After six compelling episodes, the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has come to an end. The HBO spinoff started clumsily, struggling to find its footing amid gross-out humor and meandering storylines, but ultimately found its strenght in powerful character dynamics and an engrossing display of honor and comradeship.
Season 1, episode 6, titled "The Morrow," shows the gloomy aftermath of the Trial of Seven, which culminated in Ser Duncan the Tall's victory at the cost of Prince Baelor Targaryen's death.
Dunk hands out a few farewells
The episode opens with a depressed and badly injured Duncan sitting by the elm tree with Ser Lyonel Baratheon at this side. "Come with me to Storm's End," he urges Dunk, "and I will love you like a brother." A gentle reminder that our hedge knight's fate is uncertain: how do you move on after a prince of the realm dies trying to protect you?
A funeral is held for Prince Baelor Targaryen, attended by his family and members of the noble houses. Dunk arrives later and encounters Prince Valarr, Baelor's eldest son, who is overcome with grief. The prince regrets that his father wore his armor in combat, which ultimately sealed his fate. Valarr, like so many who witnessed the trial, can't fathom why the gods would take Baelor and spare Dunk.
In an amusing scene, Ser Duncan drops by at Raymun Fossoway's tent only to find that his vengeful cousin has left Raymun with virtually nothing. The squire-turned-knight isn't too concerned about it, though, for he has become engaged with Rowan, one of Manfred Dondarrion's women, overnight, and she claims they are already expecting a child.
A decisive meeting between Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Maekar
In what's perhaps the most pivotal moment in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' season 1 finale, Duncan and Maekar come face to face for the first time after the Trial of Seven. The two discuss the controversial nature of Baelor's death and how rumors about Maekar intentionally killing his brother to take his place on the Iron Throne are inevitable. Every time the crown fails or the crops fall short, whispers will follow that, had Baelor still been alive, he would not have allowed it to happen.
The promise of Baelor's success and his indomitable honor will always cast a shadow over the Targaryen reign from now on. Maekar blames the tragedy on the hedge knight, while Dunk himself struggles to fathom how his life could ever outweigh that of a prince. Yet the world is full of mysteries, and a day may come when the realm has greater need of Dunk's sword than Baelor's life. "Not bloody likely," Maekar retorts, but we all know Dunk is right — maybe too right.
Finally, Maekar makes Duncan an unexpected proposal: to swear his sword to him and take Egg as his squire at Summerhall. Dunk, however, gets straight to the point: he's done with princes for the time being.
A new journey begins for Dunk & Egg
Blinded by rage, Egg sneaks into Aerion's chambers, determined to kill his brother, but is stopped by his father, who consoles him. Dunk requests another meeting with Maekar, agreeing to take Egg as his squire on one condition: they will continue on the road, away from castles, servants, and extravagancies.
Ser Duncan is ready to go away when he's surprised by Egg, who's there to join him on the road — supposedly with Maekar's blessing. Together, the unlikely duo rides off towards destinations unknown. In a poignant moment, Ser Arlan can be seen following closely behind before turning onto a different path. This is Dunk and Egg's journey now; their destiny is theirs alone.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 episode 6 review
Objectively, not a lot happens in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' season finale. There's little action, everyone looks a bit lost, as if unsure how exactly to move on in the face of the latest events. What was meant to be a modest jousting tournament instead turned into one of the most tragic chapters in Westeros history.
This pervasive sense of grief and disorientation seems fitting for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1, episode 6. As expected, there are well-placed moments of comic relief to ease the tension a bit, but the scenes between Duncan and Maekar are all charged with unparalleled austerity. Most importantly, it's an episode about big decisions, something our hedge knight isn't really used to.
Lyonel urges Dunk to join him in Storm's End, while Maekar wants him at Stormhall training Egg. But what does Dunk want? All he knows is that he doesn't know, and so he decides to ride towards the unknown, seeking a purpose or waiting for a purpose to find him. This is a story about a hedge knight after all.
A lot happens between the lines in this episode, but the highlight goes to Maekar saying Egg is "his last son." Even Dunk knows exactly what the prince means: Egg is the only one who still has a shot at redemption. The blood of the dragon carries a dangerous, corrupting force, and though it pains Maekar to admit that Egg's place is as far away as possible from his family, the boy recognizes it too, choosing — stubbornly as always — to begin a quiet rebellion of his own by riding alongside Dunk.
It's a sweet ending to a sweet first season, one that thrives on its deft balance between light humor and grisly violence. A promising morrow lies ahead for the Game of Thrones universe.