A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

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1. ›A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026): Hard Salt Beef - Season 1 Episode 2 - RECAP@skiptvads144d

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   I can already hear people saying that this series is crap, this for sure comes from viewers who were expecting another action series like HOTD but looking at this episode 2 I cannot feel like the whole thing is stuck in this weird place where it wants to be Game of Thrones so bad but it just cannot get there because the source material is too damn simple, although ITS NOT BAD, it is too small scale for what everyone was expecting from it, a very drastic turn that nobody saw comming. Episode 2 starts with Sir Arland of Penny Tree walking out after having sex with some random woman and you see his dick just hanging there for no reason other than HBO trying to be edgy which was absolutely pointless, I just hate when they do that. I get it they want to show gritty realism or whatever but come on we do not need to see Sir Arland walking out with his junk hanging around when it adds nothing to the story, at least throw in some balance because this is just gross for the sake of being gross, they could have spend that budget on better armor instead of a giant prosthetic dick that nobody asked for. The whole episode then jumps into Dunk trying to get permission from every lord he can find to enter the damn tournament and none of them remember Sir Arland which is kind of sad but also makes sense since he was just a hedge knight who never won anything, Dunk keeps going on about how Sir Arland fought at this battle and broke seven lances against Baelor Targaryen but nobody gives a shit because he was a nobody who died on the side of the road like most hedge knights do. Episode 2 made justice for Dunk towards the end and we finally meet Baelor Targaryen who seems like a decent guy for once instead of the usual insane power hungry Targaryens we are used to seeing from House of the Dragon, Baelor actually remembers Sir Arland and gives Dunk permission to compete which is probably the nicest thing any other lord has done for Dunk in the series so far, his brother Maekar shows up too and he has that younger brother syndrome going on where he is jealous of Baelor and complains about his kids not being as good as Baelors kids which is honestly pretty funny to watch.

   • IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27497448/
   • Platform: HBOMAX

   

   Rottentomatoes Rating

   

   

    [Source](https://play.hbomax.com/show/3507a932-eace-46ea-bfe1-638ae819fa12) The whole plot is basically just Dunk trying to get permission to enter the tournament and Egg being this mysterious kid who keeps dropping hints about his real identity that Dunk is too thick to pick up on, Egg knows way too much about the lords and their familys for someone who is supposed to be just some random orphan kid, he knows that the crabber guys dad owns half the crabbing fleet on the east coast and he knows all these details about House Florent and the Tyrells that no normal kid would know unless he was educated by maesters. The tug of war scene was fun with Lionel Baratheon recruiting Dunk and then just leaving him to do all the work while he goes to get a drink, Lionel is actually a pretty cool character and probably one of the few lords on this show who isnt a complete over their heads, watching Egg lose his shit during the tug war is cute but these are tiny moments in an episode that feels like it is just treading water until something actually happens. Six episodes is not alot of time to tell a story and we are already two episodes in with very little forward movement which makes me worried this whole season is gonna feel like an extended short story almost like a mini series rather than something more interesting that never arrives, the jousting scene at the end was cool visually with all the different house banners and the armor looking pretty good but it still doesnt change the fact that nothing major has happens yet, yeah there is Dunk having some fun and suffering at other times but fells like nothing really important is going on. Dunk also meets Tanselle Too Tall who is this puppet show performer and he asks her to paint his shield with a new sigil; fancy name for logo I guess, since he cant use Sir Arlands, Egg comes up with the idea of an elm tree and Dunk adds a shooting star which actually sounds pretty cool and has some meaning to it even though Dunk doesnt realize it yet, the whole interaction between Dunk and Tanselle is awkward because Dunk has zero rizz game and just stands there like an idiot telling her she is not too tall when her name is literally Too Tall. The scene where Dunk sells Sweetfoot is probably one of the more touching parts of the episode, you can see him getting emotional about it because he really cares about his horses and selling one just to buy armor for a tournament he might lose in his first shot is a huge risk, if he loses that first joust then he loses everything including the armor and his other horse and basically his entire life as a knight is over before it even started.

