The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, “Hard Salt Beef,” really feels like the series has hit the ground running. Having taken the time to really establish the pacing of the first episode, the series opens up the world that our hero, the lovable but clumsy knight-to-be Sir Duncan the Tall, and the quick-witted companion to the knight-to-be, Egg, find themselves in. And by the credits of the episode, our hero has entered the Ashford tournament and accepted the harsh reality of the action.
Memory is what opens this scene. Dunk remembers his late mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, as a flashback narrative reveals his down-to-earth personality and wandering lifestyle. While Ser Arlan wasn’t a man of means, a man of renown, or a man of political pull, in a world where knighthood can be a title of ambition and blood-soaked ambition, it is a refreshing change of pace to read of a man who tried as best he could to make a difference in a person’s life and leave them a better person when he left them than when they had first encountered him. Dunk’s reason for relating this story is made clear very quickly; Dunk is relating this story in hopes of finding someone who remembers Ser Arlan well enough to speak out on his behalf. But no one does.
The episode ends as a poised calm before inevitable violence
What works beautifully within this narrative is the contrast in terms of emotion. Dunk’s respect for Ser Arlan is complete, even as he begins to understand that the world outside barely remembers the man. The salt beef, which has been so hard to swallow, becomes a metaphor for the harsh realities Dunk must face.
House Targaryen’s entry puts this show in high gear. Trumpets sound, and now there is a threat in this tourney field that wasn’t there before. Baelor Targaryen enters with grace and warmth, Maekar with authority and severity, and Aerion, or Aerion ‘Brightflame,’ with threat and menace. Aerion’s meanness is apparent in his very first interaction with Dunk, and Finn Bennett makes him an unpleasant and volatile character.
Still, Dunk does what Dunk does best, helping out where he can, even if it means taking care of the horse, as it lashes out in aggression. Dunk’s affection for animal friends, much like Dunk’s character, is another astute move by the show, and it’s through Dunk’s helping nature that his worth is recognized, even if society isn’t ready to accept it.
One of the highlights of the episode is when, quite out of the blue, Dunk gets called into the presence of Baelor Targaryen himself. Anxious, sincere, and just holding himself together, Dunk asks the one question he wants an answer to: Does Baelor recollect Ser Arlan of Pennytree? This is a scene with a lot of tension and emotional content. Baelor himself displays some decency, and when, at last, Dunk prevails and gets himself a place at the tournament, he feels good about himself, but also feels one step closer to discovering who he is, rather than who he was trained by.
The search for identity creates one of the more tender moments this episode is capable of, as Dunk requests the services of the puppeteer, Tanselle, to paint his sigil. His awkward, if cute, encounter is the epitome of sweetness. His sigil, the elm tree combined with the shooting star, is simple, personal, and yet instantly iconic. It is a tale of warmth and sacrifice, and this is never more evident than in the scene in which Dunk sells the horse of Ser Arlan, which is called Sweetfoot, in order to acquire armor. It is a sad scene, and it is more poignant given the focus of the show on Dunk’s connection with the animals of Westeros.
Dunk promises that he will rescue her, but it is clear that the seeds of doubt are already beginning to manifest in his mind. But at last, the tourney starts at night, and it is electric. The noise, the pageantry, the danger—it is all alive, and Westerosi tourneys rarely feel quite this alive. Egg is delighted, while Dunk is overwhelmed, and anxiety builds up inside him as he comes to realize just what he is really up against. Dunk owns up to his fear as soon as he gets back and admits to himself that maybe, just maybe, Ser Arlan wasn’t all that good. Maybe this is Dunk, too, not being all that good.
Dunk is more determined, however, to go riding as a way of living up to all the lessons he had been taught, even if no one remembers the man who taught him. It is a strong, confident show, increasing emotional stakes while at the same time enlarging the world in which Dunk and Egg find themselves. It is the calm before a storm, something violent, something unforgettable, and we find ourselves waiting until the next installment.
