HBO’s latest journey into the world of Westeros took a devastating turn this weekend as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms delivered its most brutal episode yet. The penultimate installment of Season 1, titled “In the Name of the Mother,” centered on the long-awaited Trial of Seven between Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aerion Targaryen. While Dunk emerged victorious in the battle, the victory came at an almost unbearable cost that will echo through Targaryen history for generations to come.
The episode, which streamed on February 15 in the US and February 16 internationally, brought George R.R. Martin’s brutal storytelling sensibilities back into sharp focus after a relatively lighter season. Viewers across the globe watched as the tournament grounds at Ashford became the stage for a tragedy that claims multiple lives, including that of the beloved crown prince. Here is a complete breakdown of every death in this heart-shattering episode.
The Tragic Death of Prince Baelor Targaryen
The most significant and emotionally devastating death in Episode 5 is undoubtedly that of Prince Baelor Targaryen, portrayed by Bertie Carvel. The heir to the Iron Throne, known for his dark hair (unusual for a Targaryen) and his unwavering commitment to justice, makes the noble decision to fight alongside Dunk against his own family members.
Throughout the brutal combat, Baelor fights valiantly alongside his chosen companions. When the battle concludes and Dunk forces Aerion to yield, it initially appears that Dunk’s team has survived the ordeal. The hedge knight kneels before Baelor and declares, “I am your man,” pledging his service to the crown prince.
But the tragedy unfolds in the aftermath. Baelor asks for help removing his helmet, mentioning that his visor is cracked and his fingers feel like wool. When Steely Pate and Raymun Fossoway finally remove his helm, the horrifying truth emerges—the back of his skull has been fatally crushed. During the chaos of battle, his own brother Prince Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell) struck him with a mace, delivering a blow that would prove fatal.
The prince collapses into Dunk’s arms as the hedge knight desperately apologizes while the life drains from the future king. Young Egg falls to his knees beside them, witnessing yet another tragedy in his young life. The moment carries extra weight given that earlier in the season, Baelor’s nephew Daeron experienced a prophetic dream of a dead dragon whose wings covered the world—a vision viewers now understand represented Baelor himself.
The Knights Who Fell During the First Charge
The Trial of Seven proves deadly from its very first moments. Two of Dunk’s champions do not survive the initial clash of lances and steel. Ser Humfrey Beesbury (Danny Collins) and Ser Humfrey Hardyng (Ross Anderson) both perish during the first charge of the battle. Their deaths underscore the brutal reality of the Trial of Seven, where fourteen knights engage in combat until one side yields or is unable to continue.
While these characters had limited screen time throughout the season, their willingness to stand beside Dunk in his hour of need demonstrates the honor that still exists in Westeros—even if it comes at the ultimate price.
Flashback Deaths: The Loss That Shaped Dunk
Episode 5 also takes viewers back to Dunk’s childhood in the streets of Flea Bottom, King’s Landing, revealing the traumatic events that set him on the path to becoming a hedge knight. This flashback sequence contains multiple deaths that explain so much about who Dunk becomes.
Rafe’s Tragic End
The flashback introduces us to Rafe (Chloe Lea) , Dunk’s childhood best friend and only companion in the slums of King’s Landing. The two children survive by scavenging battlefields, selling whatever they can find to make ends meet. After the first Blackfyre Rebellion, they discover a dying soldier trapped under his horse and attempt to help him, though he dies before they can free him.
Later, after crossing paths with the cruel Ser Alester, Rafe makes a fateful decision. She steals the knight’s knife, and when Alester catches up to them, he notices it missing. In a moment of shocking violence, Alester slits Rafe’s throat while his companion drives a spear through Dunk’s leg. Rafe bleeds to death in the streets, leaving Dunk alone and blaming himself for not leaving King’s Landing sooner.
The Thieves Who Killed Her
Ser Alester and his companions do not survive long after murdering Rafe. Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb) , drunk but still operating on his ingrained instinct to protect the innocent, appears and kills all of them, saving Dunk’s life. This moment of violence saves Dunk but also marks the beginning of his journey with the old hedge knight who would become his mentor.
The Dying Soldier
Before Rafe’s death, the flashback also shows an unnamed Frey soldier who dies pinned under his horse on the battlefield. Dunk wants to end his suffering, but Rafe convinces him to try to save the man for a potential reward. The soldier dies despite their efforts, another body in a lifetime of death that Dunk has witnessed.
What Baelor’s Death Means for the Targaryen Dynasty
Prince Baelor’s death is not just an emotional gut-punch—it fundamentally reshapes the future of the Seven Kingdoms. As the eldest son of King Daeron II, Baelor was the heir to the Iron Throne, a wise and just ruler who could have led House Targaryen into a golden age.
With Baelor gone, the succession passes through his son Prince Valarr Targaryen (Oscar Morgan) . But Valarr and his brother Matarys both die years later in the Great Spring Sickness, a devastating plague that sweeps through Westeros. This means the throne eventually passes to Baelor’s younger brothers: first to the bookish Aerys I Targaryen, and then to Maekar I Targaryen—the very brother whose mace accidentally killed him.
Maekar’s reign ultimately sets the stage for the events that lead to Robert’s Rebellion and the fall of the Targaryens generations later. And Maekar’s line includes his son Aegon V—Egg himself—who will one day sit the Iron Throne. Baelor’s death creates a domino effect that viewers of Game of Thrones already know ends in tragedy.
How Dunk Survives the Trial of Seven
Despite taking a horrific beating throughout the trial, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) survives. At multiple points during the combat, it appears Dunk might fall. Aerion lodges a lance into his stomach early in the fight and knocks him unconscious with a flail.
But Dunk’s survival comes through two key elements. First, his horse Chestnut—trained by Egg while Dunk slept—takes initiative and charges into battle when Dunk hesitates. Second, when Dunk appears defeated and near death, he hears Egg’s voice calling to him. This triggers a memory of Ser Arlan telling young Dunk to “get up” after Rafe’s murder. Drawing on that same determination, Dunk rises, unleashes a flurry of punches on Aerion, and forces the prince to publicly yield.
The victory clears Dunk’s name of all accusations, but the cost proves almost too high to bear.
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Where to Watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 is currently streaming on HBO Max in the United States, with new episodes releasing Sundays at 10 pm ET/PT. Viewers in Canada can watch on Crave, while UK audiences can stream on Sky Atlantic. In India, the series is available on JioHotstar. The season finale is scheduled for February 22, 2026.
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