A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Game of Thrones)

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"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"
Game of Thrones episode
Episode no.Season 8
Episode 2
Directed by David Nutter
Written by Bryan Cogman
Featured music Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography byDavid Franco
Editing byCrispin Green
Original air dateApril 21, 2019 (2019-04-21)
Running time57 minutes [1]
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Winterfell"		Next →
"The Long Night"
Game of Thrones season 8
List of episodes

"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" [1] is the second episode of the eighth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones , and the 69th overall. It was written by Bryan Cogman, and directed by David Nutter. It aired on April 21, 2019.

Contents

The episode takes place entirely in Winterfell and is dedicated to the buildup before the battle between the living and the dead. It has been likened to a bottle episode, [2] [3] [4] though one reviewer argued it does not meet the definition of the term. [5] "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" received positive reception from critics, with many highlighting the episode's balance of the show's longtime characters and citing it as one of the best episodes of the series. [6] [7] Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth) submitted the episode to support her Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. [8] Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) later selected the episode to support his nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. [9]

The title is a reference to the title bestowed on Brienne of Tarth after Jaime Lannister knights her and to the collection of stories of the same name by George R. R. Martin, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels on which Game of Thrones is based. [10]

Plot

Daenerys and Sansa both contemplate the fate of Jaime Lannister, who reveals Cersei was lying about sending her army. They let Jaime fight for them after Brienne vouches for him. Jaime speaks with Bran and apologizes for trying to kill him ("Winter Is Coming"), but Bran holds no anger as that action led to both of them becoming who they are today. Meanwhile, Daenerys is angry at Tyrion for believing Cersei, but is mollified by Jorah.

Sansa and Daenerys attempt to clear the air between them based on their mutual love of Jon, but Daenerys doesn't have an answer when Sansa asks about the fate of the North once Daenerys takes the Iron Throne. Theon returns wishing to fight for the Starks. Tormund, Beric, and Edd arrive and tell Jon that the Army of the Dead will arrive before the following morning.

At the war council, Bran persuades them to let him act as bait to lure the Night King, who wishes to kill him. Theon volunteers to defend Bran with the Ironborn, and Jon and Daenerys plan to ambush and destroy the Night King when he reveals himself.

Arya talks to the Hound, and asks him why he came North since he's only ever fought for himself, and he retorts that he had fought for her ("The Children"). Arya then visits Gendry. He reveals he is a bastard of Robert Baratheon. Wanting to lose her virginity before the battle, Arya seduces and sleeps with Gendry.

Tyrion, Jaime, Brienne, Podrick, Davos, and Tormund gather in the meeting hall to drink before the battle. The conversation turns to why women cannot be knighted; in response to Tormund's remark that he would knight Brienne without hesitation, Jaime knights an emotional Brienne.

Jorah fails at attempting to stop Lyanna Mormont from fighting in the battle. Sam approaches Jorah and gives him House Tarly's Valyrian sword Heartsbane, out of gratitude for the influence Jorah's father Jeor had on him.

Daenerys visits Jon in the crypts and he reveals his true parentage to her, but she is skeptical about the reliability of the information. They are interrupted by horn blasts signaling the approach of the Army of the Dead.

Production

Writing

The episode was written by "series veteran" Bryan Cogman. [11] This was his eleventh and final script of the series overall. For him "the biggest challenge was not writing a Wikipedia page." [12] The episode adapts material from the unpublished novels The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, along with original material not published in George R. R. Martin's novels.

Filming

The episode was directed by David Nutter, his second of three episodes this season. The outdoor Winterfell scenes were filmed at sets in Moneyglass and Magheramorne in Northern Ireland, with indoor scenes filmed at Paint Hall studios in Belfast. [13] Executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss let Maisie Williams decide how much of her body to show on camera during her sex scene; she didn't believe that Arya's nakedness was central to the narrative, and she "kept [herself] pretty private."

