HBO’s 6-Part Fantasy Series Is So Good, It United a Split Fandom

There haven’t been many television finales as disastrous as that of Game of Thrones, as “The Iron Throne” was such a disappointment that it seemingly invalidated all the investment that viewers had staked in the George R.R. Martin adaptation over the course of eight seasons. Although House of the Dragon was a more well-planned adaptation of another Martin series that benefited from having an ending set in advance, it was far from perfect. It was hard to follow House of the Dragon for those who didn’t already have a foundational knowledge of the history, mythology, and topography of Westeros, and the series earned a new layer of controversy when Martin himself spoke out against its inaccuracies. It may have seemed like the world of Westeros would be reserved for only a niche group of fans going forward, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was an old-fashioned adventure story that explored a side of the universe that wasn’t dominated by magic, bloodlines, and prophecies.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms may share a title with the best episode of Game of Thrones’ final season, but it is set around 90 years before the beginning of the original show, and is set far away from King’s Landing. The series tells the story of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), a lowborn hedge knight who had previously squired for Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). Duncan, or “Dunk” as he is affectionately known as, has the ambition of competing in a tournament in Ashford, where he finds an unexpected squire of his own in the young boy Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). The tournament itself is a center point in which various powerful families, cunning knights, and ruthless charlatans vie for victory in inhumane ways, but Dunk’s goal is to win by honorable means. Although the notion of an old-fashioned hero determined to do good in the world might feel like a generic premise, it feels like a breath of fresh air when compared to the cynicism of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is a More Grounded Take on Westeros

Both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are quite epic in scope, which makes sense because they are set over several years of time and involve a massive ensemble of characters. However, that style is a byproduct of the specific stories being told, and not an aesthetic that all franchise shows should ascribe to. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a more grounded series that does not feature any magic or allusions to the broader political strife, as it takes place on the edge of history, where commonfolk are forced to defend themselves. It’s a reminder that Martin’s worldbuilding wasn’t just brilliant because of the destinies and prophecies that he foretold, but because he created unique pockets of society that took an interesting new spin on the concept of medieval times. Although there are a fair number of Easter Eggs that allude to events in the wider franchise, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a great option for those burnt out by Game of Thrones, and those who’ve never entered Westeros before.

The universe of Westeros is so vast that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms makes a smart choice in limiting its story to a select location in which the tournament is held. It makes for a clever piece of commentary because it shows how contested a seemingly ”honorable” competition is. Even if it is framed as being an equalizing opportunity that anyone can participate in, the most powerful families have a sway over circumstances that help to tilt the event in their favor. It’s a great way for Dunk to be an underdog, as he has to be a hero who fights against systematic oppression and understands knighthood better than those who were born into it.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Has a Compelling Hero’s Journey

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms benefits from being a classic two-hander about characters who seek not to be defined by their class. Dunk has to prove that chivalry is not reserved for those who came from nobility, and some clever twists reveal that Egg is also trying to ensure that he does not go down the same dark path as his family. The chemistry between the two is so charming and surprisingly funny that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is able to bide its time without feeling like it lacks inertia. There’s so much development done in the first three episodes that the fourth episode, “Seven,” offers an all-time great battle scene. It’s followed up by the heartbreaking flashback episode “In the Name of the Mother,” which makes Dunk’s transition to knighthood even more admirable when considering the tragic nature of his origin.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is proof of how great shows can be economical; with six half-hour episodes, the first season of the show is able to tell a complete story filled with surprises and revelations, and resolves itself in a way where a Season 2 is more than warranted. What’s lost in the cultural evaluation of Game of Thrones is that it was the characters that audiences fell in love with more than anything else, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a reminder of how that is still the case.