New Game of Thrones Spinoff Is a Pivotal Part of Targaryen History You Can’t Skip
You might think that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a chill-out trip through Westeros for Dunk and Egg. And in many ways, it is. There are no dragons, the kingdom is in a time of peace, and there’s a decidedly more comedic and positive tone to the whole show so far.
Compared to Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, this new series is a lovely walk in the park. And, based on the source material, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will give us a relatively happy ending.
However, if you’re thinking this show is a spin-off, you can skip, and that it won’t have much impact on the wider Game of Thrones timeline, you’re wrong. Here’s a spoiler-filled explanation as to why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-watch, with key developments in the Targaryen family tree to look out for.
Baelor Targaryen’s Death Will Change Everything For Egg
Keeping track of the different lineages throughout Game of Thrones is no mean feat, but we’ll do our best to keep this simple.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set roughly 89 years before Game of Thrones, but that doesn’t mean it can’t impact the history of Westeros in massive ways.
At the start of the series, King Daeron II sits on the Iron Throne, with Prince Baelor Targaryen acting as the Hand to the King. He’s also the heir to the throne, but when he dies, everything changes. Now, it’s Prince Maekar who is next in line, and he will get a good 12-year stint as the ruler of Westeros.
It also means that his sons will get their chance to sit on the Iron Throne, too. However, we already know that Daeron, Aerion, Aemon, and their sisters Daella and Rhae will have no such luck. We won’t spoil what happens to any of them; all we will say is that little Egg, who is actually Prince Aegon, will be the one to ascend to the throne.
He’s even dubbed Aegon the Unlikely due to how surprising it is that he is the one to end up surpassing his siblings and becoming king. Aegon will go on to rule for 26 years and be known as one of the more just and kind Targaryen kings in Westerosi history.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 1 Gave Us Clues To Egg’s True Identity
Obviously, anyone who has read the novellas that inspired A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will know how this all plays out. They’ll also not be surprised by the fact that Egg is secretly a Targaryen prince destined for the top. For those who aren’t in the know, however, there are a couple of clues that hint at his true identity in the first episode of the new series.
For a start, the way Egg speaks is highly indicative of a boy born into nobility. He addresses Dunk as “My lord,” which the hedge knight finds odd and corrects his young squire-to-be, telling him to use “Ser” instead.
Shortly after the meeting, Dunk tosses a copper coin on the ground for Egg to thank him for looking after his horses. The fact that Egg doesn’t grab the coin immediately (or at all, actually) is a clear sign that money doesn’t mean all that much to the secret Targaryen prince. When you’re a descendant of the ruling clan in Westeros, why would you care for a piece of copper?
Did You Spot The Other Hidden Targaryen Prince in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
One of the most intriguing and ambiguous moments in the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is when Dunk is berated by a random, drunk patron in an inn. Awakening from an alcohol-induced stupor, the man says to Dunk, “I dreamed of you… Stay away from me.”
He produces a knife and slams a gold coin on the table before stumbling upstairs and taking a room at the tavern. The innkeeper tells Dunk not to worry about the aggressor, but viewers should be paying a lot of attention to him.
If you looked carefully at the coin, you’d have seen a big clue as to his true identity. The three-headed dragon symbol on the coin is the sigil of the Targaryen family, which is rather fitting given this character is actually Prince Daeron II, AKA Daeron the Drunken.
Yes, that’s right, he’s the eldest son of Prince Maekar and the older brother of Egg. Now, we just have to wait and see how Daeron the Drunken’s story plays out, but given that he will never be king, we know he’s destined for some kind of tragedy instead.
