Episode Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 1x5 - "In the Name of the Mother"

Welcome back to the blog readers. As you know, I am a fan of the media in the Game of Thrones world, because each series has had its own flavor and style. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026-) is different from House of the Dragon (2022-) is different from Game of Thrones (2011-19), and that is an extremely good thing. This series has been such a refreshing look at the world of Westeros, anchored by exceptional chemistry between its two leads. Now that we have reached the penultimate episode, titled "In the Name of the Mother," written by Hiram Martinez, Ti Mikkel, and Ira Parker, and directed by Owen Harris, would we continue to get what we have been promised? Stick around to find out.

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

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It appeared that this would be the episode in which we would get the trial of the seven that we were introduced to and building towards in last week's episode that I thought was pretty darn good. Like I mentioned in the introductory paragraph, I am disheartened to know that we are getting down to the end of the season because I am absolutely enjoying getting to hang out with these characters. And this is by far the best episode of the season. Peter Claffey gives yet another exceptional performance, and the story we get is wide-ranging with multiple consequences.

I have not been able to stop praising the performance of Peter Claffey over the last few weeks, because he has been killing it with each passing week. In my review of the first episode, I praised his ability to blend nervousness with natural charisma as Ser Duncan the Tall / "Dunk" in a way that not many young actors can. Last week, I praised his determination and nobility in his monologue that I called the best in the entire franchise. This week, the determination is channeled into the best performance by any actor this season as we see grit, we see fire, we see passion, and we see guilt and heartbreak in a transformative performance that truly has it all. And special mention to Bamber Todd, who plays young Ser Duncan the Tall, for being able to capture some of the same traits as Claffey.

And now, we have to get into the story of this episode because it is equal parts thrilling and heartbreaking. We begin not too long after Ser Baelor Targaryen announced his joining Ser Duncan the Tall in his trial by seven, and gives Duncan's side a pep talk explaining how the two members of the Kingsguard on Aerion's side will not attack him due to their oath to protect the royal family, and this includes in situations of trial by combat. Ser Robyn Rhysling questions whether this is honorable, with Baelor replying that the gods will let them know. Duncan and someone else begin puking due to the sheer nervousness as Lyonel speaks on boys being abandoned by their mothers fighting harder than most. Each side is ready for the initial charge as the nervous spectators watch on. Aegon gives Duncan his lance and goes to join the rest of the spectators. The charge happens as Duncan immediately takes a lance from Aerion. As he is trying to pull the piece of the lance out of his side, Aerion strikes him in the face with a morning star, knocking him off his horse and unconscious as the screen cuts to black.

We then pick up with a young Duncan going by Dunk looting a battlefield outside of King's Landing with his friend Rafe. He even tries to suffocate a still-alive soldier trapped under his horse and Rafe tells Dunk to leave the man before he dies anyway. The duo return to their home in Fleabottom with the intent of selling everything they have ransacked on passageway to the Free Cities. The two are confronted by a thief named Alester and tries to take their ransacked goods off them, but he is distracted and Rafe steals an ale skin off of him, leaving him furious. Later that day, Dunk muses that his mother may come back to him so he does not want to abandon the city. Rafe tells Dunk that she loves him and he responds that he does as well, and they should leave together while they still can. When they believe that they have enough to get passage, they are told the next day that due to the recently ended war and desire for more people to leave, the fare has doubled, meaning they cannot leave. It is at this point that Alester returns, and he is pissed off that Rafe stole from him. He gets eve more so when he learns she sold his ale skin. He steals her money, leading her to steal his knife. Alester does not hesitate walking right up to the child and slitting her throat, leaving Dunk devastated and stabbed in the leg when he tries to attack him. It is now that Ser Arlan of Pennytree drunkenly bursts out of his tavern and savagely kills Alester and his henchman. Rafe dies in Dunk's arms and he is left destroyed.

Ser Arlan stumbles through the streets of Fleabottom and outside the city, and Dunk follows without alerting Ser Arlan of his presence. Dunk gets sicker and sicker while Ser Arlan gets drunker and drunker, and he finally notices Dunk when the young boy collapses. Arlan offers Dunk water and tells him to get up as we cut to Duncan immediately jumping up to his feet, having recovered from being knocked out. Aerion knocks him down again, but he rises to his feet again, beginning to earn the admiration of the crowd. The two engage in a brutal fight while carnage ensues around them, and they inflict serious injuries upon each other. Aerion gets his sword in Duncan's helmet and Duncan is able to get Aerion's leg/groin area (leaving his puppies to be "just for decoration"). Aerion is downed, but Duncan cannot stand anymore and he collapses, almost to the point of death. Aegon screams for Duncan to get up, and just as the trial is about to be called for Aerion, Duncan gets up to cheers from the crowd. Duncan pins Aerion down and brutally beats him, leading to the young prince yielding. Duncan drags him to the lords and forces him to withdraw his accusation, ending the fight in favor of him.

He falls again but Raymun and Steely Pate catch him and tend to his wounds. His armor must be cut off, and they assure him only Humfrey died from their side. Baelor joins them, offering the help of his maester and Duncan pledges himself to Baelor. He begins to complain about ailments until Pate and Raymun take his helmet off and look on in horror. He turns around and Duncan and Aegon see what the former two saw: parts of his head taken off from a brutal mace attack from his brother. He promptly collapses and dies in Duncan's arms as Duncan apologizes.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms offers up its most brutal and heart-shattering moment that delivers a star-making performance from one of its main characters. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.