RECAP: ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 3 — “The Squire”

A Knight of the Seven Kingdom’s last episode ended with Dunk (Peter Claffey) understanding the weight of becoming a knight. Not just because of the stiff competition he is about to face, but also the acceptance that he is going to carry Ser Arlan of Pennytree’s legacy, even if he doesn’t carry his sigil. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3, “The Squire,” keeps up the slice-of-life-like storytelling we’ve seen in the past two episodes. 

This season of prestige television focuses on the small elements of humanity in Westeros and not the wider political intrigue we see in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3, showrunners George R.R. Martin and Ira Parker have set Dunk to enter the tournament, but that’s not happening this episode. 

With now three episodes of lead-up to Dunk joining the tournament, it would be surprising that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 isn’t about Dunk jousting for the first time. Instead, this third episode of the season is dedicated to Egg, and finally forces Dunk to his breaking point, where he realizes just how dishonorable men are. 

“The Squire” opens up with Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) watching Dunk sleep. Then he gets his day started. Which, for the young squire, is taking the horse, running it in the meadow, and practicing hoisting the sword to give to his knight. It’s a moment of pure childlike joy that seems odd in the Game of Thrones universe, but it continues to set A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms apart.

Egg is the focus of “The Squire.” 

After Egg is confronted by Ser Robyn Rhysling (William Houston), a one-eyed knight of legend, who Egg is thoroughly impressed by. But meeting a hero doesn’t mean much when the knight accuses Egg of stealing everything. But as quickly as we met Ser Robyn, and witnessed the violent jousting match and the eye literally rolling outside the socket during the bout, we’ve moved away from it and instead are back with Egg and Dunk. 

The duo is as anxious about finally hitting the tournament grounds as the audience is. We know Dunk will participate, but three episodes in, he still hasn’t mounted his horse.

Egg points out that Dunk can’t compete because he doesn’t have a shield (it’s with Tanselle being painted with his new sigil) and, more importantly, he can’t participate in the first matches because he has no royal name and no renown to speak of. 

Dunk meets this with relief, and you realize how much Dunk doesn’t want to be a part of the violent jousts we see. He’s worried about it, throwing up out of anxiety, and you can’t help but want to root for and protect this large man.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 is more set up, but it’s also a revelation for Egg and Dunk.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 is more of the slice-of-life storytelling that we’ve come to expect. We see Dunk make breakfast for Egg and himself. We see small conversations between the squire and the knight that help set the tone for their friendship and also highlight the innocence they still share despite their surroundings. 

The series’s score and its close-ups of banal life are endearing to say the least, and pay off when the violence of the tournament interjects itself, with the crashing of lance on shield, the running of horses, and the excitement of the crowd. The tournament field is a much different place than the hedges, but it’s the dirty tactics employed there that sour the experience for Dunk and Egg. 

One of the core elements of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 is how Dunk reacts to seeing the knights on the field come out as cowards and cheats instead of the noble and honorable men the position is supposed to be. This episode, moreso than the last, makes Dunk confront the world around him. 

Ser Duncan the Tall emerges from mild-mannered Dunk as honor comes into focus in “The Squire.”

This first happens when the tournament leader approaches him to win a match against a nobleman. If he does so, he will win big. But that win comes against a man who has already agreed to lose. It’s a cheat, and it’s one of the first times we see disgust on Dunk’s face. 

The second time he confronts this is when Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen (Finn Bennett) comes to the joust. His intimidating armor setting of the devilish way he’ll approach the bout. What starts as a joust ends up as something much worse when Aerion purposefully runs his lance through the horse’s neck. The rider is crushed, but still alive, and the horse is writhing in pain. 

It’s a cruel moment that makes Egg want to leave, and confuses Dunk. It’s a moment that echoes through the rest of the episode. There are mistakes, but Egg and everyone but Dunk know that it isn’t a mishap; it was cruelty.  But Dunk continues to ask Ser Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), which leads him to have it explained to him in the most clear way.

Jousting is violence, and the Targaryens are tyrants are two takeaways from “The Squire.”

The Targaryens are tyrants who enslaved people and pulled countless Houses into their wars. And with that, honor is not among them. Instead, their selfishness is what marks them, and every single person watching that joust knows it was not a mistake. 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a coming-of-age story for Egg, but it’s also about seeing Dunk’s worldview challenged. Dunk believes knights and princes should be honorable and serve their people; in reality, they are not and do not. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but we begin to understand that Egg is running from this reality. 

The series maintains an air of absurdity amid its seriousness, and, more importantly, it preserves a kindness that defines our lead characters. Despite the episode’s drama, Egg and Dunk are also given small, tender moments that arise from absurdity. None of these is more impactful than when the duo is in Lyonel “The Laughing Storm” Baratheon’s tent and hears a joke of a song. 

The small moments of connection happening in the middle of absurdity make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms a unique series.

While the contents of the song are to make fun of a disabled woman pleasing a man, the takeaway isn’t vulgar like the lyrics are. The moment begins with Egg asking about the woman in the song, Alice, and whether that was her real name. After a back and forth about how it probably isn’t, Egg mentions that the least they could have done was name her correctly. 

It’s a humorous moment that turns slightly more serious when Dunk supposes that the name doesn’t matter, and Egg instead responds that her name is Hope. The song’s vulgarity doesn’t matter to Egg as much as its message, provided the audience knows that Baratheon and his party aren’t thinking this. But to Egg, the song is about a dogged spirit giving more than what is asked of her, which makes it a song about honor. 

It’s a tender moment in the midst of absurdity, and it highlights how aligned the two are on life, honor, and the need to do more than asked. It could easily be a throw-away scene with Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) swinging around the tent, singing a vulgar song, but it’s not. Instead, we see a small conversation had between two characters that feels not only believable but necessary for the series’ narrative.

At the end of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3, Ser Duncan the Tall comes forth. Dunk ends the episode as an intimidating figure, not just an awkward man who tries to make himself smaller. 

When Egg runs to Dunk for help, they arrive at the performance tent with Prince Aerion violently holding Tanselle, breaking her finger. The camera cuts to Dunk, and there is no joy on his face, just anger. 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 ends with Peter Claffey transforming into someone formidable, not awkward.

What follows is the first time the audience sees Dunk’s size come into use. He throws the prince like a ragdoll, bloodies his lip, and has to be subdued by multiple men. Tanselle’s crime? Not showing the Targaryen win. Dunk’s crime? Striking a prince. 

It’s here where the breadcrumbing around Egg’s lineage comes to a head. In order to save Dunk’s life, Egg emerges through the crowd and stops the would-be execution, staying his brother’s anger. Egg is the missing Targaryen prince and Dunk’s squire, and that’s where the episode leaves us. 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 is still taking its time to let the audience see and get to know the characters and the world through them. It’s a choice that can make the episodes feel dull in comparison to its bombastic counterparts. That said, this is the kind of fantasy series that does more than just focus on the swords and sorcery. And as Dunk grapples with being the knight that he knows he should be, while surrounded by dishonorable men, I’ll keep tuning in. 

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 3 is streaming now on HBO Max with new episodes releasing every Sunday. 

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