‘It was a mistake on my part': 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ showrunner admits regret about a missing book scene

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The 'Game of Thrones' spinoff series is a, largely, faithful page-to-screen adaptation of George R. R. Martin's 'Tales of Dunk and Egg' novellas

Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
(Image credit: HBO)

Since premiering in November 2025, HBO's "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" has become a worthy addition to the larger Westeros Universe, with its recent fourth episode being dubbed by us here at Tom's Guide as "the best show episode of the year so far."

The six-episode streaming series is, thus far, a lovingly faithful screen adaptation of George R. R. Martin's "The Tales of Dunk and Egg" novellas, which follow the odd-couple duo of lowborn hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (played by Peter Claffey in the show) and his diminutive squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) — better known by "A Song of Ice and Fire" fans as Aegon V Targaryen — as they traverse Westeros and encounter "great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits" along the way, per the official logline.

However, one key omission from Martin's source material in the streaming adaptation has been seemingly plaguing "AKOTSK" showrunner Ira Parker, who revealed during a recent Reddit AMA that the cut was "not my first not my last [mistake] on this show." During the discussion, per The Hollywood Reporter, a critical fan pointed out a crucial exchange in Martin’s "The Hedge Knight" novella, where Dunk is helpfully reminded by blacksmith Steely Pate that he is "a knight who remembered his vows.”

“Many readers consider [this] to be the soul and the moral of the entire novella,” the fan posted in the AMA thread. “The impact comes not just from the exchange itself, but its careful placement at Dunk’s lowest point, before he realizes any champions have answered his call … It’s an odd choice given how faithful you’ve otherwise been to the novella.”

Rather than discredit the viewer's take, Parker replied to the poster directly, saying: “Honestly it was a mistake on my part. Not my first, not my last on this show. That scene was in the script at one point, then fell out. I agree that ‘a knight who remembers his vows’ is the soul of this story, but I think that is still very much at the core of the show, even if I stupidly left out this scene … it may not be said explicitly, but Dunk’s actions remain the same.”

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | Official Teaser Trailer | HBO Max - YouTube A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | Official Teaser Trailer | HBO Max - YouTube
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Faithfulness to the original material has not only been a focus for Parker but also for Martin, the former revealed in a February 2026 interview with GQ.

"I think he mentioned the phrase “faithful adaptation” about four times in his first three words," Parker said of the author. "It was very important for him; he loves “The Hedge Knight,” and he loves these characters. These books are very important for him. He wanted them to be reflected well in a TV show, which was easy for me, because after coming to and reading these books, I very much agree with that. I like these stories as they are presented. I like the tone in which they are presented. We agreed."

That faithfulness extends to the scant screentime of the series, especially in comparison with the more expansive "Game of Thrones" flagship series. “One of George’s biggest concerns was that the story shouldn’t be stretched too far,” Parker told the outlet, adding that the original novellas "are quite slim, even as novellas go, perhaps. I think the original publication of 'Hedge Knight' was something like 84 pages." Thus, "AKOTSK" season 1 consists of just six episodes, each about 30 minutes long.

Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," including behind-the-scenes intel on the currently-airing first season as well as details on the in-the-works season two.

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Christina Izzo
Christina Izzo
Writer

Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, food and drink, travel and general lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York. 

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