‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 4 Review - Trial Of Seven

Finn Bennett, as Prince Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen, looks like one of those jerks you desperately want to see defeated. A glimpse of his face is enough to sour your mood; you almost want to gift him the strictest punishment imaginable. Naturally, this only makes you root harder for Duncan when Aerion challenges him to a trial of seven.

The trial of seven is a variation of trial by combat, except seven fighters from each side face off. Fail to gather seven men, and you're declared guilty by default. The logic? If the gods didn't want you punished, they'd have provided you with supporters. Ah, yes—the good old days of superstition and stupid laws. I'm quite glad we've outgrown leaders empowered to enforce such spectacular nonsense.

To say that Duncan struggles to find knights would be a whopper. With Egg—sorry, Aegon—by his side, he assembles his seven, though one knight defects at the last moment. Naturally, drama must be served. This is when Duncan delivers a passionate plea to the crowd, asking whether there's a knight honorable enough to stand with him.

Suddenly, as if deeply moved, a man known as the Brute of Bracken rises. A new ally? Easy there, ladies and gentlemen. He only stood up to release a fart. Let's not forget: this is a comedy. Some of you might find slight similarities between this scene and the one in the premiere, where, too, a grand gesture was undercut by the sight of poop and the sounds of farts. 

I read somewhere that the creators of Seven Kingdoms plan to release a season every year. That shouldn't be hard if they stick to this weightless template, where episodes don't so much end as evaporate. These episodes run for almost thirty minutes, and most of the time is spent reassuring viewers that what they're watching is fluffy and light. Episode 4, for instance, is almost entirely about recruiting men for Duncan. Will Episode 5 focus solely on the trial, with Episode 6 wrapping things up with Duncan bestowed with newfound respect and reputation? I hope the season has a few surprises left before it ends.

Final Score- [5.5/10]