'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' cast and showrunner discuss episode 5 Trial of Seven battle

Peter Claffey, Finn Bennett and Ira Parker explain Dunk and Aerion’s episode 5 fight

The team behind A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has detailed how episode five’s Trial of Seven battle between Dunk and Aerion Targaryen was designed to feel physically demanding and grounded.

The instalment places the confrontation at the centre of the story, intercut with flashbacks to Dunk’s childhood in Flea Bottom. Showrunner Ira Parker said the aim was to immerse viewers in Dunk’s perspective.

“Because we’re solely in Dunk’s POV, I wanted everybody to feel what it’s like to put on that armor, to put on that helmet,” Parker explained. “Dunk is not going to be good at this.”

Parker noted that despite Dunk’s physical size, the character quickly finds himself at a disadvantage. “First thing he does is get a spear in the guts and get knocked off his horse,” he said, emphasising the vulnerability built into the sequence.

Peter Claffey, who plays Dunk, said the fight reflects a shift from knightly combat to survival. Quoting the source material, he described the turning point as “this is not Sir Duncan the Tall here, this is Dunk from Flea Bottom”. He added that the character’s “adversity and grit” ultimately allow him to overcome a more highly trained opponent.

Finn Bennett, who portrays Aerion, said the production focused on exhaustion as much as choreography. He recalled being “dragged through the mud, on like a pulley” during filming.

Director Owen Cooper encouraged both actors to show fatigue between exchanges, with Bennett saying, “What’s really going to sell this moment is how tired you both are.”

The episode continues the series’ expansion of the Game of Thrones universe, with the first season approaching its finale on HBO and HBO Max.