The world of Westeros is vast, and just when fans think they’ve seen every corner, George R.R. Martin returns with another thread worth following. HBO’s upcoming series, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’, turns the spotlight on Ser Duncan the Tall and his unlikely squire, Egg.
The two figures, though largely legendary by the time of ‘Game of Thrones’, were subtly seeded throughout the original show in ways many viewers may not have noticed.
How ‘Game Of Thrones’ Set Up ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’
Set nearly 90 years before the events of ‘Game of Thrones’, the series follows Ser Duncan, a humble hedge knight scraping together a living without a noble house to back him. His journey begins at a tournament in Ashford Meadow, where fate introduces him to a boy named Egg. Fans of Martin’s novella trilogy, The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight, will recognize the pair immediately. HBO has already confirmed that each novella will serve as the basis for a season, with season 1 premiering January 18, 2026.
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What many don’t realize is that Ser Duncan, known simply as Dunk, isn’t a new figure to the screen at all. His legacy has been quietly referenced across multiple episodes of Game of Thrones. And Egg? He, too, left his mark in one powerful moment that longtime fans will remember. Though Dunk lived almost a century before characters like Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, his name is quite relevant in small but meaningful ways.
The first mention arrives in season 1, episode 3, when Old Nan offers to tell the bedridden Bran Stark a story about Ser Duncan the Tall, whom she recalls as Bran’s favorite knight from her tales. It’s a short line. However, it confirms that Duncan lived long enough to become a figure of legend. The next reference comes in season 4, episode 1. King Joffrey flipped through the Book of Brothers and paused on Ser Duncan’s entry.
It’s the first time the show spells out that Duncan rose from a common hedge knight to the highest honor possible: Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. His name surfaces again in the final season. In season 8, episode 2, Jaime Lannister knights Brienne of Tarth, echoing the title of Martin’s novellas. And in the series finale, Brienne updates Jaime’s page in the same Book of Brothers, briefly glancing through entries that include Ser Duncan the Tall.
The Spinoff Was Always Coming With Egg Being The Secret Prince And Duncan As The Greatest Knight
Egg, too, received a fleeting but emotional nod in ‘Game of Thrones’. In season 5, episode 7, Maester Aemon of the Night’s Watch lies dying, his mind slipping back through time. In his final clarity, he cries out a single word: “Egg!” Book readers instantly understood the significance. Maester Aemon was born Aemon Targaryen, and Egg was his younger brother. Those who know the Dunk and Egg stories also know Egg’s true identity: Aegon Targaryen, a future king.
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That dynamic, between a poor knight and a secret prince, is central to the upcoming series. However, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ won’t unfold in the epic halls fans are used to. Instead of King’s Landing, Winterfell, or Dragonstone, the series explores lesser-seen corners of Westeros. Dunk’s struggles aren’t about claiming thrones or waging wars but about survival, honor, and finding purpose. And yet, the great houses still cross their path. The Targaryens, the Baratheons, and others from powerful lineages will intersect with Dunk and Egg’s travels.
At the heart of it all is Ser Duncan himself. Unlike many knights in Westeros, he wasn’t born to privilege. He comes from Flea Bottom, the slums of King’s Landing, and wasn’t groomed for greatness. He’s not the sharpest mind in the realm. However, he embodies something rare: a genuine belief in the ideals of knighthood. His humanity is part of why his story resonates. Dunk’s rise from obscurity to the Kingsguard’s highest rank shows that Westeros, despite its betrayals and bloodshed, still has room for decency and perseverance.
