The season finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming, and the episode concludes with a slight deviation from George R.R. Martin's source material that would appear to set up a more prominent role for a certain character in the currently-shooting second season.
Spoilers follow.
After the tragic death of Baelor Targaryen at the hands of his own brother (accidentally... presumably) in the penultimate episode, Ser Duncan the Tall decides that he is "done with princes," rejecting Maekar's offer to join his service and train Egg as his squire at Summerhall.
Dunk ultimately has a change of heart, but only agrees to take Egg as his squire if Maekar allows his youngest son to accompany him on the road and live the life of a Hedge Knight. Maekar has no intention of sending his "last son" off to sleep in ditches, but Egg shows up towards the end of the episode, telling Dunc that his father relented.
In a brief mid-credits scene, we find out that this was a lie, as Maekar frantically searches for Egg as the Targaryens depart for home.
"I don’t think guilt impacted his decision-making a great deal. His youngest son, Aegon [Egg], is his last chance to prove himself as a father," actor Sam Spruell explains to THR. "He’s 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. So his judgment is more clouded by a need to not fail again. That’s why he makes Dunk an offer and rejects Dunk’s offer. He wants to control it. Everything Maekar touches doesn’t work out for him, and there’s enormous vulnerability there. He is pretty much a failure as a father. I’m a dad myself, and not all of parenting is a success. So I can relate to making mistakes, but Maekar’s parenting leaves a lot to be desired."
So, season 2 will see a furious Maekar use every means at his disposal to hunt Ser Duncan down and retrieve his son... right?
"I’m not going to be in season two," Spruell confirms. "Never say never, but I’m pretty sure that there will be other stories to tell."
It sounds like Maekar will return for a potential third season, but season 2 is going to remain faithful to the events of The Sworn Sword, which does not feature the prickly Targaryen prince.