Westeros

The trailer opens with the opening of “The Hedge Knight”, as Dunk (Peter Claffey) buries his late master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree.

HBO Max

Dunk carrying Ser Arlan (Danny Webb) to his grave.

HBO Max

Ser Duncan puts on a helm that looks very similar in design to that created by Mike S. Miller for the Dabel Bros./Marvel The Hedge Knight. Peter Claffey at the NYCC panel actually states explicitly that he felt the armor was indeed very much inspired by Miller’s design and he was excited by that.

HBO Max

There’s a brief interaction in the novella, where Ser Duncan interacts with a stableboy, with the aim of meeting Lord Ashford’s master of horse. It’s unclear which character this person is.

HBO Max

And that would be Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), in a scene straight from the novella.

HBO Max

Dunk and Egg in the stable.

HBO Max

A new pennon design for the Targaryen dragon, with its correct two hind legs and no forelimbs! The extended wings look great.

HBO Max

Prince Aerion Targaryen, known as Brightflame, with more dialog from the the novella. He looks a bit different than how he has been depicted in the the comic, with the short hair, but he carries off the arrogance.

HBO Max

Dunk watching a “puppet” show, but it looks like it’s turned into more of a full-on mummers’ spectacular.

HBO Max

Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), the Dornishwoman who’s part of the novella’s Dornish puppet company.

HBO Max

Plummer (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor), steward to Lord Ashford who’s handling the organization of the tourney.

HBO Max

A very nice look at the champions’ end of the list, with Ser Humfrey Hardyng (Russ Anderson) charging out after being challenged. Seated in the foreground is, we assume, Prince Valarr Targaryen, eldest son of the Prince of Dragonstone. Down at the end are the Ashford banners denoting Lord Ashford’s sons ... or is it son? Because we count only four pavilions, whereas in “The Hedge Knight” there were five champions.

Also notably, between them and Hardyng looks to be the Baratheon banner, indicating that Ser Lyonel Baratheon is already a champion at this point. That fits well enough, as Hardyng is riding out alone at this time, suggesting that we’ll about to see who his opponent is in a moment…

HBO Max

Dunk and Egg among the crowd watching the first day’s jousting.

HBO Max

This seems our first, fleeting glimpses at Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvell), his brother Prince Maekar (Sam Spruell), and between them what we’re guessing to be Lord Ashford. On the left is Prince Aerion Brightflame.

HBO Max

The Laughing Storm, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings).

HBO Max

Ser Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley) beating on his cousin Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas).

HBO Max

A clearer look at Ser Steffon, with the red apple of his house blazoned on his chest.

HBO Max

Dunk wearing the antlerered coronet that Ser Lyonel Baratheon seems to use on the show. Interesting choice, given the future…

HBO Max

Ser Lyonel in conversation with Dunk. George lavished particular praise on this scene in the NYCC panel.

HBO Max

Dunk looking at his newly-repainted shield, bearing his own sigil rather than the winged chalice of Ser Arlan.

HBO Max

Duncan the Tall walking out to what we expect to be a fateful moment.

HBO Max

Prince Aerion wearing spiked black armor.

HBO Max

Festivities in the encampment at night.

HBO Max

The grandstand on a misty morning…

HBO Max

.... and here are the seven knights, Ser Duncan and his six defenders, for the trial of Seven. We’re assuming that the knight to the left of the Laughing Storm is Ser Robyn Rhysling, but we’ve heard nothing about whether he has been cast,  and it’s just as possible that they’ve introduced some more nameless knight to fill things out. There was a report that someone was cast as a “Stormlands knight”, so perhaps some Baratheon vassal the Laughing Storm ropes in?

HBO Max

An interesting interpretation of Prince Aerion’s helmet, described as a “blackened helm [...] surmounted by a crest of red enamel flames.”

HBO Max

The Laughing Storm in his armor, which reminds us slightly of Brienne of Tarth’s in the 2nd season of Game of Thrones.

HBO Max

Dunk and egg by the campire.

HBO Max

Yes, more a spectacle than a puppet show! Still, you can see the team of puppeteers working the dragon, and it seems they have come up with a clever mechanism to let it “breathe” fire at the mummer who must be playing the Age of Heroes legend, Florian the Fool

Serwyn of the Mirror-Shield given the polished shield he has.

HBO Max

A Targaryen and what seems to be Ser Humfrey

a knight of the Kingsguard (in white armor?!) charging through the mist.

HBO Max

This is an interesting moment, seeming to show one Targaryen unhorsing another. At a guess, the one flying is Prince Maekar…

HBO Max

The Battle of Humfrey comes to a sudden conclusion. In the upper left you can see Prince Baelor, Lord Ashford, and what must be his daughter, the maid whose nameday is the cause of his throwing the tourney in celebration.

HBO Max

A whirling flail…

HBO Max

A better look at Ser Duncan and Ser Humfrey as the charge begins.

HBO Max

The Laughing Storm does seem quite cheerful.

HBO Max

And a different view as the knights charge down the list, keeping the detail that old Thunder—Dunk’s destrier—is not as fast as the others. I’m now fairly convinced that the knight to the left of Hardying is Ser Humfrey Beesbury (Ross Anderson).

But another detail sticks out: it does seem like the knight ahead and to the right has a lance just a bit longer than that of his opponent, in keeping with Prince Baelor’s stratagem in “The Hedge Knight”. Cool.

HBO Max

And a closing image, showing the full title of the show, and air date: January 18th.

HBO Max