have even mentioned this to the showrunners, explaining extra focus for the settlement.
00:36:50Until now, the most we've seen of it was in one Jamie chapter in A Dance With Dragons.
00:37:01Duncan's Knighthood
00:37:02It's unclear whether this conversation between Duncan and the late Sir Arlan was a dream or a memory.
00:37:08It becomes extra noteworthy when Duncan asks his master why he was never knighted.
00:37:21For decades, fans have speculated over this issue.
00:37:25The topic hasn't been fully fleshed out in the novellas yet, but the show has begun to focus on it
00:37:30earlier.
00:37:31This makes it a lot more ambiguous than in the source material.
00:37:47Many viewed this as a confirmation that he was never knighted, but not everyone is eager to agree.
00:37:58Mainly because it's such a massive reveal, plus whether it was a dream or a memory, leaves it somewhat open
00:38:05-ended.
00:38:05The Role of Motherhood
00:38:14As the episode name suggests, motherhood is a core theme.
00:38:19In the Faith of the Seven, the mother is a deity who represents the protection of the weak.
00:38:33The episode shows that anyone can take that role, regardless of gender or social position.
00:38:39This is reflected by Arlan saving Duncan, then when the latter holds both Rafe and Baelor in his arms while
00:38:46they pass away.
00:38:46This desire to protect others is one of Duncan's most admirable traits, which he will end up sharing with Aegon,
00:38:56making the pair one of Westeros' most moral characters.
00:39:00Targaryen Prophetic Dreams
00:39:06The thing Daeron is probably most notable for, other than shaving his younger brother's head, is definitely his dragon dreams.
00:39:14Only Targaryens and Blackfyres are known to experience this phenomenon.
00:39:22First was Daenys the Dreamer, who foresaw the Doom of Valyria.
00:39:26Some legends claim Aegon the Conqueror had a dream predicting his invasion.
00:39:31The only confirmed dreamers who are major characters in the books are Daeron, Maester Aemon and Daenerys Targaryen.
00:39:38So the gift Daeron has is exceedingly rare, but tragically, it's believed to have caused the deaths of quite a
00:39:45few Targaryens.
00:39:57It could be part of the reason he's so in love with Boos.
00:40:00Alice Three Fingers
00:40:10Both Manfred Dondarrion and Lionel Baratheon seem beyond excited to be singing this bawdy track.
00:40:17You may think it's referencing some niche historical events, but it's an entirely brand new song.
00:40:23At first, you could guess it's referring to the potentially magical Alice Rivers from House of the Dragon, but she's
00:40:30got all her fingers.
00:40:31It's symbolic of Aeg's belief that anyone can better the world regardless of birthright.
00:40:44It's also a homage to the tons of other bawdy songs littered throughout the series.
00:40:56The Three Fingers can also be interpreted as a reference to Three Finger Hob, Castle Black's head chef, who was
00:41:04frequently featured in the novels Aryan the Monstrous.
00:41:12Another Targaryen introduced is Aryan Brightflame, as he'd call himself.
00:41:17His opponents would instead call him Aryan the Monstrous.
00:41:21Aryan inherited Targaryen good looks, but unfortunately also likely got the infamous Targaryen madness.
00:41:41Much like Viserys in Game of Thrones, he's convinced he's a dragon in a human body.
00:41:46He's also Maekar's second son and Aemon's older brother.
00:41:51Aryan's mother was Diana Dayne, connecting the Targaryens to the legendary knight, Ser Arthur Dayne.
00:41:57He was famously one of Rhaegar Targaryen's best friends, who was revealed to have been there for the birth of
00:42:03Jon Snow.
00:42:04Well, if you can't manage horses, then fetch me some wine and a pretty wench.
00:42:08Lionel Baratheon
00:42:10House Baratheon is also well represented here.
00:42:13Not only are the house's trademark antlers used in all of their decorating, but Lionel Baratheon himself appears.
00:42:25It's mentioned that Lionel is known as the Laughing Storm.
00:42:29This isn't just because Lionel's the life of the party, but he delights in laughing at his opponents.
00:42:37Dunc assumed that Lionel would be bigger, which could be a reference to one of his descendants.
00:42:50While the family tree is a bit murky, Lionel is suspected to be Robert Baratheon's great-grandfather or great-great
00:42:57-grandfather.
00:42:58Watching Lionel, we can see that Robert inherited his boisterous spirit and love of feasting.
00:43:16He isn't someone you want on your bad side.
