Girls Gone Canon Cast - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — Season 1, Episode 2 — "Hard Salt Beef"

Episode Date: January 27, 2026

SPOILERS ALL Reminder: The US Senate will vote on funding for ICE this Thursday, January 29. If you don't know any actions you can take, you can start with this one. It's quick and easy to do. You can call your Senator by phoning the Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121 All you have to do is say the name of your Senator, and you'll be directed to their congressional office. Not sure who represents you in Congress or how to find them? You can also find more of their contact information and their name on this site: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member When you call this week, you can use or adapt this script. Hi Senator [LAST NAME],  My name is [YOUR NAME] and I’m a resident of [YOUR STATE]. I’m calling to urge you to vote against and/or filibuster the upcoming Homeland Security appropriations bill. I’m sick of watching lawful citizens and noncitizens being arrested at their jobs, assaulted at peaceful protests, pulled out of their vehicles, blinded by munitions, and getting shot and killed. Senators like you need to filibuster this bill so ICE doesn’t get another penny. It already has $18.75 billion for 2026 and it doesn’t need another $10 billion. My fellow [YOUR STATE’S RESIDENTS] and I will be watching your vote, and we will remember, I promise.  My name is [YOUR NAME] and my contact info is [YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND/OR EMAIL]. My zip code is [YOUR ZIP CODE].  Thanks for listening and doing the right thing. If you already live somewhere that your senator says they are on board, continue to encourage them to filibuster and thank them. Call your congresspeople, regardless of party, and especially if you believe they may vote for the bill.  The seven Democrats who sided with Republicans in the vote in the House of Representatives were: Henry Cuellar (Texas District 28) Jared Golden (Maine District 02) Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash. District 03) Laura Gillen (N.Y. District 4) Don Davis (N.C. District 01) Tom Suozzi (N.Y. District 03) Vicente Gonzalez (Texas District 34) And of course, again, call your congresspeople regardless of party. Besides calling Congress, if you're not sure what you can do, here are some more actions you can take, in no particular order: Get involved with mutual aid (this will differ depending on where you're based, so we didn't include any links) Donate to mutual aid or to organizations such as the ACLU, RAICES, National Immigration Project, Legal Aid Justice Center or local orgs that may need more support. Find a local rapid response effort and save their number to your phone. Know what to look for and what to report. Protest. Attend a bystander training or response training. Pressure local officials, employers, and landlords to refuse to cooperate with ICE. This is by no means an exhaustive list. Other actions you can take exist. Please do what you can. Memes mentioned --------- Eliana's reddit account: https://www.reddit.com/user/glass_table_girl Eliana's blog: https://themanyfacedblog.wordpress.com/ Chloe's twitter: https://twitter.com/liesandarbor Chloe's blog: liesandarborgold.com Intro "Folk Round" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Hello and welcome to Girls Gone Canon reads A Night of the Seven Kingdoms, Season 1, Episode 2, Hard Salt Beef. I am one of your hosts, Chloe. And I am another one of your host, Celiana. And I get laughed because actually, like, so I don't actually know that that's the title. I know you said it, and I think I read it briefly, but I was just going with it and pretending I knew. That was a really wild experience for me because I almost. said a song of ice and fire instead of a Night of the Seven Kingdoms

and I hesitated. And then I also realized I had not written the title of this fucking episode on the document. So I just pulled that from my memory. Thank you, everyone. Wow. Wow. Yeah. From the top of the head. Well, it's confusing

because you get the acronym for Night of the Seven Kingdoms and you can't asswaffe it. You can't say like... A Catsic. It's not the same. It doesn't work though. It's not the same. Yeah.

Well, speaking of those other parts of the franchise, this is a Spoilers All podcast. So if you do not know how a Night of the Seven Kingdoms ends, neither do we. But we do know how this season's going to end and how next season's going to end and the season after that. So you're going to get full spoilers of all of that as well as the fates of Dunkin Egg, because those are more or less released. So peace out. Yeah. Don't forget the main series. And Game of Thrones probably will get spoiled.

I'm sure comparisons to be made here and there. Hot D. Fire and Blood. All sorts will happen in these episodes. So if you are not privy to the books, take the books with you when you go to the privy. That is actually a good idea. Yeah.

Yeah, you could get some of it done, you know? Honestly, yeah. Well, all right, we're opening this episode up a little differently because the beauty of having your own podcast is it is your own podcast and you can do whatever the fuck you want and no one can tell me otherwise except for Chloe but she supports me

and and I support her we both are in supporting of each other in this and we are in supporting of you okay so the thing about it is we I mean like it's not like the biggest I guess but we have a platform

we have a platform and we are going to use it when we record this it is Monday January 26th for the historians, and in three days, on Thursday, January 29th, the Senate is going to vote on the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, and that bill would give ICE another $10 billion in funding. Now, maybe many of you, like us, are like what the fuck is going on in this world, feeling, feeling angry, feeling sad, feeling powerless in what to do, and there are only so many ways to an extent that we can take action and exert our voice, but like all of those matter.

And if you are a United States citizen of legal voting age, please, please absolutely take this action. Please, if you are not, if you are a resident in the U.S., you also, I believe, can do this and make your voice heard. They're probably not going to care as much, but please call your senators between now and the vote on Thursday. In the description of this episode, we have put a number that you can call that will direct you to the Senate switchboard.

So all you have to do is say the name of your senator or even your representative. The representatives have already voted. We're going to come back to that in a second. And we have a script that you can use or adapt for your purposes that we did not write. I got this script from Ben Sheehan. So you can use that. Again, feel free to adapt it to your own purpose. This script is urging your senators to vote against the bill, to filibuster it.

You can also, the Democratic senators have said that they will not be voting for, they will be voting against the bill, but call them, encourage them, thank them for that position, remind them that these matter, and you can encourage them as well to filibuster it. That is still something that you can urge them to do. And honestly, yeah, call them regardless of party. Now, back to the part about the House of Representatives. I think you should still call them too, and especially these seven people, because I'm big mad. Right now, and the House passed it.

Doing the math, it might not have passed if these people did not switch party lines, and these seven Democrats voted to pass the bill. And those are Representatives Henry Queller of Texas District 28. Jared Golden of Maine District 2. Marie Glussenkamp Perez of Washington State District 3. Laura Gillen of New York District. I thought I got that, but I don't have it. Sorry.

Don Davis of North Carolina District 1. Tom Swozy of New York District 3 and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas District 34. If you live in any of those districts, call them, let them know how you feel. And if you don't know if you live in those districts, we also have included in the description. of this episode, a link for how you can find your senator and representative. And again, we have a script there so that you can call them. And once you know who your senator and representatives are, their numbers, their contact info will be there too.

You can even just leave a voicemail. There are people manning and checking all of those. Or you can send them an email. People do check those. You know, even 2015, 11 years ago, Congress approved a budget of almost $6 billion for ICE. Today, ICE, Immigration Customs has $10 billion annually on top of a $75 billion supplement. It can take as long as four years to spend. So if they spend at the levels they're spending at, that's basically $29 billion on hand each year with the goal, according to Trump, of deporting one million people each year.

So the fact of the matter becomes that there is a number they're looking to deport. it could be anyone. It really could be anyone. Like there is clearly no delineation between who it is and who it isn't. And like, how many people will they kill, you know, during, in the name of quote unquote, deporting people or whatever? Like, deporting from what? Like, not to be flippant, but are they deporting people from life? Like, that's what sounds like they're fucking trying to do, whether it's within the detention centers,

withers, whether it's executing them in the street. And, like, you're here to listen to us. Talk about the story of the Hedge Knight. And I'm going to be, like, you know, kind of corny here and, like, draw the parallel. But, like, if you're here because you love the story of the Hedge Knight, you love what Dunk does by standing up against Arian for Tanzel. That is what Alex Pready did. You know, he helped a woman who was being beaten.

And if you're mad at, like, Arian for seeking. like quote quote unquote justice against dunk for beating him, Alex did nothing and got no, not even like the illusion of justice, right? If that is something that resonates with you about this story that we are covering here, then all the more you should be outraged about it here in real life and like take 10 minutes to do this. I did this earlier. It takes no time. It takes so little time. Absolutely. Anyway, yeah. And then once you find out, who your senators and representatives are and, like, their numbers, you can save those on your phone and call them for whatever.

All the time. They're to serve. Yeah, one of my friends, she does that. They already know her when she calls their offices. Good. They should know their people. Yep. God damn right.

Democracy when. If not now, when. All right. Well, thank you, everyone for letting us get on our soapbox. Yeah, every once in a while. Every once in a while. And it, honestly, it's fitting. It's a little bit of, like, a tonal change.

We're going to, we're going to completely switch tone in a, bit, of course, because this is a much later series and also, I mean, we are much later podcast in many ways, but we're an immigrant run podcast. Hell yeah. So. I almost said a Hamilton lyric. That's how full of like hope I just was. Oh no, no.

No. Chloe gone canceled. Yeah. It's also like the last episode where you get some of those light notes, honestly, the next few episodes, things turn a little crazy, right? So get on in on the balance. Let's do it. Embrace it before more injustice occurs.

