HBO is developing multiple Game of Thrones spinoffs, but its plans for one upcoming Westeros-set TV show reveal a major hurdle to overcome.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: A Hedge Knight will be HBO’s next Game of Thrones spinoff, but the network’s plans for the show mean its long-term future already has a problem. The cable outfit has major plans to expand the franchise, following on from the success of its first prequel, House of the Dragon, with multiple Game of Thrones spinoffs in development. Which shows actually happen remains to be seen, with the only ones confirmed being House of the Dragon season 2 and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Based on George R.R. Martin’s The Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ story will follow Ser Duncan the Tall, the eponymous knight, and his squire, Egg, who will eventually become King Aegon V Targaryen. With Martin himself helping to develop the show, then there are high hopes for another successful Game of Thrones spinoff, and one that can show a different side to the franchise (done right, this should be much lighter in tone than the existing shows). As it stands, HBO plans three seasons of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is promising for their faith in it, but also concerning.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ 3 Season Plan Creates An Ending Problem
HBO’s plan for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms makes sense, since it allows for one season for each of Martin’s books, with the potential for more if he writes them. Therein lies the rub: Martin’s Dunk and Egg books are not finished, and probably won’t be for many years to come. Much like with A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin has plans to write several more installments in the series (as many as 12 have been mentioned, via his Not A Blog site), which would chart the full lives of the two characters. If Martin doesn’t write more and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms only runs three seasons, it has an obvious ending problem.
This isn’t, thankfully, quite as drastic as the issues that plagued Game of Thrones‘ ending. Unlike that, a good chunk of Dunk and Egg’s story after the existing books is at least known, albeit in very broad strokes, so there’s something to work from if they did want to continue it. But if they stick to just three seasons, then it risks not giving the full scope of the characters’ lives.
The third novella, The Mystery Knight, does not end in a definitive way, nor a manner that would really suggest a great TV ending, and it’s still decades out from Egg becoming King. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms may have to fast-forward through some events to finish its story in just three seasons. The story begins in 209 AC, and the two characters die almost 50 years later, so big time jumps are theoretically possible, but less than ideal.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Could Miss Out On Its Perfect Ending
If A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does only run for three seasons, then not only does it have a problem in how and when it ends, but also missing out on the perfect conclusion that’s already set up: the Tragedy at Summerhall. This is a mysterious event that takes place at the Targaryens’ summer house in the Dornish Marshes. Full details are unknown, but it involved dragon eggs, wildfire, and pyromancy, and resulted in a devastating blaze that claimed the lives of Dunk, Egg, and two other attendees, but was also where Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was born.
What exactly happened at Summerhall is one of Game of Thrones‘ greatest mysteries, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: A Hedge Knight could provide the answer. But more than that, it’s the kind of wild spectacle that would make for a fitting end to a TV show within this (or any) franchise, a tragic conclusion that gives the characters a definitive ending and connects things a little more closely to Game of Thrones. That’s not to write off the show – with Martin involved, there’s reason to be optimistic, and any Dunk and Egg on screen is perhaps better than none – but it is a series that deserves more, not less, if it’s to truly work.
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