With the conclusion of the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, many characters experienced meaningful, if not ambiguous conclusions. Although audiences may have celebrated Dunk and Egg’s victory and their reunion at the end of Episode 6, the emotional fallout of Baelor Targaryen’s death was present in every season.
When Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel) leads Ser Duncan (Peter Claffey) and his champions into the Trial of Seven, he was asked whether his decision to compete would be frowned upon by the Gods, since several of his opponents were sworn to protect him and therefore could not fight fairly. Baelor replies, “The Gods will let us know”, wisely side-stepping this gentle questioning about the impact of his presence in the skirmish. And for reasons only known to the Gods, Dunk succeeds but Baelor, the hope of the realm, meets an untimely demise. It appears that the Gods saw his true intent and deemed him unworthy. His loss feels unfair, pointless, and hard to grasp.
Episode 6, "The Morrow," revisits the theme of grief that was present earlier in the season, this time as Dunk and others process the loss of the prince. As Dunk sulks under his elm tree, trying to defend his actions, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) reframes the situation in a way many readers never considered when first reading "The Hedge Knight" by George R. R. Martin. He correctly notes that many knights risked their lives because they too believed in Ser Duncan the Tall. They knew he acted rightly in defending the innocent, and arguably took greater risks than Baelor Targaryen. Lyonel takes a cynical perspective, hinting that perhaps the Gods judged Baelor unfavorably because he expected to risk nothing by entering the trial.
Baelor's decision to stand among Dunk’s defenders carried a different weight when considering who stood on the opposing side. Three Kingsguard knights, sworn to protect him, would never intentionally harm him. Two of his nephews would never dare raise a deadly strike against their own uncle. Even Ser Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley), knowing his station, would not go blow‑for‑blow with a prince. Only one man on the opposing side would treat Baelor as an equal on the battlefield, his brother Maekar (Sam Spruell), and he was the one who ultimately delivered the blow that ensured Prince Baelor would never have the opportunity to become King of the Seven Kingdoms.
However, a more nuanced analysis of Prince Baelor is warranted. Though the risk was low, entering the tourney also provided Baelor with an important opportunity. Many of the people of the realm were weary of the Targaryens. Lyonel Baratheon hinted at feelings of resentment and discontent with their leadership in the season finale, and Ser Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas) makes his feelings plain when sharing cider with dunk before Aerion's assault on the theater performers. They represent discontentment of the people who often bear the wrath of the more powerful Targaryens' whims. The kingdom as a whole is still fresh from the Blackfyre Rebellion.
While Lyonel correctly challenges Dunk’s focus on the loss of the Prince, his assumption that Baelor’s motives were purely selfish warrants further consideration. As the Hope of the Realm, he has the adoration of many in the kingdom, but as a smart man, Baelor is likely aware that Aerion's actions throughout the tourney reflect poorly on the family. Fighting for Dunk demonstrates the good that Targaryen's can do, serving as an important contrast to Aerion's cruelty in front of the people he will one day rule. Though he had the least to risk, Baelor’s presence in the tourney was intended to benefit the reputation of his family and their relationship with the realm.
Lyonel's dissatisfaction with House Targaryen will only grow deeper as time passes, but to talk about it we have to get into SPOILERS for Dunk and Egg's future.
Lyonel Baratheon's frustration with the Targaryens sets up a future rebellion
The tensions between House Baratheon and House Targaryen continue, until they finally boil over years after the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1. After Egg, now going by Aegon V Targaryen, ascends the throne as king, he attempts to unite the families through marriage, arranging a betrothal between his son and heir, Prince Duncan Targaryen, and the daughter of Lyonel Baratheon. However, Egg’s son shirks the betrohal and instead weds Jenny of Oldstones, a woman who claims to be descended from the ancient Riverlands kings, though her birth is likely no nobler than Dunk’s.
Not wanting to stand for further disrespect to his house, Lord Lyonel declares himself Storm King, an ancient title used by the rulers of the Stormlands before the arrival of the Targaryens in Westeros, and launches a rebellion that could only be ended with a trial by combat, one that pitted the Storm King against the Lord Commander of Aegon's Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall. Thankfully, Lyonel Baratheon yielded, and the rebellion quickly came to an end. Through negotiation, Aegon sent his daughter, Princess Rhaelle Targaryen, to be betrothed to the heir of Storm’s End, Ormund Baratheon, securing peace and bringing the conflict to a final close.
These events happen quite a ways in the future for Dunk and Egg, beyond any of George R.R. Martin's currently published novellas. Time will tell if we'll ever see them come to pass in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 is now streaming on HBO Max. Season 2 is currently in production, and is scheduled to premiere sometime in 2027.