The Season 1 finale of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ ended with a lie. In “The Morrow,” Dunk walks away from the Trial of Seven alive, but Baelor Targaryen is dead, and Egg makes a choice that changes everything.
The show also makes a big change from George R. R. Martin’s novella in how it ends the story. Now, Peter Claffey is defending that cliffhanger and explaining why it was the right move for the series.
Peter Claffey Defends The Season 1 Cliffhanger Of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
Dunk defeats Aerion Targaryen in the first Trial of Seven in over a century. He barely survives the brutal fight, and the court spares him even though he struck a prince. However, the victory feels empty because Baelor Targaryen dies after stepping in to defend Dunk’s honor.
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The final moments bring the biggest twist. Maekar Targaryen clearly objects to his son continuing as a squire. Even so, Egg tells Dunk that permission has been granted. That claim is false. Egg lies, and Dunk accepts it without asking questions. They ride away together, and the season ends there.
Many viewers have wondered why Dunk did not confirm the truth directly. Peter Claffey addressed that concern. He explained that Dunk is “not the brightest spark in the world” and likely assumed Maekar had changed his mind. Claffey admitted Dunk probably should have double-checked. Even so, he defended the decision by saying that without that moment, “you don’t get the rest of the story.” He called it “a nice little cliffhanger” that keeps the story moving, even though it differs from the novella.
Why The Ending Of “The Morrow” Is Crucial For The Series
Peter Claffey believes the ending works because it reflects Dunk’s emotional state. Dunk does not leave Ashford feeling proud. Guilt weighs heavily on him. Throughout the season, people speak about Baelor as a prince who could bring a better future to Westeros. Many believed he would become a great king. Baelor dies fighting for Dunk, and that loss hits him deeply.
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Claffey explained that Dunk feels responsible for taking away the kingdom’s best hope. In the eyes of many in Ashford, if “that idiot hedge knight” had accepted punishment, even losing a hand or foot, Baelor might still be alive. Instead, Westeros now faces drought, fear, and the coming Great Spring Sickness.
Ending the season on Egg’s lie only adds to the burden. Dunk rides away carrying grief and doubt. He does not know that history will remember him as a great knight. At that moment, he only knew that a good man died in his place. That unresolved tension gives the story strength and draws viewers in.
The ending also strengthens the bond between Dunk and Egg. Their relationship already began with hidden truths because Egg kept his royal identity secret. So, this new lie keeps them together while sowing the seeds of future conflict. Dunk still does not see himself as a legendary figure. If someone told him he could one day lead the Kingsguard, he would not believe it. History may remember him as one of the great knights, but he does not see that future yet.
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