When someone mentions Game of Thrones, you probably think of all your favourite characters dying in the most brutal, bloody fashion. It’s a theme that became synonymous with the hit series, and that pattern has not relented in the wake of House of the Dragon hitting our screens.
The fact is, anyone living in Westeros is at risk of meeting a gloomy demise at any moment, and we really shouldn’t get attached to any of the characters. It’s just the way George R. R. Martin’s stories go… at least most of the time.
The next show to come from the franchise could change that. Judging from the source material for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we may get a happy ending to a Thrones TV show for once.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Plot of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The book titled ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ is a collection of three short stories written by Martin between 1998 and 2010. The three tales are called: ‘The Hedge Knight’, ‘The Sworn Sword’, and ‘The Mystery Knight’.
Across the three stories, Martin charts the journey of two characters: the first, Dunk, is a lowly squire who inherits his master’s possessions after his death, and the second is a young boy known only as ‘Egg’, who tags along with Dunk on his journey and becomes his squire.
By the end of the first tale, we learn Egg is actually called Aegon and is a Targaryen prince, while Dunk is bestowed the knightly title of Ser Duncan the Tall. The latter is tasked with mentoring Aegon to help him become a noble and fair man, and suggests this mission would be best accomplished by venturing out into the world.
Along the way, there are plenty of trials by combat, scandals, betrayals, and narrow escapes from the clutches of danger. There are deaths, too, of course, but you’ll be happy to know that neither Egg nor Dunk meet their maker by the end of the book.
George R. R. Martin Won’t Be Happy If A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms Is Changed
Obviously, both characters do eventually perish, but that happens outside of their novellas during the Tragedy of Summerhall (let’s just say hatching dragon eggs is a dangerous game). So, will HBO stick to the source material, or extend its adaptation right through to Dunk and Egg’s fiery demise?
If the studio ends A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms where it’s supposed to, we will have the most positive and sweetest Game of Thrones spin-offs to look forward to. The unlikely companions should be allowed to bring their journey on the small screen to a close as they do in the book – with Dunk being the hero after protecting Egg from the war-hungry Black Tom Heddle, and he is given a handsome reward of gold for helping Bloodraven bring about the downfall of House Blackfyre.
Using this as the show’s conclusion would be a welcome change of pace for Game of Thrones fans. And, it would probably make George R. R. Martin pretty happy, too.
We know the writer has previously questioned the way showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wrapped up the original series, commenting: “The final season has not been completely faithful.” It was Martin’s understanding that the show would run for 10 seasons rather than the eight that we got. There were also suggestions that the author was distanced from the production towards the end, though it’s not clear whether that was his choice or the showrunners’ decision.
Martin never outright criticised the fact that the show went in a different direction from his planned ending for the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ novels, but he did tell Rolling Stone: “All of it is fair. I’m not angry or anything, but there’s a little wistfulness in me.”
Still, we’re pretty sure he would not be best pleased if HBO meddled with his stories again, especially given this is one that he has actually finished.
What We Know About the New Game of Thrones TV Show
Aside from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms potentially being the most lighthearted Game of Thrones show to date, we know a few details about the upcoming series.
There isn’t long to wait for the show. It will begin on January 18 2026, and you’ll be able to watch it weekly from HBO and HBO Max through Sky and NOW. There will be six episodes in total, which does suggest there is very little scope for the showrunners to expand into Summerhall territory.
As for the cast, Peter Claffey will play Dunk, while young actor Dexter Soll Ansell will play Egg. They’ll be supported by Finn Bennett, Henry Ashton, Tanzyn Crawford, Daniel Ings, and Sam Spruell.
