A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsis the bestGame of Thronesspinoff replacement for one crucial reason. WithHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s mixed reviews, the pressure is on for the secondGame of Thronesprequel show to perform better, living up to the expectations set by the original show.
Game of Thronesmay have had a divisive ending, but the series still set a gold standard for blockbuster, addictive television, capturing widespread audiences in a way few shows have accomplished prior. Six years later, the effort to rekindle that flame still rages on, with no streaming service managing to fill the void just yet.
House of the Dragonseason 3is well underway with an expected 2026 release, continuing to bring the Dance of the Dragons to life. After season 2 faced divisive responses from fans, the show’s next run will have higher expectations than ever to deliver on the promised action and stronger character arcs.
Alsoarriving in 2026 isA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new prequel show based on George R.R. Martin’s Dunk & Egg novellas. This will be set roughly halfway betweenHouse of the DragonandGame of Throneson the timeline, following unlikely heroes in their adventures throughout Westeros.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Starts Small But Can Get Bigger
Image via Max
The Dunk & Egg novellas are known for being rather straightforward, character-driven stories, rather than the epic, sprawling tale ofA Song of Ice & Fire. Rather than examine warring factions from varying perspectives throughout the continent, this story will follow two characters in their journeys.
However, a critical element of this new show is that Egg, the small boy who becomes squire to Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall, is actually the young prince Aegon Targaryen. Long after the events of Martin’s Dunk & Egg novellas, this same boy would eventually become King Aegon V Targaryen, the fifteenth Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne.
This TV series could very easily adapt the Dunk & Egg novellas as they are, as Martin intends to write more of them once he’s finished withThe Winds of Winter. However, this series has the potential to expand into other events around Westeros like no other.
A massive part of what madeGame of Thronesso successful was that it wasn’t massive from the get-go. The show had a high budget, sure, but it was exponentially lower than where it ended up.A Knight of the Seven Kingdomscan begin similarly grounded and centralized before branching off into other tales.
House Of The Dragon’s Story Is More Contained
Of course, in terms of geographical coverage, the Dance of the Dragons is a more expansive saga that incorporates many of the great houses of Westeros, with battles taking place across the continent.House of the Dragon’sstory is, however, more contained in terms of the Targaryen dynasty’s timeline of events.
We saw several time-jumps inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, but once the war ends, there’s far less material to jump into. There are some compelling conflicts surrounding the succeeding monarch, as well as events surrounding House Velaryon, House Greyjoy, and House Stark, that could appeal to audiences. Nothing on the scale of the Dance, however.
The Dance of the Dragons is one of the bloodiest events in the history of Westeros, but it’s very brief. The period decades later, which began during the reign of Aegon IV, was far more tumultuous and action-packed for a longer span of time. This is due to the creation of House Blackfyre and the subsequent Blackfyre Rebellions.
In the year 196 AC, King Aegon IV legitimized his bastard son, Daemon, creating a conflict of succession. Aegon IV’s legitimate heir, Prince Daeron, inherited the Iron Throne upon his brother’s death, leading Daemon to eventually rebel, believing himself to be the rightful ruler.
Naming himself after the Targaryen ancestral sword, Daemon Blackfyre started what would be known as the First Blackfyre Rebellion. Though he lost the conflict after a short time, four more Blackfyre Rebellions would follow. The events ofA Knight of the Seven Kingdomshappen in 209 AC.
AKOTSK Can Do What Game Of Thrones Couldn’t
A Knight of the Seven Kingdomshas the opportunity to do somethingGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragoncouldn’t: establish a direct sequel or spinoff. Rather than further shows set in varying points in the history of George R.R. Martin’s world, this show can branch off directly into other adjacent stories.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdomscan lead into a set of stories set in one pivotal period, providing recurring characters between shows. For context, the Second Blackfyre Rebellion occurs in 212 AC, and the Third Blackfyre Rebellion is just seven years later in 219, both well within the range of the new prequel.
The Blackfyre Rebellions could make for an excellent anthology series, with the second and third seasons incorporating familiar faces fromA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. After the Dunk & Egg prequel runs its course, this show could develop to the point where we eventually see Egg fighting in the Third Blackfyre Rebellion.
