A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 finale gave an emotional farewell to Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Ser Duncan the Tall’s mentor. Dunk only had the old knight in the name of family. Even after his passing, Ser Arlan stayed with Dunk in spirit. However, Ser Arlan will not appear in season 2 to accompany Dunk and Egg on their new journey. Showrunner Ira Parker revealed as much in an interview recently.
Quick read:
- Ser Arlan finished his job as Dunk’s mentor in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1.
- He will not appear in season 2, as Dunk and Egg embark on a new journey.
- There will be fewer flashback scenes in season 2.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner on why Ser Arlan will not return in season 2
Ser Arlan of Pennytree in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Image: HBO)
The first time viewers see Ser Arlan is in the pilot episode when Dunk is burying him by the big oak tree. All of the old knight’s remaining scenes appear in flashbacks, except for that one emotional finale scene where he goes in another direction than Dunk and Egg.
In a conversation with IGN, Ira Parker clarified why Ser Arlan will not appear in season 2. He said, “We’re done with Ser Arlan. Ser Arlan is allowed to go rest. He has done his job with Dunk. Dunk is now a knight and he’s heading off to […] have his own journeys with his own squire. Would Ser Arlan ever come back? I would love that.”
Parker also praised Ser Arlan actor Daniel Webber, describing him as “a genius” and claiming that he “did such a brilliant job” for the show.
Will A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 have flashbacks?
Almost every episode of season 1 has a flashback scene, with the one in episode 5 perhaps being the longest. Those scenes give insight into Dunk’s relationship with Ser Arlan and his life as a young orphan in Flea Bottom. In the next season, there will be more of Dunk and Egg’s adventures and less of the flashbacks, if any.
Parker told IGN, “We will do flashbacks when they’re appropriate for the story. For the moment, I would say we’re probably not even doing them as frequently as we did [in] Season 1. They’re different, they’re changed. They’re a reflection of the story that we’re in and where Dunk is in his life.”
Season 2’s production is in full swing and might premiere in 2027. It is based on The Sworn Sword, the next novella in George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series.
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