By
Zach Moser
Published 16 minutes ago
Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Spoilers for Game of Thrones ahead.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is on its way, bringing more knights, Great Houses, prophecy, and one specific trend that George R.R. Martin simply can't seem to stay away from. The third TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire universe arrives on HBO Max on January 18, 2026.
The series, based on the first book in Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series, AKOTSK: The Hedge Knight, takes place 90 years before the events of Game of Thrones, following a wandering knight named Duncan the Tall and his young squire, "Egg", who hides his identity as Aegon Targaryen, a familiar name in Westeros.
George R.R. Martin Is Obsessed With The Targaryens
Daenerys Targaryen on Drogon's back during battle of Meereen in Game of Thrones season 6
As excited as I am for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, I can't help thinking the same thoughts I had when I first read the comic adaptations of Martin's novellas: Martin sure does love the Targaryens. The fantasy author has constructed a millennia-spanning world, and he's populated it with all sorts of peoples.
Yet, all he talks about is the Targaryens, this one family with a history that only becomes relevant 114 years before Aegon the Conqueror lands in Westeros, which is about 215 years before the start of House of the Dragon. It's not that the Targaryens are irrelevant; they certainly are, but do they need to be included in every story?
If you didn't know better, you would assume that the Targaryens are the most important family in the entire history of Westeros and Essos. Martin jams them into every story he can think of, despite other families, like the Starks, being more critical to the themes of his stories.
Daenerys Targaryen is arguably only the fifth most important character in Game of Thrones, after the four living (sorry, did someone say Rickon?) Stark siblings. Yet, her importance in terms of prophecy and the finale of the books and the show starts to take precedence over other characters.
Anytime he has the opportunity, Martin inserts the Targaryens. For a world that has everything from giant kingdoms to stand-ins for an East Asian empire, Martin really only focuses on the Targaryens, and while it's not thin yet, the idea is beginning to wear.
Every Game Of Thrones Spin-Off Has Been About The Targaryens
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) covered in ash, with Vermithor, Syrax, and Silverwing behind her in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7Image via Max
So far, every Game of Thrones spin-off has been centered on the Targaryens. For a family who was supposedly so hated that even their loyal guards eventually turned on them, they sure do appear in many of the most important moments of the world's history. This is a bit unfair, I suppose, as the spin-offs are all prequels.
If you set a TV show before Game of Thrones, which is the case in House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the Targaryens will likely be around, and as kings and queens of Westeros, their house and progeny will be more far-flung than other houses, resulting in their constant presence.
House of the Dragon, of course, needs the Targaryens; the whole story is about them, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Tales of Dunk and Egg, for that matter, didn't necessarily need the Targaryens to play such a big part in the story. Egg could have been the scion of any other Great House.
While it isn't the biggest concern, more of an irksome inclination on Martin's part, his constant need to center his stories on the Targaryens does make the world of Ice and Fire feel a lot smaller than it should. Hopefully, if the Game of Thrones sequels ever come to fruition, they'll focus on some other family for once.
The Targaryens Are Only One Piece Of The History Of The World Of Ice And Fire
The human man who becomes the Night King in Game of Thrones, tied to a tree and facing one of the Children of the Forest
Back to what I was saying earlier, the Targaryens history only starts to become relevant 215 years before House of the Dragon, and really, the stuff we as viewers care about only occurs 101 years before House of the Dragon. The timeline of A Song of Ice and Fire begins some 12,000 years before Game of Thrones.
That isn't some unknowable time period only passingly mentioned in an obscure Martin book, it's mentioned in Game of Thrones. 12,000 years ago, men invaded Westeros and fought with the children of the forest, the same ones who Bran meets thousands of years later. There is more to this world than the Targaryens effects on it.
There are stories that could cover so much more of George R.R. Martin's world. There's Yi Ti, the mythical kingdom in the far east of Essos; Princess Nymeria and her voyage to and conquest of what would become Dorne; and the mysterious Night's King who the Starks and Wildlings teamed up to defeat thousands of years before GOT.
That's not even to mention "contemporary" Game of Thrones stories that could be about the many other families in Westeros. They don't even need to be stories about the Great Houses. The Daynes, the Reynes, and the Blackwoods all have excellent stories that don't involve the Targaryens.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms
Like Follow Followed Drama Action Fantasy Release Date January 18, 2026 Network HBO Directors Owen Harris
4 Images
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms knight imageImage via Max
Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall (Peter Claffey) walking through a village in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsImage via Max
Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) by a campfire in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsImage via Max
Peter Claffey as Dunk/Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven KingdomsClose
Cast
See All-
Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall
-
Dexter Sol Ansell
Egg
-
Finn Bennett
Aerion Targaryen
-
Bertie Carvel
Baelor Targaryen
Expand
Collapse
-
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
1 day ago
Red Dead Redemption 2 Next-Gen Update Still Incoming
1 day ago
Karl Urban Hints At Massive The Boys Season 5 Deaths In Episode 1
1 day ago
Nicholas Hoult Reuniting With Creator Of Award-Winning Hulu Comedy For New Disney+ Series
23 hours ago
Harry Potter Co-Stars Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton Reunite In Emotional Video
More from our brands
The Truth About the Final ‘Game of Thrones’ Book — Straight From George R.R. Martin
'House of the Dragon' Season 3 Will Be More Action Packed Than Season 2 (Fortunately)
Game of Thrones: The Age of Heroes, Explained
Star Wars Movies And Shows In Chronological Order
Disney's Fantasy Disaster Still Has Better Dragons Than Game of Thrones (And It's Not Even Close)
5 Things That Ruined Game of Thrones Season 8 (That the Sequels Can Fix)
10 Biggest Dragons in Game of Thrones, Ranked
Trending Now
Avatar Star Hints At “A Little Treat” For Fans Of OG Dead Character In Fire & Ash
Virgin River Is About To Have Some Serious Competition
Every Crime Thriller Fan Needs To Watch This Neo-Western Movie That Is Dominating Streaming Charts
