Chris Connor reviews the season finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms…
After the scale and tension of the preceding two episodes, “The Morrow” brings the first season of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to a close in a calmer fashion.
The finale follows the aftermath of the trial as Ser Duncan recovers, the toast of the town, and we see a return to the humour of earlier episodes, though our hedge knight is clearly scarred by recent events, and more jaded. As has been the case across the series, the shorter runtime feels like an asset rather than a hindrance as we wrap up the first of George R.R. Martin’s novellas.
It may be relatively light on plot, but Peter Claffey and the wider ensemble once again impress in what is far and away the most intimate of the Westeros set shows. Even more peripheral characters feel like they’ve had some development, and even though we’ve only explored a tiny patch of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s never felt too small-scale. This works in fine contrast to the bombast and breadth of both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
Things are brought to a natural conclusion while laying the foundations for a long run following Ser Dunc and Egg. With the three novellas already released and George R.R. Martin speaking of other entries in the series, this is just the beginning of an epic adventure with the pair. The challenge will be to maintain this level of quality. This is certainly the most unified fans have been in some time, and the promise of regular trips with the pair will certainly fill audiences with anticipation rather than dread.
Even if it is a quieter finale, ‘The Morrow’ rounds off a wonderful first season of the show, and given the mixed response to House of the Dragon’s second season, has been the tonic the franchise needed. It will be a long wait until we pick up the travels of our knight and his squire in season two, but if this is anything to go by, it’ll surely be worth it.
Chris Connor
