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A Penultimate Flashback Takes Too Much Time Away From the Bloodier Trial of Seven
Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been building towards Dunk’s (Peter Claffey) trial since his confrontation with Aerion (Finn Bennett). Episode 4 escalates the issue once Aerion insists on a Trial of Seven, forcing Dunk to gather six knights to risk their lives defending him, and to the hedge knight’s surprise, he finds the champions, including Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel). That ending leaves Episode 5, “In the Name of the Mother,” to finally reach the main event as the trial ensues. While the fight itself is epic, it doesn’t take up the full episode, which includes a lengthy flashback to Dunk’s youth.
The Trial of Seven Begins in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 5
Immediately following Baelor’s decision to join Dunk’s side, the champions prepare for battle. Baelor, who has previously proven himself as a talented commander, takes charge, instructing them to stay on their horses and let him handle the three Kingsguard knights, whose oaths prevent them from harming him. Yet, as Baelor warns of the practical danger, nerves are high, particularly for Dunk and Raymun (Shaun Thomas), who have no experience. Even so, Dunk doesn’t share an emotional goodbye with Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), remaining optimistic for the boy’s sake and telling him to be there when he returns, calling back to a moment in Episode 2. Considering the series is primarily about their relationship, their scene together is important, proving how close they are as Egg spends the last moments before the trial speaking to Dunk rather than his father, uncle, or either of his brothers.
When it comes time to charge, Dunk hesitates, but Egg calls to his war horse, Thunder, urging him forward into the fray. Untested as he is, Dunk’s shield is quickly broken in the chaotic fight. Almost instantly, a broken lance stabs his side, and Dunk is knocked off his horse into the mud. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wastes no time proving that, as knightly as Dunk is, he isn’t the unbeatable hero common within the genre.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 5 Explores Dunk’s Childhood
Dunk’s fall leads to an extended flashback to Dunk’s past before he met Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). During the Blackfyre Rebellion, he was an orphan on the streets of Flea Bottom. Young Dunk (Bamber Todd) searches the wreckage of a battlefield, stealing anything he can take to sell with his friend Rafe (Chloe Lea). With nothing to their names, they are using the war to collect the funds to leave. While they sell what they find, they are stopped by a Goldcloak named Alester, but they escape, and Rafe even steals his ale skin. Ultimately, they walk away with enough to pay for passage, though Dunk has his doubts. Rafe’s insistence motivates Dunk to stick to the plan as he cares for her and doesn’t want to be separated.
However, they discover the next day that the price to sail away from Westeros has gone up, forcing them to remain in Flea Bottom even longer. Their problems grow when Alester returns, angry that Rafe stole from him. Learning that she sold the ale skin, Alester steals the money Rafe saved, but Rafe takes his knife in return. Realizing this, Alester slits her throat. Dunk responds by attacking Alester, only to get stabbed in the leg. Yet before Alester can do much else, a drunk Ser Arlan comes to Dunk’s aid, killing Alester and his accomplice while Dunk watches his friend die. This story provides a tragic backstory for Dunk with the death of his friend, yet it also explains why he is so determined to defend the smallfolk, as he once needed a knight’s protection.
Alone, Dunk mourns his friend until he sees Arlan stumbling through the streets. This time, Dunk decides to follow, leaving the city and limping behind the knight, who seems unaware of him. With no resources, Dunk grows sick and cold while Arlan drinks and sings at his own camp, but he eventually takes notice of Dunk’s suffering. As the boy collapses, Arlan offers him water and tells him to get up, beginning the relationship that eventually leads to Dunk becoming his squire. It’s an interesting backstory for Dunk, but its placement in the story interrupts the most climactic turn of the season, halting its momentum.
The Targaryen family has more than just dragons at their disposal.
Dunk Faces Off With Aerion in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 5
Considering this is the penultimate episode, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been overdue for some action, and the Trial of Seven is the perfect opportunity, yet it would have been even better if fans could see it more clearly. With fog obscuring the sequence, “In the Name of the Mother” officially gets added to the list of hard-to-see episodes in the franchise.
When the episode jumps back to the Trial of Seven, Dunk returns to his feet, only to be knocked down again. Aerion, in particular, refuses to let Dunk stand up, but Dunk fights back. A gruesome fight between the two ensues, with each accumulating injuries. When Aerion gets his sword into Dunk’s helmet, Dunk removes it for a better view, getting in some brutal blows as well and cutting Aerion’s leg so badly that he seems unable to stand. Maekar (Sam Spruell) rushes toward his son, but is pulled away in the fighting. Even once Aerion is downed, Dunk fails to end the trial, sinking to the ground before he can do anything else. As Egg desperately calls for him to get up, Dunk collapses further. Aerion recovers enough to get to his feet, and all seems lost, but just as the trial is about to be called in Aerion’s favor, Dunk hears Arlan’s voice again and rises.
The crowd cheers Dunk’s name as he faces Aerion again. Neither is nimble, but they are determined. Dunk pins Aerion down, beating the prince’s head until he yields. Once he has won, Dunk drags Aerion to the presiding lords and forces him to withdraw his accusation loud enough for the spectators to hear, effectively ending the fight. The battle between these two characters is impressive, but it’s a shame that the episode only truly focuses on two of the 14 combatants, limiting its scope.
The Trial of Seven Has Dire Consequences in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 5
Following his victory, Dunk falls, but Raymun and Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour) catch him and see to his wounds. Steely Pate must cut the armor off of him after the damage he received, but they assure him that of the seven on their side, only Humfrey Beesbury (Danny Collins) died of his injuries.
Baelor joins them, offering his maester’s help, and Dunk pledges himself to the prince even as he struggles to stand. However, things take a turn when Baelor removes his helmet to reveal a nasty head wound from his brother’s mace that he can’t survive. Baelor collapses into Dunk’s arms as the hedge knight apologizes. While the episode allows Dunk to clear his name, it ends with another twist, heading into the Season 1 finale on an ominous note.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is streaming on HBO Max with new episodes on Sundays.
- Release Date
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January 18, 2026
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Ira Parker
- Directors
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Owen Harris
- Writers
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George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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- Episode 5 centers on the epic confrontation between Dunk and Aerion.
- Throughout the episode, Egg’s faith in Dunk shines, highlighting their relationship.
- An extended flashback takes up a large part of the episode, interrupting the story’s climax.
- The Trial of Seven is hard to see in the fog and its limited scope doesn’t give fans a clear picture of the fight.