Why the Game of Thrones Theme Song Plays at the End of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 4

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At the end of the episode, as Dunk puts together his team for the trial of seven against Aerion and his band of not-so-merry men, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms delivers one of its biggest surprises: as the hedge knight pleads with the crowd of nobles for a true knight to emerge, none other than Prince Baelor Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne, comes forward to join his cause. Yes, even against his own brother and two nephews. And as if that wasn’t cool enough, Ramin Djawadi’s iconic Game of Thrones theme song begins to soar, and this time it isn’t interrupted.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Has Earned Its Game Of Thrones Moment

This is unquestionably A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ biggest hero moment so far. From the end of Dunk’s impassioned speech, to Baelor’s emergence, to the theme song ending, it’s the sequence that feels the most like Game of Thrones. There’s a real sense of weight to the sequence, the kind of heft and, well, epicness that we haven’t seen with this show before now, but do associate with its predecessor. It’s a step into the Thrones world, and so the use of the familiar music is well earned, and all the better for the fakeout earlier in the season.

This stands in contrast to House of the Dragon, which uses the same song for its opening credits. Rather than directly ape its parent show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has dared to be different, and that’s also created a sense of want and anticipation, making this a moment of incredible payoff. It’s also part of a notable tonal shift, as things take a darker turn in the series. The fun of the tourney is over, and now the stakes are life and death, which, again, the song illustrates perfectly.

It’s also very befitting of Baelor. We aren’t used to Targaryens being so truly good and honorable, but this is the kind of heroic stand we have seen from other characters. Given the circumstances, it calls to mind Oberyn Martell telling Tyrion Lannister he will be his champion, while it’s also easy to see some of Jon Snow’s DNA in the scene. There’s Targaryen royalty fighting Targaryen royalty. The stakes are high. When you play… you win, or you die. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ game of thrones is afoot.

The Hidden Meaning Of A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ Game Of Thrones Theme Song

There is another layer to the use of the theme song, which is that it sets up a much stronger connection to Game of Thrones in terms of its characters. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ timeline is around 90 years before the show, and while that’s still some way off, it does mean we’re only a couple of generations removed from some of the major players of that story. And the trial of seven is a pivotal turning point in getting us there, as the events that transpire do lead directly to Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, though it requires major book spoilers for what happens during the battle and to the main characters long afterwards.

If you do wish to be spoiled, simply highlight the text below.

At the end of the trial of seven in the book, Baelor emerges from the battlefield to speak with a victorious Dunk, but his speech his slurred. When he removes his helm, it’s revealed that the back of his head was caved in by his brother, Maekar, who used a mace when fighting him, and Baelor dies. He was the heir to the Iron Throne, but now that’s changed, and will continue to change. While King Daeron II dies from a great sickness that plagues Westeros, so too do both of Baelor’s sons.

The throne passes to his next eldest, Aerys, and when he dies, Maekar becomes king. By the time of Maekar’s death, both of his eldest sons are deceased, and Aemon is a Maester, so cannot take the throne. And thus, Egg becomes King Aegon V Targaryen, and the Targaryen lines continues from him through to Dany and Jon, none of which might ever happen if Baelor didn’t take part in the trial of seven. So this is, in a sense, the beginning of Game of Thrones.

New episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release Sundays at 10 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.

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