A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Review

After the controversial finale of Game of Thrones, the newly minted franchise suddenly had nowhere to go. Video games based on the universe failed to take off, and the sequel got stuck in development hell. New content abruptly ran out. But not so fast, because savvy producers remembered that George R. R. Martin has an entire encyclopedia about the life of the Seven Kingdoms before the events of the books. That’s how the series House of the Dragon was born — less grand in scale, but with actual living dragons. The project has already received three seasons, but there’s a catch — it will have to wrap up with the fourth. And it’s fortunate that Martin is busy with anything except writing his flagship series. For example, short stories about the hedge knight Duncan the Tall, who travels across the Kingdoms in the period between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. Recently, another series saw the light of day — A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is based on the very first of those stories. The creators are happily planning to stretch the runtime to as many as 16 seasons. And the audience doesn’t mind. Believe it or not, this project is one of the best fantasy shows not only of 2026, but in general. Let me explain why.

Let’s start with the time period. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, as I already mentioned, tells the story of Duncan the Tall — a distant relative of Brienne of Tarth (that towering warrior woman from the original Game of Thrones). Robert Baratheon’s rebellion and the rise of the Lannisters are still a good hundred years away. At this time, Westeros is ruled by the Targaryens, who have finished their internal family conflicts but lost all their living dragons. In every other respect, we are looking at the typical world of Martin — dirty, brutal, and uncompromisingly repulsive.

All the more surprising is how sharply the protagonist contrasts with it all, filled with genuine nobility and unshakable optimism. Duncan, or rather still just Dunk, is the squire of an unknown landless and penniless knight — Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Long ago, the hedge knight saved the boy, and the boy swore loyalty to him. Dunk grew into a true giant and, as far as the old man’s strength and willingness allowed, learned swordsmanship and the subtleties of knighthood. One day, on an entirely ordinary day, the knight dies, but not before supposedly dubbing Dunk a knight. Supposedly. The first thing the newly made warrior decides to do is head to a tournament to, so to speak, show himself and see others, and along the way he meets a boy with a shaved head named Egg in a roadside inn, who immediately volunteers to become Dunk’s squire. From this moment, the series truly begins.

It should be noted right away that by modern standards the runtime of the first season is quite modest. The creators decided not to reinvent the wheel and follow Martin’s novella in detail, and as you might expect, there are not that many events there. We only get six 30-minute episodes to get acquainted with Duncan — something you can easily finish in one evening. But this allowed the narrative to become more cohesive, without unnecessary sagging or digressions. Dunk’s transformation into Duncan the Tall feels dense, emotional, and highly impressive.

As you might guess, the main events unfold at the tournament. That alone should already intrigue and surprise viewers, because the scale is not just reduced, it is grounded down to a local contest. No sweeping political intrigues, betrayals, or sudden bastards. This is the world of Game of Thrones seen, so to speak, from below. Some may think that watching something like this after large-scale wars and the adventures of entire noble families might be boring, but the series holds attention extremely well and constantly swings the emotional pendulum. Where in Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon you might get endless chatter from third-tier characters, in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms you get action with the direct participation of all the key figures.

Duncan runs into several problems at once, and the plot follows the classic structure of quests in computer RPGs. Some viewers have already dubbed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms the adaptation of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that nobody asked for but everyone needed.

After acquiring a squire, Dunk must still convince the organizers that he actually has the right to participate in the tournament. As it happens, nobody witnessed his knighting, which means no one can confirm it. The concern is actually reasonable. Otherwise any peasant with a sword could proclaim himself a knight. While resolving the issue, Duncan meets a pair of Targaryens who arrived at the tournament, as well as several representatives of lesser noble houses. In these scenes we see for the first time how the protagonist’s ideals of true knighthood differ from the knights in the flesh — often rough, cruel, and sometimes cowardly.

Eventually Duncan is reluctantly allowed to take part in the tournament. This is not a spoiler but an expected development that is easy to predict. However, another problem appears on the warrior’s path — the lack of proper equipment. And at this stage the series reminds us that we are still in Martin’s world, where, as we all know, absolutely anything can happen and no one is safe. The outcome of the tournament turns out to be very different from what one might assume, although readers of the original story will not find any surprises.

The finale also follows the source material, so there are no surprises there. The most important aspect of the show is not the plot twists themselves, although they are impressive, but the process — the characters’ journey toward these important milestones in a small story. Trust me, it’s worth your time. Once again Martin demonstrates his talent by skillfully linking seemingly insignificant facts together. The screenwriters followed the master’s example and carefully recreated the entire tapestry of tournament events, which gradually transform from scattered fragments into a solid chain where every element matters.

Special praise goes to the creators’ playful mockery of the pompousness of the two other shows in the shared universe. The opening scenes, where fans expect a grand intro sequence but instead get a furious act of defecation or someone strolling out with their reproductive organ fully exposed, have already gone viral online and become a signature feature of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s a clear statement from the new showrunners: longtime fans are welcome, but things work differently here — simpler, funnier, and in a good way more natural.

Still, when the famous melody finally plays, it sends chills down your spine. After two projects spanning several seasons, we almost forgot how majestic and powerful this composition truly is. That’s why the moment it begins to play in Duncan’s story feels especially meaningful.

