Was Lyonel Right About Baelor Being a ‘Fraud’ on A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS?

by

That’s outrageous! And frankly, I’m appalled! We risked everything for you – Hardyng, Beesbury, even that young messenger. We fought to protect you, while your prince didn’t lift a finger. He faced no danger at all! …And the gods don’t support someone who’s a liar.

Baelor Targaryen, the eldest son and heir of King Daeron II, found himself fighting against his own relatives during the Trial of Seven. While Lord Lyonel Baratheon, the King’s Hand, also fought, he didn’t survive – he died protecting Ser Duncan the Tall. Surprisingly, when a thankful and regretful Dunk asked Lyonel to honor the fallen prince, Lyonel reacted with anger, claiming the gods had punished Baelor for being a fake. But was that true? Was Baelor’s behavior during the trial actually dishonorable, deserving of death? This kind of question is common in Westeros, where people often blame fate or the gods instead of taking responsibility for their own actions.

According to Lyonel, it appears that’s exactly what happened. A Trial of Seven isn’t just a legal process; it’s deeply rooted in religious belief. It’s inherently dishonorable for a knight – who has pledged their loyalty to the Seven – to participate in a supposedly fair fight when they already have an unfair advantage. Kingsguard members are obligated to fight for the crown in any Trial by Combat, including a Trial of Seven. However, no one anticipated this would mean battling a member of the very royal family they’ve sworn to defend.

Baelor didn’t help Dunk to gang up on his opponent; he acted like a true knight, believing Dunk was fighting for a worthy cause. This highlights a common struggle for knights, a point Jaime Lannister will later make to Catelyn Stark: they are bound by so many oaths that it becomes impossible to keep them all, inevitably breaking one promise or another no matter what they do.

Lyonel’s claim is demonstrably false, as Baelor’s death itself proves it. Baelor clearly took a risk by sacrificing himself to save Ser Duncan. Had Baelor not stepped forward, Lord Ashford would have been forced to declare Dunk guilty without a trial by combat. Dunk needed six knights to support him, or he would have immediately lost – facing the loss of a hand, a foot, or even his life. Was Baelor wrong to prevent that outcome? Was simply standing aside more ‘honorable’ than opposing opponents who were forbidden from harming him?

Regardless of what anyone decides, it feels unlikely the gods would punish Baelor—a kind man who saved a knight’s life, even if it meant going against his family. Shouldn’t the Seven, particularly the Warrior and the Mother, value protecting Dunk over making things uncomfortable for the Kingsguard? It seems unfair if the gods allowed Aerion to live but not his uncle.

If this all sounds like nonsense, that’s because it probably is. If the gods were truly involved in the Trial of Seven, it’s strange that honorable men like Ser Hadryng and Ser Beesbury died protecting Dunk, while no one on Aerion’s side suffered the same fate. Hadryng even fought with a broken leg, knowing how dishonorable Aerion was. Three good men died defending Dunk, who was clearly in the right. Dunk acted with true integrity when he protected Tanselle. Yet, Steffon Fossoway, who betrayed his honor for a title, survived. If the gods cared about justice, Steffon should have been the one to fall, not Baelor. Instead, Steffon will live with the shame of his actions, while Baelor is dead.

Trial by combat feels less about fairness and more about brute force. This pattern continues even years later with the fight between Gregor Clegane and Oberyn Martell. Oberyn will fight to defend Tyrion Lannister, who is wrongly accused of killing the king. Clegane will fight for Cersei, and he has a personal, horrific history with Oberyn – he previously assaulted Oberyn’s sister and murdered her children. But none of that will influence the outcome. The fight will be decided by power, not justice. The victor, declared by those in power, will be Gregor Clegane, and Tyrion will be found guilty, while Oberyn will lose his life.

If gods truly cared, the wicked would always face consequences and the innocent would always be safe. But there’s no evidence they even pay attention. In Westeros, people often use religion as an easy way to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions. It allows them to justify difficult choices and avoid confronting what’s truly right or wrong.

It’s acceptable to allow people to think a virtuous person, who acted rightly and with good intentions, received a fitting end while protecting others.

I’m a big fan of Mikey Walsh, a writer over at TopMob. He’s famously heartbroken over Baelor Breakspear – seriously, he always talks about him! You can find him on Bluesky at @burgermike, and basically anywhere people are debating the best Targaryen kings. He’s really into that!

Read More

2026-02-23 07:03