‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,’ Episode 2: Enter the Targaryens. Here’s their family tree

by

This story contains spoilers for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef.”

Could things be looking up for Ser Duncan the Tall?

The latest episode of HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” based on George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” stories, showed the young knight, Dunk, getting closer to his goals.

After searching for anyone who might recall his former boss, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), Dunk (Peter Claffey) finally gets a recommendation from Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel).

Review

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,’ the latest ‘Thrones’ spinoff, is more muddy than magical

I’m really excited about the new ‘Game of Thrones’ show! It takes place a full century before everything we saw in the original series. It follows the adventures of a wandering knight, Dunk – Peter Claffey plays him – and his young assistant, his squire. It seems like a much more personal story than the epic battles we’re used to.

The future king is the only one who remembers the story of the knight Ser Duncan, giving him the attention needed to compete in the tournament. The king also gently points out to Dunk that he needs to display his own personal banner, as he’s currently using one belonging to another knight, Ser Arlan.

In episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef,” a group of Targaryens arrives in Ashford, including Baelor and his relatives. As we meet this new generation of the Targaryen family, here’s a quick look at how they connect to the Targaryens featured in “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon.”

When does ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ take place again?

So, as a huge “Game of Thrones” fan, I was excited to learn that “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is a prequel, taking place about a century before everything we saw in the original series. Apparently, it centers around a big tournament called the Tournament of Ashford, which happens in 209 AC – that’s 209 years after Aegon Targaryen first took over Westeros. To give you some context, Ned Stark’s execution, which we all remember, happened much later, in 298 AC. It’s cool to get a sense of the timeline!

The Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, happened between 129 and 131 AC. Because of this, the story in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” takes place roughly 78 years after the events shown in “House of the Dragon.” It’s been about 50 years since anyone has seen a dragon, meaning the Targaryens aren’t as intimidating as they used to be.

Who currently sits on the Iron Throne?

King Daeron II Targaryen, often called Daeron the Good, currently rules the Seven Kingdoms. He is the great-grandson of Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen, characters from “House of the Dragon.”

Based on the stories and history found in the books, Daeron was known as a fair and kind king, a significant improvement over his father, King Aegon IV.

Who are the Targaryens in the show?

As a huge fan of the show, I was really excited to see Prince Baelor Targaryen – King Daeron’s oldest son and the future king, basically – show up in Ashford during episode 2. It was also cool to see his son, Prince Valarr, actually compete in the jousting tournament at the end! It’s neat seeing the family dynamics play out like that.

Maekar Targaryen (played by Sam Spruell), King Daeron’s fourth son, joins the Targaryen group as they arrive in Ashford. He’s with his son, Aerion (Finn Bennett), but it’s revealed that two of Maekar’s other sons, Daeron and Aegon, are unaccounted for.

The episode doesn’t mention Maekar’s youngest son, Aemon. He was sent to the Citadel as a child to become a scholar and is known by viewers of “Game of Thrones” as the maester of the Night’s Watch who becomes friends with Jon Snow.

As a big fan of the Targaryens, I always find it fascinating to trace the family history. It’s cool to remember that Maekar is actually Daenerys Stormborn’s great-great-grandfather – a connection that really highlights just how far back her claim to the throne goes!

What about the other Great Houses?

Okay, so from what I gather, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” looks like it’s set during a calmer period in Westeros, meaning most of the big families are probably just chilling in their own territories. But the show’s already given us a look at Ser Lyonel Baratheon from Storm’s End – Daniel Ings plays him – and he seems like a pretty fun guy, they even call him the Laughing Storm. He and Dunk hit it off right away in the first episode, which is cool.

Lyonel, a man remembered as both powerful and a skilled fighter – described in books like “The World of Ice & Fire” as a “swaggering giant” and “one of the greatest fighters of his day” – was the great-grandfather of King Robert Baratheon. Robert led the rebellion that overthrew the Targaryen dynasty and ultimately won him the Iron Throne.

In the second episode, Dunk seeks support from Lord Leo Tyrell of Highgarden. The episode also references Damon Lannister, also known as the Grey Lion and Lord of Casterly Rock. Damon Lannister is the ancestor of Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister from “Game of Thrones.”

The show hasn’t revealed who currently rules Winterfell from House Stark. It’s possible Cregan Stark, a prominent figure from the time of “House of the Dragon” and later known as “The Old Man of the North,” is still living. Also, a banner representing House Tully appears briefly during the jousting tournament in the second episode.

Read More

2026-01-26 07:01