At
the end of the third episode of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) aka Dunk stopped Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) from attacking Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) and was about to be shown in his place when his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) stepped in. The big reveal is that Egg is really Aerion’s errant young brother, Prince Aegon Targaryen. So what happens next to Dunk, and will he be able to survive the Trial of Seven proposed by Prince Aerion? We break down the next bloody battle on the Game of Thrones spinoff. Warning: Spoilers Ahead!
Ser Duncan the Tall falls into Targaryen family drama
After striking a member of the House of the Dragon in the last episode, Dunk is imprisoned in a cell in Ashford Castle. His former squire, Egg, arrives to tearfully apologise, and the hedge knight is summoned before Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel), the heir to the Iron Throne. It turns out that Egg's other wayward brother, Daeron (Harry Ashton) lies that Dunk kidnapped Egg at the inn. Dunk protests that he was only protecting Tanselle's honour as a knight, but Baelor reveals that Dunk must face trial for his actions and tells him to choose a trial by combat.
When Dunk appears in front of the Lords of Ashford and the Targaryen family, he takes Baelor's advice and demands a Trial by Combat. Aerion objects but his father Maekar (Sam Spruell) and uncle Baelor tell him that it is Dunk's legal right. The spoilt prince asks for a Trial of Seven instead.
What is the Trial of Seven?
The
Trial of Seven is an ancient ritual which is rarely used. The accused, along with six allies, has to fight the accuser and his six knights. Judgement is dispensed through this seven-on-seven battle meant to honour the Seven Gods.Baelor's brother Maeker, recognises his son's cowardly attempt to avoid facing Ser Duncan in a hand-to-hand combat scenario. If Dunk can't produce six allies, then Aerion automatically wins. The question remains: how will a low hedge knight find six others to fight against the House of the Dragon?
Prince Daeron's prophetic dream
The night before the Trial of Seven, Egg and his brother, Prince Daeron, arrive to meet Dunk. Daeron, who was very drunk at his first meeting with Dunk at the inn, apologises for lying to his father. Daeron must fight alongside Aerion in the Trial of Seven, but he tells Dunk he won't put in any effort.
Daeron also tells Dunk about his dream from back in the premiere episode. He dreamt that a dragon fell on the hedge knight and didn't kill him. Dunk emerged unscathed, and the dragon died instead. Daeron tells Dunk that he will be responsible for the death of a Targaryen.
Who will battle alongside Dunk in Trial of Seven?
On the morning of the Trial of Seven, Dunk finds some men who are ready to fight by his side. He sees Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), Robyn Rhysling, and the Humfreys (Beesbury and Hardying) lined up. He also assumes Ser Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley) will be on his side, but at the last moment, he betrays him at the last moment. Steffon's cousin, Raymon Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), berates him on the betrayal and steps up to be knighted and fight alongside Dunk.
Dunk is about to lose despite coming close. He implores the gathered crowd at Ashford Meadow and asks if there is anyone noble enough to fight along with him. No one does, and the crowd laughs at poor Dunk. When all hope is lost, a prince steps in as the heir to the Iron Throne Prince Baelor pledges to fight against his own kin. It's the biggest moment of the episode, and the spinoff brings back the original
Game of Thrones theme song for it. Now that Dunk has assembled his men, it's time for the Trial of Seven to begin. Who will emerge victorious? Viewers will find out in the fifth episode of
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on February 16 on JioHotstar.