Critic’s Rating: 3.8 / 5.0
3.8
It was always leading to this moment on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Dunk finds himself facing a Trial by Combat, but it’s not just any type of Trial by Combat.
Prince Aerion wants a Trial of Seven, and it leads to some unsurprising moments that are sure to have consequences later on.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
Baelor Proves to Be a Good Man
While we open with Egg apologizing to Dunk for his lies after the truth came out on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 Episode 3, the real focus is on Baelor as the Prince and leader of the Targaryens, who are currently at the tourney.
He knows that Aerion will want Dunk’s head, but for striking a prince, it means taking the hand — and foot! — that struck him.
Baelor doesn’t want to do that, and we can see that he knows that what Dunk did was for honorable reasons.
While Aerion had his reasons to attack Tanselle, his actions weren’t justified, and Baelor knows that. He can’t do much about Aerion, but he can at least help those who will protect the weak.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
It all comes down to how good a knight Dunk truly is, because the only way out of this is to opt for a Trial by Combat, as would be Dunk’s right.
The fact that Baelor has this conversation with Dunk (and Egg) privately makes it clear that he wants Dunk to come out of this alive, and he will do what he can in his power to help that.
However, things take a turn when Aerion decides he wants a Trial of Seven, which has only been done once before in the Game of Thrones universe.
We’ve never seen it, but George R.R. Martin mentions it in Fire & Blood. It was so long ago that even Maekar has no idea what his son is talking about.
Baelor is stuck again between a rock and a hard place, as it means Dunk needs to find six other knights to fight with him, and this is where some unsurprising moments happen.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
Steffan is Knight’s Bronn
As Dunk figures out what to do, he finds Raymun checking in on his horses.
With Raymun caught up on everything, he takes Dunk to see his cousin Steffan, who immediately wants to fight against the Targareyns. He even promises to find other knights to fight with Dunk.
However, it’s not Steffan who helps on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Egg does his part to be a squire for Dunk, showing that he is sorry for the lies and that he really wants to continue being a squire.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
Egg finds a few knights to help, including Lyonel Baratheon and Robyn Rhysling. There are enough people who hate Aerion enough to go up against him and the Kingsguard.
In fact, some people at the tourney support Dunk, knowing he was just protecting the weak.
It’s why the armorer ends up taking Dunk’s side, and while he can’t fight, he can give armor and metal to help with the fight. Every little counts right now, and it’s just good to see Dunk with supporters.
Things take a turn in the morning when the trial is scheduled to begin.
Is it really that surprising that Steffan only needed the promise of being made a lord to switch sides?
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
He reminds me of Bronn from Game of Thrones — making selfish choices that are sure to eventually have consequences.
Does anyone else want to see him die a bloody death in this trial?
While it is unsurprising, it leads to a moment that will make you think back to the very first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Is Dunk a real knight?
There have been a lot of questions about whether Dunk was really knighted by Ser Arlan, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 Episode 4 seems to suggest that he wasn’t.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
Raymun wants to be knighted so that he can fight, noting that any knight can knight another.
Dunk’s words of “I shouldn’t” make it clear to me that he isn’t a real knight.
Lyonel steps in without question, possibly believing Dunk won’t do it so Raymun doesn’t get hurt, but there is clearly more to it.
Sure, it doesn’t matter in terms of honor, as Dunk is proving himself to be an honorable knight, but he has lied to get himself there, if this is the case.
It makes him a hypocrite when it comes to being angry at Egg’s lies, but maybe that is why he’s quick to note that while Egg lied, he’s still a good boy.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
Targeryen vs. Targeryen
The Game of Thrones universe just can’t avoid a Targaryen vs. Targaryen fight, can it?
Dunk gives a passionate speech to the noble houses, but they don’t know him, and it’s not surprising that there are crickets — and farting — in response.
However, remember that Baelor did everything he could to ensure Dunk survived in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
We end with him riding out to the field, but not to fight alongside his nephew. He is there to fight for Dunk, noting that all Dunk was doing was protecting the weak.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
It’s up to the gods to decide whether Dunk was right or not, and Baelor is giving the man a fighting chance, proving once again that he is a good man.
How will this turn out, though? I know I can look at the book storyline for answers, but let’s just enjoy the show in its own right on this one.
Baelor is confident that the Kingsguard won’t harm him because of the vow they made to the royal line, but what about others? Could Maekar go after his brother? Could Aerion go after his uncle?
There is Steffan as well, who may see this as a chance to take down one of the Targaryen princes after all.
(Photograph by Steffan Hill/HBO)
I do think Baelor is a little too overconfident, and good men don’t last long in the Game of Thrones universe.
It leaves for a nerve-wracking ending that makes me apprehensive for the next episode already, and ending with the epic Game of Thrones theme as Baelor rode out seemed to hint that we should be.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs on Sundays at 10/9c on HBO and HBO Max.
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