‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’: We bet you didn't catch these Easter Eggs while watching ‘GoT’ spin-off
No dragons swooping out of the sky. And yet, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ still feels plugged into the long, messy memory of Westeros that we remember from 'Game of Thrones.' That connection is apparent in the first episode, which aired on January 18. The latest spin-off show is based on events that occurred between 'House of the Dragon' and 'Game of Thrones,' and we have identified the similarities we saw in the show's first episode.
The Tourney at Ashford Meadow
Set in 209 AC, the series opens at the Tourney of Ashford Meadow. It's a big event hosted by House Ashford, a minor noble family with an orange banner featuring a white sun and a chevron. The town and the nearby small castle share the Ashford name, sitting along the Cockleswent that leads to the Mander River. Nearly 73 years after the events of this story, Robert Baratheon will suffer the only battlefield loss of his rebellion right here during the Battle of Ashford against House Targaryen.
Hedge Knights and House Dondarrion
Our point of entry into lore is Dunk, a hedge knight, as per Nerdist. When he arrives at Ashford, one of the first banners he notices belongs to House Dondarrion of Blackhaven. Their sigil is hard to miss: a forked purple lightning bolt on a black field dotted with stars. The family rules lands in the Dornish Marches, where the Stormlands brush up against Dorne, and they swear loyalty to House Baratheon. Dunk is hoping Ser Manfred Dondarrion might vouch for him, though history adds a wink here. One of Manfred’s descendants, Beric Dondarrion, will one day become famous during ‘Game of Thrones’ for coming back from the dead. Also, both men share the same red hair.
Maidenpool
Another place gets a quick but telling mention. Dunk recalls that Ser Arlan only ever struck him once, and that happened in Maidenpool. The town sits in the Riverlands, near the border with the Crownlands. While ‘Game of Thrones’ never showed Maidenpool directly, it played a role when Tywin Lannister exposed Arya Stark’s lies after she failed to recognize the sigil of House Mooton, Maidenpool’s ruling family.
House Fossoway and the Cider Hall Name
As Dunk moves through the tourney grounds, he meets members of House Fossoway, including Ser Steffon and his cousin, the squire Raymun. House Fossoway rules from Cider Hall in the Reach, west of Ashford. Their sigil shows a red apple on a gold field, referring to the cider that made their lands prosperous. The family claims descent from Green Garth, a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes. This ties them to the First Men and some of the oldest myths in Westeros.
The Laughing Storm and The History of Jousting in Westeros
One of the loudest presences at the tourney is Ser Lyonel Baratheon, known as “The Laughing Storm.” He rules Storm’s End and stands as a direct ancestor of Robert, Stannis, and Renly Baratheon. His antlered crown matches the black stag of House Baratheon’s sigil. Lyonel also provides a quick history lesson, claiming that no mortal man could have invented jousting and placing its origins around 4,000 years earlier. That timing lines up roughly with the arrival of the Andals, who brought knighthood and the Faith of the Seven to Westeros. Jousting took hold in the southern regions where the Seven are worshipped. Meanwhile, the North, devoted to the old gods, never truly accepted the practice.
Tanselle’s Puppet Show and a Dragon Tale
One of the episode’s pleasant moments comes from Tanselle’s puppet show, which Dunk watches with fascination. The performance narrates the story of Serwyn of the Mirror Shield, a knight from the Age of Heroes. According to the tale, Serwyn polished his shield until it reflected like a mirror, allowing him to approach the dragon Urrax unseen and strike it through the eye with a spear, as the dragon just saw himself in the reflection. The story is beloved, even if it makes little sense. Some versions claim Serwyn served in the Kingsguard, even though knighthood didn’t exist during the Age of Heroes, and the Kingsguard wouldn’t be formed until Aegon the Conqueror’s reign thousands of years later. Dragons themselves shouldn’t even be part of that era.
House Beesbury
As Dunk continues through the pavilions, another banner flashes by: House Beesbury of the Honeyholt. Their sigil shows three beehives on a black and yellow field, and their lands sit in the western Reach, north of Oldtown. A member of House Beesbury appears briefly in this episode without introduction, but longtime viewers might remember the name. Lord Lyman Beesbury served as Master of Coin under King Viserys in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Criston Cole later murdered him after refusing to support Aegon’s claim over Rhaenyra. He became the first casualty of the Dance of the Dragons. For fans who can’t wait to see what episode two has in store, the next chapter arrives on January 25.
