A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Premiere's Best Scene Isn't In The Book
by Jeremy Mathai · /FilmHalt, or get a clout in the ear. Be warned: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms."
What separates a faithful adaptation from one that fails to live up to its source material? It's a question that's plagued many a fandom since time immemorial and one that's of particularly, uh, intense concern for this specific franchise. There's no point in rehashing all the ways the final "Game of Thrones" season ultimately felt like a letdown to viewers or the issues plaguing the ongoing "House of the Dragon," a show even author George R.R. Martin has publicly denounced. But, maybe more than many other franchise's fans, book readers have a larger axe to grind. With both shows, entire storylines were altered or discarded entirely, character personalities and motivations were skewed beyond all recognition, and much of the complexity and nuance of the originals were papered over in favor of crowd-pleasing spectacle.
Is there more where that come from in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," the latest HBO series based on Martin's fantasy world? Based on the early returns, perhaps not. The premiere follows the first 35 pages or so from the novella, titled "The Hedge Knight," almost beat-for-beat. But, in order for this series to last six total episodes (albeit with roughly half-hour runtimes), everyone knew that creator Ira Parker and his writing team would inevitably have to expand on the story of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), and their misadventures during the Tourney at Ashford Meadow.
The most notable instance involves Dunk's first meeting with Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) — an extended sequence full of drinking and dancing that's not found in the book whatsoever, yet stands as the highlight of the premiere.
Lyonel Baratheon's introduction in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms improves on the novella
As much as we prepared "Game of Thrones" fans for this new series, it's safe to say casual viewers probably didn't expect to meet their new favorite character of any "GoT"-related show here. The ostentatious, peacocking Ser Lyonel Baratheon bursts onto the scene in fairly memorable fashion early on in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." After Dunk encounters the young squire Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), our hedge knight finds himself brought into a grand pavilion boasting an enormous feast — the likes of which such a lowborn individual has never seen in his life. His hulking presence and nonstop gawking soon catches the attention of the host of the evening's festivities, and after a somewhat tense meeting and an impromptu dance, the two settle down for an in-depth conversation that was never even hinted at in George R.R. Martin's text.
Perhaps that's the genius of it. In the novella titled "The Hedge Knight," Dunk only observes the renowned "Laughing Storm" from a distance as Baratheon jousts formidably in the lists and makes an amusing spectacle of himself to win over the onlooking crowds (while annoying his competition). It's hardly a spoiler to say that Lyonel factors into the rest of the story to come, but in a way that can come across as fairly abrupt to readers. In a visual medium like television, that same approach wouldn't really fly, so it makes perfect sense that Ira Parker would decide to introduce the antler-crowned knight much earlier and more directly.
Best of all, however, the quirky dynamic established between the two figures is bound to surprise even the most diehard fans.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms adds layers to Lyonel Baratheon and Dunk's dynamic
For a story that seems fairly straightforward in the novella, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" has found a way to keep everyone on their toes. On a pure screenwriting level, this scene serves multiple purposes. Thematically, the initial meeting between Dunk and Lyonel emphasizes the yawning gap of class and power between the two, where a hedge knight would conceivably end up at the mercy of a highborn lord for the "sin" of showing up uninvited in the hopes of some supper. After blundering his way through this, Lyonel's bemused reaction and acceptance of Dunk instantly sets him apart from the rest of Westeros nobility. And even their prolonged dance together adds all sorts of fascinating (dare we say flirty?) subtext that makes Lyonel truly come alive.
But it's their subsequent discussion over drinks that really brings it all home. After musing on his legendary feats and accomplishments as a sailor, the topic turns to the vast differences between their stations. Dunk's sobering realization that he stands to lose everything to his name should the jousting go against him only puts Lyonel's privilege in sharp relief, as Lionel could simply ransom back his armor and horse should he lose. The cushy life of a nobleman from a famed house is the furthest thing from reality for a nobody like Dunk. And while Lyonel clearly means well, even he has no answer for what Dunk ought to do. For a story as small-scale as this, the stakes couldn't be more meaningful for our hero. As far as adaptations go, this is as savvy an addition as it gets.
New episodes of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" arrive on HBO and HBO Max every Sunday.