By now, if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you’ve seen the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The new HBO series set in George R.R. Martin’s Westeros introduces a more humble hero: Ser Duncan the Tall, or Dunk, a hedge knight with dreams of glory but whose nerves aren’t quite up to the task—yet. This is vividly illustrated in the first act of episode one, when Dunk declares he just might try his luck at a nearby tournament… then finds his enthusiasm briefly undercut by a sudden bout of gastrointestinal distress.
io9 asked showrunner Ira Parker about the scene at a recent A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms press day, specifically in the context of Dunk hearing the Game of Thrones theme music as he fantasizes about his future tourney success.
“Immediately, as soon as he hears that music, the reality of what it takes to actually go off and do that, and how terrifying it is, hits him and forces him into a very unheroic [situation],” Parker said. “Which hopefully is very understandable to a lot of people who have had big ideas and [then] they’ve been hit with the reality of ‘How do I go off and do this?”
We redacted “situation” there so as not to spoil the moment itself, which sees Dunk crouch behind a tree as projectile diarrhea spews out of his butt. It’s vivid and memorable and rather disgusting, and Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin—an outspoken fan of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, unlike certain other adaptations of his works—wasn’t so sure about the choice at first.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Martin admitted, “Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise.”
But trusting Parker’s vision, he rolled with it. “Not to say that my characters don’t take shits, but I normally don’t write about them at any length. When I saw the rough cut, I wrote, ‘What is this? Where did this come from? I don’t know if we really need the shit.’ But [showrunner Ira Parker] liked it for whatever reason.”
Parker told THR the poop scene wasn’t meant to be disrespectful to Game of Thrones or Martin’s characters and story. It’s more meant to capture Dunk’s relatable feelings of self-doubt in what ends up being a pivotal moment in his life.
“All we’re trying to say here is that Dunk is not a hero yet. He’s just a nervy kid with a nervous stomach—just like me,” Parker said. “And as badly as you want to do something great, as soon as you actually have to go off and do it, it becomes trickier. And that’s what the whole season is for him.”
The next episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms arrives Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
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