“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was, for the most part, a narrative exercise in cooking ups scenes that play out the ‘calm before the storm’ scenario in as many dressings as possible.
If this were a McDonald’s meal, then this would have been the equivalent of ordering seven cheeseburgers with nine kinds of sauce. That isn’t exactly a bad meal, but it’s not diverse or nutritious either.
Of course, we have seen such episodes before. We have to go all the way back to Season 2’s Battle of Blackwater, where Cersei and Sansa discussed the horrors of mass rape as the Lannisters prepared to fight Stannis. And then to the quiet desperation that plagued the Night’s Watch before the Battle of Castle Black, or the fraught desperation apparent before the Battle of the Bastards. But this time is different, because it takes place on the eve of the battle to end all wars.
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
The episode opened, as expected, with Jaime explaining that he was there to help. Daenerys, of course, wanted to inflict a variety of imaginative punishments on the King Slayer, since he killed her father all those years ago. And then there’s Bran, who Jaime pushed out of a tower all those years ago. Thankfully for Jaime, Brienne vouched for his goodness, prompting Sansa to reluctantly accept the Lannister into the fold.
Daenerys, on the other hand, is slowly losing her grip. She blamed Tyrion for not seeing Cersei’s deceit earlier, conveniently forgetting that she didn’t see this coming either. Sansa, to her credit, pointed this out when Daenerys approached her for a tete a tete. While she understood that Dany and Jon loved each other, Sansa remained firm on the stance that the North must remain free.
This scene, while well written and layered with nuance, also undermines Daenerys’ cunning, as she makes the mistake of assuming that Sansa will be willing to overlook that crucial point of difference. Perhaps Dany is supposed to be a bad leader, who makes bad choices despite her own experiences.
Once the war council decided to use Bran as bait, the focus shifted to how the denizens of Winterfell prepared for the long night ahead. Jon and Dany discussed the implications of his newfound heritage. Tyrion and Jaime discussed what they would do if they joined the ranks of the undead. Arya indulged herself carnally, and Bran continued to be mysterious while Tyrion dug deeper for answers.
Perhaps the highlight of the episode is the fireside chats between the “middle management men” of Westeros, as David Sims put it for the Atlantic. Tormund tried to woo Brienne with his tales of adventure (and nursing with giants), while Podrick sung ‘Jenny’s song’, alluding to the possible fate of Jon and Dany’s romance. You see, Jenny’s Song is about Duncan Targaryen giving up the throne for love, leaving the reigns of the Seven Kingdom to Aerys Targaryen, who would later become the Mad King.
The episode ended with Jaime knighting Brienne, who found herself on the verge of tears, finally receiving an honor she had fought her whole life to achieve. It was an emotionally resonant moment, once again affirming that Jaime was ultimately a good man who kept his vows, whether that meant killing the Mad King or honoring a woman who he cherished deeply. It also highlighted the downside of chivalrous traditions, as Brienne had been denied knighthood her whole life despite being one of the best swordspersons in Westeros.
Overall, this season seems to be entirely structured around the Battle of Winterfell, with distinct ‘before’ and ‘after’ parts laid out across the length of the season. It’s reminiscent of the buildup to the fantastic battle at Helms Deep. Let’s the hope battle to come can rival such a legendary clash (and maybe even surpass it).