It is somewhat surprising that we are already in May 2025 and no official image, teaser, or date announcement for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been released yet. In general, mystery has been MAX’s practice, it seems. The same strategy was adopted for “And Just Like That,” which premieres at the end of May, and for “The Gilded Age,” which premieres in June. Therefore, if we can think of a date for returning to Westeros, it could be late July or late August.
* HBO MAX (yes, it’s the name of the platform again) announced mid-2025 that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will premiere in January 2026.

In any case, it is good to familiarize yourself with the “new” Targaryens, heirs of Rhaenyra and Daemon, and ancestors of Daenerys, and learn who is who in the new series.

If Aerion (Finn Bennet) is a prince without redeeming qualities and the great villain of the series, there are still more controversial Targaryens, such as Aerion’s father, Maekar I, played by the actor Sam Spruell. The fourth in line ended up ascending to the Iron Throne after the death of his older brothers and nephews.

His reign is marked by internal conflicts and challenges to his authority, but also by an effort to maintain the stability of the kingdom. Maekar is a complex character, often described as stern and austere, but also fair and determined.

One of the most significant events of his reign was the Blackfyre Rebellion, where he fought against Daemon Blackfyre and his descendants, who claimed the throne as his rightful heirs.

Maekar I died in battle during the Third Blackfyre Rebellion, and his youngest son, Aegon V Targaryen, known as Egg, eventually became king. None of this will be in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, at least not in the first season, where Egg is still a child and played by Dexter Sol Ansell.

But let’s talk about the other prominent characters?

Like Tanselle Too-Tall (Tanzyn Crawford), Ser Duncan’s (Peter Claffey) romantic interest, who in the books is secondary but memorable. She is a puppeteer and is part of a troupe that performs at the tournament in Ashford Meadow. Very tall, she catches the attention of Dunk, who finds her as beautiful as she is talented.

Tanselle’s problem is that during the tournament, she uses puppets to satirize the nobility, which irritates the cruel and unstable Aerion Targaryen (Bennett). The prince destroys Tanselle’s dragon puppet in a fit of rage and attacks her, too, leading Dunk to defend her from being arrested.

If Tanselle is not central in the book, she highlights Dunk’s sense of justice and his willingness to defend the defenseless, even at great personal risk. But since it is precisely this incident that triggers the great change in the knight’s life, she will certainly have greater prominence in the series. Even so, she disappears at the end of the story, so either the series will give a greater explanation of her fate, or it will invent something. But she is a passing character.

Another to pay attention to is Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), an ancestor of Robert Baratheon. Described as a man of impressive presence: tall, broad, and with the famous Baratheon appearance – dark hair and striking features. But unlike other more serious or sullen Baratheons, Lyonel was known for his easy laugh, his affable nature, and his sense of honor. Hence the nickname “Laughing Storm”.

He participates in the tournament held at Ashford Meadow and will support Ser Duncan, opposing Aerion’s cruelty. The most important thing in historical terms is that not only does Egg (future King Aegon V) admire and respect him, but when he becomes king, Egg marries one of his daughters to Lyonel’s son. From this union, Steffon Baratheon is born, none other than the father of Robert, Stannis, and Renly, whom we meet in Game of Thrones. So yes, Robert was always half Targaryen, and Lyonel was his grandfather.

Thus, Lyonel can be seen as a link between the more chivalrous times and the turbulent future of Westeros. His nickname and reputation demonstrate that, even in a cynical and brutal world, there was still room for honorable lords with a sense of humor and bravery.

We’ll keep an eye out for news about the series, but it promises to be a huge success.