As the first chapter of the legendary hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg comes to an end, the road through Westeros is far from over.
HBO’s “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is already gearing up for its next tale with the announcement of its second season, which will be based on George RR Martin’s “The Sworn Sword”, a simmering story of land ownership, loyalty and looming conflict.
The series will once again send Dunk and Egg into the tangled politics of the realm, this time alongside new faces who could tip the balance of honour and power.
New faces in Westeros
With the first season concluded, HBO appears to be moving the series forward swiftly, announcing new cast members just over a week after the finale aired.
Joining them for the second season are several new cast members who are expected to play key roles in the unfolding conflict of Dunk and Egg’s next adventure.
Lucy Boynton, who starred in “Sing Street” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”, has been cast as Lady Rohanne Webber, a sharp-witted noblewoman and widow known for her fierce independence.
In addition, Babou Ceesay (from “Alien: Earth” and “Damilola, Our Loved Boy”) will portray Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield, a rough-edged knight who was Ser Arlan of Pennytree’s (Danny Webb) former travelling companion.
Peter Mullan, who acted in “Ozark”, and “I Swear”, will be taking the role of Ser Eustace Osgrey, a central figure tied to the brewing dispute over land and loyalty.
Peter Claffey (Dunk) and Dexter Sol Ansell (Egg), as expected, will be returning for their roles.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Tiffany Young and actor Byun yo-han deny pre-marital pregnancy rumours
From tourneys to trials
Drawn from the Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series, the six-episode “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” quickly proved to be a hit among viewers, offering a more intimate journey through Westeros from the point of view of the smallfolk, a contrast to the main series “Game of Thrones”, which had delved more into the stories of kings and nobles.
The show also centres on the unlikely partnership between a wandering hedge knight and his (secretly) royal-born squire.
The first season follows Dunk as he travels to a grand tourney in Ashford Meadow, hoping to make a name for himself after the death of his knight and adoptive father, Ser Arlan of Pennytree.
However, what should have been a simple competition of combat and jousting became complicated when he got entangled in a conflict involving Targaryen princes, powerful knights and questions of honour.
The series drew strong audience interest during its first season, with the finale, which had only been aired on February 22, reaching 9.5 million viewers.
The measurements came from the combined data from Nielsen’s measurement of HBO’s cable channel and Warner Bros Discovery’s internal streaming figures from HBO Max.
The show has also received a 94 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
READ NEXT: Eurovision Song Contest: Mum Look No Computer to represent the UK in Vienna
Sarah Sharp 
Anna Ferraz