The newest trip to Westeros, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is here, but its opening moments have left fans talking for unexpected reasons. The show, which follows the adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, began with a surprisingly graphic and humorous scene that led many viewers to question if the series was making a statement about the Game of Thrones franchise itself.
Rather than epic battles or political scheming, the first episode introduced its hero, Dunk, in a very human moment—relieving himself against a tree as the iconic Game of Thrones theme music swelled. The second episode continued this trend with another graphic cold open. This choice has created a wave of discussion online, with fans debating whether the show is poking fun at its famous predecessor or simply establishing a different, more grounded tone.
Understanding the Controversial Opening Moments
The premiere episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which debuted on January 18, 2026, immediately set a distinct tone. After burying his master, Dunk is shown having a sudden, urgent digestive issue while the familiar Game of Thrones title music plays. This was not a fleeting shot. The scene was detailed enough that it became a major point of conversation as soon as the episode aired.
The follow-up episode, “Hard Salt Beef,” released on January 25, doubled down. It opened with a flashback featuring Dunk’s mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, in a moment of full-frontal nudity. Showrunner Ira Parker explained the intent behind this second scene. He stated it was meant to underscore how the characters in the episode were dismissive of Ser Arlan, saying, “The reason Ser Arlan has what he has is because we spend the whole episode taking a s–t on him”.
For an audience used to the grand, dramatic scale of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, these earthy, comedic openings were a shock. Social media reactions ranged from amused to confused. One viewer posted, “The first minute of A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms episode 2,” alongside a stunned reaction clip. Another commented on the tonal shift, writing, “A knight of the seven kingdoms. ‘More lighthearted…maybe for a slightly younger audience.’ 30 seconds into episode 2….”.
The Showrunner’s Explanation and George R.R. Martin’s Reaction
So, was this a deliberate mockery of Game of Thrones? According to the people who made the show, no. Showrunner Ira Parker clarified that the now-infamous scene in episode one was never intended as a “diss.” Instead, he framed it as a character moment designed to highlight Dunk’s humble and nervous beginnings.
“All we’re trying to say here is that Dunk is not a hero yet,” Parker explained. “He’s just a nervy kid with a nervous stomach—just like me. And as badly as you want to do something great, as soon as you actually have to go off and do it, it becomes trickier. And that’s what the whole season is for him”.
Parker noted that in the original script, the scene simply called for Dunk to hear a “hero theme” in his head, which wasn’t necessarily destined to be the Game of Thrones theme song. The choice to use that specific music, however, inevitably led to comparisons.
Perhaps the most surprising reaction came from the world’s creator himself, George R.R. Martin. The author was reportedly taken aback when he saw the rough cut of the episode. Martin made it clear that this particular detail did not originate from his books.
“Not to say that my characters don’t take shts, but I normally don’t write about them at any length,” Martin said. “When I saw the rough cut, I wrote, ‘What is this? Where did this come from? I don’t know if we really need the sht.’ But [Ira Parker] liked it for whatever reason”.
How This Prequel Fits Into the Game of Thrones Timeline
To understand the show’s overall tone, it helps to know where it falls in Westeros history. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set in the year 209 AC (After Aegon’s Conquest). This places it roughly 90 years before the events of Game of Thrones and about 78 years after the Targaryen civil war depicted in House of the Dragon.
This era is a rare period of relative peace in the Seven Kingdoms. The last dragons have died out, and the Targaryen dynasty rules through politics and tradition rather than overwhelming firepower. This quieter setting allows the story to focus on different themes. Instead of wars for the throne, it explores knighthood, personal honor, and the life of the common people—or “smallfolk”—in a way the other series have not.
The story adapts Martin’s series of novellas, Tales of Dunk and Egg, beginning with the first story, The Hedge Knight. These tales are famously lighter and more focused on the journey of its two main characters: the exceptionally tall, lowborn knight Dunk (played by Peter Claffey) and his clever, bald squire Egg (played by Dexter Sol Ansell), who is secretly Prince Aegon Targaryen.
A Deliberate Shift in Tone and Focus
The controversial opening scenes are part of a broader mission to set this series apart. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is deliberately crafted to be a smaller-scale, more character-driven story compared to the epic fantasies that came before it. Ira Parker described the Dunk and Egg stories as having a different feel, “a bit like the contrast between J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings“.
This shift extends to the very fabric of the show’s setting. To ground the series in a more authentic, historical feel, the production brought on Dr. Hugh Doherty, a lecturer in medieval history from the University of East Anglia, as an advisor. The goal was to capture the texture and detail of everyday medieval life, particularly for people who were not kings or queens.
Dr. Doherty praised this approach, noting that focusing on a “landless hero” like Dunk is true to medieval legends and poems. He even connected the tournament at the heart of the season’s plot to real historical events, like the five-week-long jousting tournament at St-Inglevert in 1390.
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Fan Reactions and the Road Ahead
The fan response to the show’s tone has been mixed. On forums and review sites, some viewers have expressed that the humor feels out of place. One IMDb reviewer stated, “From the very first minutes, it’s clear this show is made for kids or at least a much younger audience… It feels childish and out of place”. Others have compared it directly to The Hobbit, seeing it as a lighter, less intense version of the main Game of Thrones saga.
However, many other fans are embracing the change. They appreciate the focus on the chemistry between the two leads and the chance to see a more humble side of Westeros. Another reviewer wrote, “The first episode of The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms starts off strong. Peter and Dexter have excellent on-screen chemistry”.
The series, which was renewed for a second season in late 2025 ahead of its premiere, plans to continue adapting the Dunk and Egg novellas. New episodes of the six-part first season air Sundays on HBO and stream on Max, leading to a finale on February 22, 2026.
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