Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Swipe for next article

Download our
Social Partner

George RR Martin questioned whether crude scene in Game of Thrones prequel was necessary

First look at new Game of Thrones prequel 'A knight of the seven kingdoms'

George R.R. Martin expressed surprise and questioned the necessity of a graphic defecation scene in the opening episode of HBO Max's new Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
The scene depicts Ser Duncan the Tall, played by Peter Claffey, projectile defecating behind a tree after being inspired to enter a jousting tournament.
Martin, known for his own graphic storytelling, stated he normally does not write about such bodily functions at length and asked, “Where did this come from? I don’t know if we really need the s***.”
Showrunner Ira Parker defended the scene, explaining it was intended to show Duncan's nervousness and that he is “not a hero yet,” but rather a “nervy kid with a nervous stomach.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's 1998 novella The Hedge Knight, is set 90 years before Game of Thrones and follows Ser Duncan and his squire, Egg.