Episode Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 1x4 - "Seven"

Welcome back to the blog readers. In case you have not been around for the last few weeks, I have begun to fall in love with the newest series in the Game of Thrones universe titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026-). The setting is perfect for another show in this world, the characters are all bright and colorful, and the main chemistry between "Dunk" and "Egg" is off the charts. Now that we have made it to the second half of this show and everyone's true colors have been revealed, what is next for our characters? Stick around to find out, as I review this fourth episode, titled "Seven," written by Hiram Martinez, Annie Julia Wyman, and Ira Parker, and directed by Sarah Adina Smith.

NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my thoughts, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.

---

I think the whole point of this show is that it is not going to be nearly as good as Game of Thrones (2011-19) or House of the Dragon (2022-), and it really does not need to be held up to those standards. It just needs to deliver on what it has promised us, and I really think it has so far in three episodes. By far, however, this is the best episode of the series. Peter Claffey gives his best performance of the season yet, and the story is starting to expand into something far bigger than just a knight that wants to do good.

I want to start by talking about the performance of Peter Claffey. Back in my review of the first episode, I was able to praise his ability to blend a nervous charisma and overall just a likability to the character of Ser Duncan the Tall / "Dunk." As the episodes have gone on, we have started to see a different side to Duncan, and that is overall nobility and determination. This is the culmination of that, as we see him expertly be able to tackle on these traits. And I want to take a second to talk on the final five minutes of the episode, where he in my opinion gives arguably one of the better monologues in the entire franchise. I really hope this guy blossoms into something incredible as time goes on, because he has it.

And now, we need to talk about the story of this episode. We pick up shortly after the events of last week's episode in which Ser Duncan the Tall was captured by the Targaryen house for assaulting one of their own. He is being held in a prison cell and looks dejected since his squire, "Egg" revealed who he truly is: Prince Aegon Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne. Aegon enters the cell to apologize to a furious Duncan, who yells at the boy for deceiving and lying to him. Aegon is remorseful, claiming he really did want to be a squire for a knight since his older brother Daeron (for whom he was supposed to squire) is a drunk. Aegon also tells Duncan that his uncle, Baelor, wants to see him to discuss the consequences for striking Aerion. Since he is being accused of striking the prince (and apparently kidnapping Aegon based on a testimony from a drunken Daeron), he may lose his foot or his hand. Or more for the "kidnapping." The alternative to this is a trial by combat, and Duncan mulls this over while questioning his own morals.

Later, Duncan is put in front of a panel that includes Baelor, Lord Ashford, Maekar, Aerion, Plummer, and Leo Tyrell. Duncan has decided that he wants to go with a trial by combat, something almost everyone agrees with since Duncan is a knight and within his rights to ask for one. The one person who does not agree with this? Aerion, who shocks (and confuses) everyone when he claims he does not want a trial by combat (something he is not able to do), and that it is within his rights to demand a trial by seven. Not even Maekar knows what a trial by seven is, but Baelor fills the group in since he knows what it is: a trial by seven is an ancient ritual dating all the way back to the day of the early Andals that sees the accused engage in seven-on-seven combat, because they believed that this setup would appease their seven gods. What does this mean for Duncan? He needs to find six people that will fight with him, as does Aerion, and he will be found guilty by default if he can not. Maekar is livid since he believes Aerion is too afraid to fight Duncan by himself and is claiming to be upholding Daeron's honor. Duncan panics since he does not know anyone that will fight by his side.

He mindlessly walks out of the castle and tries to explain his situation to the horses, but he is greeted by Raymun Fossoway, who invites him into his tent to escape the rain and get some food. The two discuss Duncan's chances in the trial by seven while Raymun trues to cheer Duncan up. It is at this point that his cousin Ser Steffon arrives to announce he will fight for Duncan, and even volunteers his friends Lyonel Baratheon and Damon Lannister. Also, Aegon arrives at the tent to Duncan's surprise and he volunteers to squire for Duncan. He also reveals Daeron, who Duncan almost chokes out for lying on him. It is then we learn that Daeron was the patron at the inn that told Duncan he knew him. He promises to fall over and not take part as soon as someone deals a glancing blow. One further thing: he announces who Aerion has assembled for his team; Aerion the Brightflame, Maekar, himself, and three Kingsguard knights, leaving one spot unfilled. Daeron asks Duncan for a moment of privacy where he discusses a prophetic dream he had where a mighty dragon falls on top of Duncan, killing the dragon but leaving Duncan living. He has no idea whether Duncan killed the dragon but he does not want to risk himself.

That morning, he wanders around the tourney grounds in the rain until he recalls Tanselle's puppet show where she told the tale of Florian the Fool and heads towards the puppet tent. It is abandoned and left in the state it was in the other day when Aerion broke Tanselle's finger. As he stands among the wreckage, Steely Pate finds him and tells him that Tanselle left his shield at his cart. He gives Duncan the shield that was painted over beautifully. The two have a heart-to-heart conversation discussing life and death where Pate only requests a copper from Duncan to pay for the shield. He also announces that Tanselle returned to Dorne and that he strengthened the shield. Dawn has arrived, and the trial by seven is imminently going to begin. Duncan is introduced to his team: Ser Humfrey Hardyng (whose horse Aerion flagrantly killed in last week's episode), Ser Robyn Rhysling, Humfrey Beesbury, Lyonel, and Ser Steffon. Duncan assumes Lyonel is there because of Ser Steffon, but Steffon claims he has never been friends with Lyonel. He lied about that...just as he did about standing with Duncan.

Steffon takes the field and admits he will fight for Aerion because he promised him a lordship, leading him and Raymun to have a spat. Raymun then promises to fight with Dunk and Lyonel knights him as Duncan and Aerion ride out to the grounds for the start of the trial. Duncan is one knight short so he begs for a minute to appeal to the crowd to find someone to join him, referencing Ser Arlan of Pennytree. He tells the smallfolk that their sons will follow in their example regarding their choices this day. One patron appears to be moved, but he decides to make a joke out of it by passing gas to jeers and laughter. Disheartened, Duncan screams to all of them to ask if there are any true knights among them. Suddenly, someone branding the Targaryen sigil rides out to reveal themselves: it is Baelor, who admits he was moved by Duncan's words and agrees with him that he was standing up for the innocent. A different version of Ramin Djawadi's Game of Thrones theme plays as the episode ends here.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms gives us its best offering thus far, filled to the brim with excellent performances, dialogue, and intrigue for the final two episodes of the season. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.