The first season of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms came to an end on February 22, 2026, and it left viewers with a pretty big question mark. The finale, titled “The Morrow,” showed the young Prince Aegon “Egg” Targaryen catching up to his friend Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and claiming his father, Prince Maekar, had given him permission to join Dunk as his squire. But right before the credits rolled, the show cut to Maekar frantically screaming, “Where the f— is he?” as he realized his son was missing from the royal caravan.
That moment confirmed Egg told another lie to stay with Dunk. Now, with Season 2 already filming in Belfast, showrunner Ira Parker is opening up about why that scene exists, what it means for the characters, and how the show will deal with the consequences without derailing the story from George R.R. Martin’s next novella.
The Finale Lie Was Almost Just a Joke, But Now It Has to Mean Something
According to Parker, the idea for that final scene with Maekar came from a pretty simple place. In an interview, he admitted that he originally intended the moment to be “something that was a little funny.” He explained that the very end of the episode was almost meant as a joke—a quick wink to the audience that Egg had done it again.
But Parker quickly realized people took it more seriously. “I think people—both in my writing camp and in the HBO camp and probably in the world—took that quite literally,” he said. “So I’ve maybe had to deal with it a little bit more in Season 2 than I was planning to.”
For fans of the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, this scene was a noticeable change. In George R.R. Martin’s book The Hedge Knight, whether Egg actually had his father’s blessing is left more open-ended. Parker addressed this directly, pointing out that it’s “not confirmed canonically” in the original story. He doesn’t think the show did anything wrong by making it clearer.
“We haven’t done anything egregious here, I don’t think,” Parker said. “I believe it from a character perspective. I believe that Egg would do that again, because he’s already done it. We’ve seen him. He runs away. That’s sort of his thing. And he lies to people.”
It is true that running away is sort of Egg’s thing. Earlier in the season, he ran away from his royal life, which directly led to the Trial of the Seven and the accidental death of his uncle, Prince Baelor Targaryen. That event shifted the line of succession, making Egg’s father Maekar the new heir. So for Egg to run again—and lie about it—carries even more weight now.
What Egg’s Lie Means for His Character and His Relationship With Dunk
Egg’s decision to lie and run away is not just a small kid trick this time. It comes from a very real place. Actor Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg, explained that his character starts the story as a lonely and unhappy prince who feels disconnected from his own family. Through his friendship with Dunk, he finally finds someone he trusts and gets to see how regular people live.
Choosing Dunk over the palace means choosing freedom and a real connection. But Parker also dug deeper into Egg’s mindset during the finale. After everything that happened at the trial, Egg is carrying a lot of anger, especially toward his cruel brother Aerion. Parker talked to George R.R. Martin about how to handle a kid in this situation.
“I talked to George a little bit about Egg and his motivations early on, and George said kids feel disappointment more acutely and that that is a huge part of it,” Parker shared. “He’s a boy. Things were happening that were very nice for him that he was very happy about. Then it was all taken away and he blames people. He feels like he’s caused all these problems, and when that doesn’t have a place to land, that’s what turns into anger.”
That is why ending up with Dunk is so important for Egg. Parker noted that without someone like Dunk to guide him, Egg’s frustration and disappointment could have turned into something much darker. The show is very much about the importance of having a mentor. Dunk had that with Ser Arlan, and now he is paying it forward by giving Egg a chance at a better path, even if it means defying a prince to do it.
Season 2 Will Address the Fallout, But Don’t Expect a Targaryen Manhunt
So, what happens now? Maekar is clearly furious and searching for his son. But showrunner Ira Parker confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the situation “will be addressed” in Season 2. However, he also made it clear that they are trying to keep the story focused.
“The one thing about this show, the nobles, the kings and queens are all terribly interesting,” Parker said. “So many times you want to go and write for them, but the truth is that’s not what this show is. We are bottom-up. For better or for worse, that is the storytelling lens that we have set up for this show.”
That means Season 2 will not suddenly turn into a story about Maekar sending the Kingsguard across Westeros to hunt down Dunk. Instead, the show will stick to its plan of adapting the second novella, The Sworn Sword. That story takes place about a year and a half after the events of the first season and sends Dunk and Egg to the Reach during a terrible drought. They end up serving a lesser lord caught in a dispute over water rights with a feisty heiress named Lady Rohanne Webber, also known as the Red Widow.
Parker explained that while the lie will be addressed, he doesn’t want it to “detract from anyone’s enjoyment of ‘The Sworn Sword.’” He wants to keep the story contained so that the new season can focus on its own themes of loyalty and duty, which actually connect pretty well to Egg’s choice to leave his family behind.
Sam Spruell Confirms He Won’t Be Back for Season 2
For viewers expecting to see Maekar show up in the next batch of episodes, there is some disappointing news. Actor Sam Spruell, who played Prince Maekar, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he is not going to be in Season 2.
“I’m not going to be in season two,” Spruell said flatly. “Never say never, but I’m pretty sure that there will be other stories to tell.”
This actually makes sense for anyone who has read the books. The Sworn Sword introduces a whole new cast of characters, and the Targaryen family mostly stays in the background. Spruell’s comments suggest that Maekar’s search for Egg might be happening off-screen, or that the show will address it in a minimal way, perhaps through a line of dialogue. The focus will remain on Dunk and Egg’s new adventure and the new people they meet, including three new characters Parker teased as being played by “three absolutely brilliant actors.”
Parker hinted that keeping the show rooted in Dunk’s point of view is essential. “Whether or not somebody will come in and out of Dunk’s world again, I would say probably,” he said. “Westeros is a—yeah. Yes. That’s all I’ll say. Yes.” So while Maekar is out for now, he could pop back up in a future season if the story calls for it.
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What’s Next for Dunk and Egg? The Sworn Sword and Beyond
Season 2 is already deep into production. Filming began back in December 2025 in Belfast, and the plan is to release the new season in early 2027. HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi confirmed that the network wants to keep the show on a more regular schedule, aiming for yearly releases.
The second season will adapt The Sworn Sword, which Parker describes as his favorite novella. He loves the dynamic between Dunk and Lady Rohanne, calling their “will they/won’t they” relationship “good territory for us.” The season is expected to run for another six episodes, with each one landing somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes.
As for the future, Parker has big plans. He revealed that George R.R. Martin has given him outlines for another 11 to 12 stories about Dunk and Egg, going beyond the three published novellas. He has even pitched Martin his idea for how the entire series should end. “He hasn’t told me no yet out of hand,” Parker said with a laugh. “So who knows?”
For now, fans can rewatch Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is streaming in full on HBO Max. The show will return in 2027 with Season 2, bringing Dunk and Egg back to the road and straight into their next big trouble.
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