At a Glance
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Bertie Carvel says the show asks if doing the right thing is still possible.
- His character Baelor Targaryen offers a rare decent royal amid violent medieval politics.
- Carvel ties the fantasy tale to real-world moral courage in 2025.
- Why it matters: Viewers get a blueprint for everyday heroism when optimism feels scarce.
The new HBO prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms lands on January 18, and one of its stars believes the show’s core question is simple: can ordinary people still choose honor in a brutal world? Speaking at a recent press conference attended by News Of Fort Worth, actor Bertie Carvel explained how the series uses Dunk, Ser Duncan the Tall, to test that idea.
Carvel plays Baelor Targaryen, a calming presence at the Ashford tournament where the story unfolds. Unlike many of his dragon-blooded relatives, Baelor shows kindness rather than cruelty when he meets the hedge knight Dunk, portrayed by Peter Claffey. Their encounter highlights the tension between noble ideals and harsh reality.
The Heart of Heroism
During the conference, Carvel said the script keeps returning to one dilemma. “It does seem to be the question at the heart of the whole thing: whether it’s possible to do the right thing and whether there’s a space for that,” he noted. He added that Dunk himself doubts the value of honor, wondering if knighthood is nothing more than childish fantasy.
Carvel tied the medieval struggle to modern life. “I think we’re probably all asking ourselves that all the time and whether you can find the moral courage to do the right thing, whether it feels like a wasted effort,” he said. “That’s why it’s good television; it’s good storytelling, and I think a story that we kind of have a real thirst for right now.”
The actor praised showrunner Ira Parker for crafting a narrative that speaks to audiences facing daily cynicism. “Yeah, in a sort of darkening world-thanks, Ira-we need these stories. It’s good to be part of that,” Carvel remarked.
What Makes a Hero
Later in the session, Carvel broadened the definition of heroism beyond swords and armor. “[The show] is sort of inviting us all to ask ourselves whether we can be a hero or what that would mean for us, whether it’s ludicrous and hubristic [or] naive to imagine that one can do heroic deeds,” he said.
He sees Dunk as the embodiment of that self-interrogation. The knight dreams of grand quests yet constantly confronts his limitations. “He looks around him, and he sees knights who seem more capable and grander. And that’s why it’s relatable, and I think that’s why it is a heroic story-because it’s grounded in something quite humane and mortal,” Carvel explained.
Carvel urged viewers to apply the lesson at home. “I think it would be good if we would all ask ourselves the question [of] what it would mean to be more heroic,” he said. “I think people, all the time, do things, ordinary things that are deeply heroic actually, and the most heroism you’ll see is in just ordinary lives; it doesn’t have to be something grand.”
He ended on a hopeful note, suggesting small acts of courage accumulate. “And the sum total of those things can add up to a world still existing in 2027,” he said.
Key Takeaways
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms frames heroism as daily moral choices, not epic battles.
- Baelor Targaryen stands out as a decent royal in a family known for fire and blood.
- Carvel believes viewers crave hopeful stories amid real-world uncertainty.
- The six-episode limited series debuts on HBO and HBO Max on January 18, 2025.