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   Source The whole episode also has Dunk realizing that Sir Arland wasnt actually this great knight he thought he was, nobody remembers him and he never won a tournament and he died on the side of a muddy road with an infected cut on his wrist, Dunk has been telling everyone how great Sir Arland was and how he fought at Redgrass Field and served all these great houses but the reality is that he was just another hedge knight who got by doing small jobs here and there and drinking too much. At the end of the episode Dunk is sitting by the campfire eating hard salt beef which is the title of the episode and he is reflecting on whether the life of a hedge knight is even worth it, sleeping beside roads and eating shitty food and having nobody remember your name when you die, but then he also remembers that Sir Arland raised him and taught him how to be honorable even if he wasnt perfect himself so Dunk decides he is going to be a champion and make Sir Arlands legacy mean something, turns out Dunk is Sir Arland legacy. Egg is there too playing soldier and pretending to fight in battles while Dunk is having this existential crisis about his life choices, the relationship between these two characters is really well done with Egg being smart and perceptive while Dunk is kind of naive and doesnt understand how the world works and starting to realize how evil and mean it is, its the case on episode 1 when those two woman were making fun of him and he directly ask what benefit they get out of it, very naive if you ask.

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   Source The Targaryens showing up at Ashford is a big deal because normally they wouldnt bother with some backwater tournament but since they dont have dragons anymore they have to do alot more PR work to keep the lords happy and remind everyone they are still in power, you see Baelor and Maekar arrive with their kids and a bunch of Kingsguard in white armor which finally looks like it should instead of the weird gold stuff they had in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Maekars son Aerion Brightflame shows up too and he is basically Draco Malfoy mixed with Joffrey, he assumes Dunk is a stable boy and then a serving man and when Dunk tells him he is a knight Aerion just laughs at him and says knights have fallen on hard times, you can tell right away this guy is going to be a problem later on and I bet he does something stupid that causes the big conflict and puts Dunk in hot water with every other lord probably. The jousting scene has some realy nice visuals with all the different houses represented like the Brackens and Blackwoods and the Tullys making a long trip from the Riverlands and of course the Targaryens with their dragon armor, the whole sequence look pretty good to me although it still doesnt have the same impact as in House of The Dragon when Daemon fought during the first episodes, over all there was more suspense and tension, in contrary this series is more about fun and drama and less killing and conspiracy, so thats where it falls short for whe everyone is expecting although if you take it for what it is then you are going to enjoy it.

   

    Overall I give this episode like a 7/10 because it has some good character moments and the production values are solid but it still feels like we are waiting for something big to happen, the pacing is slow and there is not enough action or drama to keep things exciting for people who are not super invested in the lore or as I mention take it for what is is. I understand they are building up to the trial of seven or whatever big event is coming but two episodes of Dunk just walking around begging people to let him compete in the tournament is not the most thrilling story coming from the Game of Thrones Universe, the show looks great and the acting is good especially from the guy playing Dunk and the kid playing Egg but viewers need more to happen soon or I think many are going to lose interest. The fact that this is only six episodes means they need to pick up the pace and get to the good stuff instead of spending half the season on setup, I hope episode three actually delivers some action and conflict because right now it feels like a very expensive tournament from the time with some nice costumes and not much else going on, honestly this is still feels better than how HOTD Season 2 started but it could be so much better if they just moved things along faster, I always open for change and I like the comedy aspect and story telling of this spin off, its something different and if they spice up some action into it can work very well just need to move your feet faster.

