A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Showrunner Teases Season 2 Plot Is "Wading Into Politics" With New Character

Based on George R. R. Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas​​​​​​, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms could be getting more political in season 2.

Following Prince Baelor Targaryen's death during the Trial of Seven, The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 ended with Prince Aegon "Egg" Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) joining Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) on their next Westerosi journey. It won't be the last time viewers see the squire and knight together since HBO renewed the Game of Thrones spinoff for season 2, but aside from the duo, the upcoming installment will feature a fresh set of characters.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Ira Parker discussed the new character, Lady Rohanne (Lucy Boynton), and how her arrival will impact Dunk. Lady Rohanne, the "Red Widow," is capable of "making Dunk uncomfortable." The hedge knight spends much of season 1 training and fighting, and not much time "politicking in general," so the comments could suggest that Dunk will face many new, unique challenges. Check out Parker's full comments below:

"She has a way of making Dunk uncomfortable, which is very good for us. Some of our other characters on season 1 did that very well, and that's what we need from the Red Widow for a variety of reasons. This is essentially Dunk wading into politics. Maybe he's gotten pretty good with a sword and pretty good riding a horse and being a sword for hire, but not so good at talking to highborn ladies or politicking in general. So somebody who can make him feel back-footed is gonna lead to good situations for us."

Lady Rohanne Webber is called "Red Widow" because in the story, she has been married multiple times before Dunk meets her. Originally, Lady Rohanne was written as fierce, strong, politically shrewd, and independent, with rumors surrounding how she became more powerful. Gossip leads Dunk to believe that she is a villain.

What complicates this politically for Dunk is that Rohanne eventually marries Gerold Lannister, who becomes the mother of Tytos Lannister, grandmother of Tywin Lannister, and great-grandmother of Jaime, Cersei, and Tyrion. Her character and personality greatly reflect many classic Lannister tropes that audiences recognize.

Rohanne, then, for Dunk, represents a new challenge, as he has never had a meaningful interaction with a highborn woman. Rohanne, as Parker explained, "make[s] him [Dunk] feel back-footed." Based on what occurs in the original novella, The Sworn Sword, Dunk experiences romantic attraction and tension, and their class divide then suggests many new political elements.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 filming is underway, and as Parker has mentioned, there have been slight delays due to flooding from Storm Therese. In the original novella, the plot takes place during one of the worst droughts in the history of Westeros, so although the cast and crew were "hanging out in a hotel in Grand Canary waiting for the rain to pass," season 2 is still targeted for a 2027 release window.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 successfully portrayed a large tournament and showcased classic Game of Thrones fighting and action scenes, but given Parker's comments and the arrival of Lady Rohanne, Dunk's next chapter could have a more intimate and political tone.