Prince Baelor’s Targaryen Rule In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms References Jaime Lannister

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Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 4 ahead!

In George R.R. Martin’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Prince Baelor references a Targaryen law that surprisingly connects to a well-known event in Game of Thrones. The HBO series is now exploring the consequences of Dunk being accused of attacking Prince Aerion Targaryen. If Dunk is found guilty, the standard punishment would be the loss of his hand and foot. His only chance to avoid this severe penalty is to win the Trial of Seven.

In episode 4 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Prince Baelor reminded everyone that striking someone with royal blood used to be punishable by the loss of a hand – a rule also referenced several times in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels. This wasn’t simply a legal penalty, though; it felt like a supernatural form of retribution.

The Targaryens were seen as almost godlike, and their lineage was considered sacred. Attacking a member of the royal family – spilling their blood – was believed to bring a curse upon the attacker. It’s unclear if this curse was spiritual or a more concrete consequence, but it’s an interesting idea when thinking about certain characters in Game of Thrones.

The Targaryen Rule For Striking The Royal Blood Relates To Game Of Thrones’ Jaime Lannister

Jaime Lannister is well-known for killing King Aerys II Targaryen, whom he was sworn to protect as a member of the Kingsguard. While he did so because the king had become dangerously insane, Jaime faced lasting repercussions in both George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books and the Game of Thrones television series. The most noticeable consequence was being shunned by society. Killing a king is considered a terrible act, no matter the reason, especially for someone whose duty was to defend him. However, Jaime also suffered in a more subtle way as a result of his actions.

Roose Bolton sent a clear message to Tywin Lannister by cutting off Jaime’s right hand. While the act wasn’t directly about Jaime killing the former king Aerys, it was pointedly the hand he used to do so. As Jaime himself noted, he had “lost the hand I killed the king with.”

Given the often magical nature of Targaryen heritage, it’s intriguing to think of Jaime losing his hand as a form of karmic retribution. Blood magic is a significant element in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, particularly when it comes to the Targaryen family. While Prince Baelor refers to a royal custom in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it could be something far more mystical than just tradition.

What Jaime’s Fate Could Mean For Dunk In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms

Although Jaime was officially forgiven for his actions against King Aerys after Robert Baratheon became king, he still faced consequences. This raises concerns about what will happen to Dunk, no matter the outcome of his trial. The special magic within Targaryen blood – a connection to dragons and the ability to see the future – isn’t governed by the traditional gods. Even if the Andals’ gods find Dunk innocent, the Targaryens’ ancient power might lead them to a different conclusion.

As a huge fan of the whole Game of Thrones universe, I’ve always noticed a pattern: mess with the Targaryens, and bad things happen – deserved or not. It really makes me wonder about Dunk from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. We saw with Jaime Lannister that this kind of… magical payback can take a long time to actually happen. And since George R.R. Martin is still working on the Tales of Dunk and Egg books, it might be a while before we find out what, if anything, comes of it all. It’s a fascinating thread to keep in mind!

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2026-02-08 15:08