Unlike House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, the new series does not try to present multiple perspectives or deeply develop absolutely every character. There are two main heroes — Duncan and his squire Egg — and they receive most of the attention. The hedge knight resembles a bear: enormous in stature, powerful on the outside, but inside a vulnerable and naïve child. Duncan is easily embarrassed or put into awkward situations, so his entire communication style with nobles becomes a constant inner dialogue. The poor boy he once was tells him to bow his head and avoid attracting attention, while the proud knight insists on demanding respect for himself and others.

Gradually, a circle of companions forms around Duncan, consisting of those who have not yet drowned in hypocrisy and bragging. It is in conversations with these friends that the hero noticeably relaxes and speaks naturally, revealing a more genuine side of himself to the audience. Altogether, this creates a vivid and constantly evolving character that is easy to believe in and fall in love with. Duncan learns the intricacies of noble life on the fly. Not always successfully, but always productively. Even the final conflict that becomes central to the first season results from Duncan’s inner contradiction. On the one hand, he clearly understood the consequences, but on the other, he had to act as a true knight would.

Against this background, Egg is a completely different character. The boy, with incredibly lively facial expressions and reactions, behaves very openly, yet it would be wrong to call him simple-minded or naïve. At some point, the viewer will notice that the shaved-headed child fears very little, does not hesitate to ask uncomfortable questions, and in general feels far more confident at the tournament than Duncan himself. This is no coincidence, because Egg has a secret that I will not reveal to those who have not yet watched the show. I will only say that it is very much in the spirit of the original Game of Thrones.

Together, Duncan the Tall and Egg form the perfect pair of characters who complement each other. Their relationship is the heart of the series. At the same time, it is important to note that this duo differs greatly from other famous pairs such as Joel and Ellie, the Mandalorian and Grogu, Kratos and Atreus, and others. Martin’s characters are more independent. They develop on their own and would probably manage without each other, but together they are simply better. It’s ideal synergy rather than dependency. Duncan’s youth likely plays a role here as well. The familiar "father and son/daughter" pattern is replaced by "older brother and younger brother", which feels surprisingly fresh on screen.

If you thought the other participants of the tournament exist merely as pale functions to move the plot forward, prepare to be surprised. In just six episodes, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has already given viewers several new favorites whose scenes have been turned into memes and reels. The audience’s affection became so widespread that at times the secondary characters almost overshadowed the main ones.

Prince Baelor Targaryen and Ser Lyonel Baratheon became another unusual addition. Fans are used to the idea that most characters in Westeros are hardly role models. Even the kind and noble ones usually reserve that kindness only for certain people. Baelor and Lyonel are different. They seem as if they stepped straight out of Arthurian legend, so exemplary they are. Each of these men becomes a kind of mentor for Duncan. One represents true knighthood among the powerful, the other among ordinary people.

At the same time, the archetypes of Duncan’s friends feel far more natural and developed than someone like Jon Snow. The young Targaryen (hopefully that’s not a spoiler for you) often irritated viewers with his all-encompassing righteousness and honesty. Even his relationship with Daenerys sometimes felt artificial. In the real Westeros, Jon probably would not have had any issues with a distant aunt. In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms we see, above all, people. Good, noble, and often honest people, but still people with weaknesses. Together with Duncan and Egg, this whole group creates a completely new tone for Martin’s works. Instead of dark and uncompromising fantasy with occasional sparks of heroism, we get the spirit of a lively adventure. Yes, there are obstacles and deaths, but overall the characters remain determined to move forward.

The cinematography and directing deserve special praise. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms gave us one of the most impressive battle scenes in the history of cinema. The tournament is not only masterfully filmed but also staged in a very unconventional way. There is a level of realism rarely seen in fantasy series, and the camera shooting from beneath the visor of a helmet is one of the most unusual creative choices. I could say more, but I don’t want to spoil the experience. That single battle gave me far more emotion than any epic scene in Game of Thrones. Yes, even those with dragons and White Walkers.

Sound design also receives a great deal of attention. At key moments the creators are not afraid to press the audience with complete silence, which is rare in modern television. Overall, they accomplish the most important task: conveying Duncan’s inner monologue and thoughts without using voice-over narration. Thanks to the actors’ incredibly precise facial expressions, along with clever cinematography and sound design, viewers always understand what Duncan is thinking and feeling in crucial moments of the story and even in battle.

If all of the above still isn’t enough, there is one more important detail worth mentioning. It’s no secret that the fantasy genre has been going through difficult times lately. In adaptations of such stories, creators have increasingly tried to broadcast their own civic positions and personal opinions about diversity and justice. Examples are easy to find: The Wheel of Time, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Witcher, and many other projects where an initially great idea drowned in the agendas and manifestos of their creators.

None of that exists in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It almost feels strange to write this, but there isn’t a single non-white character, and all the positive heroes appear to have traditional orientations, at least publicly. As mentioned earlier, the creators chose not to add anything of their own and follow the source material very closely, right down to the dialogue. In modern television this approach has become so rare that it can confidently be considered a valuable advantage of the entire show. Most viewers agree, because both the overall project and each individual episode received very high ratings. Projects where every episode maintains a consistently strong level can be counted on one hand.

It turns out that the world of Westeros is far more diverse than we all once thought. It can be welcoming and even inspiring. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a breath of fresh air in every sense. The project has no weak elements or components I would want to criticize. It is a very solid series that delivers a whole storm of emotions within a relatively short runtime. Hopefully the creators will keep the bar just as high going forward. Simply excellent!