HBO’s newest Game of Thrones spinoff has major connections to both present-day Westeros and the origins of the Targaryen Dynasty.
HBO’s latest Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, has many fans excited. The series is set to follow the story of Ser Duncan the Tall, who was one of the most unique knights in the history of Westeros. Duncan’s earliest adventures have a more grounded approach than many of George R.R. Martin’s tales; it is interested in the mundane matters of the Seven Kingdoms, which helped forge Duncan into the man who would eventually become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Despite taking place a century before the events of its parent show, this new addition to Westeros’ story has deep ties to its predecessor.
Duncan himself is confirmed to be an ancestor of one of modern Westeros’ most significant figures, and his trusty squire, Egg, is actually Prince Aegon Targaryen — the ancestor to the modern generation of Targaryens. More importantly than their connection to the franchise’s other major characters, the events of Duncan and Egg’s lives have a profound effect on the political development in Westeros. It is no exaggeration to say that their achievement were among the most important events that transpired in the final century of the Targaryen Dynasty.
Who Are Dunk and Egg?
Duncan the Tall is one of the most famous knights in Westeros’ history.
Egg is actually Prince Aegon Targaryen and the future King Aegon V
Duncan the Tall is easily one of the most famous knights in Westeros’ history. In his youth, he was simply known as Dunk of Flea Bottom and lived as an ordinary man in the underbelly of King’s Landing. However, after being taken under the wing of a hedge knight — a mercenary knight who travels the realm competing in tourneys and serving different lords — Dunk’s luck begins to change.
During these travels, Dunk chanced upon his future squire in the form of a young boy named Egg. Egg is actually the first character to advise Dunk to use the name Duncan, which the young boy believes will help his mentor sound more respectable in public.
In actuality, Duncan’s new squire is actually Prince Aegon Targaryen, the son of Prince Maekar Targaryen. Although their bond seems innocuous at first, Duncan and Aegon’s bond kickstarts a chain of events that greatly reduces House Targaryen’s numbers. During a tourney, Duncan strikes Egg’s older brother, the mad prince Aerion Targaryen. To save his own life, Duncan demands a trial by combat, during which the heir to the throne, Prince Baelor, sides against his own brother. In the ensuing melee, Baelor is accidentally killed by Maekar, who backs Aerion. .
Remorseful, Maekar allowed Egg to continue traveling with Dunk, wanting to ensure that the life of the young hedge knight was worth the cost of his brother’s life. Under Duncan’s guidance, young Egg grew up with a more balanced education than he ever would have inside the safety of a castle. Thanks to his time with the commonfolk of the Seven Kingdoms, Egg learns what commoners have to endure every day.
Dunk and Egg Have Many Descendants In Game of Thrones
Ser Duncan the Tall is the ancestor of Brienne of Tarth — an appropriate connection given their large statures.
As the King of Westeros, Prince Aegon Targaryen is the ancestor of the Targaryens who appear in Game of Thrones.
While the later details of Dunk and Egg’s lives are still obscure, some key facts are made clear, such as who their descendants are. In an interview, George R.R. Martin confirmed that Duncan is actually an ancestor of Brienne of Tarth, thus explaining her height, martial prowess, and innate honor. Egg, as the future king of Westeros, ended up becoming the progenitor of the current generation of Targaryens. His family suffered a number of tragedies in the years leading to his accession. Relatives were felled by disease or random accidents. In one case, Aerion was killed by his own stupidity when he believed drinking wildfire would turn him into a dragon.
So needless to say, as the youngest son of the youngest son, Aegon never expected to rule. Yet, when the duty was thrust upon him, Aegon rose to the challenge, leading with integrity, and naming Duncan as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Under his rule, Westeros became a much safer place for commoners. King Aegon’s reforms afforded them more rights and greater protection from abuses by the lords who were supposed to care for them. This made him extremely popular with the commoners while simultaneously frustrating much of the realm’s nobility, who felt their rights were being taken away.
Of course, his status as a Targaryen King means that Aegon is the direct ancestor of characters such as Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, along with every other significant Targaryen such as the Mad King and his son, Rhaegar Targaryen. In fact, Rhaegar was born in the same fire that Aegon ultimately perishes in. This was believed to have left a mark on Rhaegar, who would regularly return to the ruined site of his birth and contemplate the fall of his grandfather, as well as write poetry.
Dunk and Egg Forever Altered Westeros’ Future
Dunk and Egg’s adventures changed the course of Westeros’ history by elevating the Seven Kingdom’s lesser houses and majorly altering the course of House Targaryen’s trajectory.
Without their meeting, it is possible that House Targaryen would be descended from an entirely different ancestor.
Dunk and Egg’s chance meeting set in motion events that led to a different future for Westeros than anyone could have ever expected. Were it not for Ser Duncan’s trial by combat, Baelon Targaryen may very well have lived and gone on to become king of Westeros. Of course, this may have also meant that Dunk would have died in the trial, preventing Egg from ever becoming his squire. The speculation of what if will always be a major source of interest for fans, but what is certain is that the events of that day changed history, something the knight and squire would make a habit of doing for the rest of their lives.
Dunk and Egg would go off to help wherever they were needed in Seven Kingdoms, be it battling the Ironborn on the Sunset Sea, or settling a dispute between two minor noble houses during a drought. Dunk and Egg were even centerstage for two of the subsequent Blackfyre Rebellions; invasions of Westeros by a treacherous cadet branch of House Targaryen. Had it not been for their presence both times, it is likely that greater bloodshed would have come to Westeros.
The events of their later lives also directly contributed to the future downfall of House Targaryen. Aegon would later become interested in trying to restore his family’s dragons and attempted to hatch dragon eggs at Summerhall, resulting in a fire that killed him, his son, and several other people.
More importantly, Aegon’s defiance of tradition pushed him to allow his oldest son to relinquish his claim as heir to the Iron Throne for the sake of love, once again altering the course of Westeros’ history by not having the expected heir claim his crown, inevitably leading to Aerys II becoming king and eventually pushing the lords of Westeros too far with his madness.
