‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Finale’s Divisive Opening Scene Sets Up a Legendary Future Conflict

Note: This story contains spoilers from “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1, Episode 6.

Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) is not one of the many mourning the tragic death of Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel). The tough Stormlander lets that much be known early in the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1 finale, titled “The Morrow.” What begins as an invitation to Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) to ride back with him to his home castle of Storm’s End ends with Lyonel, one of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1’s biggest scene stealers, laying into Dunk for his guilt over Baelor’s death.

When Dunk laments that all he does is “bring pain and suffering” to those close to him, Lyonel pushes back, telling him, “You’ve done the realm a kindness. You’ll see that one day. The only good dragon is a dead dragon.” His remark prompts a chiding from Dunk, who says that Baelor gave his life for him and asks Lyonel to “speak of him with a little respect.” Lyonel, however, only digs his heels in further, scolding Dunk for feeling more guilt over Baelor’s death than the others who died and were injured fighting on his side in the Trial of the Seven.

“F—k that, and f—k you! I fought for you. Hardyng, Beesbury, the f—king apple boy, we fought for you!” Lyonel yells. “Your prince fought for you against men sworn to protect him. He risked nothing! And the gods don’t favor a fraud.” Moments later, Lyonel re-ups his pitch to Dunk, telling him, “There’s a war coming. We could be a force, you and I.”

This scene, which has already proven divisive among some book readers and longtime fans of author George R.R. Martin‘s fictional world, serves an important purpose. Not only does it reveal some of Lyonel’s true allegiances, but it also sets up a major historical moment that, if they are lucky, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” fans could get to see realized on screen many years from now. Major spoilers ahead.

A future uprising

He might be the one who ultimately topples the Targaryen regime, but Robert Baratheon is not the first member of his family to rebel against the royal house. On the contrary, Lyonel Baratheon attempts his own uprising against the Targaryens and, in specific, none other than King Aegon V Targaryen, a.k.a. Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). The conflict in question begins just six years into Egg’s twenty-six year reign as King of the Seven Kingdoms.

In the years preceding his rebellion, Lyonel is one of Egg’s most loyal supporters. That is partly why Egg decides, in his campaign to end the Targaryen practice of incestuous marriage altogether, to betroth his eldest son and heir, Duncan Targaryen (yes, Duncan) to Lyonel’s daughter. However, two years after the betrothal, Duncan breaks the agreement when he falls in love with a peasant woman named Jenny of Oldstones (yes, that Jenny of Oldstones) and marries her.

While Egg tries to have their marriage annulled, he is unsuccessful, and Duncan even goes so far as to renounce his right to the Iron Throne altogether in order to stay with Jenny. This Robb Stark-esque betrayal wounds Lyonel’s pride so badly that he swears a bloody oath of vengeance against House Targaryen, renounces his allegiance to Egg and crowns himself the new Storm King.

A short but bloody rebellion follows, which is ultimately brought to an end when Ser Duncan the Tall, by then a member of Egg’s Kingsguard, defeats Lyonel in a one-on-one duel. Afterward, Egg matches his youngest daughter, Rhaelle, with Lyonel’s heir Ormund in an act of recompense. Years later, Ormund and Rhaelle’s grandson, Robert Baratheon, finishes what his great grandfather started when he rebels against the Mad King and unseats House Targaryen on the Iron Throne.

Lyonel’s rant in the “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1 finale makes it clear that his character may hold some affection for both Dunk and Egg but has little for House Targaryen. Additionally, his offer in the episode to love Dunk “like a brother” if the hedge knight accepts his Storm’s End invite or “hate him like a brother” if he doesn’t feels like a sly nod to the two’s historic duel. Of all the events that still lie ahead in Dunk and Egg’s story, that fight understandably ranks high on a lot of readers’ list of most anticipated moments.

Whether or not “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” will run long enough to reach it remains to be seen, but its first season has already done a lot to set up that pivotal turning point in Westerosi history — among others.

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1 is streaming now on HBO Max.

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