Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5 ahead!

Game of Thrones took an unfortunate turn with season 8, but HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has put things back on track. Despite that controversial ending, there’s no denying that Game of Thrones is the top dog of fantasy television. At its peak, this series was an absolute cultural phenomenon, with audiences around the world eager to tune in and see whatever shocking twist would come next. HBO really couldn’t climb any higher.

Of course, things took a downward spiral, but that didn’t stop Game of Thrones from continuing on with a couple of spinoffs. House of the Dragon has been largely similar to the original series, though it has generally felt more like those final seasons of Game of Thrones. Then there is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which has taken an entirely different approach.Compared to the violent political intensity of Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been rather tame. It’s got a quaint sort of feel, centering around a simple hedge knight and his squire. We’ve seen peeks of Game of Thrones, but this spinoff has been a rather comfortable and cozy watch—until episode 5, that is.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 Brings Back All The Best Elements Of Game Of Thrones

Up until the end of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 4, it was tough even to compare this series to Game of Thrones. That all changed when Prince Baelor Targaryen declared himself an ally of Ser Duncan the Tall in the trial of seven. This moment came with that familiar Game of Thrones title song, which had yet to play in full in the spinoff series. That single moment ushered in an episode that not only felt like Game of Thrones, but that captured everything we loved about the series before season 8.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5’s trial of seven is a perfect representation of that massive divide within House Targaryen. We have Prince Aerion Targaryen’s mad cruelty contrasted by Prince Baelor Targaryen’s kindness and valor. It’s fitting that, as we see this family dynamic (which plays such a prominent role in the overarching Game of Thrones series) brought back to the screen, episode 5 jumps to King’s Landing, ushering viewers back to that familiar intensity.

Dunk’s childhood in Flea Bottom was filled with all the cruel misery of Game of Thrones. There’s violence and injustice, but it’s balanced with a desperate sort of hope. From there, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms draws parallels between Dunk’s past and his present in the trial of the seven. The episode uses these flashbacks not to fill time but to emphasize the contrast between Dunk’s sweet innocence and powerful resilience. It’s artistic and even poetic, just as Game of Thrones used to be.

The Game Of Thrones Franchise’s New Balance Is Genius

Nothing will ever fully erase the disappointment of Game of Thrones season 8, but HBO’s returned emphasis on a more poetic narrative is a great way to balance things out. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5’s ending was shocking and heartbreaking, just as Game of Thrones season 8 was, but elements like Ser Arlan’s motivating voice and Dunk’s broken shield in the mud within the shot of his victory added those meaningful layers that the original show’s conclusion lacked.

As A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 enters its finale, we can surely expect the continuation of that returned Game of Thrones tone. But just as episode 5 included subtle moments of the spinoff’s earlier calm (such as the return of the folky soundtrack as young Dunk moved further away from King’s Landing), episode 6 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms should begin to carefully shift back into that quaint balance. It’s really quite brilliant—an unexpected redemption for the franchise.