HBO’s new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a prequel to Game of Thrones, is halfway through its first season and has been well-received by viewers. A key reason for its success is that it closely follows the original stories by George R.R. Martin, specifically the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. However, the show does make some cuts, and some fans aren’t thrilled about those changes.
The latest episode centers around Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), a humble knight preparing for a Trial of Seven – a dangerous fight where he and six companions will battle seven opponents chosen by the cruel Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), a member of the royal family. This conflict began when Dunk defended Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) from Aerion’s attack, which was sparked by her puppet show. Interestingly, the show includes a scene not present in the book where Dunk is surprised by offers of support from local villagers. He questions Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour), a blacksmith, asking why they would help him. Pate replies simply: “A knight who remembered his vows.”
During a Reddit Q&A, a fan asked the show’s creator, Ira Parker, about a scene they felt was central to the story’s message and why it was removed. You can see an official drawing of the deleted scene below, and we’ll share Parker’s explanation next.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ showrunner Ira Parker Admits When He’s Wrong
Illustration by Gary Gianni from the book A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin, published by Bantam Books | New York. Photo by Dan Selcke.
Ira Parker readily acknowledged cutting the scene was a mistake, and didn’t try to justify his decision.
I definitely messed up – it’s not the first or last time on this show. That scene was originally in the script, but it got cut. I agree that the idea of a knight keeping his promises is central to the story, and I believe that still comes through, even though I mistakenly omitted that scene. It might not be stated directly, but Dunk’s behavior still reflects that core principle.
The show still captures the heart of the original conversation, but it would have been great to hear that specific line directly in the series – it really gets to the central point of everything.
It’s great to see the showrunner acknowledge past issues – it shows a willingness to improve, which should reassure viewers as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms begins its second season. Season 2 will cover the second Dunk and Egg story, The Sworn Sword, and will be roughly the same length as the first season. While production costs will be higher due to inflation and more filming on location, the season is currently being filmed and is expected to premiere in 2027. Importantly, fans won’t have to wait as long for new episodes compared to HBO’s other Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
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The next-to-last episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 will be shown this Sunday, and the season will conclude the following week.
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2026-02-11 19:17