'Legitimately had me shouting at my TV': A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 causes outpouring of joy, sadness, and frustration among Game of Thrones fans

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 is out now
• This season's penultimate chapter revolves around the Trial of Seven
• Viewers have had plenty to say about the Game of Thrones show's latest entry

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 has debuted on HBO Max and numerous other streaming platforms. And, if there were any doubts among fans that this season's penultimate chapter, titled 'Seven', would be epic and heart-breaking, they were erased across its 30-minute runtime.

From flashback sequences regarding Dunk's past, to this episode's emotionally devastating ending, viewers have had lots to say about 'In the Name of the Mother', since it aired. I cannot stress this enough: full spoilers immediately follow for this season's fifth entry, so turn back now if you haven't watched it yet.

Does Ser Baelor die in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5?

Yep. You don't take a mace blow to the head of that magnitude in the Game of Thrones (GoT) universe – one that caves in your skull and helmet, no less – and live to tell the tale.

Anyone who's read The Hedge Knight, aka the first entry in the 'Dunk and Egg' novella trilogy that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' (AKotSK) first season is adaptated from, will have known this moment was coming. For everyone else, it's an absolutely gut-wrenching scenario that's stunned many of the HBO Max show's devoted audience.

"It hurts just as bad as when I read the books", ResetEra user GambitPool lamented, before fellow forumite Deception simply wrote: "That was brutal… did not expect that ending."

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"Brutal" is a word many have used to describe Baelor's death since 'Seven' aired on many of the world's best streaming services, but it's not the only adjective that's come to the minds of many.

"Haunting ending", ResetEra member SolVanderlyn said, while fellow user Neen used Baelor's final words to convey just how devastating this scene is: "'My brother's mace, most like. He's strong'. F*****g hell."

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Given that Baelor is heir to the Iron Throne and, for a Targaryen at least, a kind and honorable man, his demise is a hammer blow – or should that be a mace blow (sorry, too soon...) – to the entire Thrones universe, too.

As some fans have pointed out, events that have played out since Dunk attacked Aerion in AKotSK episode 3 have led to this moment. In fact, as ResetEra user Neece wrote: "Prince Baelor dying to me was the cost to Dunks lie that he was knighted. The Gods judged Dunk innocent of the accusations against him from Aerion and Daeron, but they had to punish him for the lie. Is it worth it that Dunk becomes a great knight if it possibly cost the realm a great king."

That said, the blame can't be laid squarely at Dunk's feet.

Indeed, if Aerion hadn't called for a Trial of Seven, if Steffon Fossoway hadn't betrayed Dunk to fight for Aerion, and/or if Baelor hadn't joined Dunk's side at the end of episode 4, Baelor would have lived, and likely gone on to be one of Westeros' most benevolent rulers.

What else are fans saying about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5?

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Baelor's death notwithstanding, viewers have been discussing 'In the Name of the Mother' as an overall spectacle in the hours since it was released.

"That was harrowing, might be one of the most brutal episodes of TV I've ever seen," ResetEra member Domino said, while DanDanderson stated: "This show is the first show in a loooooong time that legitimately has me yelling s**t out loud at my TV."

"This is the first time in Game of Thrones where I could feel the weight of the fight," Redditor Nick___ added, before Reddit user jarheadsynapze opined: "Haven't been that stressed the f**k out since [Game of Thrones episode] 'The Battle of the Bastards.'"

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AKotSK's fanbase has been divided by one aspect of episode 5's plot, though. That being, the flashback sequences of Dunk's childhood, and how he and Ser Arlan first crossed paths.

"Didn't really like the flashback. I just hate flashback episodes in shows in general," ResetEra member JEH opined, before Neece popped up again to say of Dunk's childhood friend's Rafe's death: "I just don't like that the flashback is going to introduce fridging to the conversation of this season."

"Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the flashback and the cuts to the planning before the Trial began," BossAttack mused, "Especially the whole plan Baelor concocts to arm themselves with longer tourney lances as opposed to war lances.

"The flashback is far darker than anything Dunk thinks back on in the books, and of course he's much older here, too. It also fails to do the primary purpose of showing Dunk as a brawler in Flea Bottom, and using that brawling, not any knightly training, to beat the s**t out of Aerion. Instead, he's basically shown as a super timid boy. I can't say I like that change."

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There are some who liked the flashbacks' inclusion. The above Reddit post is proof of that, as is this from ResetEra's ThatCrazyGuy: "Beautiful, emotional, dark episode. The violence is visceral and gut wrenching, as somebody pointed out. The fights are brutal and desperation, just trying to live. I haven't read the books. The flashbacks hit hard for me, about were Dunk came from and the pain he has suffered and what Ser Arlan was about."

If it wasn't clear by now, there's only one more episode left before AKotSK's debut season departs our screens. Fear not, though, because A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 has been announced, and has already started filming ahead of a 2027 launch date.

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