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This Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, was finally given its official premiere date by HBO. Early in January, it’ll be available exclusively on HBO Max and will be based on the Dunk and Egg novellas of George R.R. Martin. The news was announced during New York Comic Con, which generated uproarious reactions from the already passionate fan base.
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Official Instagram shared the announcement with a pun-filled seasonal variant: “This Winter, Spring is Coming,” sticking a few hashtags in there for the Premiering in January. The announcement was the third iteration of spinoff in the widening Game of Thrones mythos, after the original one and House of the Dragon. A Knight is an adaptation of Martin’s cherished stories of Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire Egg set about a hundred years before Game of Thrones.
Immediate responses of excitement and cautiousness came flooding in due to the franchise’s history. One was quite well put: “MY FAVORITE BOOK!!!!! Please, HBO, don’t ruin it 😭😭😭.” The statement also established that for many of the book readers for whom Dunk and Egg are among Martin’s greatest achievements, the stakes were high. The commenter’s emotionally charged plea showed the immense love for the source material as well as lingering fears about how the adaptation might turn out.
There was endless speculation and discussion over the time in which the said series would be placed in the broad history of Westeros. “Its prequel or sequel to GOT?” asked one confused fan. It was a silly question, and many answers were showered down in response. The show is roughly 70 years after House of the Dragon and about 100 years before Game of Thrones, focusing on the journeys of a knight and his royal squire amidst a comparatively quiet period in Westerosi history.
Some fans then use the opportunity to voice their current grievances with what the franchise stands for today: “Guys please focus and give us the rebellion of Robert Baratheon and the youth of Tywin like those are such interesting years with already well-known characters 😭,” one author uttered the usual cries for exploration of other periods in Westeros history and sparked a deep discussion about which tales might next be tackled and how Dunk and Egg might eventually lead to Robert’s Rebellion.
The controversial last season of Game of Thrones values its shadow over the comments. “How about just remake the last season of GoT and take it to two more seasons and we are golden!” one user proposed with a mixed reaction. This exchange portrayed, even all these years on, how much the ending of the original series still weighs on the hearts of these fans, and, paradoxically, how that ending has left them simultaneously hopeful and skeptic about anything new in the franchise.
Further production details arose amidst the comments, with commenters mentioning seasons being filmed back-to-back, potentially rescuing fans of House of the Dragon from their prolonged wait between seasons. The name of George R.R. Martin as executive producer was stated numerous times as a basis for hope, with one commenter stating “George also said that out of all the adaptations he’s very pleased with this one.”
Focus shifted back to the literary origin of the new show in several comments, withThe Hedge Knightand its sequels being praised by some fans as the best of Martin’s writings. The discourse revealed that source material suggests a slightly different tone than past adaptations—more character-driven adventures and smaller-scale stories versus huge wars and dragon battles.
It also brought about renewed discussions about Martin’s unfinished book series. “Is this where I politely ask for books to be finished ?!?” was the witty retort of one user, encapsulating the frustrations of many readers who have for years been waiting for The Winds of Winter. The thread shortly metamorphosed into a sumptuous discussion about Martin’s writing journey and whether the fans would even see an end to the main book series.
Not all in the comments were related to critique and concern. Most of the hardcore fans expressed immense excitement for this new gig with one excited comment in Portuguese: “Quanto mais GOT melhor, só vem janeiro” (The more GOT the better, just come January). This expression of eagerness from non-English-speaking countries shows the extensive reach this franchise commands.
Then came the criticisms linked to season two of House of the Dragon, with some lamenting the show’s quality, others jumping to its defense. It laid out the uphill battle that the new Game of Thrones production is embarking upon in trying to satisfy a fanbase with wildly divergent expectations and tastes.
The show has been alright for HBO; this is its moment for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to make it big. Greatest source material on their side: the series stems from beloved works with direct input from Martin himself. But all these perspectives have set high-low expectations up for the upcoming series. The fans are nowadays the most deeply involved with the world of Westeros, judging by reactions in the comment section. Yet for each new iteration, they will require a restoration of their faith first. So, if the new series starts trying to convince the discontent, it will really be because it managed to capture the warmth and inclination toward character work that made the Dunk and Egg tales so beloved by fans.
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The announcement generated quite a stir and a huge wave of interest in the Ice and Fire Universe. One fan further took it upon himself to perfectly capture the general sentiment, hoping that in some way, the new series restores the English-class narrative quality for which Game of Thrones initially rocketed to fame. Odessa A’zion and the cast have been generating buzz for the new series. Meanwhile, Kit Harington continues to be a topic of fan discussion.
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