A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Includes a Key Book Character We Never Got To See (& It’s Great)

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The new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, adapts George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas and even includes a character who wasn’t featured in the original books – a welcome change for the TV show. The first two episodes closely follow the plot of The Hedge Knight, but with a more developed role for a new Baratheon character and some scenes created specifically for HBO. Otherwise, the main storyline remains faithful to the source material. Spoiler alert: This contains spoilers for the first two episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

As a huge fan of the Dunk and Egg stories, I was really excited about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It still centers on Ser Duncan the Tall, a young knight still mourning his old mentor, and his adventures begin at a tourney in Ashford Meadow. Let me tell you, thrown into a competition with all these seasoned knights, Dunk quickly realizes he’s out of his depth! It’s interesting because a lot of his early experience was just traveling around Westeros as a squire to Ser Arlan of Pennytree – a character most people, aside from maybe Baelor Targaryen, have totally forgotten. Honestly, even readers of the original The Hedge Knight don’t have a super clear picture of Arlan, as the books keep him somewhat mysterious. But the adaptation smartly drops that ambiguity, and I think it’s a fantastic decision that really helps bring the story to life.

In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, We Get to See Ser Arlan for Ourselves

A major highlight of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is finally seeing Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Dunk’s mentor, brought to life. Both the story and the show depict Dunk burying the old knight. However, after that moment, we only have Dunk’s memories to go on. While these recollections reveal their bond and how Ser Arlan influenced Dunk, the writing doesn’t fully develop Arlan as a character beyond what Dunk remembers. We understand their relationship, but it doesn’t give us a complete picture of who Ser Arlan truly was.

Adapting A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for television allows the story to come alive in new ways. We now see characters like Ser Arlan of Pennytree directly, and the show doesn’t hesitate to showcase him – as seen in a memorable scene in Episode 2. These flashbacks also reveal Arlan’s softer side and deepen his connection with Dunk, which is a clever choice given how crucial he is to Dunk’s development. This approach is already proving successful for the Game of Thrones spin-off, and it’s likely to continue enhancing the series going forward.

Adding Ser Arlan Scenes Is a Smart Choice for the Game of Thrones Spinoff

The show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms made a good choice by including scenes with Ser Arlan, even though they could have simply had Dunk talk about him. Because the series is based on a shorter story than Game of Thrones, it needs to use its screen time effectively. More importantly, Ser Arlan is a crucial character in Dunk’s journey, and it would have been a missed opportunity not to show him.

Ser Arlan was a reserved and somewhat difficult man, but clearly possessed a strong sense of right and wrong. While his principles didn’t earn him fame among the knights or powerful families of Westeros, they are central to the story, especially as it unfolds. As Dunk explains at the end of the second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he feels like he’s carrying on Ser Arlan’s values, which is why he’s so determined to make a difference. Knowing his motivation adds weight to the story and makes us root for Dunk to succeed, especially because we’ve come to admire Ser Arlan.

Throughout the ongoing story of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk struggles with doing what’s right, and the memory of Arlan becomes increasingly important. This influence also shapes Dunk’s relationship with Egg, a boy who reminds him of his younger self. Dunk is determined to honor Arlan’s good nature, so it’s natural that the old knight remains a part of the story. This is already having a positive impact, and it’s made even better by Danny Webb’s fantastic performance in the role.

What are your thoughts on how Ser Arlan is depicted in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? Share your opinions in the comments and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-28 02:42