Warning: This article contains spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 and potentially for future seasons.With its successful first season, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has proven itself as a different kind of Game of Thrones show, which sheds a new light on the harsh fantasy setting. One connection between the lives of these characters and the infamous eighth season of Game of Thrones illustrates exactly why we need this variation.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is surprisingly close in the timeline to Game of Thrones. As hinted at by episode 3’s prophecy, Ser Duncan “Dunk” (Peter Claffey) the Tall will go on to become the stuff of Westerosi legend, while his squire Aegon “Egg” Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) will become king after the deaths of several members of his family.
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is Egg’s great-granddaughter. Additionally, Egg spends his time as king trying to improve life for the smallfolk, with Dunk by his side as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, while the next generation creates their own stories that are still talked about in Game of Thrones.
Egg’s Future Daughter-In-Law Is The Namesake For “Jenny Of Oldstones”
Before becoming King Aegon V, Egg married Betha Blackwood and named their first child after Duncan. Duncan, as the heir to the Iron Throne, was betrothed to Dunk and Egg’s friend Lyonel Baratheon’s (Daniel Ings) daughter. However, the younger Duncan fell madly in love with a commoner woman known as Jenny of Oldstones.
This woman is the namesake for the song “Jenny of Oldstones,” sung by Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman) and then covered by Florence + The Machine for the credits in Game of Thrones season 8, episode 2, ironically titled “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” The title is a reference to Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) knighting Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) before the Battle of Winterfell.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is the highest-rated episode of Game of Thrones season 8 on IMDb, with moments that are genuinely touching despite the problems with the final season. Podrick’s performance of “Jenny of Oldstones” is melancholic and makes the moments of friendship before the battle ethereal, while Brienne finally gets the knighthood she has more than earned.
The backstory of “Jenny of Oldstones” makes the episode even better by again drawing upon the deep well of the lore of this world, while adding a touch more sentimentality to the affair, as the song Podrick sings for what is perhaps their last night is one that alludes to a great love story, among characters for whom marriage is always political.
“Jenny Of Oldstones” Illustrates Exactly What Is So Appealing About A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms
Egg may have been sympathetic towards his son’s plight, but political pressures meant he ultimately could not approve of the match, and Duncan ended up abdicating his inheritance to marry Jenny; Egg’s second son, Jaehaerys, became king instead. Duncan and Jenny were eventually welcomed at court, leading to the prince perishing in the fire at Summerhall with Dunk and Egg.
The song “Jenny of Oldstones” is actually about this fire and its namesake mourning her husband (it is uncertain if Jenny herself died in the fire). However, despite the tragedy, the figure of Jenny of Oldstones captures what is so appealing about the space of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, with its comparatively small-scale, feel-good stories.
The new spinoff is about underdogs who will go on to do great things and the bonds of friendship and love that are formed along the way. That love motivates Egg to name his eldest son after Duncan, even though it likely upset family members and advisors who would’ve wanted him to choose a traditional Targaryen name.
But the second Duncan will also choose love over inheritance in his star-crossed love story — and it’s worth noting that Egg also married for love rather than power. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is filled with such romantic narratives that add a much-needed levity to Game of Thrones, but still against a complex political backdrop that explores the consequences of the characters’ actions.
- Release Date
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January 18, 2026
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Ira Parker
- Directors
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Owen Harris
- Writers
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George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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