I think that, I mean, I feel like they'll probably still find a way to balance it with some of the humor and the lightness in those other ones. But I'm curious how. Until the fucking death and violence. Yeah. There's flashbacks still to be had, too, I think. Oh, probably. I'm guessing they're going to probably have, like, what, flashbacks every episode? because...

Yeah, I have a theory. We're going to talk about it. I have a theory about it, though. We're going to get there. Okay. I was thinking, like, Ira Parker was like, that's the thing that's going to differentiate it stylistically from Hot D and Game of Thrones,

which, as Chloe and I discussed at brunch, like, I can't call it God. I don't know. It's weird for me. It's weird for me, yeah. I don't know. Well, something that was awesome for me this week was all of the emails and comments and tweets

and whatever's, Patreon messages and Spotify comment. We got them all this week. It was really fun to hear your thoughts on the first episode of a Night of the Seven Kingdoms. It does roll off the tongue, though. Like, I know we can't say a kattis kre, but like a night of the seven kingdoms when you're prepared. Ooh, beautiful. So big thank you to Jeremy for emailing us the Robin Hood Rooster song, which was full of whistling in regards to dunk making camp.

Eliana, were you delighted? I was. I thought that was like a really. I kind of forgot about that song in general, so it was a nice little, like, kind of pick me up. And, yeah, absolutely the same vibe as that. Beautiful. And then we got an email from our Hedge Knight, Warren, who is wondering and maybe hoping that the show will lean into using this negative reinforcement with Dunk thinking of himself as like a lunk or as thick as a castle wall. watching him with Ag and watching his memories with Arlen,

Warren's hoping to see that kind of go the opposite way, that it's not really something he considered while reading. It felt kind of like comic relief on the page, but there's really an opportunity to explore the impact of constantly belittling or physically demeaning someone without having it be central to their character. Like Dolores-Ed style. Aw, Dolores-ed. I was just thinking about him the other day.

I do think that the series might be heading that way based on what we saw of like dunk and eggs heart to heart. I feel so stupid when I say dunk and egg sometimes too. I'm like, I'm talking about the characters, but when I say it like that, it sounds like I'm talking about the series. I don't know. That's it.

No, I get it, though. I think, like, that's also why I was like, I have a theory about flashbacky stuff. It's not really a theory. It's an analysis because it also goes the same exact route, honestly, of the wholesome, like, arc, the actual part of the story and like, what does it all mean, question mark. I just meant saying aloud the words dunk and egg when I say story, the characters.

And then I'm like, man, am I talking about the series? I'm talking about the characters. I just feel stupid. Oh, well, that's fair too. Yeah. That's fair too. And then we got a, we got a comment on Patreon from our, I mean, an OG listener of Wow.

of us, even when we were back being drunk and egg. So this is a very fitting comment where our friend Tyler says, I will never get tired of listening to Chloe and Eliana discuss the Hedge Knight. Each time it gets slightly more unhinged and brilliant. I love it so much. Perhaps after you cover Sonsa again,

a post-season one reread. And now I'm like, in my mind, I'm like, The Dragon must have three Hedge Knight discussions. This is basically, yeah, I guess we have to. right also not to be weird but like and historians take note uh this is an historic episode for us wow but this is our one year or not one year this is like our eight year anniversary of our first edited published episode together not the stuff that hit the cutting floor that had to be re-recorded the year before but like this is it this is actually so it's kind of like touching

It's actually very touching that this is when we started podcasting together and then after this it was like forever but it all started a cold December day and then was published a cold January day after it was re-reported.

Yeah. Beautiful though. Ira Parker knew that and so he did it for us. I think he did this for us, yeah. Because he also is like every boy that likes Dunkin Egg. Did you notice that?

Did you look at him? was like, oh, you so like Duncan Egg. You are a boy who likes a song of ice and fire. Yeah. Cute, nerdy, cute. Love this. Thank you, Tyler. I really think that Anne historians could actually chart, like, things about us.

Because, like, you know, to quote a song that you recently learned to play on the guitar, I'm getting older too. Dude, when, okay. I cry sometimes when I'm just practicing that song. I think everyone does Especially when you're advanced Aged women like us now Yeah too

Yeah very beautiful So maybe maybe we'll do a third one in like five Ask us again in 10 years Tyler My God Okay we got an email from Tanna I was so excited to see this email come through Literally read it four times It made my day

So Tanna said I'm not coprophagic And yet I'm loving all the literal shit talk in this recap Re the shitting There's something in here about the king eats and the hand takes the shit, right? Ooh Oh something big in this show about that too Some connection between the royals eating

And the peasants, commenters taking all their shit Literally they stink, dunk stinks He has nothing Not even soap, the risk of ruin is ever present He's out here trying to beat the stink out of the one shirt he has I enjoyed the slapstick humor, the wide-eyed stare when bisexual daddy lord Barathean questions dunk the lunk, the dead not dead pop-up of the sex worker, a wonderful call-out callback,

and yes, the whole discussion about selling your body for a lord. And that one sweet moment of kindness and empathy when dunk says, hey, man, you don't have to make fun of me. No, for real, for real. I like that this huge, dumb man doesn't default to violence towards those women who tease him. He uses his words instead. And that lets the women see him as a person too. Wow. Society. Am I supposed to see men as people?

That was a nice moment of solidarity. Tana says of being seen. Going forward, Jesus, Eliana, going forward, I wonder if the theme of this season might focus more tightly on that connection

between the working classes. Yes, yes, yes. I hope we see more of that. Like the guy that yelled, Lord Ashford fucks his sheep, I was like,

yeah, I was like, what is that? Hell yeah. You've been attorneys, you know, you know how it is. Yeah.

Fuck yeah. The small folk may see they have more in common with each other than their overlords, and I wonder how that might connect to historical events where the masses had an indelible effect on the political outcomes. Like when the small folk overbrand the dragon pit. Yo, that's really good, Tanna. Dude, that's amazing. The uprising and flea bottom when Joffrey starved the city later in the books and things like

that. I suspect it'll stay more focused on time period. It takes place in. but I love when we get those little nods to in-world history. Anyway, once, or sorry, any hudel, that feels important. Sorry, I will not remove her voice. I once again must add Hades Town to my must-watch list. Every time Chloe mentions it, I wince with yearning.

You should come to the East Coast, and I will take you myself, my dear. Great job, gang, Tanna. As an aside, love GGC-wrapped, hearing the books and media you're consuming, and I have to shout out everything Tanna is into. Tanna just finished Wizard of Earthsy, yo, yeah. And added some of our rocks. I'm still running on the first, yeah. Yeah, oh man, just wait.

When you get to four, have you ever cried in an airport? Yeah, I know you have. It was like, excuse me? Tanna wants us to take one of her recommendations, which is Star Trek Wrath of Khan, the movie. She thought it was going to be sexist trash, but actually it was super gay. Forget Spock, Bones and Kirk are boyfriends, okay?

Everyone in Khan's tribe are, dirty bisexual hobos, cute, it rips. 10 out of 10 would recommend. Also, Chloe, oh, specific shout out, the outfits, the red winter jackets, the shoulder strap flaps. Wow. Next time you're in a gay Star Trek mood, check it out. Lots to love.

Thank you. Tanna, it happens upon you, especially in the winter. You just never know when you're going to be in a gay Star Trek mood. So I will check out Star Trek wrath of Khan. I mean, as of us, again, for the historians putting this out, if you are in like a little, you have Star Trek, Wrath of Khan, beat, get political again, Mum Donnie has recommended heated rivalry for everyone who snowed in right now from the New York Public Library. So that's also a thing that you can all do. All right. Yes, thank you.

Thank you. I'm glad that someone also like supports that we loved. We loved all the shit talk And Also I don't know I just like Tanna's analysis I always like Tanna's analysis Like what do you want me to say

I love that Tanya like I actually do Yeah Tanna weaves a beautiful story I really I really am not kidding when I said I read that like four fucking times It was a great email Thank you Tana You win the email award today Just in general also

Yeah absolutely absolutely Love that As a recipient Okay Yeah We are down to our last two comments. We're going to lightning through them.

Right. This one made me like immediately start the dock as soon as I saw it. I was like we got to get this ready and lined up. This one comes of course from Nana Pero. This was posted actually not on our last week. A Night of the Seven Kingdoms episode one episode but on our the Hedge Knight Reread Part 3 episode which isn't confusing at all.

and non-apara goes no no fact-checking that's why you are misinformation in regards to Chloe's Chloe's there are layers to this joke yeah yeah on our Patreon discord you but you should all join in the thunder tier no that's a horse that hasn't been abandoned lately um in the thunder tier actually didn't we abandoned sweetfoot. Oh, we abandoned sweetfoot. Did we do that knowingly too? Is that foreshadowing? No, we didn't do it. We used to have a sweetfoot tier, but we

killed that bitch. Rip. Yeah, if you are in the thunder tier or above at patreon.com slash girls gone canon, you will have the opportunity to join a lively bunch of folks where monthly we do a brappy hour, brunch happy hour for those patrons in that

tier and above. Next month is February 28th, from 2 to 4 p.m. But Nana has come to brunch, I want to say one or two times and has hung out in the Discord a little bit. So knows that there is the misinformation nickname. And sometimes we joke about it in the episode. And it is funny. But yeah, I do need to be fact-checked sometimes because I'd just be saying stuff. I think you fact-choked yourself. And that's why Nana Perra is upset. Yeah. I don't know. I ain't fact-checking what you fact-checked. So. That's Clough GPT, man.

