The first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has come to an end, and the finale, titled “The Morrow,” delivered an emotional and surprisingly funny conclusion to the story that began at the Ashford Meadow tourney. After the devastating Trial of Seven that resulted in the death of Prince Baelor Breakspear, the episode took a quieter, more somber tone to deal with the aftermath. But for fans wondering if Dunk (Peter Claffey) finally accepts Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) as his official squire, the answer is a touching yes—but not in the way anyone expected.
The road to that decision was filled with grief, heavy conversations, and one major twist that changes how we view the story compared to George R.R. Martin’s original novella, The Hedge Knight.
The Weight of Grief and Unanswered Questions
The episode opens with the characters picking up the pieces after the bloodshed. Dunk is recovering from his injuries, tended to personally by Ser Lyonel Baratheon, who takes a liking to the big knight. Lyonel even offers Dunk a place at Storm’s End, calling him a friend and “a brother.” But Dunk is haunted by the death of Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel) , the man who fought for him and died because of a stray swing from his own brother’s mace.
The heaviest moment comes when Dunk speaks with Baelor’s son, Valarr Targaryen. Valarr asks Dunk why the gods took his father, a great prince, yet left a lowly hedge knight alive. It is a cruel question with no good answer, and Dunk admits he has been wondering the same thing. This scene sets the tone for the rest of the hour: a group of people trying to understand loss and find a reason to move forward.
The Truth About Ser Arlan of Pennytree
For weeks, viewers have suspected that Dunk might not actually be a true knight. Throughout the season, he struggled with performing the rituals of knighthood, and the finale finally confirmed why. In a flashback, we see the final moments of Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb) . As his master lies dying, Dunk asks the question that has been eating at him: “Why did you never knight me?”.
The scene cuts away before Ser Arlan can answer, and we never see him perform the ceremony. The implication is clear—Arlan never did knight him. Dunk has been pretending to be a knight this entire time, carrying the weight of that fraud while trying to live up to the ideals of the title. It is a revelation that re-contextualizes his entire journey and his constant self-doubt.
A Prince’s Dark Path
While Dunk deals with his guilt, the Targaryen family deals with its own darkness. Egg’s older brother, Aerion (Finn Bennett) , who caused the whole mess by lying about Dunk, is shown to be hated by almost everyone. But the most chilling moment involves Egg himself.
Having watched his father Maekar (Sam Spruell) kill his uncle Baelor, and remembering the years of abuse from Aerion, Egg picks up a knife and sneaks into his brother’s room. He stands over the sleeping Aerion, clearly intending to kill him. He is only stopped when Maekar appears, placing a firm hand on his youngest son’s shoulder and silently taking the knife away. It is a brutal scene that shows just how much the violence of the world is affecting the young boy.
Does Dunk Take Egg as His Squire?
This is the central question of the finale. After the trial, Maekar demands a word with Dunk. He tells the hedge knight that Egg will serve no knight but him, but he wants Dunk to come to Summerhall and train the boy there, in comfort and safety. Dunk refuses, saying he is done with princes and their games. He wants to ride the roads and serve the smallfolk.
Later, Dunk has a change of heart. He approaches Maekar with a counter-offer: he will take Egg as his squire, but on the road, not locked away in a castle. Maekar refuses, saying a prince was not meant to sleep in ditches and eat hard salt beef. Dunk fires back, pointing out that Daeron never slept in a ditch, and all the beef Aerion ate was “thick and red and bloody as like as not.” The insult lands, but Maekar stands firm. The answer is no.
The Ending Explained: A Major Change from the Book
So how do Dunk and Egg end up riding off together? In the final scene, Egg runs up to Dunk as he is leaving. He tells the big knight that his father said he can go. The two discuss where to travel, with Egg suggesting Dorne because he heard they have good puppet shows. They ride off into the sunset, with the spirit of Ser Arlan riding alongside them for a moment before veering off into the fields, leaving the new pair to continue on their own.
It is a beautiful, hopeful image. But then comes the sting.
As the Targaryen party departs Ashford, Maekar looks around and asks where Egg is. He panics. He looks at the empty space where his son should be. The screen cuts to black.
Egg lied.
In George R.R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight, it is implied that Maekar gives his permission for Egg to go. The book reads: “The boy came the next morning, just as the sun was coming up… ‘My father says I am to serve you’.” But the show adds a layer of complexity. Egg, the clever and resourceful boy who has lied to get out of trouble all season, lies one last time to secure his freedom.
Showrunner Ira Parker explained the reasoning behind the change. He noted that in the book, readers never actually see Maekar say yes. There is a gap where Egg could have simply followed his father out of camp, hidden in the bushes, and then claimed he had permission. Parker thought it was funny and perfectly in keeping with Egg’s character.
“It felt appropriate to me – one, because Egg just lies all the time to get what he wants. He’s a kid. And the fact that he went and did this – actually, it felt very much in keeping with that character.” – Ira Parker
Why This Change Matters
This twist does more than just add a funny moment at the end. It deepens the relationship between Maekar and his youngest son. Earlier in the episode, Maekar calls Egg his “last son,” indicating he has given up on Aerion and Daeron. He sees Egg as the only chance to get things right. By having Egg run away against his father’s wishes, the show sets up a powerful conflict for future seasons. Maekar is now a man who accidentally killed his brother and lost his favorite son on the same day.
For Dunk, the lie is unknown. He rides off believing he has the father’s blessing. But viewers know the truth: Dunk is now a wanted man, traveling with a kidnapped prince.
Fan Reactions to the Finale
Viewers took to social media to express their emotions about the ending. Many were moved to tears by the visual of Ser Arlan riding away, leaving Dunk to take his place as the mentor for the next generation.
One fan on X wrote: “ITS THE WAY THAT DUNK THEN MOVES HIS HORSE OVER TO TAKE SPOT WHERE ARLAN WAS RIDING, TAKING HIS ROLE FOR EGG. IM WEEPINGGGG.” Another compared the shot to the ending of Furious 7, saying, “They just Paul Walker’ed Ser Arlan of Pennytree.”
Others praised the performance of Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, with one fan declaring, “Dexter Sol Ansell, the actor that you are.” The general consensus is that the show stuck the landing, with many calling it a nearly perfect season of television.
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What’s Next?
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has already been renewed for a second season, which is currently in production and scheduled to premiere in 2027. The next season will adapt the second novella, The Sworn Sword, which sees Dunk and Egg drawn into a dispute involving Lady Rohanne Webber, also known as the Red Widow. With Raymun Fossoway now married to Rohanne in the show’s continuity, the stage is set for a complicated and dangerous adventure.
All six episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 are now streaming on HBO Max in the US, on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK, and on Binge in Australia. Viewers in India can watch the series on JioHotstar.
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