"A precarious position": A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner on how the Targaryens have to face their greatest challenges so far

Ahead of its release, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' co-creator, Ira Parker, is teasing an interesting tidbit about the upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Parker revealed how the Targaryens will face their biggest threat in the new series. With their family name having lost its glory and their last dragon dying around five decades ago, new threats will challenge the house that was once known for its power and glory. Parker told the outlet:

"They find themselves finally without the thing that put them in power, which is such a precarious position to be in. Fifty years on from the dragons, people are starting to ask the question, ‘Well, why are we still letting them be in power?’

Finally, we will get to witness what Targaryens are without their greatest strength, their dragons. A companion who has saved them from difficult circumstances over several years and helped them establish their dominance over Westeroes.

Keep reading to know more.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Plot, cast, and more about the GOT spin-off

Created by the duo Ira Parker and George R.R Martin, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will serve as a prequel to HBO's smash hit series Game of Thrones.

This series will be based on George R.R Martin's fantasy novel series, Tales of Dunk and Egg. It is set to release on HBO Max in January 2026, as confirmed by the Chairman and CEO of HBO Max, Casey Bloys. Season 1 will consist of six episodes in total.

Set almost 50 years after the death of the last dragon, the story follows Ser Duncan the Tall, or simply called Dunk, and his unlikely squire, Egg. Dunk is a hedge knight, a roaming warrior with no noble title or family crest. After his master's death, he knights himself and sets out to compete in the tourney at Ashford Meadow.

Here's the main cast for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms:

• Peter Claffey stars as Ser Duncan or Dunk
• Dexter Sol Ansell plays Egg
• Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree
• Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon
• Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion Brightflame Targaryen
• Youssef Kerkour as blacksmith Steely Pate
• Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon
• Shaun Thomas as Raymun
• Bertie Carvel as Prince Baelor Targaryen
• Sam Spruell as Prince Maekar

Unlike Game of Thrones or House of Dragons, this series mostly avoids grandeur and dives into how the common folks or the lower ranks of Westeros lived. There's no sprawling map sequence, no sweeping orchestral score. Instead, A Knight of Seven Kingdoms begins with a simple title card, a fitting nod to Dunk's unembellished nature.

What makes this series even more compelling is that now that the dragons are gone, the Targaryens have lost their greatest symbol of dominance. The Ashford tourney becomes a stage for their insecurity, a royal family trying to remind the people that they still matter.

This shift hints at slow decay. A dynasty once ruled through fear must now fight for relevance. In his interview, Parker compared the setting and tone of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to 14th-century Britain, saying:

"This could basically be 14th century Britain. This is hard nose, grind it out, gritty, medieval knights, cold with a really light, hopeful touch. It's a wonderful place to be. We are ground up in this series, we are starting right at the bottom. We're not with the lords and ladies, the kings and queens."

Parker and Martin are set to preview it at New York Comic Con on October 9, 2025, giving the fans a first look at the show.

Trending

Follow SoapCentral for more such updates on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback