By
Zach Moser
Published Feb 22, 2026, 10:45 PM EST
Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Add Us On
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 ends, and we're played out with a winking, anachronistic song that most fans may have trouble placing, but it fits if you listen. The final scene of AKOTSK shows what we can expect next for the series, with Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) and Duncan (Peter Claffey) on the road together.
Of course, it wouldn't be A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms if Dunk didn't get himself into trouble and if Egg didn't lie but for the right reasons. The not-knight Dunk and the not-approved-to-leave Egg ride off together as Maekar (Sam Spruell) rages, and an unusual song starts playing into the credits.
Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons" Plays During A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Episode 6's Credits
The song that ends A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms isn't the Game of Thrones theme, or the Targaryen theme, or any other sweeping song by composer Dan Romer or Ramin Djawadi. It's not even something like The Hold Steady version of "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" after Jaime's hand gets chopped in Game of Thrones.
The song that plays is Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons". "Sixteen Tons" was written and composed by Kentucky country singer Merle Travis in 1946. Travis's songs were often about the exploitation of American coal miners, those "sixteen tons" of the title referring to the weight of coal needed to be dug in order to be paid.
In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford did a rendition of the song, adding a steady snapping of his fingers and an ominous, slightly loopy clarinet arrangement. Decades later, it's Tennessee Ernie Ford's version that most people know.
The Deeper Meaning Behind The "Sixteen Tons" Song & What It Means For Dunk & Egg
There is a lot to unpack with "Sixteen Tons", and it isn't subtle. The song is about how exploited workers are, forced to work long hours, and the little pay they receive can only be spent at a company store, a real-life form of debt bondage that essentially forces workers to spend their money only on items the company offers.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a rich, thematic show, and one of the key themes is how the high-born step on the low-born. Dunk is the miner in this show, working hard, but always at the whims of rules reserved for the high-born. It's a song for the common man, and there's no man as common as Dunk.
Why A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Credits Song Is So Unusual
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a George R.R. Martin series so different than the two series that came before it: Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. There is much more lightness and cheer in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and the stakes are so much smaller.
Subscribe for deeper reads on shows' surprising musical choices
Explore more: subscribe to the newsletter for scene-by-scene analyses of surprising soundtrack choices like 'Sixteen Tons' and clear takes on what they reveal about character, class, and tone in series such as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.None of this is a criticism. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is special for this fresh new direction it has taken A Song of Ice and Fire, and "Sixteen Tons" is an example of how the series is different. It's a little silly, jaunty, unexpected, but there's still a dangerous element that keeps us invested.
62
9.1/10
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
4 Images
Close
Cast
See All-
Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall
-
Dexter Sol Ansell
Egg
Expand
Collapse
-
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Subscribe for deeper reads on shows' surprising musical choices
Explore more: subscribe to the newsletter for scene-by-scene analyses of surprising soundtrack choices like 'Sixteen Tons' and clear takes on what they reveal about character, class, and tone in series such as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
Gen X & Gen Z Agree: HBO's New 95% RT Masterpiece Is the GoT Series That's Only Getting Better
How Egg Is Related To Daenerys Targaryen In Game Of Thrones
Game Of Thrones Spinoff A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Pushes Up Episode 4 Release Date Due To Super Bowl
