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In a surprising turn of events, Prince Baelor Targaryen, known as “Breakspear” and the Hand of the King, sides with Ser Duncan the Tall for a hastily organized seven-way trial by joust. As the leader of this chaotic scene, Baelor commands, “Stay calm, maintain your formation, and hold onto your horses as long as possible.” Amidst the tension of impending combat, novice knights like Dunk and Raymun feel overwhelmed, their anxiety manifesting physically. Horses, clad in chanfron and crinet armor, stir restlessly in the mud. Lyonel Baratheon, unfazed, secures his antler-adorned helmet, ready for battle. Baelor offers what can be perceived as encouragement: “Don’t die.”
Inside his helmet, Dunk’s eyes widen in anticipation. The encasing metal creates a sense of isolation, muting the outside world, but he spots Prince Aerion Targaryen dressed in black armor, maneuvering his horse with precision. The battle begins. Dunk hesitates, only to charge and get struck in the abdomen by Aerion’s lance during their initial encounter. Blood seeps from his chain mail; disoriented, he finds himself unseated as Aerion draws another weapon. The crowd collectively winces as Aerion’s mace finds Dunk’s face.
One of the remarkable aspects of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is its effective storytelling within a limited timeframe. Though its protagonist and narrative are grand, the series adeptly fits into the broader George RR Martin universe. Episodes of AKOTSK are succinct, clocking in at just thirty minutes. Episode 5, “In the Name of the Mother,” uses Dunk’s brutal tourney defeat to delve deeper into his psyche. Within Dunk’s concussed mind, we encounter his younger self (played by Bamber Todd), a Flea Bottom orphan scavenging among the fallen from Daemon “Black Dragon”’s First Blackfyre Rebellion. Already large for his age and possessing the gentle nature familiar to his older self, Dunk seeks guidance from his companion Rafe in their chaotic world. Rafe, portrayed by the talented Chloe Lea from Dune: Prophecy, offers a plan: “I know a witch who pays copper for teeth.” This plan could mean survival, safety, and an opportunity to escape King’s Landing. “This city is too small for us, Dunk.”
The depiction of Flea Bottom in this episode of AKOTSK rivals its grim portrayal in the first season of House of the Dragon, during which Aegon’s illegitimate children engaged in underground brawls. Just when we become acquainted with Rafe, her life is cruelly cut short by a sinister figure named Alester (played by Edward Davis). Dunk’s fate seems sealed as Alester moves to kill him, but Ser Arlan of Pennytree intervenes, wielding his fists and sword in a drunken yet heroic rescue. “In the name of the mother, leave that boy alone!” Heartbroken by Rafe’s loss and narrowly escaping death, Dunk follows Arlan as the hedge knight departs King’s Landing in a stupor. Dunk, weakened from tainted water, learns his first lesson from Arlan. “Get up!” the old knight commands.
“Get up!” shouts Egg, Dunk’s squire, shaking him from his stupor in the midst of the muddy chaos. Now back on his feet, Dunk faces Aerion’s relentless assault. Aerion twists a broken lance in Dunk’s abdomen and aims for a lethal strike with his dagger, which Dunk deflects, injuring his hand. Aerion continues his attack, delivering more strikes. In a display of calculating skill, Aerion uses his sword’s flat edge to target Dunk’s eyes through his helmet visor. Disoriented, bleeding, and likely suffering from a concussion, Dunk collapses as Aerion demands his surrender.
But hearing Egg’s cries, he sources his brute strength, and senses the crowd surging for his Rocky moment. Ser Duncan rises from the field. He advances on Aerion, lands blow after blow, and then the tables are turned, with the hedge knight on top of the prince and blasting him about the face with his own shield. It takes until just that moment for Aerion Targaryen to realize he’s going to lose this trial, if not his very life. “I yield!” he blubbers from between broken teeth, and Dunk drags him to face the nobles on the dais. “I withdraw my accusation!” The Seven have smiled on Ser Duncan the Tall.
Raymun, Steely Pate, and Egg are trying to remove Duncan’s armor plate when Prince Baelor appears. Dunk pledges himself to the Hand of the King’s service, and Baelor says he needs good men like him. The prince, in his knight’s suit of armor, is the picture of the chivalry he stood for. Until they work to remove his helmet, its rear section stove in by a mace strike. (“Most likely my brother’s, he’s strong.”) Ser Duncan’s wounds are severe, but he will live. The same cannot be said for Prince Baelor Targaryen, who collapses, dazed and dying, into the hedge knight’s arms.
Helms & Hauberks for Episode 5 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (“In the Name of the Mother”):
- Dunk’s side lost two knights in the chaos of the first lance, the two Humfreys, Beesbury and Hardyng. With the latter, we were hoping to catch a glimpse of how one fights such a contest with only one working leg, but this action occurs off camera.
- “Woof!” Before the trial begins, Egg barks when Ser Duncan says his squire better stay put. It’s a nice throwback to their earlier interactions, when they didn’t know each other as well, and acknowledges the growth of their personal language. Look how far these two have come in just a few days.
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.