00:43:18If you're on his good side though, Lionel might let you wear his crown.
00:43:23Arian's Journey East
00:43:24There's a strong chance we won't be seeing Arian Brightflame again following this episode.
00:43:30His father is sending him to Ezos, but hasn't specified where.
00:43:34Assuming it stays true to the novellas, he'll be heading off to Lyse.
00:43:48This is one of the southernmost free cities, which doesn't appear in Game of Thrones, but does in the novels.
00:43:55With Quentin Martell's first chapter being set there.
00:43:58Young Griff also heads there shortly before heading to conquer Westeros.
00:44:02If this series covers another ten years, we may see Arian again in the Seven Kingdoms.
00:44:09We may even get some Lyse scenes while he's there, such as his time serving the Second
00:44:14Sons, but he probably won't be relevant enough.
00:44:19The Battle of Humphrey
00:44:21It's mentioned that the only two who died were Beesbury and Harding, both Humphreys.
00:44:29In the original novella, these two Humphreys fought each other valiantly on the tourneys' opening day.
00:44:36They ended up breaking twelve lances in total, which later became known as the Battle of Humphrey.
00:44:42It's not featured in the show, but Humphrey Harding's joust with Arian is what claimed the life of his horse.
00:44:48These two Humphreys are brothers-in-law, explaining why they joined Dunk to get revenge on Arian.
00:44:54Unfortunately, they both lose their lives, one slain by Sir Donald the Crabber in the novella,
00:45:00then the other dying of his wounds shortly after the trial, becoming a knight.
00:45:13In medieval Europe, becoming a knight was a lengthy and challenging task, with a lord being required to knight someone.
00:45:20In Westeros, it's way simpler.
00:45:23Literally any knight can make someone else a knight.
00:45:32It's still more admirable to be knighted by a more prestigious individual, though, and selling knighthoods is heavily frowned upon.
00:45:40It's never explained in the series, but knights, interestingly, came to Westeros when the Andals did.
00:45:46This was likely a major factor in their victory over Westeros.
00:45:49It also means that knights are way more common in the southern Andal-settled kingdoms,
00:45:54as opposed to the North and the Iron Islands.
00:45:57Knights are still present there, however.
00:45:59In the name of the mother, I charge you to protect the young and innocent.
00:46:05Sandwich invention.
00:46:06Humans have been using bread to eat food for thousands of years, but the idea of a sandwich is fairly
00:46:12new.
00:46:19Invented in the 1700s by an English Earl.
00:46:23While New World plants and animals are featured in Westeros despite the medieval setting,
00:46:29people rarely eat present-day meals, even if all the ingredients are there.
00:46:33This is because it's more immersion-breaking for a knight to be eating a pizza than to snack on tomatoes.
00:46:39So, this is the first depiction of a sandwich in Westeros.
00:46:44Leading us to believe Dunk and Egg casually invented a new food item for breakfast.
00:46:55The Battle of the Red Grass Field
00:46:57Duncan frequently mentions this battle to the Lords because his old master, Arlen, fought there.
00:47:03Sir Arlen of Pennytree, but he served them.
00:47:07I swear it.
00:47:08For context, this was the deciding battle for the first Blackfyre Rebellion, which happened 13 years before the series began.
00:47:16Sir Arlen fought side by side with your brothers at the Red Grass.
00:47:19This was a brutal civil war between the Targaryens and the Blackfyres, a pretender faction led by Daemon Blackfyre.
00:47:27The Red Grass Field's location isn't confirmed.
00:47:30It was probably near the capital, but it was named after the battle, which is said to have stained the
00:47:35field's grass.
00:47:36About 10,000 died, including Daemon Blackfyre and his oldest sons.
00:47:41Despite the loss, many Blackfyres survived and fled east.
00:47:44It's unlikely that Sir Arlen played a significant role in the fight, however, as confirmed by the Lord's reactions to
00:47:51Duncan.
00:48:00Dragon Puppet
00:48:10A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms occurs decades between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.
00:48:16As such, the only dragons we'll be seeing in this show are of the puppet variety.
00:48:22Duncan encounters one such dragon, as Tansel, the puppeteer, recounts the Sirwin of the Mirror Shield legend.
00:48:28According to this tale, Sirwin managed to slay a dragon by using the reflection from his shield.
00:48:34While the legend of Sirwin may not be grounded in fact, it does mirror Dunk's own story.
00:48:40Like Sirwin, Dunk has set out alone, looking to make a name for himself.
