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The biggest differences between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 and George R.R. Martin's The Hedge Knight

The first of George R.R. Martin's Dunk & Egg novella, The Hedge Knight, is the basis for HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, season 1. But how close an adaptation is it?

A new television adaptation of a beloved fantasy book is here, and as is custom, the internet is buzzing with one question: What changed?

Well, we have to admit - not much. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 was extremely faithful to The Hedge Knight, the first novella in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones prequel series, The Tales of Dunk and Egg. But that doesn't mean there are no changes between The Hedge Knight and its onscreen translation, which is measuring up to be the most unique Game of Thrones spinoff yet, in terms of tone.

So if you'll give us just a second, Popverse will provide you with the biggest differences between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 and The Hedge Knight below.

Key Differences: Ser Duncan the Not Quite as Tall

Screenshot from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Image credit: HBO

Don't get us wrong - not only has actor Peter Claffey proven his acting chops as the series titular role, but he's also clearly fitting the physical part, standing at least a head taller than most of the folks with whom he shares the screen. However, the ex-rugby star is actually shorter than the Dunk that George R.R. Martin created for his Song of Ice and Fire prequel - with Ser Dunk standing at 6'11" and Claffey standing at 6'5".

I'll be damned if he doesn't nail the character, though.

Key Differences: No horny dance moves. Sorry, antlery dance moves

 

This is just my opinion, but the best moment in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 1 is the dance-off between Ser Dunk and Ser Lyonel Baratheon, played by Daniel Ings. Not only is it a great character moment for Dunk, it's also maybe the first time that Dunk sees himself as having an ally - so it may surprise you to learn, dear reader, that this moment isn't in The Hedge Knight at all.

We're pretty happy the writers included it, though.

Key Differences: Meet Red & Beony

Two folks who definitely don't come off as allies of Tall Mr. Dunk (but who we suspect might be, down the line), are the personal prostitutes of Ser Manfred Dondarrion - Red & Beony. Portrayed by Rowan Robinson and Carla Harrison-Hodge respectively, this pair of clever courtiers is Dunk's introduction to not just the unreliable Ser Manfred, but in a way, to all the courtly traditions and wealth that his humble origins kept him from. Since this is clearly vital to the character's journey, you can see why the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms writers chose to invent this duo for the screen.

Key Differences: Pulling the plot along

One of the most charming moments in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, episode 2, Hard Salt Beef, was the Tug of War scene that went on the the camps outside the Ashford Tourney. Like Red & Beony, though, this moment was entirely constructed for the TV adaptation of Martin's novella, perhaps as a way to prove puny Egg's valor even when there were stronger powers against him. We'd say it worked.

Key Differences: In Fate's way

Also in the days leading up to the tourney, Dunk and Egg encounter a woman who dresses as a soothsayer, and she's got some pretty disturbing news for our heroes. Basically predicting the grim end that at least Egg will meet in the Westeros saga to come, this mystic woman makes for a moment that might confuse new fans as much as book readers - as the moment does not occur in The Hedge Knight.

Kay Differences: Back to the flashbacks

 

In the penultimate episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1, we the viewers are taken back to the days of Dunk's youth, before Ser Arlan of Pennytree took him on as a squire. And while the Hedge Knight novella does get into Dunk's past, it doesn't actually do this time-jump in order to get there. In these details of his past, too, we get one major difference from what we see in the show - Rafe, played on TV by Dune: Prophecy's Chloe Lea, is male in Martin's original text.

Those are the biggest differences we could come up with between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and The Tales of Dunk and Egg's Hedge Knight novella, but with season 2 already confirmed to be on the way, we'll be coming back to Martin's writings very, very soon.

In the meantime, don't forget to play your own game of spot-the-difference by watching A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, season 1 of which is streaming in full HBO Max.


A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 may have wrapped on HBO Max, but with House of the Dragon season 3 coming just around the corner, it's always a great time to read up on all things Game of Thrones. Fortunately, Popverse has everything you need to journey through the George R.R. Martin-created Westeros, including:

Plus much more coming as it gets announced!

Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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