Fans of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are yet to recover from the moment where Prince Baelor decides to fight from Ser Duncan’s side in the esteemed Trial of Seven against his own family. However, there was another noble lord who sided with Dunk from the get-go but did not receive enough appreciation: Lyonel Baratheon.
Hence, in a recent interview with Collider, the actor Daniel Ings who plays Lyonel himself has explained the deeper layers behind that decision, showing that his choice was far more than just a thirst for a good fight.
Quick read:
• Lyonel is impressed by Dunk’s honesty
• He gets to fight in a Trial of Seven (first in a hundred years) because of Dunk
• Dunk and Lyonel’s relationship is predicted to develop in the coming seasons
Credits: Steffan Hill / HBO
Lyonel’s dual motivation: Fun and genuine respect
In this interview, Daniel Ings broke down Lyonel’s mindset:
“I mean, I think it’s definitely both, but I think it would take a lot longer for him to let someone into that second part… he, for sure, is inspired by this young hedge knight, and inspired by his bravery and honor and his naivety.”
Lyonel has been portrayed as the ultimate party lord, someone who treats the tournament like “Glastonbury” and jumps at the chance to fight the Kingsguard because a Trial of Seven hasn’t happened in a hundred years. But meeting Dunk changes everything. The Storm Lord sees something real in the honest, low-born hedge knight that reminds him what honour and bravery actually look like.
Ings says,
“When he says, ‘I knew you’d be trouble,’ what he’s really saying is, ‘I knew you’d be fun.’”
For Lyonel, siding with Dunk kills two birds with one stone. He gets the epic brawl he craves, but he also gets to stand beside someone who has reignited his sense of purpose. The actor added that Lyonel simply “couldn’t pick to fight on the other side” once he met Dunk.
What this says about Lyonel Baratheon
This revelation paints Lyonel as more than comic relief or the “Laughing Storm.” Behind the wine, laughter, and chaos is a man who recognizes true honour when he sees it, even if he masks it with party-boy bravado. His decision foreshadows the kind of loyalty and instinct that will define the Baratheon house for generations, long before Robert’s Rebellion. Fans have been praising Ings’ performance for exactly this balance.
The Trial of Seven scene has quickly become one of the most rewatched moments of the show. Looking ahead at season 2 already filming and George R.R. Martin himself teasing that Lyonel will return “later on down the line,” fans are eager to see how his bond with Dunk will develop.
