There have been a lot of shocking, devastating deaths in the Game of Thrones franchise, and we just got another one in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5, “In the Name of the Mother.”
One episode after Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) arrived just in the nick of time to save the life of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and allow the trial of seven to proceed, we watched Baelor die in Dunk's arms after his brother, Prince Maekar (Sam Spruell), it's believed, whacked him a little too hard in the head and crushed his skull.
This was an absolutely gut-wrenching ending to an episode full of gut punches. My stomach hurts, and emotionally, I feel like I've been stomped on by Balerion the Black Dread.
Prince Baelor suffered the same fate as many of Westeros' heroes
To say I'm disappointed is quite the understatement. I'm devastated for Baelor and for myself! I loved Baelz, as I call him. Westeros needed its knights and royalty to stand up for the weak and downtrodden, and that's what Baelz did and was going to do.
I'm also devastated in myself for underestimating George R.R. Martin, again. I've read all five A Song of Ice and Fire books, and I've seen every episode of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, although I'm not so deep in the lore and history that I know every plot point. But, I know how these things go, and I made a crucial mistake while watching A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. I was lulled into a sense of security by the poop jokes. The rope-a-dope got me.
Anytime Martin is involved, I should know that I'm about to get my heart ripped out, and that's exactly what happened.
For me, there are only handful of deaths in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon more shocking than what we just witnessed in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Obviously, Ned Stark’s death is the one that immediately comes to mind. It's been almost 15 years since the death of Ned Stark (Sean Bean) in Game of Thrones season 1, Episode 9, "Baelor," but we just watched a death that feels very much the same in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5.
This trial of seven was basically all for show for at least a few of the knights. Baelor puts his life on the line for Dunk, but he isn’t ever really concerned for his safety. In fact, he mentions that the Kingsguard can’t and won’t harm him. Surely, Maekar isn’t going to hurt his brother, even if he disagrees with the decision to join the contest. Daeron (Henry Ashton) is a terrible fighter. Ser Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley) is a try-hard loser, and Aerion (Finn Bennett), despite his mean streak, isn’t going to hurt his uncle.
In Game of Thrones, Ned was supposed to be made an example of, publicly, before being sent to the Night’s Watch for treason. Instead, Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) has him executed, and we all know what happens next.
When decorum goes out the window, we often end up with tragedy in Martin’s stories.
Of course, I have to mention the Red Wedding when talking about shocking deaths in the Game of Thrones franchise. While Baelor chose the honorable path and suffered his fate, we have Robb Stark (Richard Madden), who chose a dishonorable path and betrayed Walder Frey, which led to the events of the Red Wedding.
I also think there are a lot of similarities with Baelor's death and the death of Oberyn Martell. Prince Oberyn (Pedro Pascal) fights against Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson). Oberyn should not lose this fight, but he gets a little too overconfident, similar to Baelor, and he ends up being one of the most gruesome deaths in Game of Thrones.
Even with all those Game of Thrones deaths, Baelor's death reminds me the most of Prince Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) getting eaten by Vhagar in House of the Dragon. That was basically an accident, as well. Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) was just trying to scare his nephew, but he loses control of his dragon. He basically single-handedly ignites a civil war. It's more complicated than that, but in a lot of ways, it's relatively simple.
There's just something that caught me so off guard with Baelor's death. I truly had no idea his story was going to end like that, and it's somehow worse than I can imagine. There's something so tragic about this accident, and I fear how it shapes the course of Dunk's story and life moving forward.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 concludes with the season finale on Sunday, Feb. 22. I can't wait to see the fallout from his tragedy.