00:48:49Assuming that Dunk was lying about Arlen knighting him, he too must conceal a secret, or else the future he's
00:48:55working towards will go up in flames.
00:49:04Robin in a Thorn Tree
00:49:05Before setting out on his journey, Dunk notices a Robin in a tree.
00:49:18Dunk later says that this Robin was the only witness to his dubbing, again implying that Arlen didn't actually make
00:49:25him a knight.
00:49:30Although this could be written off as a joke, the Robin may represent something deeper.
00:49:35Robins are said to symbolize renewal, mirroring Dunk's pursuit of a fresh start.
00:49:40Despite his height, Dunk is a humble individual who feels small, not unlike a Robin.
00:49:46Even if Dunk wasn't granted knighthood by his master, the Robin's presence could be a sign that nature recognizes him
00:49:52as someone worthy of the sword he now carries.
00:49:55The Hedge Knight's story remains rooted in nature, ending this first chapter where it began, under a tree.
00:50:07The Meaning of Trees
00:50:19Trees are massively important in the world of Westeros.
00:50:22Not only in a literal sense, like the magical weirwood trees, but in a metaphorical sense too.
00:50:28The show begins with Duncan burying Sir Arlen, who hails from Penny Tree.
00:50:33The settlement gets its name from a massive tree with hundreds of pennies nailed to it.
00:50:38We see Dunk and his former master relaxing under a tree when the episode begins.
00:50:48All this tree symbolism has a few meanings.
00:50:51It's a reference to Duncan literally being tall, but also standing firm and remaining pure despite his harsh environment.
00:51:04Additionally, Hedge Knights get their name because they often sleep in nature, under hedges and trees, so it's symbolic of
00:51:12Dunk's freedom but low position.
00:51:22Dunk is Brienne's ancestor
00:51:25Even if you memorized the entire script for Game of Thrones, you'd never be able to tell Brienne is related
00:51:31to Sir Duncan.
00:51:32Except for the fact they're both tall, there are few connections between them.
00:51:37One of the biggest hints comes from the novels where Brienne adores Duncan so much that she has her shield
00:51:43painted with his arms.
00:51:45Turns out, author George RR Martin confirmed in 2016 that the pair are related.
00:51:51It's not clear how, and there's a chance we'll never truly know.
00:51:55Martin added that he's hoping to explain this in future books, but fans aren't optimistic about the final two novels
00:52:01being published.
00:52:02Oak and Iron
00:52:12In the original novella, this line from a nursery rhyme pops into Duncan's head.
00:52:18In the show, it's instead uttered by himself and a blacksmith, but the meaning is identical.
00:52:35The only other character who thinks of a similar phrase is the Onion Knight, Davos Seaworth.
00:52:40In a storm of swords, the line,
00:52:42even demons can be killed by cold iron pops into his head.
00:52:47A lot of fans believe iron is highly important in Westeros, but for reasons so ancient, the small folk only
00:52:54remember them in rhymes.
00:52:56The nobility, on the other hand, still build their castle doors out of oak and iron, which likely have the
00:53:02same origins.
00:53:03The importance of visors
00:53:06Avoiding visors is crucial for Sir Duncan in the novella, and to a certain extent in the show too.
00:53:13Duncan's helmet, importantly, has no visor.
00:53:16According to Steely Pate, the blacksmith, many knights die after lifting them, so he should avoid having one.
00:53:29This makes for an iconic moment when Duncan finally beats Arian, then takes off his helmet and is overwhelmed by
00:53:36his surroundings.
00:53:37The show does a great job at depicting this, with us also getting quite a few Duncan POV shots, helping
00:53:44us feel his fear.
00:53:53He does take his helmet off earlier than in the novella, which is a bit out of character, but it's
00:53:58probably because it would be less emotional if we couldn't see his face.
00:54:11Nine Kingdoms
00:54:12You'd be forgiven for thinking there are seven kingdoms in the Seven Kingdoms.
00:54:17There are seven kingdoms of the realm, boy. Everyone knows that.
00:54:21Then everyone is wrong.
00:54:22As Egg hilariously points out, there are actually nine.
00:54:25Also, seven are lordships, and one is a principality, meaning there's only one kingdom technically.
00:54:33So why do we call it that?
00:54:41It's because there were seven before Aegon's conquest.
00:54:45The extra two are the Riverlands and the Crownlands.
00:54:48The former used to be unified with the Iron Islands and the latter came from the Stormlands.
