Sam Spruell in 'The Knight of Seven Kingdoms.' HBO Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text [This story contains major spoilers from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' season one finale, "The Morrow."] After Sam Spruell's indelible turn on Fargo season five, it was only a matter of time before another high-profile television universe scooped him up. The British actor now finds himself as a prickly Targaryen prince on Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. (Spruell also appeared on a couple episodes of Dune: Prophecy, which he shot before the world saw his portrayal of a "500-year-old sin-eater" on Fargo.) Related Stories Movies 'The Dreadful' Review: Sophie Turner and Kit Harington Reunite for a Tedious Horror Film Almost Redeemed by a Bonkers Marcia Gay Harden TV 'House of the Dragon' Goes to War in Fiery Season 3 Trailer Spruell's Prince Maekar Targaryen serves his royal dynasty roughly 90 years before the mothership series and nearly 80 years after House of the Dragon. He's a widowed single father who's badly missed the mark in raising his three sons, Daeron, Aerion and Aegon ("Egg"). He's also long lived in the shadow of his more popular older brother, Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel), the heir to the Iron Throne. Maekar's personal shortcomings reach their peak in and around season one's central event: the jousting tournament at Ashford Meadow. That's where Maekar and Aerion (Finn Bennett) discover that Aegon (Dexter Sol Ansell) and Daeron did not arrive at the tourney as scheduled. Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey) then butt heads with the lunatic that is Aerion over the latter's assault of a puppeteer, prompting Aegon to intervene on behalf of the hedge knight he'd secretly been squiring for under the alias of Egg. The drunken Daeron is soon found nearby and to clear himself of neglecting Aegon, he falsely accuses Dunk of kidnapping his youngest brother. Aerion proceeds to challenge Dunk to a "trial of seven," in which the accused and the accuser each recruit six champions for combat. Sensing the injustice being wrought by his own family, Baelor joins Dunk's side in the trial. And following a hard-fought battle, Dunk compels Aerion to withdraw his accusation. Afterwards, Dunk bends the knee to Baelor before the prince unexpectedly drops dead from a fatal head wound he received at the hand of Maekar. In the finale, Maekar insists that the Gods know it was an accident, but Spruell believes his character is just telling himself what he needs to hear. "Maekar is so susceptible to self-delusion. How handy that you can refer to the Gods knowing it's an accident to absolve you of your crimes?" Spruell tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Kings and rulers of lands have been doing that for years, saying, 'Well, God thinks I'm innocent,' when clearly they're guilty. So it's a very good depiction of corrupt power." Acting on Egg's fondness for Dunk, Maekar tries to find a compromise by offering Dunk a home at Summerhall. He can train Egg as his squire and complete his own training by way of the castle's master-at-arms. Citing royal exhaustion, Dunk rejects Maekar's offer and later counters by asking if he can take the young lad on the road with him. But Maekar refuses to let his royal blood live like a "peasant." "[Aegon] is his last chance to have an heir that's worth anything at all and isn't a drunk or a violent psychopath. Aegon is his last chance to succeed as a dad. That's why he makes Dunk an offer and rejects Dunk's offer. He wants to control it," Spruell says. "Everything Maekar touches doesn't work out for him, and there's enormous vulnerability there." Spruell with Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey) in Knight of Seven Kingdoms. HBO In the end, Egg gives his family the slip again in order to roam across the lands with a faux hedge knight who's every bit as honorable as the most genuine knights in Westeros. However, he lies to Dunk about receiving Maekar's permission to be his traveling squire. The season then concludes with Maekar yelling, "Where the fuck is he?" "It says something about Aegon's judgment of where he's going to get the best paternal figure. There is a wisdom to Dunk that comes naturally and instinctually, and I don't think Maekar will ever get close to it," Spruell shares. "[Aegon] can see that if he's to be the person that he wants to be, he must follow Dunk rather than his own father, which is unbelievably upsetting for Maekar. So I hope that some of that upset and humiliation will be explored potentially in future books or seasons of the show." While it may not be a surprise to readers of Tales of Dunk and Egg, Martin's series of novellas about the odd pairing, Spruell confirms he will not appear in season two. "N