Yeah. Oh, a hallucination. We also got a first-time comment from our friend Dan on Spotify, who said, What I got from the little footsies dance with Dunk and Lionel is Lionel's gauging Dunk's footwork. I'm glad you touched on the Marshall aspect of it because the first thing I thought of was Serio. Ah, that's really good. Anyways, looking forward to your next episode, even though I still haven't found my copy of Tiwau under my seat. You just have to keep looking, Dan.

You just have to keep checking. It's there. It's there. Yeah. Look under your seat. I'm checking right now. Yeah. It's there.

I actually did hear you check. I saw you check, honestly. Yeah. It's there. I have mine. It's like literally at my feet. Yeah. It's here.

Maybe it just got lost. Sorry, Dan. Yeah, the way of water. It's here. No. My God, Avatar, the way of water. What if one day everyone looks under their chairs and we shipped them that? No.

I think we have been being very serious. Well, thanks everyone. Oh, I'd be into covering only that movie. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah, thanks everyone for your emails. And comments of note, it was a blast. You can also... That's the episode.

Yeah, I'm just kidding. Along with contacting us, because I'm going to just be insufferable about it. Don't forget to contact your congressperson. If you have time to contact Girls Gone Canan about Duncan Egg, you have time to contact your Congress person. Honestly, yeah. I was thinking that.

I just, like, didn't want to say it aloud. But yes, that is how I feel. So my dick, like Arlins, is giant. Yes. It is. Okay. Yeah, it was, that was remarkable. I was forewarned about it.

Oh, not that shit, though. I had a feeling it was coming. I had a feeling it was, or not coming. We didn't see it coming. Thankfully, that's too late. It was very funny because it was so ridiculous. Yeah. I mean, I would say that is a prosthetic,

but I didn't listen to the after thing or anything, so I can't tell you if they spoke about it. But I think Ira probably has said it somewhere, I'm sure, because it has to be a prosthetic. But the bucked up part is that HBO doesn't, like, they won't show a real, penis unless it's flaccid. If it's hard, they won't

show it because that's like the line to porn. I know this because of euphoria. Moving on. From covering euphoria with Zara, I eat zebra. So all that said, yeah. Also, it makes me wonder,

since this is Dunk's POV and these are Dunks flashbacks, does Dunk subjectively remember Arlen is having a giant dick? Like, as his father mentor figure, is he like, whoa, his Pee's ginormous. Like, I don't know. A, I think, like, I think it's just like an objective fact because so much else of what we see

in the flashbacks are kind of counter to like the way that Dunk tells us. So I think that's just the objective fact of what happened. But also, Gridden, I guess, like, I mean, how many other dicks do people see? Like, for all he knows, that's what an average one looks like. Oh, my God. Well, right, exactly. I mean, I don't know. I don't know.

That's literally what I mean, though. Like, he grew up, like, young with this guy as, like, his father figure. So he's like, that's just what it was. That's dad's dick, you know? Yeah, I think it was that. Like, dad's got a giant, maybe some. It's like how, you know, titties. Like, I was always as a kid, like, are these things ever going to fucking grow?

Yeah. And then I started drinking wine and they grew. I think, like, at some point, like, I just kind of forgot about being self-conscious about them and then I got older and I got subconscious about them again. I don't know why. I've never felt that way in like 15 years. I've been happy with them. So I don't know. Social media is a bitch. Crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. Self image is crazy. Yeah. Like because of like the internet. Like we all have dysmorphia. Anyway, like all of us. Literally all of us have dysmorphia. Yeah. I'm like, Jesus Christ. I have no clue what I look like anymore. And when I do see it,

I'm like, could I die? So dunk probably is like, who knows what a dick is supposed to look like? I don't. I mean, they don't have the internet, right? Like, so, I mean, he's probably seen, maybe there are bathhouses, so he has seen, I don't know how it works. Yeah. Probably, I guess people bids a lot of, like, shared.

I don't know, that's his idol. That's his idol, though. Yeah, no, but I think objectively, that is the size of Arlen's dick. And also. No argument. as I was I decided because I kind of forgot it existed last week and so I didn't even watch that one but the behind the scenes thing at the end of the episodes and like Ira Parker's kind of being fun and sheepish about it he's like yeah so you know I think like Arlen and Penitre has this like really special thing about him and he's saying it in like this kind of cagey way and clearly we're making jokes about his dong and the special thing about Arlen is his dog so you know besides he's got a big dong and a big heart is what we're going to get. get to. Yeah.

Which, to be fair, are like my favorite kind of men, I guess. I guess. Anyway. Beat. Anyway. Coming into the idea of these flashbacks, and I'm really liking them as kind of a plot device throughout each episode, because one of the hardest things to really reckon with is, like, you have this kid dunk, and by kid, I mean this 30-year-old kid dunk.

And you have to somebody. how like he's just like me for real you have to somehow sew together that like he has no skill except hitting things and being large large olive oil style he's large um you think about pop like you have i think about poppy every day papai and snooky dude every day that's all i think about i know i actually do like if you went in my brain it's like bits of fluff and like sand or clagain and like olive oil and poppies and Snoopy and Woodstock and that's it. Yeah, all day. So looking at these, like, we don't have a reason to give a shit about dunk, right? Like, anyone can be like a good guy off the street that you

just met and like he's nice. But like, why do I care about this one? Right? They don't make him in a factory necessarily, but like you got to give reasons to like dunk. And they stack up, right? Like, he's being nice to egg. He relents on letting him come as a squire. He's doing all sorts of things that, like, bit by bit, you're like, okay, he's kind of strange, but I like the ways of this guy, but you also don't have his past. And I'm not saying you need his past. We read the novellas and got very connected with him, and we didn't really need his past then. But if you haven't read the novellas, I think visually, you need some cues and kind of like a history to tie you a little bit more. And they have time to fill out. This is a short novella. So by using Arlen as the

guiding point to show you through flashbacks and through Dunk's point of view and using these visual cues like where I think it's like a wide lens or a fish eye that we get kind of on this for the flashback and that nice vignette around the edges showing you're in a different time and these were different people in a younger age showing all that together like we're having each episode these bits of Arlen leading you to understand why Dunk is the way he is and I know we're getting like some young dunk perhaps in the future. So maybe him in flea bottom. Yunk.

Oh, uncle. But like, an uncle. But seeing like, seeing dunk's roots and seeing where he is, how he got here from there and how Arlen was involved and why he has these kind of maybe romanticized viewings of who Sir Arlen was, you know, maybe this is a great way to lead you to the final moments when Dunk does stand up and become the hero, and what takes him beyond that to, you know, being the hero for many seasons and novellas to come and maybe in a very hard place at the end.

Yeah. Yeah, you can really see, like, how this person impacted him. And as you said, like, I really love the way that they showed it stylistically. It is something that they're doing that kind of gives it a very different visual language from the other series. And I don't know, it is really beautiful, I think, the way that they're, telling the story of Arlen through Dunk because, I mean, that's important. And we're going to talk more about why that's important. Yeah, well, because of that, like, I don't know, I think of Arlen, like, the first episode you see in beating Dunk, right?

And it's kind of like the gotcha humor, but also like, oh, Jesus, moment. Because you're like, ah, just a clout in the ear, that's what a clout in the ear is. and like you get that kind of cyclical view at generational trauma and it makes you wonder how Arlen grew up and how he, you know, learned and lived. He wasn't necessarily a bad guy, although he beat dunk. Like he wasn't Tywin, right, who puts his children in like dog cages and makes them fight it out. That's Logan Roy. But like he did the best he could with what he had.

And maybe that isn't good enough necessarily, but he did try and he did love dunk. and give Dunk, you know, the time of day. But also it's generational, like the generation rate before him and the fights that he fought in and what he was dealing with with PTSD after his nephew died in the field with him, right? Like all these things that Arlen went through that we've talked a little bit about in the hedge night

in our coverage, our second coverage of him. Maybe it all wasn't good enough, but he did what he did. And that's who Dunk became today in lieu. of whoever Arlen was. And I don't know, on the rewatch, I did rewatch this time. Last week I didn't rewatch this time.

I was like, I need to rewatch. That was like a thick fucking hoagie. I took a bite out of that episode. I was like, oh, I need one more. One more of those little fuckers. It was hoagie size. That's true. Yeah, it felt like a good filling hoagie.

But them sharing the hard salt beef. Yeah. That was interesting. It's more like a rope sausage with fennel. Okay. Okay. Interesting. them sharing the hard salt beef in the rain did bring a couple like tears to my eyes.

