On the set of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’: Don Quixote and Sancho in the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe

In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, there are no dragons or incestuous relationships, but in its own way, it preserves the epic spirit of the Game of Thrones universe. The new HBO Max series, which has already been renewed for a second season, adapts a very particular collection of short stories by George R.R. Martin. Like its protagonist, Ser Duncan the Tall, the project is more modest than its sister series, but no less ambitious.

“Many people came to Game of Thrones because of the scale and epic nature of its story. We are the complete opposite. A very small and intimate story that follows one person on their journey from the depths of Westeros to their aspiration to reach the very top,” said showrunner Ira Parker in September 2024 during filming of this new spin-off of the saga.

Because Westeros has been reborn — this time on the outskirts of Belfast, Northern Ireland, “in an area that could easily be medieval because you won’t find even a telephone pole for miles around,” said Parker. A wooden bridge, which didn’t exist until recently, now connects the massive encampment where the characters attending a jousting tournament live with the area where the mounted battles take place.

Closer to the style of chivalric romances than to the sweeping epic that readers have come to expect, these George R.R. Martin stories recount the adventures of two unlikely heroes, a century before the events of Game of Thrones. Ser Duncan the Tall is a knight without noble lineage who enters a tournament, hoping that victory will legitimize his status. For that, he also needs a squire — and he finds one in the diminutive Egg, a young man whose mind is far sharper than his own, quietly guiding him through the sordid world the protagonist is unaccustomed to. A sort of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza set in Westeros instead of the plains of central Spain.

“As for the tone of this series, we were asked from the beginning to be quirky,” said Ira Parker, who is already familiar with this fantastical universe, having been part of the House of the Dragon team. To underscore the comedic tone this story brings to the saga, a scatological scene interrupts the already iconic theme music of the parent series. Unlike Game of Thrones, which features dozens of characters, this story focuses primarily on the brotherly relationship between its two protagonists.

For Peter Claffey, the former rugby player turned actor who plays Ser Duncan the Tall, “that chosen brotherhood” he forms with young Dexter Sol Ansell (the child actor portraying Egg) “is a type of relationship that doesn’t often arise in Westeros. We see how they begin to admire each other and feel they must protect one another. And that’s one of the aspects that makes this series interesting.”

In this symbiosis, “the squire is the more experienced and streetwise one, but Duncan also teaches Egg; he tries to help him develop a moral compass and become an honest human being,” Claffey told EL PAÍS. The Irish actor describes what is the first major production of his career as “a life-changing experience in just four months because of how much you learn, even about yourself.”

Showrunner Ira Parker sees a parallel between what the actor is experiencing and his character’s journey. “Ser Duncan desperately wants to be part of this world of knights. He’s a humble man seeking to climb the social ladder. He has no training, no name, no money. He has nothing. He has simply persevered, taking it one step at a time. And yes, he does have a bit of luck. He makes friends along the way. All these elements make it a universal story that many people can easily relate to,” he said.

Sarah Adina Smith, director of several episodes and one of the executive producers alongside Parker, urges viewers to pay attention to every detail. “Although it’s a more intimate story, it’s full of layers and references to all the families that have appeared in the previous series,” she explained from the Belfast set. The filmmaker celebrates that this series “is in some ways sweeter and dwells less on human cruelty than the previous ones, now that the real world has become so unpleasant in recent years.”

Although it is predominantly a male-focused story, with few women appearing in this first season, the director praises George R.R. Martin’s stories for being “actually very emotional, centered on what it means to be honorable and on the emotional relationships between men — between fathers, sons, and brothers.”

The setting of this first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — in the tournament camp rather than in lavish castles — has helped the production, which does not have nearly the budget of its two predecessors. The characters live in canvas tents, amid mud and campfires. In fact, Ira Parker explained, “the most difficult casting to do was for the horses. They are important characters in this story and have been a huge help.”

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