A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

As stated when I wrote up House of the Dragon, I was extremely unsure about any Game of Thrones spin-off series. While the world created by George RR Martin is endlessly fascinating, there's also that whole mess (gestures in the air). The author, who I'll refer to as GRRM, talented as he is, is at this point most defined by his greatest skill, creating ludicrously complex storylines. His plotting is so complicated, in fact, that even he doesn't know how to untie all the problems he himself created. If you're unaware, the saga, A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones is the name of the first book), had books released in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005 and 2011. There are to be two more for a total of seven. But, 15 years later, GRRM still has given no sign that the sixth, The Winds of Winter, is imminent in any way. He apparently loves to talk about how many pages he's written and blah blah blah, but I have to doubt, along with most of his fans, the conclusion to the epic will ever come out. This is all related to the ending of the TV show as well, for when the show's writers got well beyond GRRM's notes they got befuddled and decided to just end the whole thing as quickly as they could, and it showed, badly. Alas. I rant because I care, and because it really bothers me how much GRRM, while not finishing his more prominent work, likes to take pot shots at JRR Tolkien in particular, for the moral clarity of the Lord of the Rings, like that's a bad thing. More than anything I think GRRM should shut his trap until he's finished his own story.

Ok, enough on my displeasure with GRRM because I do have some positives to say. And I'll come back to this, kinda.

This year saw the release of a new Game of Thrones spin-off, called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Where the OG Game of Thrones (and House of the Dragon) are huge, bold stories where the Iron Throne is at stake, and involve all that complicated plotting, the various families and their political ties etc. etc., A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is tiny in scope. Our main character isn't one descended from ancient kings. Instead it's a lowly, nobody peasant.

Duncan, more commonly 'Dunk,' has only a few things going for him. One, he's huge. That's an advantage in a medieval world where the fighting is done by skill and strength alone. Two, Dunk has a story, about a now-gone, decidedly un-famous knight who tipped him on the shoulders before he passed. In Westeros (the continent where all this takes place) it only takes one knight to make another. Three, there's soon to be a tournament, at a place called Ashford, where he can attempt to make a name for himself. It's all a great risk. If he loses he'll forfeit everything inherited from the old knight who trained him, horses, and the bit of coin he has. But win and Dunk will show his worth, perhaps with men in high places. These are the stakes involved. Does this one man have it in him to display any sort of greatness?

This is not to say there isn't a connection to the powerful and the highborn of Westeros. Dunk picks up a young boy on the way, who he assumes is just another lowborn stablehand wanting a job as a squire. He begrudgingly allows the boy, 'Egg' (he has a shaved head so this makes sense enough) to stay. Dunk knows he'll need a squire after all. Before long Dunk finds himself embroiled with Targaryens, the royal house of Westeros. The heir to the throne himself is the only one who remembers Dunk's old master, the 'Hedge Knight.' The heir's brother, also in Ashford, has several sons who play a role too. One has too much of the famed family madness about him. Another is a young boy who's gone missing. Lo and behold, Dunk finds himself facing an honor duel from a proud royal. To make it even more interesting the duel goes from a 1v1 match to a 7v7, in a special type of battle not used in living memory (supposedly). This melee is awesome to watch.

So, while Dunk, now aptly styling himself Ser Duncan the Tall, ends up playing a role in the Game of Thrones, that's not what he's seeking or what most makes this story interesting. By and large he's a very simple, good and well-meaning knight. He cares about what knights are supposed to care about, protecting the innocent, honor and loyalty, all that. For all GRRM's focus on power and problems with a straightforward morality, this character has everything we want to root for (even if he fibs a little). Deep down the author knows.

The story itself is the point. Dunk spends much of his time telling the tale of a very flawed but honorable knight, desperately trying to give himself a chance at a better life, and later a shot at survival. The show writers seem to recognize the power of a good story, of a man making his way in the world, proving himself on his own terms, and how that impresses the people around him, low or highborn. How he connects to the larger world, one that most viewers will know pretty well, aids in telling this story but in the end is just a piece.

I really loved watching this, and all things considered, it's a small time commitment. 6 episodes 30-40 minutes apiece, they fly by. But the production value is still off the charts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6_lNYJhuME

Watch it to get to know Dunk and all the jokes about his size. Watch it to meet Lyonel Baratheon, who steals every scene. Watch it because the stakes are lower and the main characters are likable. This is not the Game of Thrones you know. And there will be at least two more seasons (currently three novellas published) to look forward to.

Go watch it.