Top 10 Things To Know Before Watching A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most important pieces of lore to know before watching “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”. We’ll try our best to avoid crucial spoilers, but given it’s a prequel, a few minor spoilers will be inevitable.

#10: Who Is Dunk?

Also known as Ser Duncan the Tall, this charming gentleman was born and raised in Fleabottom, King’s Landing. He’s almost 7 feet tall, hence the name. Dunk was orphaned as a child and grew up on the streets. He believed his father was a criminal, so it was always a dream of his to visit the wall and find him. When he was roughly 5 or 6, Ser Arlan of Pennytree found him chasing a pig, then invited him to become his new squire. Ser Arlan taught him how to fight, alongside taking him on tons of adventures across Westeros. Ser Arlan sadly perished on the way to a tourney, which is the opening scene of the first Dunk and Egg novella.

#9: Who Is Egg?

Daeron the Good is the Targaryen king of Westeros when the story begins. His fourth son is Maekar, then Maekar’s fourth son is Aegon, better known as Egg. During his childhood, no one expected Egg to become king, but if you paid close attention to “Game of Thrones”, you’ll know he grew up to become Aegon V. As a boy, he wished to join the king’s guard, partly so he could get out of marrying someone. The novellas begin with Egg on his way to a tourney, hoping to squire for his brother, Daeron. Unfortunately for Egg, Daeron prefers drinking to fighting. Beforehand, they shaved his head completely, giving him his iconic Egg look, mainly to avoid being recognised as a Targaryen.

#8: The Setting

The story begins in 209 AC, that’s 209 years after Aegon’s Conquest. This is approximately 90 years before the beginning of “Game of Thrones” and about a century after “House of the Dragon.” This means the dragons are long dead. Daeron II has been the king since 184 AC. Famously, Daeron finally brought Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms, which he did diplomatically. This makes him, arguably, the man responsible for completing Aegon’s Conquest. Since the dragons died, the Targaryen’s power has been declining. This will, of course, eventually lead to them being completely ousted from power a few decades later, setting the stage for “Game of Thrones.”

#7: Aegon IV’s Reign

Before Daeron II, Aegon IV was king, also known as Aegon the Unworthy. The vast majority of political turmoil from Dunk and Egg’s era began with Aegon, despite only ruling for 12 years. He’s not named after the conqueror, but instead Aegon III, the man who became king following the horrific Dance with Dragons. When young, he was a handsome and dashing prince, full of potential. By the end of his life, his desires had gotten the better of him. Aegon died extremely corrupt and with severe health issues. He was also infamous for fathering a plethora of illegitimate children. Then, on his deathbed, he legitimized them all.

#6: Aegon’s Children

These legitimized children then turned into the greatest enemies House Targaryen would ever face. One of them was called Brynden Rivers, who became known as Bloodraven. You may remember him as the old man who taught Bran his powers. In the books, he’s far more creepy and mysterious than in the series. Many fans believe he could be responsible for giving Euron Crow’s Eye his magical powers, something he probably regretted. Another of his children was Aegor Rivers, who took the name Aegor Bittersteel. Famously, he founded the Golden Company, a band of sellswords which appeared in “Game of Thrones” season 8. Also, they’re easily one of the most important factions where the books have left off.

#5: Daemon Blackfyre

Debatably, the most important was Daemon Waters, who was given the Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre. This was traditionally held by the kings of Westeros. So, Daemon made his last name Blackfyre, then in 196 AC, rose in revolt against Daeron II, seeking to place himself on the Iron Throne. His sigil was identical to the Targaryen’s, except with the colors inverted. This was the first Blackfyre rebellion, which failed within a year. Daemon and his two eldest sons were killed, but many of his relatives fled east, where they would vow to return. This included Aegor Bittersteel, who founded the Golden Company soon after the rebellion.

#4: Subsequent Blackfyre Rebellions

In total, there were five rebellions, but there had only been one by the beginning of the novellas. We won’t spoil details for when subsequent rebellions take place, since they’ll likely become major plot points in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” The fifth and final one was the War of the Ninepenny Kings, which began after the death of Aegon V, so it has no chance of appearing in the series. It failed like the four before it, alongside leading to the extinction of the male Blackfyre line. The female line, on the other hand, is assumed to still exist. This has led fans to formulate one of the most interesting theories in the series.

#3: Why Are The Blackfyres Important?

If you don’t care for the books, the Blackfyres are simply worldbuilding. If you do, you’ll be familiar with Young Griff of the Golden Company, who is revealed to be Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar, in disguise. Aegon is backed by Varys, explaining why Varys is constantly destabilising Westeros. Many believe Aegon’s mother is a Blackfyre, as opposed to being the true son of Rhaegar. Primary evidence is the Golden Company backing his cause, as their number one enemies are the Targaryens. At the start of book 6, Aegon and the Golden Company have begun invading Westeros. They’ll have an easy time deposing Cersei, who is wildly unpopular, which will make Aegon Daenerys’ main foe, who will probably be far more adored than her.

#2: How Will It Differ From “Game of Thrones”?

If you’re expecting “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” to be more of “Game of Thrones”, except in a different period, prepare for disappointment. It will be far less grand in scope than both previous shows, with only two major characters. Instead, it will focus more on the smallfolk, alongside the friendship of Dunk and Egg. Ser Duncan is often considered the personification of chivalry, making him a highly admirable character. This is a stark contrast to “Game of Thrones”, where many knights are morally gray. There’ll be little magic, if any, plus major geopolitics and grand wars won’t be the focus. This will make it a much more lighthearted viewing experience than the prior series.

#1: Subsequent Novellas & Series Structure

Three novellas have been released so far, published between 1998 and 2010. Author George R. R. Martin hasn’t released a book set in Westeros since “Fire & Blood” in 2018, ignoring his companion books. He’s said he doesn’t want to write anything else in the universe until “The Winds of Winter” is complete, a book he’s famously been writing since 2011. So, that means for the time being, there are only three novellas to be adapted. It’s believed each season will correspond to one novella. After series 3, they’ll end up running out of the source material. Thankfully, it’s a prequel series, so we know exactly how both Dunk and Egg’s tale ends.

Are you excited for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”, or do you prefer the grander series that came before? Let us know in the comments below!