The Story Behind Egg’s Song ‘The Hammer and the Anvil’ in A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS

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The first three episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms contained several hints about Egg’s real identity. Many of these clues are quite noticeable if you watch the episodes again, such as his strong dislike for the “Blackfyre bastards,” a notorious enemy of House Targaryen. This feeling was emphasized when Egg sang “The Anvil and the Hammer” in the third episode.

Let me tell you about the Blackfyres – they were essentially Targaryens born out of wedlock, but with some serious noble bloodlines. It all goes back to King Aegon the Unworthy, who, on his deathbed, decided to make all his illegitimate children legitimate. Fast forward about fifteen years before the famous Tourney at Ashford, and those Blackfyres decided they deserved the Iron Throne and rose up in rebellion against their family.

Daemon Blackfyre believed he, not King Daeron II, should have been king. This led to a year-long civil war called the Blackfyre Rebellion, which ended with Daemon’s death at the Battle of the Redgrass. We learned earlier in season one that Ser Arlan fought in this battle, supporting King Daeron – thankfully, not Daemon! That would have been a strange situation.

Daemon Blackfyre ultimately failed thanks in part to Prince Baelor and his youngest brother Maekar.

Daemon Blackfyre nearly won the Battle of the Redgrass, but King Daeron, though not a fighter himself, had two skilled sons who turned the tide. Baelor, his eldest, commanded a combined army of soldiers from Dorne and the Stormlands. His youngest son, Maekar, was also a talented warrior and leader, and led his own forces. Historians and storytellers agree that Baelor and Maekar were the ones who ultimately crushed the rebellion.

Baelor attacked from behind, forcing Daemon’s forces directly into the strong defensive line held by Maekar. This successful strategy—later known as “The Hammer and the Anvil”—would become legendary. It’s a classic military maneuver, used for centuries in battles from ancient times to World War II.

As a huge fan, I always thought Baelor and Maekar were perfect foils for each other – Baelor the strength, Maekar the stability. It was so cool seeing that come to life in the third episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when Dunk finds Egg quietly singing this song while he’s carving wood up in a tree! What’s really amazing is that this is the first time we’ve actually seen the lyrics to a song in these stories. Before this, we only knew the songs by their titles and what they were generally about.

While the song in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms might not be very melodic (especially when sung by Egg), the lyrics are quite witty and well-written.

Baelor was the eldest prince, while Maekar was the youngest. Daemon was a bastard, and faced harsh treatment because of it. Life is peaceful in summer, with green grass, but bloodshed turns the fields red when rebels are defeated. Many horses died in this fierce battle, which was the main clash. Blackfyre wasn’t legitimately born, and his claim was questionable. The realm was in danger, but the powerful army, including many Dornish spearmen, crushed the rebellion.

Like many tales celebrating heroic acts in the Realm, the song “The Hammer and the Anvil” is either unfinished or simply untrue. It leaves out the crucial role of the field commander who truly defeated Daemon Blackfyre. Ser Brynden Rivers, known as Bloodraven and the only Great Bastard to remain loyal to the crown, was the one who killed Daemon and his two eldest sons with a volley of arrows. He did this before King Baelor even arrived on the battlefield, where Maekar Targaryen had already been fighting bravely for some time.

It’s easy to imagine how Maekar felt about this situation. He believed his own achievements were overlooked, while his brother received praise he didn’t deserve.

I remember learning about the battle where Baelor and Maekar finally defeated the last of the Blackfyre soldiers, but it wasn’t a complete victory. They let Daemon’s right-hand man, Aegor Rivers – known as Bittersteel – slip away. He fled across the Narrow Sea after the Battle of the Redgrass, and honestly, that one escape would cause so much trouble for the Iron Throne later on, especially considering what followed would become known as the First Blackfyre Rebellion. It’s amazing how one person getting away can have such lasting consequences!

When the singers created “The Hammer and the Anvil,” they couldn’t have predicted what would happen later, but even if they could, it likely wouldn’t have changed their approach. They weren’t concerned with factual accuracy.

Mikey Walsh writes for TopMob and is a big fan of A Song of Ice and Fire. He’s hoping HBO will create a series based on the Blackfyre Rebellion. You can find him on Bluesky at @burgermike, and he also enjoys debating the best Targaryen kings.

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2026-02-02 06:37