In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ first episode, it was the poop scene. Episode two, “Hard Salt Beef,” brought another memorable moment involving bodily functions, and showrunner Ira Parker knows people are going to be curious about why certain, uh, size-related decisions were made.
In case you’re still not caught up on last night’s episode, here’s a warning:
As the episode begins, Dunk (Peter Claffey) is spinning remembrances of his late master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), recounting the man’s honorable qualities. Dunk is hoping someone will remember Ser Arlan’s honorable actions and fighting spirit and agree to vouch for him so Dunk—a hedge knight with zero credentials—can enter the Ashford tournament.
However, the visuals let us know that Ser Arlan’s most distinguishing characteristic is something that usually stays hidden, although it’s on full display in the opening moments of “Hard Salt Beef”: his enormous manhood. It’s “rewind the episode and make sure you saw what you thought you saw” big. And while Parker joked about whether or not it was a prosthesis while talking to Entertainment Weekly (“I forget”), he knew full well the scene would make an impression. He also had a solid reason behind wanting to include it.
“I felt bad for Ser Arlan at some point … Dunk is going around trying to find somebody who just even remembers him—people that he served for, people that he bled for, these knights and these lords,” Parker said.
But Dunk has zero luck, at least initially. That’s why, Parker said, “I felt the need to give [Ser Arlan] his one special thing, to channel a little Boogie Nights, I suppose.”
However, it’s meant to be a fun aside, not something audiences dwell on. “It is just a flourish of the story that we’re telling,” Parker explained. “Those were tough days for anyone, let alone a fighting warrior who lives under trees in the 14th century … I figured he’s got something that helps him get through those really intense battles. He’s got a certain energy about him, if you will.”
What “flourish” might A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms viewers get treated to in episode three? New episodes arrive Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.
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