A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 6 recap

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms drew to a close with an emotionally charged episode that expertly sets up Season 2 – here’s what went down.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has fundamentally changed the Game of Thrones universe, by proving that you don’t need a multitude of characters – nor a single dragon – to tell a compelling story in Westeros.

Over five episodes, the show introduced Dunk and Egg, depicted the ups and downs of their friendship, and gave us the Trial of Seven, where honor was won, and a life was lost.

The series could have ended there, but Episode 6 focusses on the fallout from that battle, while also setting Season 2 wheels in motion. SPOILERS ahead…

What happens in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 6?

Episode 6 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees Ser Duncan suffering from survivor’s guilt after the Trial of Seven, the Targaryens mourning the loss of Prince Baelor, a revelation from Dunk’s past, and a reunion with Egg that hints at what’s to come in Season 2.

Proceedings commence with Ser Dunan and Ser Lyonel sitting against a tree, licking their Trial of Seven wounds. While Dunk appears to be dying, Lyonel invites him to Storm’s End, where they can “make merry,” love each other like brothers, and become a potent force when war inevitably arrives.

Dunk isn’t thinking about the future however, but rather mourning the death of Sir Baerlor, blaming himself, questioning why god favored him, and believing that he spreads pain and suffering wherever he goes.

As the tourney folk pack up their belongings and prepare to leave Ashford, Dunk bumps into Raymun, whose brave performance during the Trial has won him the affections of a woman who sees marriage and children in their future.

The end of Dunk and Egg?

Dunk is then summoned by Maekar, who reveals he plans to send Prince Aerion to the Free Cities in the East, and is clearly conflicted over his brother’s death.

Maekar claims that generations will blame Duncan for that loss. But Dunk hits back with an idea – that Baelor’s sacrifice might not have been in vain, and that the realm could one day need his Hedge Knight skills.

Maekar also makes Dunk an offer, involving training under his Master-of-Arms, while simultaneously mentoring Egg in the ways of knighthood. But Dunk turns him down saying he’s “done with princes,” a refusal that upsets the eavesdropping Egg.

The Penny Tree story and a major revelation

We then get a flashback to Ser Arlan of Pennytree revealing the source of his name to Dunk, via a story that he’s told many times before.

It concerns a time when boys were sent to war, and pennies were nailed to an oak tree in the square, only to be taken down when they return. But Arlan reveals there were rarely any spare spots on said tree.

When he’s seemingly finished telling the story, Dunk asks why Arlan never knighted him, and believes that his mentor has died before he gets an answer. Only for Arlan to wake up, finish his story, and then die. Resulting in the revelation that Dunk isn’t actually a knight.

Ser Duncan departs

In the present, Dunk confronts Prince Daeron, and re-iterates that he has no interest in taking Egg on as his squire. But Daeron gives him pause for thought when he states that Aerion was once like Egg, and speculating about the family’s “mad gene.”

The episode cuts to Egg, who is letting his blond hair grow, and approaches Aerion’s sick-bed with a knife behind his back, before Maekar interrupts him.

Dunk agrees to take Egg, but on his terms, away from the castles and servants of the Targaryens, and out on the open road. But Maekar is having none of it, saying the boy prince won’t live like a peasant.

So Ser Duncan heads out on his own, bidding farewell to Raymun – who reveals his plans to build a cider business – then nailing a penny to a tree.

The return of Dunk and Egg

But before he gets far, Egg appears, and states: “My lord father says I am to serve you.” Which Dunk corrects by saying “Serve you ser!” Thereby immediately redressing the balance between princely squire and knight.

Egg mentions that there are nine kingdoms rather than seven, to which Dunk responds with “are you mad?” – a loaded question given the last few scenes.

They decide to head over the red mountains to Dorne, as Egg hears they “have good puppet shows.” A comment which indicates that Dunk’s beloved Tanselle currently resides there.

The duo ride off together, then via wide shot we see they are three, with Ser Arlan alongside Duncan, before veering off in a different direction, meaning that his work with Dunk is complete.

There then follows a brief epilogue in which the Targaryens are leaving town, and Maekar asks where Aegon is. When no one knows, he screams “Where the f*ck is he?” and it’s clear that there was no new desire for Egg to be Dunk’s squire, and instead the prince has run away.