00:54:55Confusingly, Dorne was and still is a principality, plus the Targaryens ruled Dragonstone as lords.
00:55:03The Six Kingdoms, a principality and a lordship is a more accurate name, but sounds far worse.
00:55:10Did Makar give Egg permission?
00:55:13The season ends with Prince Makar getting riled up about Egg running away.
00:55:19This implies that Egg was lying to Duncan about being sent to serve him.
00:55:24This is a drastic change from the books, where it's not ambiguous at all.
00:55:30In the text, Makar gives his son a signet ring with his seal on it, which is basically a get
00:55:36-out-of-jail-free card for the duo.
00:55:39Egg's father also orders him to keep his hair shaved at all times.
00:55:43This moment is taken out of the show, which will likely lead to additional conflicts further down the line.
00:55:49It's unclear why they made this change, so we'll just have to see how it develops before fully judging it.
00:55:59Duncan is Ser Baelor's man.
00:56:08Our beloved hedge knight is the one cradling the Targaryen heir in his dying moments.
00:56:14Some of the last words ever spoken to him are by Duncan pledging himself to him.
00:56:19It's important because it's likely to convince the Targaryens not to blame him for his death.
00:56:25It's also a subtle bit of foreshadowing for Dunk's future.
00:56:29Not only is he pledging his loyalty to Baelor, but to the Targaryen dynasty as a whole.
00:56:38It's also showing how much Duncan idolizes Baelor, viewing him as the epitome of a noble knight.
00:56:45This moment feels bittersweet when you realize the Targaryen's death motivates Duncan even more to become the most chivalrous knight
00:56:53possible.
00:56:59Hint to the Long Knight
00:57:01When it comes to the Long Knight, and we're not talking about Sir Arlan, we can safely assume it will
00:57:07go down in the books differently from the TV show.
00:57:10For those unaware, the Long Knight was a period about 8,000 years ago when the world was taken by
00:57:16a harsh winter, which brought with it the Others.
00:57:26According to Melisandre, there will be another Long Knight, which will probably be Euron's doing.
00:57:31It's also known that the Others detest iron.
00:57:35Additionally, Winterfell's doors are made of oak and iron, and it's heavily implied that the city is essential to keeping
00:57:42the Others at bay.
00:57:43So, there's a strong chance this rhyme is foreshadowing events to come in the winds of winter.
00:57:50Arian and Egg's Backstory
00:58:00We now know Arian is the older brother of Egg, and you can easily tell the two don't get along.
00:58:13The pair has years of backstory, which hasn't been explained in much depth.
00:58:18Egg detests how often Arian lies, and he's also exceedingly cruel towards his younger brother.
00:58:24For instance, he once brutally threw his cat down a well.
00:58:30Despite his cutthroat tendencies, the king still adores him, as he's the only person Arian is pleasant towards.
00:58:37The siblings are complete opposites of each other, with Arian embodying all the worst traits a king could have, an
00:58:44egg the best.
00:58:46Dunk's Sigil
00:58:47Episode 2 featured the iconic moments where Duncan creates his own sigil, a shooting star above an elm tree with
00:58:55a glorious sunset in the background.
00:59:02You may remember that Episode 1 ended with the duo looking up at a shooting star at night, resting beneath
00:59:09a tree.
00:59:10The pair cobbled it together in a bit of a rush, but it's still loaded with meaning.
00:59:14The shooting star commemorates Dunk and Egg's first night together, while the tree references Sir Arlen, alongside Dunk's role as
00:59:22a hedge knight.
00:59:28Shooting stars also bring good luck, foreshadowing the pair's forthcoming adventures and lifelong friendship.
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00:59:55Egg truly sees Dunk.
01:00:04Although Dunk stands out in more ways than one, he also blends in with others, seeming inconsequential.
01:00:11Even Lionel, who takes a liking to Dunk, doesn't see him as more than a drinking and dancing buddy.
01:00:17Egg is the only one who can instantly read Dunk.
01:00:20The precocious child sees that Dunk doesn't look or act like the other knights.
01:00:32He might not be a good knight, but Egg recognizes that there's worth in Dunk's humble nature.
01:00:38Where Egg quickly detects the true value in Dunk, the hedge knight ironically fails to notice that his new squire
01:00:45is more than he seems.
01:00:46Again, we won't spoil who Egg is, but there's a reason why he didn't leap at the coin that Dunk
01:00:52gave him.
01:00:56Which George RR Martin story would you like to see HBO tackle next?
01:01:01Let us know in those comments below.
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