Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ begins as a heartfelt story of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. Its comedic and lighter tone, compared to ‘Game of Thrones‘ and ‘House of the Dragon,’ makes it a breath of fresh air in the universe of Westeros, where there doesn’t seem to be any respite from blood and wars. Halfway through the season, things start to get a bit serious, and in its penultimate episode, the show proves that while it may be different, it still comes from the same stock as its predecessors. A shocking death of a beloved character mars the otherwise hopeful tone of the show, making the audience question the fate of all the other characters in the process. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Baelor Targaryen Meets a Tragic End
In a world where everyone seems to be in a love-hate relationship with Targaryens, Prince Baelor establishes himself as someone who is not just loved but also revered by people around him. He is the heir to the throne, and in the world of Westeros, it is easy for people with power, such as his, to become entitled and cruel. Aerion Targaryen is pretty far down the line of succession, but just being a Targaryen makes him think he is a dragon and can do whatever he wants. Baelor, on the other hand, likes to get to the bottom of details before making a decision, and prefers to be a righteous ruler rather than a feared one. That should have been our clue, because good and righteous people rarely survive the violence of Westeros, and that’s what happens to Baelor as well.
When Aerion calls for a trial of seven, Dunk is left scrambling to find six knights who will fight for him. Somehow, he is able to get five, but with Steffon Fossoway ditching him at the last moment, the fight seems lost even before it begins. Just when it seems all is lost, Prince Baelor rides in, declaring his intention to fight for Dunk. His arrival brings hope and strength to Dunk’s team of misfits, and Dunk starts to think that he might win this after all, and sure enough, he does. But when the dust settles, the hedge knight discovers that his side has faced significant losses, including Prince Baelor, who dies in his arms. While the audience follows Dunk’s fight with Aerion, Baelor charges forward with the thought of fighting the knights of the Kingsguard.
Because their duty prohibits them from harming someone of royal blood, Baelor knew he wouldn’t be in any real danger. Moreover, since he would engage the knights, the others, like the green Raymun Fossoway, would have a better chance of surviving the joust. In a stroke of irony, Baelor faces off against his own brother, Maekar, who ends up hitting him with a mace on the back of his head. Perhaps even Maekar doesn’t realise that the hit is so bad that it breaks Baelor’s skull. The helmet keeps things together, but the moment it is removed, part of his brain falls off, and he dies. Unfortunately, it also means that this may be the last we have seen of the charismatic Bertie Carvel in the universe of Westeros.
Baelor’s Death Relates to Two Prophecies About the Targaryens
The world of Westeros is full of magic, and prophecies and omens have played a significant role in the story. ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ also leans into this and gives us two prophecies. One comes from a random oracle, who tells Egg that he will be king and that he will die a brutal death. The other comes from Daeron’s dream, where he sees Dunk with a huge dragon falling on him, though the knight survives, and it is the dragon that dies. Considering that he wasn’t talking about an actual dragon, one could interpret it as a Targaryen. At the end of the fifth episode, Baelor falls, and Dunk catches him in his arms and watches him die. Thus, it is not far-fetched to assume that this is what Daeron dreamed about. The fall of the mighty dragon was actually about the beloved prince who could have changed the course of Westeros’ history.
Still, the part about Daeron seeing fire means that perhaps his dream was about something that is to happen in a distant future. That leaves us with the prophecy about Egg. When the oracle tells him he will be king, he is surprised, mainly because he is so far off the line of succession. Baelor is his uncle, who has a son of his own to succeed him as king. Then there is Baelor’s younger brother, Aerys, followed by Rhaegel, who has children of his own. Then comes Maekar, with his three sons, Daeron, Aerion, and Aegon (aka Egg). With so many men in front of him, Egg is a long way from becoming the heir to the throne. And yet, with Baelor’s death, he is one step closer to fulfilling the oracle’s prophecy.
Those familiar with Egg’s full story know that he does go on to become king, and his appointment is so unexpected that he is called Aegon the Unlikely. Still, prophecies are not made in jest, and while, at the time, Egg may have thought the prospect of being king (let alone the second part of the prophecy) ridiculous, the grand plan is slowly starting to come together. One could say that Baelor’s death is one of the defining moments in the history of Westeros and paves the path for the grand conflict that will end with Robert’s Rebellion and lead to ‘Game of Thrones.’
Read More: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: How Did Ser Arlan of Pennytree Die?
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