Music

The episode features a song called "Jenny's Song", sung by Podrick while many of the characters were drinking by the fire before the upcoming battle. The first line of the song appeared in the book A Storm of Swords ; the writers wrote the rest of the lyrics while series composer Ramin Djawadi set it to music. Another version of the song, titled "Jenny of Oldstones", was sung by the band Florence and the Machine and played over the ending credits. [14]

Reception

Ratings

The episode was viewed by 10.29 million viewers on its initial live broadcast on HBO, and an additional 5.61 million viewers on streaming platforms, for a total 15.9 million viewers. [15] [16]

Critical response

The episode received largely positive reviews from critics and acclaim from many longtime commentators of the series. [17] [18] [19] It has an 87% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes based on 95 reviews, with an average rating of 8.12/10. The site's critics' consensus states: "What 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' lacks in forward narrative momentum it makes up for in cryptic callbacks, intimate moments, and the promise of imminent battle – though some fans may find their patience tested. The things we do for love." [20]

Jeremy Egner of The New York Times believed that the episode did a good job with building up the story before the eventual climax at Winterfell and wrote, "In this last week before the big White Walker clash and the presumable carnage and loss of beloved characters it will entail, it was a reminder that the things we do for love can be heroic, too." [21] David Sims of The Atlantic suggested that "audiences didn't need most of last week's dire episode," adding that smooshing the episodes together would result in "a good hour of fan service," before the potential death of some of the characters in the next episode. [22] Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post believed that the episode did a good job of distinguishing between the two sides of the upcoming battle by showing "the warm bodies and warmer conversations between our tragically, beautifully human characters." Rosenberg went on to analyze that the apocalyptic situation facing the characters served as a meta commentary for the impending end of the series, writing, "It’s a sly note to those of us who have spent a decade or longer with George R.R. Martin’s characters, an admonition that even when this hugely absorbing series ends in a few weeks, its best moments will live on in those of us who have loved it and challenged it. And in the hands of writer and co-executive producer Bryan Cogman — who has always, to my mind, better understood what made “Game of Thrones” wonderful than even the men who created and ran the darn thing" [23] Author Stephen King shared praise about the episode on Twitter, writing, "As a long-time storyteller, I'm in awe of how perfectly the minds behind this show brought all the major characters together at Winterfell. They made it look easy. Constant Readers, it is not." [17]

Among the negative reviews, Liz Shannon Miller of IndieWire criticized the pace of the episode and what she considered unnecessary confrontations between the characters and added, "The issues surrounding "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" would be lesser if a) Episode 1 hadn't also been so devoted to moving pieces into place and b) Season 8 wasn't going to be only six episodes." [24]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef(s)
2019 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Nominated [25]
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Gwendoline Christie Nominated [26]

Related Research Articles

<i>A Game of Thrones</i> Novel by George R. R. Martin

A Game of Thrones is the first novel in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 1, 1996. The novel won the 1997 Locus Award and was nominated for both the 1997 Nebula Award and the 1997 World Fantasy Award. The novella Blood of the Dragon, comprising the Daenerys Targaryen chapters from the novel, won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Novella. In January 2011, the novel became a New York Times Bestseller and reached No. 1 on the list in July 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bran Stark</span> Character in A Song of Ice and Fire

Brandon Stark, also known as Bran, is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, where he is portrayed by English actor Isaac Hempstead Wright. Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Bran subsequently appears in A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000). He is one of a few prominent characters that are not included in the fourth novel A Feast for Crows (2005), but returned in the fifth novel A Dance with Dragons (2011).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaime Lannister</span> Fictional character in A Song of Ice and Fire novels

Jaime Lannister is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, where he is portrayed by Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Jaime becomes a prominent point of view character in the novels beginning with A Storm of Swords (2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandor Clegane</span> Character in A Song of Ice and Fire

Sandor Clegane, nicknamed the Hound, is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oathkeeper</span> 4th episode of the 4th season of Game of Thrones

"Oathkeeper" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 34th episode overall, "Oathkeeper" was written by Bryan Cogman and directed by Michelle MacLaren. It first aired on HBO on April 27, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brienne of Tarth</span> Character from A Song of Ice and Fire

Brienne of Tarth is a fictional character in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones. She is a prominent point of view character in the novels.

"Kill the Boy" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 45th episode overall, it was written by Bryan Cogman, and directed by Jeremy Podeswa, his directorial debut for the series. The episode first aired on HBO on May 10, 2015.

"A Man Without Honor" is the seventh episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 17th episode overall, "A Man Without Honor" was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by David Nutter. It first aired on HBO on May 13, 2012.

"Valar Morghulis" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 20th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by Alan Taylor. It first aired on June 3, 2012.