   

   https://i.imgur.com/AbuDA6i.png

   

   #skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #dunk, #egg, #targaryen, #baelor, #maekar, #aerion, #ashford, #tournament, #jousting, #hedgeknight, #arland, #tanselle, #lionel, #baratheon, #kingsguard, #westeros, #armor, #sigil, #sweetfoot, #horses, #lords, #houses, #dragon, #blackfire, #medieval

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2. ›A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026): The Hedge Knight - Season 1 Episode 1 - RECAP@skiptvads151d

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   A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms just dropped and this feels completely different from anything we have seen in this universe before, like the whole vibe is way more light and chill compared to Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon where everyone is scheming and killing each other every five seconds, this episode is basically just Duncan and Egg meeting each other and going to this tournament, nothing crazy happens except for some jousting setup and people getting slapped around witch was funny the way they edited those scenes together. The music fakeout at the start had me thinking we were getting some epic intro but nope, just a dude burying his mentor and talking to horses, witch I actually do not mind because it gives us time to see who Duncan really is without throwing a million characters at us right away, the setup is simple and works better that way. The whole thing with Egg lying about his name and Duncan just going along with it even though he knows this kid is probably Targaryen royalty or something, that dynamic between them is what makes the episode worth watching because you can tell these two are gonna have this brother type bond as the series goes on, they got this chemistry right from the start witch is rare. What bugs me a little is how short the episode feels, like it ends right when things are getting interesting and I know the rest of the season is gonna be even shorter episodes witch worries me because I want more time with these characters but at the same time keeping it tight and focused might work better than dragging things out for no reason, we will see how it plays out as more episodes drop.

   • IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27497448/
   • Platform: HBOMAX

   

   Rottentomatoes Rating

   

   

    [Source](https://play.hbomax.com/show/3507a932-eace-46ea-bfe1-638ae819fa12) The episode starts with Duncan burying his old master Sir Arlan of Pennytree and the whole sceen is quiet and sad, there is no music just the sound of dirt hitting wood and Duncan talking to himself about what happens next in his life, he inherits three horses named Thunder, Chestnut and Sweetfoot plus some armor and a sword witch is all he has to his name now. Duncan decides to head to Asheford Meadow for a tournament because winning would put him on the map and give him money for better armor and weapons, the problem is he needs a knight or a lord to vouch for him to even get in the damn thing witch becomes a whole plot point, he spends the episode trying to find someone to believe he is actually a knight. There is this flashback were young Duncan asks Sir Arlan if he will ever be a knight one day and Arlan doesnt even respond, then later Duncan says only a robin in a thorn tree bore witness to his knighting but we only see that robin after Arlan is already dead, so its very obvious Duncan might be lying about being knighted at all witch is pretty ballsy for a main character. He meets Egg at a tavern and this bald kid follows him to the tournament offering to be his squire even though Duncan keeps trying to send him away, Egg is smart and works hard tending the horses and cooking food and basically doing everything to prove he is useful, you can tell Duncan is lonely and needs the company even if he wont admit it out loud. The two of them have this nice moment at the end where they watch a falling star and Egg says it brings luck to those who see it, Duncan wonders if all the other knights sleeping under their pavilions got the luck instead of them sleeping out in the open like peasants, its a sweet screen that shows how much Duncan doubts himself and his place in this world compared to real knights with money and land.

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   Source The tournament setup takes up most of the episode and its basically just Duncan walking around trying to get someone to vouch for him so he can compete, he goes to the Dondarrion pavilion looking for Sir Manfred because Sir Arlan fought alongside Manfreds father in Dorne hunting down outlaws. Two guys make fun of Duncan for being a hedge knight witch is what they call wandering knights without a master, they sleep in hedges because no lord will have them and everyone looks down on them like trash, but Sir Arlan always told Duncan that hedge knights were the truest kind of knight because they serve out of personal conviction not feudal obligation or land ownership. Duncan sees Raymond Fossoway getting beat up by his older cousin Sir Stefan Fossoway who is a real piece of shit, Stefan asks Duncan to try him in battle but he decline as its not his problem, this shows that Duncan isnt some hero rushing in to save people he is just trying to survive and not make enemies before the tournament even starts. Later Duncan goes to this big party at the Baratheon pavilion and meets Lionel Baratheon who is called the Laughing Storm because he laughs at his opponents during battle, Lionel is heir to Storms End and loves fighting, he asks Duncan why he slouches all the time when the gods gave him tallness and tells him to just be who he is without shame. The two of them get drunk together and dance and Duncan stomps on Lionels feet witch makes the lord laugh even harder, Lionel tells a story about almost dying in a storm at sea but pushing through witch is supposed to parallel Duncans situation going into this tournament, by the end of the night Duncan is wearing Lionels stag crown and they are best friends even though they just met a few hours ago.