I was like, oh, like in the laughing as the rain came down on them. And then it was very, yeah, I was like, oh, that's touching. Okay. And then also afterwards, him catching a chill falling off of his horse, very drogo and same horse. I was like, oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I thought the exact same thing. I was like, oh, this is so Dothrocky. Who cannot ride his horse?

There's no cow at all. Yeah, and I mean, like, I love what you're saying to about, like, you know, I, it's portrayed, like, comedically, and it isn't, like, great that he hit dunk, but at the same time, you see that he really was there, he really raised him and taught him, you know, like, and I don't know, maybe it wasn't good enough, but, like, he tried, and that's more than we can say, like, as we said during our last time covering. tried it, that's more we can say, the, like, most of the biological parents that we perceive in the Song of Ice and Fire. And, like, you could see that. Yeah. Dunk feels that, as you said, there's those beautiful moments. Even, like, when they were sparring against each other, it reminds me of this, like, meme.

It's not a meme. It was actually, like, it's this beautiful comic about this baby Charmander who grows into a Charzard. And it's about a single dad who's a ditto. and he like raises and teaches the charmander until it grows into those big chars are to be all these things. It is so beautiful. And it was kind of like that. Love is love.

Yeah. That's like a beautiful family. Sometimes a family really is Arlen and Dunk. Wow. I mean, that's the point. It was. Yeah. The Charmander and the ditto.

Wow. And I guess there's also the fact that abuse and love can exist in two different drawers simultaneously. Yes. Yeah. Yes. This is something you and I talk about a lot and just so no one takes it. All the time. The wrong way.

We're not saying that one justifies the other. Like abuse is not an act of love. It's that we're like that someone deserves it or whatever. but... Yeah. No. It's two very separate things that can be simultaneously existing in one human. Yeah. I mean, Arlen, like, you can see that there was, like, love there, and he did raise Dunk to be an upstanding person, right? Like... Interesting spin of words.

First of all, like, I want to come back to... Dunk is kind of, like, telling Egg. He's like, I can't believe no one remembers him, and, like, you can go back to camp if you want, whatever. and eggs like, I would not leave you, sir, not while you must suffer your master dying over and over again. And like, I don't know. I don't know that like if Arlen was good enough of a parent or not, but like because of the memories you said, the way that he like taught Dunk, the way that you can see in the way that Dunk acts with such respect towards everyone else, no matter of their station, but also like, because of the acts he's going to do in this story. Like, for him to attribute that to Arlen, he can't have been, like, all bad, you know?

Like, that, like, really touched me. And, like, also, you know, just, just like that, I don't know. I think that was really astute of egg to name it that way, to call it that, of saying, like, your master dying over and over again, like. Right. As he had to go eat shit at each of these lords who just was like, nope, no clue. And also, you start to see how egg is, like, a child who had to be very aware of a dog. emotions around him in court and how, like, you know, how he's being very sympathetic and maybe empathetic, too. I mean, he's clearly abused by his older sibling when, by Aryan.

And so it makes sense that he's, like, aware of other people's emotions in that way for a self-preservation thing. But, yeah, I think, like, the whole, like, dying over and over again, it touches to what's discussed at the end of the episode where Dunk realizes that he's Arlen's legacy because you know, it's this idea that you've probably all heard it before and like people will play off this in like some other short stories and stuff. Like you are forgotten. You die a true death when the last person like forgets you. And Dunk is trying to keep him alive, right? He's trying to keep through memory. Like I know that sounds fucking corny also, but like he's reviving him and no one's there to help him share this life. And there's a lot of loneliness and there's a lot of grief and being the only.

person to do that. But I, so that's why I just love that. I'd phrase it that way. And like there's this line also where Dunk explains, you know, I wasn't his family, but he kept me like we were. And it's a

very found family trope. And that is who Dunk and Egg become to each other. And yeah, again, that idea of raising him to be honorable at the end of the episode. Dunk's like, we'll show him, we'll show them what he'd this

hand has wrought. And it turns out, like, what it has wrought was justice. It wrought a knight who keeps his vows. So. Yeah. It's going to be the perfect lead-up and the perfect kaboom. I love it already. I'm so excited. And we also got that great line that I saw in the trailers, the, why do you act like these nobles are your betters that egg delivers very impatiently? I love it. I actually really like that, especially on a re-batch. It stood out a because Egg doesn't understand her, right? He's been taught to think of, like, the royals as his equals and the nobles, theoretically maybe even as beneath.

But maybe he sees them, or he thinks they're all equals, right? He's raised with the privilege of being human, which is kind of dumb, like that the only people get treated human are the people at the very top. And Dunk, of course, like, he's raised in the beliefs that these people are as betters, right? We can see how these journeys held the entire series of what will, one day be all of the Dunkin' Egg novellas will give him perspective on how unfair everything it is and like inform the policies of his reign. You know, because like Dunk and these other people of his similar station, they can't just demand attention. They're not entitled to it in the same way

everyone else is. They're begging for it. They are like, they have to be grateful for every ounce they get or even to be grateful to be treated as human. And I think the story is meant to show us that actually both egg and dunk, each of them are describing a reality, right? Because in practice, the social system demands that dunk and perceive, yes, these people as his betters. But in truth, as Egg points out and asks, these people are not his betters, and arguably some of them are his worseers. Yeah, absolutely. Maybe there should be a rebalancing is what egg and dunks relationship really proposes. It's what egg goes on to basically make his entire policy, as you kind of mentioned, when he gets into office, which no one elects him for, you know.

Actually, they do now that I say that, but not like that, you know, not like in a real fair way. Like, you know, they're all voting, but nobody, yeah. Anyway, it always reminds me. Yada, yada, yada. You guys get where I'm going here. And they're not us. We don't get to vote. You have that great quote about Egan, son of Elia, quote unquote, or perhaps a Blackfire and son of Illyrio, quote unquote, which also feels really related in a lot of ways, right, with the Blackfire Rebellion here being brought up in this episode so much. But you have that great line that I always feel resonates with who Agan actually is. Agan the unlikely egg five, who he actually was and is versus who they're saying Agan the sixth quote unquote might be. And so you have that Agan has been shaped for rule before he could walk. He has been trained in arms as be fit a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the faith since he was old enough to understand them.

He's lived with fisher folk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers, mended nets, and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound. He knows what it's like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Taman's been taught that kingship is his right. Agin knows kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first and live and rule for them. And that is what Agan does. I mean, across these journeys, whether we have read them, yeah, this egg, this little cutie egg, That's what he does.

Like, we might not get to see all of it or we might get to, apparently. No one knows. There's no way to know. It's anyone's game of Thrones. So we'll find out if we get a bajillion seasons. But that's what all these adventures do. They lead to shape him into a king that might have been. That kind of also is for a while and comes to a tragedy, which is how most of these good Targaryens end, as we're about to meet another one soon.

Yeah. Actually, oh my God, that's so true. egg can fish and cook. Yeah. We've seen it. He literally just did. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, that's egg. That's egg. Not egg six. It's egg five. Yeah, five. Honestly, also so unfair. Taman has not been taught that King's Chippis is right. He's like, what the fuck?

Joffrey was supposed to be. No, Taman's been taught. He doesn't like beats. He's like, I don't even want any of that. I just like cats. RIA. Yeah. Valid, except for I do love beats, so not valid.

Yeah, that's fair. I really do too. A little borsh. right now in this weather out east I'm having, by the way. That would be so good. I digress. We got the off to Ashford song. And actually, it wasn't that far from what I was singing, I feel like.

Yeah, I don't think so. Hi-ho, hi-ho. So I don't know. Hire me. Yeah, Ira Parker. Yeah, Ira Parker, call us, please. We'd love to be a part of this in any way, shape, or form. Season two, hire us.

What's it called? Yeah, oh, we could be in the cages. We could be the two people who swished in the cage together. Please, Ira Parker, please. It's the only thing I've a sans a voice. It's all I've ever wanted. Unhinged. Tyler was right. We are unhinged. We have new worse ideas. Get ready. I have more. Hot take, hot thought. Baylor Breakspeer for Dunk. Corrin. half hand for John.

I see it. I see it. I see it. I see it. Like Baylor, kill the man, let the boy be born, kind of energy from both of them,

for them, for them. So I don't know. I didn't have much more than that, but I was thinking about it and I knew I had to write it down and say it on this podcast with you. Yeah,

I see it. He's like, all right, now you know what to do. And I'm going to die for you. Totally like Jedi shit. Bye. Yeah.

and everyone's going to... But like passing of the torch. Yeah, that's true. Generation. Even though he didn't mean to. Corrin definitely did. But Baylor knew the risks. I mean, he did, though.

Like, that's really the biggest reason why I said it is because that like Baylor knows the risks. He knows that he is likely going to die. He hopes against hope that the odds are not correct. But he does it because it's the right thing to do even when he's risking himself. Exactly. I mean, literally. That's... Do the right thing. Hashtag do the right thing. That's the point, y'all.

Anyways, sorry, side. I mean, like, that's the theme. I think that's just like, maybe that's just the theme for life. No, actually. I love how excited Dunk is, though, when Baylor says, you know, that Arlen didn't win any tourneys. And for a split second there, you're like, anyone could have fucking said that. Anyone could just be saying nice shit.

