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Angel Shaw
Published Feb 16, 2026, 7:45 PM EST
Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Peer Mentor on ScreenRant's New TV team, covering new-release TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy.
Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones).
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Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 ahead!Things really went off-book in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5, but it couldn't have been handled any better. I'll admit, when I saw that this installment in the Game of Thrones franchise was going to split time between the trial of seven and Dunk's backstory, I was a bit annoyed. It felt like a way to drag out the trial of seven, leaving us in meaningless suspense for an additional episode before the finale. However, I was pleasantly surprised. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 really turned out to be a masterpiece.
This episode kicked off with the start of Dunk's trial of seven, but, only about three minutes in, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' hero was all but defeated. That big question of "how good a fighter is Dunk?" was answered, and the outlook wasn't great. All that talk, and this hedge knight clearly had no real combat skills. However, in season 5's flashbacks, we see that Dunk's defining quality, alongside his endearing innocence, is resilience. That kid is unbelievably tough.
Interestingly, those young Dunk scenes in a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 don't come from George R.R. Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. Though these books certainly mention Dunk's upbringing and mischief in Flea Bottom, all that added detail is unique to HBO's TV show. Such additions to canon are often an absolute mess, especially in the Game of Thrones franchise. This is the exception.
Dunk's New Backstory In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Cleverly Enhanced The Story
In Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg books, Dunk thinks back to his time in King's Landing with his fellow street urchins, Ferret, Pudding, and Rafe. He considers the mischief they got up to and how Ser Arlan saved him from that life by making him his quire. That was about the end of it. Readers weren't left wanting, but there was no deep dive into Dunk's emotional connection with his friends or the perhaps literal way that Ser Arlan saved his life.
Rafe's gender is never stated in Martin's books, but it's implied that this character was male. In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Rafe is played by actress Chloe Lea.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms didn't technically change any of this. Instead, it added to the story in profoundly meaningful ways. This wasn't just filler for the sake of entertainment, but a story with direct relevance to Dunk's ongoing story. These are the sorts of changes a TV show should make to the canon adventure.
During Dunk's backstory sequence, we see his desperation for family. He dreamed that his mother would return for him, loved his friend Rafe, and quickly clung to Ser Arlan. This adds significant context to his mourning after Arlan's death and to the quick bond he formed with Egg. These relationships, though few, are significant motivators for Dunk. Rafe told him to leave King's Landing, Arlan yelled at him to get up, and Egg screamed for him to keep fighting.
The show's exploration of these relationships was enhanced by further examples of Dunk's immense strength. He may have been immediately knocked down in the trial of seven, but the flashbacks reveal how, as only a child, he kept going through the wilderness after taking a spear to his leg. This demonstration foreshadows Dunk's jaw-dropping strength at the end of the episode. No, he's not a good fighter, but those flashbacks showed us before the end that there is nothing that can keep Dunk down.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Proves That George R.R. Martin's Involvement Is A Massive Benefit
George R.R. Martin at the Berlin premiere of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'Nicole Kubelka/Future Image/Cover Images
Martin has been rather outspoken about his frustrations with changes to his works in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. In a now-deleted post on his blog, Not a Blog, the author stated that he isn't against changes entirely, but that they need to make sense with the story. Martin emphasized that changed details can have a butterfly effect on subsequent plot points, and he has found this to be an issue with HBO's previous A Song of Ice and Fire adaptations.
Screen Rant Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Though Martin had some involvement in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, he has said his creative input was eventually disregarded to the point that he no longer had access to those projects. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a different story. Martin serves alongside showrunner Ira Parker as an executive producer, creator, and writer on the series, and this has made a significant difference. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 is proof enough. There are changes, but there is also meaningful poetry. Book fans couldn't ask for more.
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9.0/10
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Action Fantasy Adventure Release Date January 18, 2026 Network HBO Showrunner Ira Parker Directors Owen Harris Writers George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall
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Dexter Sol Ansell
Egg
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