'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms': Who is the Black Dragon? Episode 5 reveals dark secrets behind Dunk's past
The recently aired fifth episode of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' on HBO highlighted the brutal consequences of the Trial of Seven contest. Although Peter Claffey's Ser Dunk the Tall emerged victorious against Prince Aerion, he lost three of his own knights. Even Prince Baelor, played by Bertie Cavel, was killed after sustaining a brutal injury from a rear head strike. In addition to this, the episode also presented a snippet from Dunk's forgotten past, harking back to the time when he was still wandering around as an urchin in Flea Bottom.
The flashback shows a young Dunk roaming a devastated battlefield with his friend Rafe. At one point, Dunk remarks that the devastating war is over and that the Black Dragon is finally slain. This reference unearthed a significant piece of Westerosi history and shed light on the Black Dragon's intriguing identity: a prominent member of the Targaryen family and founder of rival House Blackfyre. It is interesting to note that the war in question was the Blackfyre Rebellion, i.e., the all-encompassing conflict that took place in 196 A.C., that's 13 years before the Ashford Meadow tourney.
Several members of the Targaryen family took part in the conflict, which can only be likened to the Dance of the Dragons portrayed on the other 'Game of Thrones' spinoff, i.e., 'House of the Dragon'. King Daeron II Targaryen, who is on the Iron Throne by the time the events of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' roll in, was one of the belligerents in the conflict and fought against Daemon I Blackfyre. The latter was Daeron's legitimized half-brother and the bastard child of their father, Aegon IV Targaryen. The lore reminds us that Aegon IV was the great-grandson of Viserys II. Daeron II was tied to the Dornish kingdom by way of marrying Myriah Martell. As a result, he opposed his father's decision to invade Dorne without provocation, and their relationship was significantly strained. Aegon IV, on the other hand, was significantly disturbed by persistent rumours indicating that Daeron II was a bastard child and that there would come along a new contender for the throne.
To make amends, Aegon IV granted legitimacy to all his bastard children on his deathbed, the prominent among them being Daemon Waters (Daemon I), who was heavily favoured by Aegon IV to the extent that he was awarded the sword Blackfyre after emerging victorious in a contest at the age of twelve. Daemon I eventually adopted Blackfyre as his own name, and that's where the legend of the Blackfyre Rebellion came from. 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' airs its debut season finale on February 22 exclusively on HBO Max.
