A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsis the nextGame of Thronesspinoff, andthe show’s premise should benefit from one ofHouse of the Dragon’smost common critiques. The new series, which is set to premiere in early 2025, is one of the manyupcomingGame of Thronesspinoffs, set to explore an era of Westeros history in between the two current shows.A Knight of the Seven Kingdomswill be set roughly 80 years afterHouse of the Dragonand 90 years beforeGame of Thrones.
Thestory ofA Knight of the Seven Kingdomsisbased on George R.R. Martin’s “Dunk & Egg” novellas, following the characters Dunk and Egg in their travels around Westeros.House of the Dragongot off to a hot start, bringing attention back to theGame of Thronesuniverse after the original show’s ending nearly tarnished its reputation. However,House of the Dragonseason 2 began to suffer more critique, with the decrease in scale fromGame of Thronesbeing among the issues.
The Next Game Of Thrones Spinoff Continues House Of The Dragon’s Decrease In Scale
House Of The Dragon Took A Notable Step Down In Scope
House of the Dragonoffers a very similar premise toGame of Thrones,examining a war that breaks out after a conflict of succession for the Iron Throne. It’s similar enough to work as the perfect follow-up to the original series, but has enough differences to not feel like a rehash of the exact same concepts. Still, there’s adifference in scope between the two series that can sometimes negatively affectHouse of the Dragon’stone. The prequel is an inherently smaller story with a smaller, more centralized cast, yet it tries to embrace an epic tone akin toGame of Thrones.
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House of the Dragon season 2 teased Daenerys Targaryen is the Prince That Was Promised, and that makes Jon Snow’s spinoff not happening even better.
House of the Dragonworked best in season 1, when the story essentially took place under one roof, with the massive ensemble meeting at weddings, funerals, and other events. Those early episodes, “Driftmark,” for example, felt almost like a play.Season 2 took a step up in scale, expanding to other regions of Westeros and showing full-scale dragon battles, but it lacked the raw intimacy that made the dynamics work so well in season 1. Trying to prominently integrate theAegon’s Dream prophecyfurthered this issue, drifting away from the successful, grounded political/familial story.
A Smaller Scale Makes Sense For A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Story
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Is More Centralized & Character-Oriented
Recently, George R.R. Martin, the writer of theA Song of Ice & Firenovelsthat all of these shows are based on, took to his blogNot A Blogto discuss the new show. He explains howA Knight of the Seven Kingdomswill differ from previousGame of Thronesshows, explaining that it’s on a much lower budget and naturally smaller in scale. Knowing the story of the Dunk & Egg novels, this works out perfectly. This prequel won’t deal with dragons and massive set-pieces and will focus more on a central dynamic and character-driven narrative.
It will feel more akin to the narrative of Arya and The Hound inGame of Thronesthan the noble court drama ofHouse of the Dragon.
While the phrase “lower budget” may raise some red flags afterHouse of the Dragonseason 2 seemingly cut episodes due to financial reasons, it needs to be considered relative to the content of the show.A Knight of the Seven Kingdomswill mostly follow its two main characters walking the roads of Westeros, interacting with various characters, both noble and lowborn. It will feel more akin to the narrative of Arya and The Hound inGame of Thronesthan the noble court drama ofHouse of the Dragon.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Change Will Help It Stand Out From Game Of Thrones
Embracing Different Stories Is The Key To The Game Of Thrones' Franchise’s Success
WhileHouse of the Dragonfelt like a necessary step to remind audiences of whatGame of Thronescould be, the fantasy universe won’t succeed on television if it continues to recycle the same premise. From the Blackfyre Rebellions to Robert’s Rebellion to Aegon’s Conquest, there are many more epic stories HBO can tell that will resembleGame of Thrones, butthe franchise may find its greatest success in the narratives that differ from the original, offering different facets of this beautifully designed fantasy world.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdomswill be the first show to feel notably different in every aspect from the original. Especially after the issues of theGame of Thronesending andHouse of the Dragonseason 2, this could be a terrific step back to allow audiences some room to breathe. George R.R. Martin has been consistent in his praise for the new series.A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsseems like it might be a refreshing change in every regard, hopefully getting the franchise back on track once again.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set in a time when the Targaryen dynasty rules Westeros.
