A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been a breath of fresh, albeit mud-scented, air. As of February 10, 2026, we are officially in the “calm before the storm” phase of the season. If you’ve been following the journey of Dunk and Egg, you know that things have escalated from a simple hedge knight looking for a hot meal to a royal crisis that could reshape the Targaryen dynasty.

Episode 5 Release Date

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5, titled “In the Name of the Mother,” is slated for release on Sunday, February 15, 2026.

HBO pulled a “fast one” last week by releasing Episode 4 early on Friday to avoid clashing with the Super Bowl. Because of that, we’ve had a nine-day gap instead of the usual seven.

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Teaser for ‘A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS’ Episode 05: “In the Name of the Mother”

Premieres Sunday February 15 at 10 PM ET on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/QZZ8WIGpQj

— westerosies (@westerosies) February 6, 2026

 

The Road to the Trial (Episodes 1-4)

Episode 1: The Hedge Knight

We meet Dunk (Ser Duncan the Tall), a squire who buries his master and decides to fake it till he makes it as a knight. He travels to the Ashford Tournament and accidentally picks up a bald, suspiciously intelligent stable boy named Egg.

Episode 2: Hard Salt Beef

The world-building kicks in. We realize that the “Golden Age” of the Targaryens is actually a powder keg of resentment. Dunk tries to enter the tourney but lacks the credentials. Meanwhile, Egg is revealed to be Prince Aegon Targaryen, fourth son of Maekar, hiding his identity to avoid being a boring royal.

Episode 3: The Squire

Dunk meets Tanselle “Too-Tall,” a puppet master who captures his heart. Unfortunately, she also captures the attention of Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen, a man who is roughly 10% human and 90% sociopath. Aerion attacks Tanselle for a “treasonous” puppet show, and Dunk does what any hero would do—he punches a prince in the face.

Episode 4: Seven

The legal drama begins. Dunk is arrested for “striking a royal.” Aerion wants him dead. To save himself, Dunk demands a Trial by Combat. But Aerion, being a tactical coward, demands a Trial of Seven—a 7-on-7 jousting melee. By the end of the episode, Dunk has his team: including the “Laughing Storm” Lyonel Baratheon and, in a shocking twist, Prince Baelor Breakspear, the heir to the Iron Throne.

Also Read:https://newstoq.com/2030-winter-olympics-where-will-take-place/

Episode 5 Predictions: “In the Name of the Mother”

Based on the title and the pace of the novellas, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 is where the steel finally meets the soul. Here is what is logically going to go down:

• The Melee Begins: This won’t be a pretty, choreographed dance. Expect the “Trial of Seven” to be a brutal, muddy, and chaotic display of medieval warfare. The showrunners have teased a “misty, tense battle” that emphasizes the weight of armor and the reality of death.

• The Prince vs. The Prince: While Dunk is fighting for his life, the real tension lies between Baelor Breakspear and his brother Maekar. Maekar is fighting on Aerion’s side (out of duty), and Baelor is fighting for Dunk (out of justice). Family dinners are going to be awkward after this.

• The “Dunk” Style of Fighting: Don’t expect Dunk to win with grace. As we saw in previous episodes, Dunk is a brawler. He uses his height and raw strength. Expect him to “forget” the rules of chivalry when Aerion starts playing dirty.

• A Heavy Cost: Without spoiling the specific fates for those who haven’t read the books, let’s just say that victories in Westeros are rarely “clean.” The title “In the Name of the Mother” often refers to mercy or mourning—prepare your tissues.

Unlike House of the Dragon, which is essentially a high-budget version of “Succession” with more fire-breathing lizards, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is intimate. We care more about Dunk’s broken shield than we do about who sits on the Iron Throne. The stakes are personal. It’s the “Andor” of the Game of Thrones universe—smaller scale, higher emotional impact.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms currently holds a 95% critic score, making it the highest-rated HBO fantasy premiere since the early seasons of the original series.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 is the penultimate episode of this six-part season. In the “Thrones” tradition, the fifth episode is usually where the biggest climax happens, leaving the finale for the emotional fallout. On February 15, we find out if a man with no name and a boy with a secret can survive the wrath of a dragon.