The world of Game of Thrones has never shied away from graphic or shocking moments, but HBO’s newest prequel managed to surprise even its creator.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms opened its series premiere with a moment few viewers could have predicted: as Ser Duncan the Tall steels himself to enter a jousting tournament, the iconic theme music swells, only to be abruptly interrupted by a graphic shot of Duncan suffering a bout of projectile diarrhea.
The scene was divisive among fans, and it turns out it also caught George R. R. Martin off guard.
Martin wasn’t sold on Duncan poop scene
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin admitted the moment was not something he expected to see adapted from his work.
“Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise,” Martin said. “Not to say that my characters don’t take sh*ts, but I normally don’t write about them at any length.”
According to the author, his reaction was immediate when he saw the rough cut of the episode.
“When I saw the rough cut, I wrote, ‘What is this? Where did this come from? I don’t know if we really need the sh*t,’” Martin explained.
Despite his reservations, the scene ultimately stayed in the final version of the episode. Martin noted that the decision came down to creative differences, saying showrunner Ira Parker “liked it for whatever reason.”
The comments follow earlier explanations from Parker, who said the moment was meant to emphasize that Duncan is not yet a legendary hero, but an anxious and inexperienced young knight with very human flaws.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas and serves as a lighter-toned but still unpredictable expansion of the Game of Thrones universe.
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