And he goes, but he never shamed himself either. And like, Dunk is just so excited. He's just so excited to hear that because he's like, yes, that's true. To hear someone like affirm him and affirm that like, I did not imagine this about this man. And there's something important, I think, about being able to share that sort of reality and memory. And as Dunk is leaving, though, that room, I do love that they made him like. trying to like figure out which way to go, circling about. Amazing.

Trying to leave like a whole like character trait for him. Very great physicality. Like that. Hitting his head on things is like so real. That kills me. Honestly, that's hard. I love that because that's so me. I do that on my stairs.

Like I live here and I do that on my stairs, dude. Yeah. I mean, I'm not that tall and I do that. Shit's hard. Yeah. I've done that on like the bus or something or was it a plane more than once. It's humiliating. I'm always doing that.

I'm going to give myself some like footballing issues, some concussion shit. Redgrass field mentioned. Wow. Arwin's nephew mentioned. Wow. Wow. There's quite a bit. There's quite a bit of Blackfire mentioned.

I love when the Targaryans showed up. I thought it was so sassy and fun. It reminded me of Mean Girls, the musical from Broadway, where there's a song called Meet the Plastics and every single plastic gets introduced. And like when they go by slow motion, I'm like, wow, the song plays. highly suggest it, highly suggest it. I also died when Dunk's like, what the fuck is going on?

And this guy was like, can't you see the banners, you giant cunt? I thought that was so good. That tickled me, bro. I was so tickled. I was sitting there just cackling, you giant cunt. What a turn of phrase, honestly.

So into that. Also, the delivery was perfect. Yeah, it was like good timing. Some of the comedic stuff didn't hit first episode as much for me. Not in a bad way. Just like wasn't quite there. But this episode got better on tone, I feel like, for comedy. So I definitely laughed a lot during this episode.

Got to get it while you can. But also really appreciating the amount of cunt usage. Like, I think we're at four in the last two apps. Oh, really? I'm on cunk watch, you know, cunt down. Cunt down. It's the cunt down to failure stuff. I don't know.

Um, God. God. But, yeah, back to the delivery of that line, though, and it being so good. A lot of comparisons are being thrown out about, like, this show. And, I mean, like, we've talked about it, right? And the Knights tale or something. But that moment, I don't know why. I mean, obviously there's not cursing in the Princess Bride, but, like, the way he delivered, like, can't you see the band as you giant?

That felt Princess Bride to me. I don't know why. Just right and corny enough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Okay. I love it. Some really good costuming.

Speaking of stuff with good costuming, because I love the Princess Bride costuming, the bright colors and lots of good colors. The outfit of the Ashford Herald was incredible. Yeah. With the classic Harold kind of outfit and all the coils and oh my God. And the Ashford daughter, too, her first dress that we see. She gets a new dress next episode.

Watch out Renira. You barely got to change clothes. Watch out Sonsa season 1 through 4. Remember when Sonsa wore that one purple dress for like six seasons? It was crazy. I digress. But the Ashford daughter already has more dresses than Sonsa did for three seasons. Insane.

She had that first dress which has like sun bursts in the chevron of Ashford and orange kind of like stitched against a lighter orange. Very pretty. And from the previews that we've seen, she wears this gorgeous like velvety one in the future with lots of like embroidering and beating going on with it. So very excited. I love the color. I love that they kind of gave it like a, you know, it's described very buttery yellow in the book is kind of like the outfits. And so they've given it a lot more luxury than what I expected and really made it look nice.

Considering like yellow, like a bright or light yellow is not always the best color on pale skin. You know, I can't pull that color off very well. It's hard, but like the pattern with it makes it work. And also I guess like George was trying to think like it's like a very innocent young color. But like you're right. It's like a different, it's a difficult color to pull off for many people. And honestly, I think like all the costumes kind of impressed me like the costuming of the Tyrells when they came out. I was like, yes.

I love this version of like what they're wearing. And then I mean, there's sort of like velvety corduroy kind of like textures. they had going on? Even the leather apron over it, I was like, cool, love. Um, and like, Tansell's like later on for like drapey thing, like bun. I was like, cool, what to wear? Uh, and then even Dunks like, I know he's supposed to be like poor and it's supposed to be ragged, but still I don't care. I love the way his cloak drapes. I love Steely Pate's outfit. Everybody's outfit. It rocks. Cloaks really fuck, you know, like having a cloak is really nice. I love like wearing one for a costume or an event.

Like, it's always nice. Like, having a nice draping cloak is a big deal. It really secures the outfit. So I'm into anything with a cloak. And I mean, speaking of outfits, like the Targaryans, right? I love the hand of the king chain that has, like, the dragony texture that's going around Baylor and around his back and clasps on the other side. Oh, that's chain.

Kind of cool. It's kind of like, you know how Danny has that scarf that? that's like the asymmetrical one-sided scarf, the red thing that hangs off the back. Baylor had that, but like in the silver jewelry around him. Like it's kind of cool. Like it's a very Valerian, the style is still there. And we're seeing like the Valerian costuming evolve where we've seen it differently before. Other places, like it's still an evolution, but it's very different.

And on its own, which I thought is very cool. It still has echoes and nods to the other series and the unit. or the black and red doublet that make art wares, which has kind of like this ombrayish look to it. And looks really nice, though, but like it has a collar that's kind of Valerian-esque, and the silhouette itself kind of clings to him just like the Valerian outfits from other series. But yet still has a different shape to it. So I thought that was cool. It's like introducing something to the costume and canon without really crossing the line and going

outside of what's already been written, like playing with the rules in a different way. Really like that. Oh my God, I just realized. So, hey, like, as you're saying, like, a lot of it is still very, still very luxurious, but like, they're doing a great job of towing the line between it's practical because we're out here. We're popping up fucking, like, Burning Man in the middle of a field, right? But also Coachella, and I'm going to come back to that.

That is relevant because, like, they are practical, but at the same time, very, like, nice, comfy clothes, too. And, like, it's that because these are their festival outfits. This is their festival outfit. So they are out here dressed of the nines. And that's why the Ashford, the lady of Ashford, the Ashford daughter, she's got her flower crown. Yeah.

That's her Coachella outfit. Yeah. She's ready. She's so ready for Carly Ray Jepson to take main stage this year. Is she playing this year? No, I would go, though. I would go. I've never been.

He's on the lineup. I wouldn't go to Coachella. Why am I saying I would go to? I would not do that. That does not sound like a thing I would do. But I was also much younger. Yeah, because it was fucking 14 years ago. I would have gone on to.

Which is how old I am. I wouldn't want years old. My God. Okay. Okay. I really loved, even though Aryan's a bitch. I was just overwhelmed by him, not underwhelmed, not overwhelmed. I was just like, okay, that's fine.

I wanted to be more cuntified by him, but Yeah, I kind of like that he feels kind of like he's just a dude, so that's why it's like, why the fuck is he being like this? And honestly, the hair kind of works on him, but at the same time, it does feel, I mean, I know it's supposed to be a natural. It does feel dyed, but maybe that's just because we don't have it like that in real life. He looks like he's about to make me, I don't know, listen to his DJ set or something, but I actually don't know. I don't know what the Gen Z version of this is now. Like, I've hit my limit in terms of, like, generate. He just, like, looks like an everyday, like, fuck boy.

Yeah. He's worse than that. I don't know what they're into besides, like, probably, like, Zinn and, like, I don't know. Do they skateboard? I don't know what happens now, but yeah, he doesn't look like a fuck boy. But, like, I'm just, like, well-bed by him, though. To me. I did love that very sweet moment.

Yeah, as, as you know, I very much respect skateboarding from a very young age. I know. That's old or. I once had a book that I bought. Oh, we're bringing back the old texts. When did I say this? Was this in Jamie or was it in John? It was a long time ago, years ago.

Someone tell me, for the podcast historians, when did we talk about my relationship with skateboarding? Which actually is like multiple years. It might have even been brought up during then, for all I know. Or like, Theon. No way. Maybe Theon, actually. That seems very right. Okay.

Anyways, I digress. I digress. I love the moment all the same, however I feel about Arian, where Dunk took his horse, even though he was a dick, even though he was like stable boy. And he's like, I'm not a stable boy. And he's like, I don't care. Despite being looked down on by Arian, he takes the horse and like treats her very well. And then meeting the Kingsguard, which like, oh, whoa, ooh, woo, giant amazing scene for all involved, right? Like, Dunk getting his Kingsguard meeting is so, I don't know.

It's so poignant when you think back to when George must have written it and what George has in mind for Dunk in history and what he's told us about Sir Duncan the Tall, the greatest Kingsguard there was, the greatest night that lived when you think about it. And like, here he is meeting just some guys that he's going to end up doing the same job as them and living that same life. But maybe with a greater purpose. And the Donald of Duskendale lore, the Craber lore that we get throughout this episode. I love that. and the later reveal that his entire family owns the crabbing fleet of Westeros. Like, it's not like he's just a fisherman. And Dunks like, oh, so you just like, you come from fishers.