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   Source After the party Duncan finally finds Sir Manfred Dondarrion but Manfred doesnt remember Sir Arlan at all, he says House Dondarrion launched several excursions into Dorne with hundreds of men losing their lives so one random hedge knight doesnt stand out in his memory, Duncan gets rejected and walks away with no vouch and no way into the tournament witch is a bummer. Back at camp Egg has set up a fire and caught a fish and tended all the horses, Duncan makes a deal to keep Egg on as his squire until the end of the tournament promising to feed and clothe him but not beat him except when he deserves it, Egg is just happy to have a place to stay and someone who treats him decent even if Duncan is broke as hell. The falling star moment at the end is beautiful because it shows these two outsiders finding each other, Duncan is a hedge knight pretending to be something he might not be and Egg is a royal kid pretending to be a peasant both of them are lying about who they are but they connect anyway, thats what makes their relationship work so well even this early on, Im sure all this lies are going to become a problem at some point in time either between them or around them, most important if any of the two will get piss off because the other was lying, I bet will be Duncan who gets piss when Egg gets him in some kind of trouble with royal family for having him as his squire. At the end of the episode Duncan still doesnt have a vouch to compete and the whole thing could fall apart before it even starts, but at least he has Egg now and that counts for something in a world where most people are alone and struggling just to make it through the day.

   

    Overall this first episode did its job of setting up who Duncan and Egg are and where the story is going, nothing too groundbreaking or shocking but solid enough to keep me interested in seeing what happens next at this tournament and whether Duncan is actually gonna survive fighting against real knights when he is basically just a hedge knight with no money or backup plan if things go wrong. The whole vibe is way more wholesome than Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, there is no incest or dragons or massive battles just two guys trying to figure out their place in a world that doesnt really care about them, witch is a nice change of pace even if it feels a little slow at times. The acting is great, Peter Claffey plays Duncan and he nails the awkward giant who doesnt know how to carry himself, Dexter Sol Ansell plays Egg and he is adorable but also smart enough to not be annoying, the chemistry between them is the best part of the episode hands down. The production quality is top notch, the costumes and sets all look expensive and real, you can tell HBO put money into this thing even though its a smaller story compared to the other Game of Thrones shows, the tournament grounds look huge and detailed and the pavilions all have different house sigils witch is a nice touch for the nerds who care about that stuff. The pacing is weird because it feels like nothing happens but also a lot happens, Duncan buries his master, meets Egg, goes to a tournament, gets drunk with a lord, gets rejected by another lord, and makes a deal with his new squire, thats a full day of stuff but it all feels slow because there is no action or big dramatic moments, just people talking and walking around. I do not mind the slower pace because it gives us time to breathe and get to know these characters before things get crazy but I can see some people getting bored if they are expecting Game of Thrones level drama right out the gate, this aint that kind of show and I think thats a good thing even if it takes some getting used to after House of the Dragon. The ending leaves a lot of questions open, will Duncan get a vouch to compete, is he actually a knight or is he lying, what is Eggs real identity, what happens when Duncan has to fight in the tournament against trained knights who have been doing this their whole lives, all of that is still up in the air and thats fine for a first episode, I would give it a solid 7 out of 10.

   

   

   

   #skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #knight, #duncan, #egg, #tournament, #asheford, #westeros, #targaryen, #hedge, #baratheon, #lionel, #arlan, #squire, #horses, #armor, #jousting, #dondarrion, #fossoway, #pennytree, #pavilion, #medieval, #hbo, #recap, #episode, #series, #fantasy

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