Dunk and Egg Take Centre Stage in New Thrones Spin-Off

Westeros is set to welcome a new chapter, but this time, the focus narrows to a pair of unlikely companions. 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' shifts away from the sprawling intrigue and supernatural threats that defined its predecessor, instead honing in on the journey of Dunk and Egg. Creator Ira Parker, reflecting on the show's direction, remarked,

I would say the main difference is that we’re just Game of Thrones without all the _stuff_. We don’t have the dead coming to kill mankind. We don’t have the politics, really. We don’t have the massive roving POVs from different families and different characters. We have one character: we have Dunk, and we have Egg, our little stable boy, and I would say that relationship is probably closest to the dynamic of something from Game of Thrones along the lines of the Hound and Arya or Pod and Brienne.

Those who recall the third and fourth series of the original will remember Arya Stark’s travels with Sandor Clegane, the Hound, as he repeatedly tried—and failed—to barter her for a reward. Meanwhile, Podrick Payne was assigned to Brienne of Tarth by Jaime Lannister, accompanying her on a quest to track down Sansa Stark after her disappearance from King’s Landing. These pairings, with their odd-couple energy, left a lasting impression on viewers.

Odd Pairings and New Adventures

Parker continued,

George [R.R. Martin] does odd couple pairings better than anyone, and those were always my favourite moments from the original series. So now we have an entire series just based on a little odd couple pairing here, and it’s a lot of fun, and hopefully it’s enough for audiences.

The new series leans into this dynamic, offering a more intimate look at two characters navigating a world that, for once, isn’t teetering on the brink of magical catastrophe or political collapse.

Set roughly ninety years before the events of the original, and about a century after the dragons of House Targaryen first took flight, the story follows Ser Duncan the Tall—a hedge knight with little more than his wits and a battered suit of armour. His path crosses with a stable boy known only as Egg, whose ambitions and secrets are as intriguing as his nickname.

Back to Basics in Westeros

Rather than juggling a dozen storylines, the narrative keeps its lens tight on Dunk’s attempts to make a name for himself at a tourney. Along the way, Egg becomes his squire, and together they set off on a journey that’s as much about their evolving partnership as it is about the world around them. The absence of undead armies and labyrinthine plots gives the series a different flavour—one that’s more about character than spectacle.

For those eager to return to the Seven Kingdoms, the wait is nearly over. The series will air on HBO and HBO Max in the United States, and on Sky and NOW for UK audiences, starting 18 January. Until then, fans can look forward to a tale that promises both familiarity and a refreshing change of pace.