That's cool, bro. That's cool, bro. And he's like, no, like they own all of the farms, all of the land, all of everything on the water. He was like imagining the beginning Bubba Gump and not what it became. Yeah. Like, no, no, no. They went corporate, bro. Yeah.

I, okay, I'm just like happy about any, I think. I didn't realize it until, like, now and how joy is I felt when I was like, Y'all, Deskendale mentions. I love the Duskendale, like, flushing out in general. I think it's hilarious. It's like Pavlov's a swath, ding. Yeah, I'm like, oh, Duskentale. That's important.

The Darklands. He's not one, but anyways, I love that. hilariously people are calling him a Nepo baby and but he's but he's so nice and I think you know that's because we really read him correctly we really read the Kingsguard correctly in the short story they were being pretty nice to dunk you know and yeah

same with Plummer the steward he's like my fair lady and dunk from the sidelines being like don't do that do it like this mm-hmm yeah yeah or like yeah and just like with this facial expressions coaching dung through social interactions. It does give you a little hope, right? Like all the people that are like rooting for him a little bit.

Love that. Yeah. They get it. He's just a guy. Yeah. I'm in. Exactly. If you're cold, he's cold.

Plummer's like, I don't want this like nice man to die. Would really put a damper on this whole parade. Yeah, but what'll put even more of a damper on this whole parade, though, is a sweet foot. I'm never done, like, being sad about it. And, like, this just, like, reopened the wound. No, it's bullshit. It's such bullshit.

Because he doesn't even go back together. He doesn't. And he, like, he lies to her. Says that he's gonna. And, like, you see how good he is with the horses. And then for him to, like, give up sweet. Oh, the most honorable. Because he cops a Kingsguard horse.

I'm like, ugh. Not so chivalrous now, are you, Sir Duncan? Oh, more like Chivalry. What? Why? Because of his dump truck ass. Oh, true. That too.

I was like... They share that. True. Yo, I love the daughter of Ashford. Gwyn Ashford. She's vastly enhanced from the books, right? The books, honestly, like, good for her for having this glow up from the books. Because in the book, she's like a yellow Plato-formed girl that Dunk is like...

It's interesting. It reminds me of how John, actually, to go back to John. again. Wow, John Snow. Welcome to the podcast. How he looks at like Marcella and Tomin, right, and like judges them in his first chapter. And it kind of reminds me in the books of that when Dunk sees her as like just this like young girl. But she's the queen of love and booty, but I loved when she threatened Dunk. It was so fucking funny. When first she's like telling him what's going on and giving him intel. And then she's like, you're big and stupid. And she pretends to punch him, like, sikes him out. It's so

fucking funny, the fake out punch. Like, I was crying, laughing. I was like, say six, seven. Say six, seven. She does give that energy. And also, even the way she's like, he's mad because I'm saying. They're probably dead. The way she delivered it, honestly, most happy, though,

like, the greatest glow up that she got was that she got a name. Like, yeah, the moment they said her name, I was like, oh, she has a name. They gave her a name. Good for her. That's a big dude. Yeah, no, it is. Like, there's a lot of girls.

When you move from unnamed to named, yeah. Actually, even Lord, the Lord of Ashford doesn't have a name in the story, so. He does like the name Gwen. George does like the name Gwen a lot, so I can see them choosing this. It does make it rear its head and dying in the light. And I think a couple of the other short stories that we read. And then, I will say, sorry, quick thing about Sweetfoot, between the preceding scene of like

before Sweetfoot is sold the selling of the armor it does feel like he's letting go of parts of Arlen you know the things that he can't keep carrying so that he can continue actually staying alive and keeping Arlen alive Alright back to Gwynn um again Yeah slay the house down mama

Probably did but also her saying like That wars have started for less Regarding like Oh The kids maybe I was like, ooh, again, Blackfire, Specter, hanging over everything. She's so funny. No, literally.

This was actually a master class. I do hope. I think we have to, like, because she's in previews. So I'm excited to see more of that. Yeah, it's fun because it's like, it reminds me a bit of like what Sansa and Jane Poole at the tourney must have been like, but she's just solo instead. Yeah. It's also, it's what I imagine them hanging out and doing.

Also kind of Ariask. That's true. And it highlights an absurdity of, like, we made this child, the queen of love and beauty. What are we doing? She's just like, I'm just hanging out, running around. No, but that's like how I was at my parents' house growing up. I was like the queen of the house, so I got it. Okay.

They're like, go be a little adult. We're having a big party, honey. And then she's just running around being like, I'm the queen of this house, bitch. Punching adults and shit, fake out punching adults. I guess I did that. I was queen of the house. I was more like, I'm the bridge troll that lives in this house. You gotta pay the troll toll.

To get into that boy's soul? Yeah. So, this is a masterclass episode of how to introduce a concept that wasn't actually in the original novella necessarily, as far as chronology goes, right? And somehow introduce it, it's already been retconned and post-worked index. everything and gardened into everything. So how to introduce that in a TV show without overdoing it and without taking away from the simplicity of your season one plot. And I really commend them with the Blackfire Spector that they've hanged, as you mentioned.

It's really well done. It's in like everything, every single scene, but without being overbearing. That's like really impressively done. Most importantly, it's in my heart. Jesus. It's all leading to the nine penny kings and that's what matters. No, it is. I think I got a little too excited.

It is. Dunk and Egg together are so funny in this episode. I love when Egg's like telling him, you know, I'm puny. And Dunk's like, well, people used to tell me I'm stupid. And he's like, okay, well, like, how is that? What are you going to say next to help me or coach me to be better? Like, manage me. Be my manager.

And Dunk's like, don't, excuse me? like don't be so fucking nosy mind your own fucking business kid it was the funniest shit in the world I love it I love it I love the dynamic's so funny it's like a guy whose best friend is like 12 year old child or whatever but not in a weird way

and yeah he says to him like what help you what grow which hilarious but also to be honest that's exactly what Dunk does no literally I love that meme It's like a job will have you X years old with an X year old best friend being like dang where so and so today but someone did it with egg on and it's like

a job will have you nine years old with a 16 year old best friend like dang where the funks are Dunkin the Tall at today. That's them. No literally that's lab. That's so them. I also love this moment where they go back and forth and Egg says do you think I'll be a night

someday and Dunk says you're a likely lad. Oh, Agan the unlikely. He knows. That's foreshadowing. He's got some Duncan dreams, but a dragon dreams. Duncan Donuts dreams. I have dreams of Dunkin' Donuts.

Almost as good. Almost as good. Egg flicking the bug out of his cider, again, giving himself a way that he's highborn. They're doing such a good job of that. I love that if you are a book fan, you know who Egan is. If you are a show fan and show a universe fan and you're clever, you'll catch it and they're giving you ample time to catch it.

If you just enjoy a TV show and you have no clue what the fuck's going on, you might not catch it, but you're being led there so that you get the best dramatic crescendo when the actual moment comes and the actual reveal comes. So I can only imagine,

because they don't make severance for TV for yourself yet, and I wish they did, I can only imagine what it feels like to be like smooth A-Swaff baby-brained and not know. Because they're doing a great job of getting you there. Yeah. As smooth as eggs had, exactly. Like, if that's you, good for you. Enjoy it.

You shouldn't be listening to this because I was like, it's probably not you. Because now you won't be surprised because it's a spoiler is all podcast. But, yeah. Yeah. But I think it's a fun experience for everyone involved. Like, each tier of watcher is going to enjoy it. It's for the whole family. Actually, it's not because of the

Dong. Some families hang Dong. I'm just glad they gave me what I wanted so quickly. Yeah, that's true. Because I made demands last week. You did, and they were fulfilled. I promised you that, yeah, that there would be there would be Dong.

You always promised me Dong, and I love that about you. And I delivered. What do you want? She's always delivering the Dong. So back to the child. To me. Talking with the kid again. Yeah, as you said, there's like all these giveways.

I mean, when he said the word commonalities, I was like, oh, wow. That's a. When he sputters out history, any given moment. That's a golden dragon word, yeah. Why the fuck do you know so much about Donnell of Duskendale and his family of Crabbers? I'm just into sports. I'm just a local. a local, you know?

Yeah. Yeah. I know everyone up that way. Oh, my God. Yeah. Um, okay, so Mekar, I love you. I love you so much. Yeah, all must choose. All must choose.

But you know what's crazy is like, I don't know, I think they're a really perfect duo. I really do appreciate the Anvil and the Hammer together. They ate the scenery. They fucking ate the scenery. I love that the first thing Mekar does. is stare out of the window when, like, he gets in there. He walks in and he goes to the window and stares out of it ponderously. I'm like, okay, proto-Stanus.

That's so proto-Stanus of you. But I really like the way he played Maycar. I think Sam's rule was awesome. Yeah. I love how he just is like flippantly insulting to his brother at all times. And also how that's how you know, like, he never would have done that, like, on purpose. Like, I don't think he really, if he did, he might have in the, the blood. of it all and the moment of it all, but he never wanted to.

