Before you saddle up for this adventure, please be warned that there are spoilers ahead for episode one of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, “The Hedge Knight.”
Last week, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms announced that this series would free us from the lofty castle towers of previous entries in the Game of Thrones franchise. Episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef,” picks up that torch and runs with it through the darkened corridors, bustling stables, and muddy tournament grounds of Westeros. Our voyage begins with Ser Duncan The Tall (Peter Claffery, Bad Sisters) as he weaves a tapestry of chivalric tales for every nobleman in sight in an attempt to be placed on the lists for the tournament. Of course, most of the “noblemen” prove to be self-important windbags who can’t be bothered even to feign an interest in Dunk’s (admittedly sanitized) remembrances of Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb, Pennyworth).
Not only is it entertaining to hear Dunk’s tales against a backdrop of flashbacks that subvert his lofty estimation of his late mentor, but the juxtaposition is handled with such nuance that we arrive at a much more complex understanding of the original Hedge Knight. Yes, Ser Arlan isn’t above “drinking and whoring,” but he is also presented as a man of lively energy and positivity despite his humble circumstances. It’s easy to understand both Dunk’s admiration for this free-roaming spirit and his desire to become something more.
Fortunately for Dunk, a whole Tagaryen caravan rides into camp bringing their own conflicting energy. They arrive with bold arrogance in the form of Prince Aerion ‘Brightflame’ Targaryen (Finn Bennett, True Detective) who rides into town with frosted tips demanding a “pretty wench.” They arrive with cruel self-interest in the form of Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell, Fargo) who pisses and moans about slumming it at the tourney minus his missing, good-for-nothing sons.
They also arrive with some grace and empathy in the form of Prince Baelor ‘Breakspear’ Targaryen (Bertie Carvel, The Crown) who takes surprising pity on an eavesdropping Dunk and admits to remembering Ser Arlan from an old tourney (though he corrects Arlan’s exaggeration about the number of lances it took to drop him). Even as Dunk steps above his station and forgoes proper modesty in requesting Baelor’s support and challenging his memory of the joust with Ser Arlan, Ser Baelor proves to be cut from a different cloth than his peers. Dunk’s earnestness and eagerness play as bold and refreshing in contrast to Maekar’s endless whining. Ultimately, Baelor’s kindness provides a small reprieve from Dunk’s imposter syndrome, and he spends the rest of the episode gearing up for the tourney.
Fortunately, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) is here to offer equal doses of help and humility, and Dunk & Egg are born. This odd couple serves up all kinds of chemistry when given a chance to work the screen together. In fact, the chemistry is so strong that it works even without words. Despite the striking mismatch between this very tall man and a very small child, the two are often framed as equals when sitting for conversations. Thanks to this setup, later, when Dunk places Egg atop his shoulders for a better view of the opening ceremonies, it is even more striking to watch him carry Egg with the love and care of Kermit the Frog carrying Tiny Tim home in A Muppet Christmas Carol. Of course, Egg brings something a bit different to the table than tidings of comfort and joy. Egg proves to be very knowledgeable about the knights of the realm, and is just a tad bit bloodthirsty in the aftermath of the battle…
Hold up. Where did Egg Learn about knights and the politics of King’s Landing? Wait, didn’t we meet him at an inn alongside a very out-of-place Targaryen? What’s with that very striking shaved-head look? Didn’t Maekar mention a pair of missing sons? Why did Egg disappear into the hedges a-la Homer Simpson when those dragon banners rode into Ashford? Hmmm … .no matter. It’s probably just a coincidence.
Of course, Egg has a lot more to offer than political counsel; it turns out he is also a pretty killer wing man. When Dunk approaches his crush, kickass puppeteer, storyteller, and painter, Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford, Tiny Beautiful Things), Egg is there to keep his sweet virgin of a mentor from choking on his every word as he hires the talented show-woman to paint him a custom coat of arms on Ser Arlan’s shield. Egg may be short in stature, but he carries himself with confidence and manages to land every side-eyed glance at Dunk while he is tripping over his own heartstrings. Egg also keeps the conversation somewhat on the rails and is able to throw Dunk a bone when the dust settles: she did agree to paint the coat of arms, after all (for a fee)!
Sure, Dunk still feels like a failure, but viewers at home know he is a pretty endearing fellow. He is the kind of guy who will offer up some extra snack money for the beloved horse he just sold to scrounge up the funds for this tourney; he is the type of guy who will speak freely and honestly even when he’s the least-connected person in the room; he is certainly the type of guy who might take hold in the memory of a storyteller who has seen it all from the men of the world. Tanselle even quotes the story of Florian the Fool: “All men are fools, and all men are knights, where women are concerned.”
Putting aside the punchline, this assessment of the heart of man sounds awfully familiar. Just last week, The Laughing Storm, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings, Lovesick) said something very similar: “within each man, there are many men.” It sure feels like all of these acquaintances are tapping into the conflict at the center of Dunk’s heart: can he really pull off this attempt to change his fortune and become a great knight?
In the waning moments of the episode, Dunk will ask his horse, “is there any measure of a fool I fail to meet?” Later, he will ask himself, “do great knights live in the hedges and die by the side of a muddy road?” This battle also rages internally. As the opening ceremonies of the tournament come to a bloody conclusion, Egg is swept away by the violence, but Dunk is experiencing flashbacks to the death of Ser Arlan and the question of his own fate.
Thanks to the support of folks like Egg, Tanselle, and Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour, Home), the armorer who takes pity on Dunk and offers him a discount, Dunk seems prepared to step up this challenge bravely, whatever the outcome.
While this episode is surely a win for the smallfolk, it also offers yet another iconic moment from The Laughing Storm. He enlists Dunk for a tug of war contest with the type of wild intensity that only he could muster for a simple game: “will you heed my call to war!?” Ser Lyonel then has the audacity to step away from the contest for a drink while goading on his compatriots. When he halfheartedly steps back to offer a meager tug on the rope at the end of the contest, he demands that his team “fucking pull” as if he’d been working alongside them the whole time. It’s an absolutely absurd flex, but it makes for absolutely entertaining television. So far, Ser Lyonel’s intensity and humor have added an extra layer of dimension and life to the series that complement Dunk’s innocence, but each silly moment has also felt profound. We have the sense that this nobleman is the ultimate wildcard and living in fun moments like this one will make it all the sweeter if he ever steps up to help Dunk in a big way moving forward.
Next week, “The Squire” offers another chance to see who puts on the greatest show of nobility and another chance to see if our beloved Ser Duncan The Tall can ever step out from the shadow of the hedge.
