A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 6 ended with a shocking twist involving Egg, marking a major departure from George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas – and it could have major implications for Season 2.
The Game of Thrones prequel reached its finale on Sunday (February 22), dealing with the aftermath of the Trial of Seven. Although Dunk claimed victory over Aerion Targaryen, Baelor lost his life in the tourney.
As Dunk prepares to leave Ashford, Maekar makes him an offer: serve as his sworn sword with Egg as his squire at Summerhall. But Dunk shuts him down, saying he’ll only take Egg as his squire if he joins him on the road.
Maekar, in turn, denies the counteroffer, but right at the last moment, Egg shows up and they head off together. It seems Maekar has changed his mind… but the final scene shows that’s not the case.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ending could change conflict in Season 2
Egg lied to Dunk and snuck out to join him, proven by Maekar looking for his son in the final scene. This moment isn’t present in The Hedge Knight, and could be setting up a struggle between Dunk and the Targaryens in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2.
For context, the second novella that Season 2 is based on – The Sworn Sword – follows Dunk and Egg as they enter the service of an old night in the Reach and become embroiled in a local dispute between two small houses.
These elements could be overshadowed should Season 2 of the show focus on Maekar seeking his son and punishing Dunk. In the Dunk and Egg novellas, it’s heavily implied that Maekar gave the pair his blessing.
This is something that was picked up by fans, with one writing on Reddit, “I’m a big Egg fan in general, but the show’s finale doesn’t exactly paint him in the most promising light, to the point I feel like the writers were foreshadowing how they may handle things in the future.
“Every scene featuring Egg shows him acting selfishly, either by lying, manipulating, or acting with sinister intent, even if in a simple childlike way. This feels pointed, as if driving the point home that something’s not quite right with this kid.
“Combined with the seer’s prophecy, it gives me the impression we may be getting a Dragonheart-like (from 1996, see it if you haven’t) falling out between a knightly teacher and his pupil. It won’t be cute forever.”
Another considered the ending to be a positive addition, writing, “I always felt like there was no way Egg got permission to go on the road with a random Hedge Knight… but since it was never brought up in the over novellas I just ignored the thought.
“However it was nice to see a random thought I had make it to screen.” But a third added, “It was brought up in the other novellas. Egg carries Maekar’s seal on a signet ring, which they use as their ‘break-glass-in-case-of-emergency’ option.
“There is also a point where Dunk has lost everything and Egg suggests that they go back to Summerhall and he take up a position with Maekar, which heavily implies that Maekar knows and is accepting of the situation and wouldn’t, y’know, execute Dunk for kidnapping his son.”
“I like Maekar, though I worry that involving a core cast across multiple seasons might take away from the episodic nature of the stories,” they added.
“My bigger concern is I just think the change at the end there is bad characterization for Egg. The fact that after this whole thing he decides to again endanger Dunk by lying to him and running away makes all of those shots of him looking miserable and penitent ring really hollow.
“They basically completely tossed out the lesson he supposedly learned the hard way.”
Another agreed, “Yeah I agree about Egg’s characterisation. Three people including his uncle have died. His father has become a kinslayer. Dunk nearly died and a bunch of other people including a major Lord got injured and another one of his brothers got exiled.
“All because Egg didn’t listen to Daeron and ran away (not that Daeron is completely faultless) and lied to Dunk. He’s doing the same again.
“I mean he’s a kid and behaving like a kid but even then it’s kinda weirdly upsetting to see that he doesn’t learn his lesson after all the grief.”
One fan has seen a way around it, however: “I am predicting the future. Duncan finds out that Egg doesn’t have permission to squire for him. They get in dumb shenanigans in Dorne with Aemond either as a mini-episode or a flashback.
“Maekar sends his ring to Aemond and Aemond gives the ring to Egg after the shenanigans and the storyline is still canon with the books.”
Simpsons Hit & Run developer returns and is looking to remaster classic games