Like, only when you're made to play at war, do you have to kill brother? And I think that was the bigger thing. And I really think that I love Make Our Targaryen. And I love this meme I saw from A Feast for Leeches, Rose Bride, Jane, who posted, Make Our Roll's Worst Joint Ever asked to leave Ashford. Oh, my God. It's the best meme ever. So I've chosen to put memes in the outline this week, mostly for Eliana's sake.

So you all get to listen to me, read them, which should be your favorite pastime from past episodes, where I read memes that you probably won't laugh at. Use your imagination. Yeah. I guess I could put them in the show description, but it might be more funny for me to not. Yeah, I kind of think it is. It's my podcast, too, you know. Someone else was like, yeah, you would look like this at 35-year-olds, like 35-year-old, too,

if your sons were like that. I was like, dang. That man and I are supposed to be the same age, bro. I'm not having kids. Yeah, some women really have it all like you. Well, it's because I don't have four kids. And they're not, you know, out there making themselves a good. He's more than four kids.

Yeah, they're not looking like machine gun Kelly. I don't fucking know. So I will say, okay, I will put a little, I will give Maycar, who was called Mekar. I, okay, I know people are like, that was so disrespectful of the Herald, but it was funny, and I guess that's what they're going for in this. And I respect that Maycar said about Daryan, Darren, Deryn's the singer, uh, he can change, he will change. Because like, sure, obviously, as you all know, I don't think you can force someone else to change, but this is an ever-present question within the books, just in general, right?

You can't force someone to change into something they never want to be or will be. But like there is a question of can something change someone's nature? And like Leanna Stark says to Ned in the past... Love is sweet. Yes. Dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man's nature. And I'm sorry, but she might have been wrong is what a song voice in fire is telling me. And especially that the lack of love definitely can change someone's nature.

So why not the other way around? Dessel. Yeah, it's one of those things that's like IDK, sometimes I think it just depends. Yes. That's like, that's the meme that I would respond to that with Leanna. Sometimes. But she didn't pull that image. Like you're 15.

So that won't make into, that won't make it into the show notes. Sorry, y'all. Okay. Florian and Jeanquil also like literally did give me a little tear to the eye. Also, how excited Agon was and knowing like he's at the age where he's becoming a boy man himself. He's not a blue. And that the girl's next to him. Like, while Jeanquil and Jesus, well.

Florian and Jean-Fle were doing their little thing and the puppeteer thing, he was like watching and the girls next to him were looking at him kind of giggly and he was looking at them and he was like, oh, girls, like, cute. He's growing up, right? Like, this is a story about Dunk finding his purpose and finding his way just as much as it is Agon as we've been discussing too. So that was great, especially to kind of, you know, we didn't have any outwardly like how he feels about it

like oh flirting's gross or oh flirting's stupid he was more annoyed with Dunk when Dunk failed to flirt right like he understands somewhat the idea of courtly love he was more like stop fucking embarrassing me sir Duncan so I don't know it was cute though because like watching them both navigate this like he's very much aware of what

courtly love is and what will be expected of him but it's crazy to watch like this little boy and think like will he dream will he love yeah he will. He will too. Yeah. And I didn't really like catch him that much like being like, oh, girls, but that must be exciting for him. He's like, oh, girls I'm not related

to. Not that it matters. He's supposed to be, I guess, attracted to those too, but why not pick a few? Yeah, look, people don't share your blood. They don't have that commonality. Let me tell you about the last egg in. Yeah.

Why let that stop you, egg? Yeah. I did like when they were cutting two, the performance of Florian and Jankwell. It starts first with the voiceover of You Are No Night, and then close up on Donk's face. I'm like, oh, ho, ho, they're telling us he's not a knight. Yeah, Egg just being like...

Oh. Yeah, he's like, why does he have no game? He's like, why does this guy have no game? I bet Egg's going to have a lot of game, but also, I like... I love that he reacted immediately when Dunk was like, yeah, but you're not too tall. And Egg looks at him like, what the fuck are you saying right now?

And he was puppets. No, literally. That was supposed to be Dunk's line, I guess, and in the hedge night. But it was cute that eggs like, oh my God, puppets. I actually really appreciate they're being thoughtful about the way they split those lines, right? Like, Agon being able to do the falling star bit in when they're like falling asleep instead of being asleep already, which kind of reminds me, by the way, of like, the adventure with Bran and Rob when they talk about going on an adventure. That was in my head recently.

I was like, oh, whoa. What the fuck? Yeah, you're welcome, bitch. But also, then, that's a great split right there, like having him take that and save him. And, like, oh, he's saving him right now because he's going to doom him later, little fucker. They co-created that, uh, yeah, the concept for that shield with it. I mean, they're basically, they basically made a podcast together. They should have a podcast together.

They can call it drunken egg. Stop it. Get out of here. No, they can't. They have to pay me money first, bitch. Gold dragon now, mother clucker. So, I think I'm reading too deep into this, but the tug-of-war scene, is it a little bit about, like, thinking about the splitting?

Yes. A civil war? Yes. Civil war, me? I don't think you're reading too deeply into it at all. Thank you. no literally though um yeah i was like did i just make this up pulled this out of my ass i was shocked though i thought it was fun i was shocked and to use the term you used earlier tickled that egg was in

the tug of war i was like what's he going to fucking add if they put the kid in there but he just wants to be involved and again this whole like segment that they have this activity here at all this is this is this is the Coachella Ashford that Chloe and I prophesied that we once dreamed about. Yeah. Really fun. I really love all the side events. I do think it's symbolic.

I think everything is symbolic. I believe in symbols, bro. So I do think so. Yeah, I'll always support you. Delusional or not. I'll never be able to tell you if it's delusional, but... That's probably what dog told Egg until Egg was like, I'm burning everything.

He's like, no, wait. No, but don't want to be like, I'll support you and everything. Oh, do you think you're the egg or the dunk? Um, I think I have more of like a dunk vibe, but you're also taller. Yeah, it's weird because I think I have more of an Agen vibe where like I'm really steady and like normal and everything seems totally normal. But I could turn around like when I'm 50 years old, 55 and be like, I'll burn it. I'll burn it all. Yeah.

So like I do feel more Agan, but I actually. absolutely am taller. I'm really glad we had this conversation. And also, yeah, I do call me Eggliana sometimes, but that's only because I call your roommate Eggmit. Yeah. I think, you know, the ultimate is still the egg, Rainey's, and Vesnella trio. I think that's probably still the closest. Maybe we're not dunk an egg. But I mean, you have to be one of everything, so. I mean, like, if we were pinky in the brain, I'm definitely pinky. So I must be dunk. Yeah, that's true. That's fucking true, dude. Holy shit. That's a really good litmus test that you just gave us. Holy shit. Wow. Interesting that this tourney starts at nighttime. I'm not sure if I liked it. I will say, like, yes, it's at night and it probably looks better at night to film, if that makes sense. Like, I would have liked to see it more and more light, but I think the hype and I think the way it was filmed and the colors and the shadows and everything.

And also that great rushing and in and out of focus where Dunk's having like PTSD flashes about his life. And then also like the horses are trampling on. I think that was really cool. And so I'll forgive it being at night. But I really expected it to be daytime. Like every joust I've been to is still light out. Yeah. I didn't click through any links.

I just made a quick search of like did joust usually happen at night and was told in the overview that no, they usually happen in the day, so I don't know how historical or a historical this is, but I will say that in terms of being a person who lives... Not fact check. I did not fact check. Letting Google A-I do your homework is not a fact check.

We are missing information. We're bringing it back. Wow. I will say as a person who lives in this modern world who does not attend very many modern joust, um,

having it at night and the way that they filmed it and did everything around it, it did feel more sports that way, you know, like, we're at a sports game, which, you know, George loves sports games. And so it felt like that. Love the rush of the crowd. Yeah. Yeah.

Kid on your shoulders so that they can see. Like, it was so that vibe and people cheering. And as you said, being like, Lord Ashford fucks his sheep for no fucking reason. Why are we heckling? And also, my partner was very impressed at the guy who got back on a horse. Incredible. incredible athletics. But yeah, it felt sports.

It was very impressive how many sigils I could make out while it was dark also. That's something I feel like we haven't been able to do on a Game of Thrones universe show in a while. Like the toli with the fish was so fun. Very Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off of the fish. Gross. Hysterical, though, all the same. Yeah, I like the little noises here. he made. Like when he goes on the field,

he makes like the small like, oh, like, I don't know. There are these weird, strange noises, and I was so about it. Also, speaking of costuming, his was done great. Like, my partner whom, unfortunately, Joe magician and I, like, grilled him for a few hours before the show. We were like,

can you name all the houses and, like, the Lord Paramarons of the houses in the regions? And he has read all five books and all the Duncan eggs and did not pass. But he was like, no, no, that's how Tully. I know it. That's Tully. And that's how well they dress this man

in Tully things because that shield was sick. He knew. He knew. He's like, no, look, I know. That's the trout. And I was like, good job. Good job. Good job, partner. Yeah. You had the Harding, Humphrey Harding with the Diamond Shield. That was exciting too. Love it. Very excited about all these sigils and the Tully

sigil was cool. Like it had blue, red, and white on it. And I was like, oh, this is like classic from the books. Like, very, it's very evocative because all of the stuff is very simple in a lot of ways. And it has that return to like, you know, medieval times red and fair in some ways to really bring you back to simple building blocks while still building on the blocks that were there before from other generations of the series of Hot D and Game of Thrones. Yeah. I think they've done a good job. of that and also

I will say like speaking of sigils a little part of me was even thinking like because I'd never really thought about it when reading the Hedge Knight but really looking at the winged chalice because it comes up with Baylor being like you got to paint over that I'm like oh is it like painting over you know the holy chalice

holy grail and kind of evoking this idea of like we're painting over the old stories about chivalry by kind of evoking that I don't know again painting our own did I make that up Yeah, I don't know. No, I think that's there because I think it's like, for me,

I equate Dunk Shield to literally, my favorite, Jamie Lanister chapter, right? It was really hard to say those words, but the White Book chapter, right? Whatever he wrote. Oh, yeah, yeah. That's how I feel about a lot of Dunk.

