How ‘The Master of Seven Kingdoms’ Reminds Us We Need Super Heroes More Than Ever
Followers of Game of Thrones and especially The House of the Beast you might be wondering what business a Targaryen is talking about what makes a hero. George RR Martin’s newest HBO series presents some platinum blonde villains, but it also shows us otherwise. everything The Targaryens are the baddies. That includes Baelor Targaryen, a surprisingly calm presence amid the chaos of the tournament at Ashford, where Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place.
Baelor (Bertie Carvel) crosses paths with Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ main character, the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey). He’s scary as hell, but he’s kind—and he provides an important contrast to the more difficult Targaryens Dunk encounters.
Speaking recently Knight of the Seven Kingdoms At a press conference attended by io9, Carvel went into the show’s topic about superheroes. A lot of that comes from Dunk, but we see it in other characters as well. And Carvel made an interesting parallel between the fun setting of the show and the world we all deal with every day.
“It seems to be the question at the heart of everything: is it possible to do the right thing and is there room for it,” Carvel said. “And I think it’s Dunk, really, who’s asking that. We were watching it again the other night when we attended the premiere; it struck me that he himself has been asking if it’s some kind of foolish act to follow honor. Is he just kidding himself with this fantasy of heroism? Maybe doubt will doom our world.”
Carvel continued. “I think almost all of us wonder if we can always find the moral courage to do the right thing, even if it feels like a wasted effort. That’s why it’s good television; it tells a good story, and I think it’s a story we’re really thirsty for right now. Yes, in a dark world—thank you.” [showrunner] Ira [Parker]—we need these stories. It’s great to be a part of that.”
Later in the same press conference, Carvel elaborated on what it really means to be a hero.
“[A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms] it kind of invites us all to ask ourselves if we can be a hero or what that might mean for us, even if it’s funny and funny. [or] Not thinking that one can do heroic deeds. I think I learned that from the image of Dunk—he dreams of himself, as we all do as children, doing heroic deeds, and then being reminded of his humanity, his mortality, his limitations, and so on. He looks around him, and sees warriors who appear to be skilled and large. And that’s why it’s relatable, and I think that’s why it’s a heroic story—because it’s based on something human and mortal.”
“I think it would be good if we could all ask ourselves this question [of] what it means to be a hero. I think people, all the time, do things, ordinary things that are deeply heroic actually, and the greatest heroism you’ll see is in ordinary lives; it doesn’t have to be a big deal. And the sum of those things can be added to the world that is still in 2027. “
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms hits HBO and HBO Max on January 18.
