Let’s dreamcast A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

Anthony Starr as Maekar Targaryen

If Aerion and Daeron have issues, it’s partly because the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. Their father is Maekar Targaryen, the fourth son of King Daeron II. Maekar isn’t the hot mess that either of his elder sons are, but he’s still got issues. Namely, he’s stubborn, haughty and spoiled. When Dunk is arrested for striking Aerion Brightflame, Maekar is quick to pronounce that he should meet a grim fate. Fortunately, the call isn’t solely Maekar’s to make, but he still fights alongside his sons in the trial of seven Dunk must undergo. (A Trial of Seven is a rarely used variation of the normal trial by combat, where seven fighters fight on each side.)

Anthony Starr’s turn as Homelander in the Amazon Prime show The Boys should leave little doubt he could play an unhinged Targaryen prince. If anything, he’d have to tone back a little to play Maekar, who isn’t quite deranged, but certainly has a place in the Game of Thrones pantheon of dangerously careless nobles. He even accidentally causes the death of his own brother Baelor during Dunk’s trial. He’s a seasoned warrior who wields a heavy mace to deadly affect, but he’s also a father who despairs at how is children are turning out. Maekar is complex, and Starr can do complex all day long.

When both Aerion and Daeron shame him with their actions at Ashford Meadow, Maekar ultimately relents to Egg’s requests to squire for Dunk. Afterwards, it’s often said that he’s “sulking at Summerhall,” his castle in the Reach. While we don’t see Maekar again in the novellas after The Hedge Knight, the impact he leaves on the story is strong and persistent, due to Egg’s frequent references to his father.