Like, that is the moment right there. Like, this is your life, and it is now going to be what you make it. Oh, my God. Good luck. And he also, we opened the episode with Feel the rain on your skin. No one else can write it

for you. Wow. Can let it in. No one else. No one else. The rest is still. Yeah. I'm reading.

Literally. Literally. Fuck. Wow. That said, yeah, I agree. Big agree. How about Valar Targaryen? him. Okay. Serving.

Yeah, Valor, okay. I did it. This is random. This one I know I made up because it's just because we've been reading and watching Hunger Games. I've been getting Hunger Games content fed to me recently. Valor in his hair, it wasn't like very dark. It was giving Peter Melark to me. Okay, he was giving Peter Melark.

No, he is giving Peter Malark. You're not wrong. Thank you. Thank you for supporting everything. all the weird things I've said this episode. Anytime. No, any time, because I really agree with them.

I like that you're a weirdo. I'm really into it. No, he is giving Peter Malark and I can't wait to see him in the light and see that white tuft of hair. Oh yeah. Come on,

I know it's there. Yeah. Yeah. Is this a mosquito? And the actor himself, the actor himself has heterochromia. It was really hard not to say heterophobia right there. Oh my God.

But he does. You'll see it in the light. But yeah. So he has. has heracromia like naturally so I think that's really cool. That's cool. That's so Tyrion Targaryen of him. Stop it, but it is.

It is. So my favorite part of the episode, we didn't really talk about favorite parts because I just assumed we like all of it. We have this shot where Egg like gets down off his shoulders from the tourney and then we kind of transition from the PTSD shots and then it gets back to the campground and egg is flinging his sword around saying die yield blackfire bastards and a lot to unpack there right like where did you learn that from your uncle from your uncle brindon first of all question mark did uncle brindon teach you this question mark question mark he's allowed to say that and then also that like as a boy growing up as a targary and in this time post war that that's what the attitude is right

that really sets the tone that your children are saying this like they are That's what they're saying. So interesting. But then the way that the scene is framed has the flames eating at the sides of the frame around Agan as he's pointing his sword around and screaming die. Yo, fucked up. That's insensitive. Yeah, real burn them all energy, right?

Like, I'm like, burn them all. Burn them all. Don't burn them all down. Don't burn them all energy. Real Aries 2, burn them all scene. Like it very much was framed and shot that way. And then we had that moment earlier on where Tancel is like showing him fire tricks also after the puppets, you know. So I don't know, there was a lot of great foreshadowing going on here for the fate of Aegon.

There's one. I saw a really great great tweet as well that I want to shout out from Sir Duncan Donuts. Oh, holy shit. Wow. Wow. At Fremann underscore S24 posted a really fun little, like, fady meme that I sent to you, but it's not even really a meme where Egan is saying, I would not leave you, sir. And then it's blended with the fire, the wildfire and the background over it. I can't imagine it.

Well, you will because it's in your inbox. Okay, I was like, is this what it's like for our listeners? to have heterophobia? No. No, I was like, I'm going to put, I'm going to put these memes in. I've decided. Good. After you're having Chloe trying to describe a meme to me and being like, I don't know what to do with this.

With this description, I've decided that you all will get in the description of these notes. Benevolent. Gracious and benevolent queen, Eliana. That's what empathy. That's what empathy can do. Oh, my God. She was raised from birth. My God.

Bring us home, Eliana. No, I thought that was great. I like your idea that he learned it from Brendan Rivers, aka Blood Raven, because again, he's allowed to say that. He's reappropriating, I guess, the name, I don't know. Something that I thought was interesting,

and I'm sure, like, other people have probably talked about this, is, like, the loud noises, the thundering horses and stuff. Like, obviously, like, he's a little stressed, like, oh, fuck. Like, this is something that they talked about, I think, in the behind the scenes. He's like, oh, am I going to be,

able to actually really deliver when it's time to joust, seeing how good everyone is. But I think there's an aspect of it, like the way it's film that feels anxiety, like attack or PTSD flashback. And they show Arlen dying there. But it's also like, I don't know if it's just about that because, again, they're being kind of playful with these cuts in terms of how we said earlier, like, it cuts to suddenly you are no night and showing dunk's face. So there's a cut here then to egg talking about the Blackfires.

And sorry everyone. Spoilers, I have heard that the Blackfire Rebellion does happen a little more recently in this universe than it did in the novellas. So maybe that's meant to go together with Dunk's background. I don't know. I mean, it was only like 10 to 20 years top. So. It was 15 in the novellas, which means he could have been like. two years old.

It would just like enough time to be traumatized. It makes sense that they'll do flashbacks and raise it up a little bit. That makes sense to me. Dunn could be older if we know, because he's like, we don't know how old we don't know. Because he doesn't know. Yeah.

We don't know. Yeah. That's interesting. I'm interested to see how they play with that. And I do think like the Blackfire Rebellion will play a prominent role in this because it kind of has to in order for season two to go off without a hitch, you know? Yeah.

And then Eustace Osgrade to be all like, Damon was so hot that's why I followed him that's literally what Sir Eustis said I can't wait to watch like if this is Lionel Barathean hitting on dunk can you wait for Damon Blackfire hitting on dunk?

Oh my God, you're right. Yeah, the second TV is never going to be the same. Oh my gosh, you're ready. They have to get the twinkiest little fucker in the world to really just hit on dunk. I can't wait. I can't wait.

Wow. Thank you Ira Parker in advance. Oh my God, is Ira Parker? They're going to hire us? Oh, yeah, yeah. I was like, the mystery night is the real heated rivalry. That's the Blackfire's second rebellion. Finally, but for the final thing, because now I have to have one last word. Yeah.

I meant to mention dunk taming Aryan's horse, who seems to be a spirited, angry war horse. Huh. and a war horse that others call bad-tempered, but dunk has the magic touch, much like another horse that we know, stranger. Aw. You're telling me that's... Like his descendant, Sandor Klugane. Sandor Horse Girl Klugane.

Oh my God, that is his name. Say it again. Sandor Horse Girl Klagin. That's actually kind of hard to say. Sandor horse... That's my new Twitter name. I'm just kidding, it's not. But I love that.

It is real. Ira Parker understands Sandor Kligane. Thank you, Ira Parker. Well, that's it for Dunkin Egg for the week. Yeah, I loved it. I kind of wanted to watch it like a third time already or a fourth time. I don't fucking know. I was like ready to, I'm ready for this.

There's still time. There's still time. To be like, I told you this already before. But I'm ready for it to be like a comfort rewatch like all the time. Like, you know, because the world is unpredictable and we need something that we can predict. I mean, I've already read the story. Like, not to be disgusting. Like, 800 times.

I don't even know how many times I've read the story, but I've covered it three times at least now. Not to be disgusting, but I can't wait to binge it all as one like a movie. Yes. No, I'm gonna. Yeah. Yeah, for real. I feel like it could be a great movie, so I could just make it that way. We'll see.

I will see some people are wondering, like, you know, in my house, so my partner is like, why didn't they just make it a movie? No, I do think it's episodic though. I don't know. We'll see. We'll see. Time is, it's too early to tell. Too early to tell.

But, well, I can't wait to watch another one and start to get the lay of the land and get halfway through it. Yeah. It's going to be good. Shit's really going to pick up next episode. But who knows? It could be literal. Literal shit could be picking up next episode. You just never know.

Yeah. Thanks for listening. We will return next week. Make sure you're subscribed to us on your favorite platforms, whether that is Spotify or over at our Patreon. You can get a free membership. Patreon.com slash girls gone canon,

C-A-N-O-N. You can sign up and get your private RSS feed and have all of our apps flow into your favorite player there too. We'd love to have you join on and be one of our patrons. But many other platforms where you can listen for free Every week when these drop, everyone say thank you, Aliana, for editing. Wednesday? I'm trying to get this.

When they drop when they drop, you know? Yeah, they drop when they drop. They drop when they drop. They be dropping like Targary and Princes these days, you know? Aw. I've known your host, Chloe. Soup. Okay, I've been another one of your host, Aliana.

We'll be back next week to bring you more of the same energy. Goodbye. Bye. Hi-ho, hi-how, hi-how.