A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 delivered an epic and ruthless battle, but it came with an unexpected twist. As is tradition with this new Game of Thrones franchise, there was some throwing up at the beginning of the episode. Another thing fans could not escape, even in an episode as crucial as this, was a flashback. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Ira Parker defended this decision.
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- The flashback scene in episode 5 was a strategic decision.
- Ira Parker was expecting backlash for the traumatic flashback.
- The tragedy from Dunk’s early life mirrors the end of the episode.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner on the risky flashback scene in episode 5
Dunk and Rafe in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | Image: HBO
When Dunk finally charges into the fray after overcoming his initial shock, he immediately suffers a blow to his head. He falls off the horse on the muddy ground. The scene shifts to give a flashback into his life as a boy in Flea Bottom. Ira Parker revealed that the team decided to include this flashback “very early on.”
Parker said, “I hate that I’ve had to do a flashback at this point when everybody just wants the battle, but we had to. But I do think it stands on its own, and I do think it’s fun to see Dunk like that. I do think it adds a lot to the story, and it adds to the ending of episode 5 as well … But, yeah, it’s gonna displease some people.”
He voiced similar concerns about the diarrhoea scene in the pilot episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The scenes have certainly taken fans by surprise. However, any disapproval they may have is far outweighed by their admiration for the showrunner’s commitment to staying true to the source material.
How the flashback scene ties to the ending of episode 5
Ser Duncan and Prince Baelor in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Image: HBO)
The series balances its humour with the tragedies of Dunk’s life. The death of his mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, was not the first time he had lost someone who felt like family. In the flashback, viewers learn how a young Dunk lost his only friend in Flea Bottom.
At the end of the episode, Steely Pate and Raymun help Prince Baelor Targaryen take off the helmet. To everyone’s horror, Baelor succumbs to a fatal blow to the back of his head from his brother, Maekar Targaryen. Dunk lets out a guttural cry when he realises that he lost yet another person who cared enough to fight for him. The devastating moment echoes the loss he endured as a child.
Read more: Why Baelor’s death is actually worse than if Dunk had died
