He swaggered into the tourney like he owned Westeros, and by the time season 1 ended, Lyonel Baratheon had stolen more than a few scenes.
However, with ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ preparing to enter season 2, the big question remains: was that Baratheon energy a one-season pleasure? The answer is complicated, according to actor Daniel Ings.
Lyonel Baratheon May Be Sitting Out Season 2, But Not the Saga
Season 2 is officially adapting The Sworn Sword, the second novella in George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series. The catch? The catch? Lyonel does not feature in that story, or in the third novella, The Mystery Knight. Ings himself has admitted that the show will be very faithful to Martin’s writing in the future. That makes his return improbable on paper.
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“I mean, I couldn’t possibly comment on Series 2, but I would love for audiences to get to see Lyonel Baratheon again. I’d love to play this guy again. He’s not in the second book or the third book,” he told Collider. And yet, television tends to distort expectations. Season 1 was mostly based on The Hedge Knight. Yet it was not afraid to elaborate on some of the scenes.
This provides a ray of hope, even if it’s just a cameo or an added scene to deepen the political landscape of Westeros. Ings has been delightfully candid: he does not know anything, but he would love to play Lyonel angaim. You can feel the affection. This isn’t just another role; it’s a character with legacy.
The Change Could Send Dunk & Egg Down A New Path
This is where the interesting part comes in. Martin is said to have reminded Ings that Lyonel returns later on down the line. That remark has given rise to speculation among lore-savvy fans. In the broader A Song of Ice and Fire timeline, Lyonel Baratheon, the future “Laughing Storm”, plays a significant role decades after Dunk and Egg’s early adventures.
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The issue? That payoff is about twenty years later. Showrunner Ira Parker has suggested a multi-season vision of the show. Provided that HBO adheres to such a long-term strategy, the time frame might ultimately lead to the period when Lyonel’s greater arc is played. If that occurs, Ings has clarified that he would be pumped to come back.
Season 2 is currently dedicated to the next chapter of Dunk and Egg, and Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are set to reappear. It is not clear whether Lyonel will reappear in the story in the near future or later. But in Westeros, absences rarely mean endings.
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