In the second episode of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the show’s charming underdog finally catches a break. Ser Duncan the Tall secures the official sponsorship he needs to compete in the Ashford tourney, but not through the flashy combat or grand heroism one might expect. His entry comes from a moment of quiet honesty and the surprising kindness of a royal prince.
Forced to sell his late master’s horse and barter for armor, Dunk’s journey to the tournament lists is a struggle familiar to any common person in Westeros. His success hinges on a rare act of recognition from the highest levels of nobility, setting the stage for his first taste of real competition.
Dunk’s Humble Struggle for Sponsorship
At the start of “Hard Salt Beef,” Ser Duncan continues his desperate search for a knight or lord who will vouch for him. A knight must be sponsored by another recognized knight to enter a formal tourney, a rule that highlights the closed nature of Westerosi nobility. Dunkโs strategy is to remind nobles of his former master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, hoping someone will remember the hedge knight fondly enough to endorse his former squire.
This mission proves nearly impossible. Lords and knights either do not remember Ser Arlan or dismiss him as an unremarkable hedge knight. As Egg points out, hedge knights are rarely celebrated and even more rarely remembered. This series of rejections underscores a central theme of the episode: the highborn often fail to see the smallfolk as individuals worth remembering. Dunkโs plight is a quiet commentary on class and memory in the Seven Kingdoms.
Prince Baelor Breakspear’s Decisive Act of Kindness
Dunk’s fortunes change with the arrival of the Targaryen princes. While eavesdropping on Prince Baelor and his brother Prince Maekarโwho are concerned about their missing sonsโDunk is caught. Instead of punishing him, Dunk uses the awkward moment to make his appeal directly to the heir to the Iron Throne.
To Dunk’s surprise and relief, Prince Baelor does remember Ser Arlan. He recalls jousting against him years prior, though he humbly corrects Dunk’s embellished tale of “seven lances” to the more modest truth of four. Baelor reveals that Ser Arlan was not a celebrated champion; he lost more often than he won. Despite this, or perhaps because of Dunk’s earnest devotion to his master’s memory, Baelor agrees to help.
Prince Baelor tells the steward of Ashford to add Dunk’s name to the tournament list, providing the crucial sponsorship the hedge knight needs. He also gives Dunk a piece of critical advice: he must create his own sigil, as he is not a blood relative of Ser Arlan and cannot use his crest.
This act establishes Baelor as a figure of notable decency, a “Good Targaryen” in a family often defined by its dragons and drama. His dark hair, distinct from the classic Targaryen silver-gold, visually sets him apart as a more grounded and thoughtful leader.
Creating a New Identity for the Tournament
With his place secured, Dunk must now prepare himself as a proper competitor. This leads to two key developments that define his new, independent identity.
First, he needs a sigil. At a loss for ideas, he asks Tanselle, a puppeteer with the traveling show, to paint his shield. Smitten and flustered, Dunk can only suggest a sunset. It is Egg who proposes a meaningful design: an elm tree, like the one they sleep beneath, and a falling star for luck. The elm tree is a fitting symbol for a hedge knightโa wanderer who sleeps under the stars and in the hedges rather than in castle halls.
Second, he needs armor. Dunk visits the blacksmith Steely Pate, who quotes a price of 800 stags for a new suit. Dunk has only two. In a moment that highlights both Dunk’s poverty and his soft heart, he sells his master’s horse, Sweetfoot, to raise funds, but gives a coin back to the buyer to ensure the horse gets oats and an apple. Pate, taking pity, agrees to reforge Ser Arlan’s old armor for a discounted price, allowing Dunk to compete.
Doubts and Resolve on the Eve of the Joust
The episode culminates with the start of the tournament. Dunk and Egg watch the first rounds of jousting, including a victory by Prince Baelor’s son, Valarr Targaryen. The spectacle is thrilling but also intimidating. Back at their camp, Dunk is overcome with doubt.
He confides in Egg, questioning Ser Arlan’s legacy and, by extension, his own future. “Do great knights live in the hedges and die by the side of a muddy road?” Dunk asks. “He lived nigh on sixty years and never was a champion. What chance do I have, truly?”.
Yet, from this moment of vulnerability comes a powerful resolve. Dunk decides that his purpose is not just to win glory for himself, but to honor the man who raised him.
“His name was Ser Arlan of Pennytree, and I am his legacy,” Dunk declares to Egg. “On the morrow, we will show them what his hand has wrought.”
This speech transforms Dunk’s motivation. He is no longer just a poor knight seeking employment; he is a man fighting to validate the quiet, honorable life of his mentor and to prove that goodness can leave a mark on the world.
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Global Release Information for Episode 2
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight releases new episodes weekly. Episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef,” is now available to stream globally.
- United States: New episodes air Sunday nights on HBO and stream on Max at 10:00 PM Eastern Time.
- United Kingdom and Europe: Episodes are available on Sky Atlantic and the NOW streaming service.
- Australia: Viewers can watch on Foxtel and stream on Binge.
- Canada: Episodes air on Crave.
- India and Southeast Asia: Available on Disney+ Hotstar.
The series continues to be praised for its lighter, more humorous tone compared to other Game of Thrones stories, focusing on the charming dynamic between Dunk and his clever squire.
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