"Kissed by Fire" is the fifth episode of the third season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 25th episode of the series. Directed by Alex Graves and written by Bryan Cogman, it aired on April 28, 2013.

"Mockingbird" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 37th episode of the series overall, "Mockingbird" was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Alik Sakharov. It first aired on HBO on May 18, 2014.

"The Children" is the tenth and final episode of the fourth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 40th episode of the series overall, "The Children" was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Alex Graves. It first aired on HBO on June 15, 2014.

"The House of Black and White" is the second episode of the fifth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 42nd episode overall, it was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Michael Slovis. It first aired on HBO on April 19, 2015.

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"The Iron Throne" is the series finale of the HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The 73rd and final episode overall, "The Iron Throne" is the sixth episode of the eighth season, and was written and directed by executive producers and series creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It first aired on May 19, 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 "S8 Ep 2: A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms". HBO. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  2. ↑ 'Game of Thrones' Gave Itself a Feel-Good(ish) Bottle Episode. Vice. April 22, 2019.
  3. ↑ 'Game Of Thrones' Season 8, Episode 2: 'Think Back To Where We Started'. NPR. April 22, 2019.
  4. ↑ Game of Thrones Delivers One of Its All-Time-Best Episodes With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. /Film. April 22, 2019.
  5. ↑ "No, Game of Thrones Didn’t Do a Bottle Episode”. Vulture. April 24, 2019.
  6. ↑ "'Game of Thrones' Delivers One of Its All-Time-Best Episodes With "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"". /Film . April 22, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Maureen (April 24, 2019). "'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Is Game of Thrones' Best Episode Ever". TV Guide . Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  8. ↑ Beachum, Chris (July 26, 2019). "Gwendoline Christie ('Game of Thrones') 2019 Emmy Awards episode revealed for Best Drama Supporting Actress (Exclusive)". GoldDerby. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  9. ↑ Beachum, Chris (August 2, 2019). "2019 Emmy Episode Submissions (Official List) — Part 2". GoldDerby. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  10. ↑ Dwilson, Stephanie Dube (April 22, 2019). "'Game of Thrones' Season 8 Episode 2 Title Explained: The Secret Meaning of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'". Heavy.com. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  11. ↑ "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms". HBO. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  12. ↑ "'Game of Thrones' writer breaks down 'play-like' season 8, episode 2's big scenes". EW.com. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  13. ↑ "‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Locations: Where Is GoT Filmed?". Heavy.com. April 14, 2019.
  14. ↑ Goslin, Austen (April 21, 2019). "Podrick's song has ties to the books and a Game of Thrones prophecy". Polygon. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  15. ↑ Cantor, Brian (April 23, 2019). "Ratings: "Game Of Thrones" Falls From Season 8 Premiere, Tops Second Episode From S7". Headline Planet. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  16. ↑ Welch, Alex (April 23, 2019). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Game of Thrones' slips, 'Barry' hits another high". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  17. 1 2 King, Stephen (April 22, 2019). "'Stephen King's Twitter Account". Twitter. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  18. ↑ CollinsWh, Sean (April 22, 2019). "'Why 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Means So Much to Game of Thrones Book Readers". Vulture. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  19. ↑ "'Game of Thrones' Delivers One of Its All-Time-Best Episodes With "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"". /Film. April 22, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Game of Thrones - Season 8, Episode 2". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  21. ↑ Egner, Jeremy (April 21, 2019). "'Game of Thrones' Season 8, Episode 2 Recap: The Things We Do for Love". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  22. ↑ Sims, David (April 21, 2019). "Game of Thrones: The One Where Everyone Contemplates Imminent Death". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  23. ↑ Rosenberg, Alyssa (April 21, 2019). "'Game of Thrones' Season 8, Episode 2 review: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  24. ↑ Miller, Liz Shannon (April 21, 2019). "'Game of Thrones' Review: The Final Season Keeps Stalling in a Frustrating 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'". IndieWire. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  25. ↑ Beachum, Chris (August 2, 2019). "2019 Emmy Episode Submissions (Official List) — Part 2". GoldDerby. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  26. ↑ Beachum, Chris (August 2, 2019). "2019 Emmy Episode Submissions (Official List) — Part 2". GoldDerby. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
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