For a hero who towers over nearly everyone in Westeros, Ser Duncan the Tall carries a surprisingly fragile secret. The series makes a subtle confirmation of what many readers of the books have long suspected in the finale of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’: Dunk was never knighted.
It is an eye-opener that does not come with fireworks and social embarrassment. Rather, it creeps in with a haunting flashback, a dying Ser Arlan, an incomplete conversation, and a question that lingers too long. Why was Dunk never knighted? This twist is a gut punch.
The Truth About Dunk’s Knighthood Makes Him Even More Compelling
Dunk has always seemed like the purest embodiment of chivalry in Martin’s world, kind, loyal, and stubbornly honorable. He is almost out of place in a universe that is constructed on ambition and betrayal. That is what hurts the truth. Dunk makes a decision when Arlan dies without knighting him. He picks up the sword and the title anyway.
Related: 7 Champions of Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Explained
Was it desperation? Survival? Or was it belief, belief that he had deserved? The series does not dictate it, and such vagueness makes it more enriched. Maybe Arlan hesitated because he needed Dunk as a squire. Maybe he thought the boy wasn’t ready. Or maybe life simply ran out before the words could be said.
The thing is that Dunk has been living in the shadow of that missing moment. And suddenly, several earlier scenes take on new meaning.
The Finale’s Quiet Reveal Reframes Dunk’s Entire Journey, Especially The Trial Of Seven
The Trial of Seven is one of the most revealing moments of the season. Dunk does not knight Raymun Fossoway. It was like hesitation at the time. Now it feels like guilt. How can you confer a title that you never had? It is a very subtle work of narration.
In case you missed it: ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ Brings Westeros Back To Its Golden Age
Dunk’s insecurity does not make him smaller; it makes him more human. Actually, it supports the main irony of the series: the man who questions his legitimacy is probably one of the most real knights in Westeros.
The titles in this world are usually empty. We have had kings who are not fit to wear crowns and knights not fit to wear spurs. Dunk turns that trend inside out. He was not dubbed with a sword, but he lives the code day in, day out. He protects the innocent, and he stands when others kneel. In a franchise known for tearing down ideals, Dunk quietly rebuilds one.
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