Now that the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has concluded, most fans agree that one undeniable highlight of the series so far is its incredible cast of characters.
Audiences quickly became enamored with series protagonist Ser Duncan the Tall, aka "Dunk," (Peter Claffey), as well as his noble squire Prince Aegon Targaryen, better known as "Egg" (Dexter Sol Ansell). Additionally, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) stole just about every scene, while Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas) underwent one of the most satisfying arcs of the season.
Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) captured everyone's hearts, including Dunk's. Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) proved to be utterly detestable, and viewers everywhere still aren't over the untimely demise of Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvell).
However, one major character, Plummer, fell quickly out of focus as the story progressed. While he played a large role in the pilot, "The Hedge Knight," and in his final appearance, the third episode of the season, titled "The Squire," he brought up what seemed like a fascinating plot point, only to never return again.
While this seems like a missed opportunity, this character's absence from the later half of the season helps illustrate the growing stakes.
Plummer, we hardly knew ye
Plummer, played by Tom Vaughan Lawlor, who Marvel fans may recognize as Ebony Maw from Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, acts as the Master of Games at the tourney at Ashford Meadow. He first meets Dunk when the heroic hedge knight attempts to register for the tournament, but Plummer doubts the legitimacy of his knighthood, going so far as to dismiss the sword of Ser Arlan (Danny Webb) as proof of Dunk's claim.
However, Plummer will accept Dunk into the tourney if he can find a knight or lord who will vouch for him, giving our hero his first major test.
Shortly after, Prince Baelor affirms Dunk's knighthood, and Plummer adds his name to the lists. Plummer puts forward a proposition for our protagonist. Given that Lord Ashford (Paul Hunter) has overspent on the tourney, Plummer requests that Dunk face off against Androw Ashford, the Lord's youngest son, in a fixed match, in which the lesser-known knight would emerge victorious. Dunk, being a man of honor, is mortified that Plummer would even ask this of him, but Plummer encourages Dunk to think it over.
This scene marks Plummer's last appearance in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He is absent from the last three episodes of the season, and neither Plummer, nor Lord Ashford's money problems and the fixed tilt, are ever brought up again.
What Plummer's absence means for the second half of the season
The ending of the third episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms marks a major shift both in terms of story and tone for the season. The episode ends with Aerion attacking Tanselle, and Dunk stepping up to defend her from his wrath. Egg then saves Dunk from mutilation, revealing himself to have been a prince this entire time.
From here on out, the focus of the season shifts from the tourney to the fateful trial of seven. The stakes are raised, changing from Dunk needing to prove himself as a knight to him fighting for his life against a Targaryen Prince. All of a sudden, the tournament itself doesn't matter as much, a fact which even the maiden of honor herself, Gwin Ashford (Cara Harris), acknowledges in the season finale when she tells Dunk she does not blame him for ruining her nameday.
Throughout the beginning of the season, Plummer acts as a personification of the tourney itself. At first, the series is about a lowly hedge knight's uphill battle to compete in a joust, and Plummer stands in his way.
As the show progresses, the tourney itself becomes less and less important, and, as such, Plummer himself is no longer needed to represent it. Dunk has moved on to higher-stakes antagonists, such as Aerion. Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley), who betrays Dunk by switching sides just before the trial, and Egg's father, Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell), who tries to prevent him from continuing his adventures with Dunk. Every one of these characters represents a greater threat to Dunk than Plummer, who simply acts as an obstacle for Dunk's participation in a tournament that, ultimately, doesn't end up mattering as much as it seemed to at the start of the season.
Make sure to stream all episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, now avaialbe on HBO Max.