The world of Westeros is buzzing, but not just because a new Game of Thrones spin-off is dominating TV screens. A massive secret about the future of two beloved characters has accidentally slipped out. The young star of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has let slip a huge detail about how his character’s story ends, and he got the information straight from the man himself, George R.R. Martin.
Dexter Sol Ansell, the 10-year-old actor who plays the quick-witted squire Egg (secretly Prince Aegon Targaryen), was doing press interviews when he dropped a spoiler that has sent book readers and show watchers into a frenzy. The reveal concerns the Tragedy at Summerhall, a legendary and mysterious disaster in the lore of A Song of Ice and Fire that has never been fully shown on screen .
The Spoiler That Shook The Fandom
While speaking to Decider, Ansell started discussing the future of his character. He mentioned that he had personal conversations with George R.R. Martin about what really happens at Summerhall. His co-star, Peter Claffey (who plays Ser Duncan the Tall), tried to stop him from talking, but it was too late .
“I do know a bit about when Egg is trying to make dragons in the Summerhall and then there’s a huge fire,” Ansell said during the interview. “And we know from George…” .
At this point, Claffey visibly tried to interrupt, saying, “We don’t… yeah we don’t know if that’s exactly what happens…” But the young actor continued, dropping the biggest revelation of all .
“We know Dunk survives but we don’t know if Egg survives yet,” Ansell revealed .
Claffey immediately made frantic gestures and tried to walk it back, adding, “We don’t know exactly what happens, but let’s just get this Season 1 out of the way and we’ll see.” But the damage—or the exciting news, depending on how you look at it—was already out there .
What Is The Tragedy At Summerhall?
For viewers who are not deep into the Game of Thrones books, this spoiler might sound confusing. Summerhall is a Targaryen palace, and the “Tragedy” is a catastrophic event that happens years after the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
As detailed in the A Song of Ice and Fire books, Summerhall is the site of a terrible fire. It has long been believed by fans that both Dunk and Egg die in this fire. The event is tied to a failed attempt to hatch dragon eggs through magic .
Interestingly, the show has already hinted at this fate. In Episode 3, a fortune teller tells Egg: “You shall be king, and die in a hot fire, and worms shall feed upon your ashes, and all who know you shall rejoice in your passing” . Viewers thought this sealed the deal for the beloved duo. But Ansell’s comment changes everything.
Fan Theories Run Wild
The revelation that Dunk might live has opened up a floodgate of fan theories online. If the big guy survives the fire that supposedly kills his best friend and king, where does he go? Reddit and Twitter (X) have been exploding with ideas .
One popular theory suggests that Dunk, wracked with guilt over Egg’s death, might simply disappear from public life. “My guess: Because his king and friend died under his watch (and he will be sad and traumatized by Summerhall) Dunk will just vanish from the public and end up on Tarth,” wrote one fan on Reddit. “His shield ended up on Tarth somehow, so he will probably live a few quiet years on the island before his death” .
This connects to Game of Thrones, as Brienne of Tarth (the famously tall and honorable knight) has a shield with a tree painted over her father’s sigil. Many believe that shield originally belonged to Dunk.
Another wild theory suggests Dunk becomes Coldhands, a mysterious figure in the books who helps Bran Stark north of the Wall. “Hilarious,” noted another fan. “Biggest lore advancement in a decade on a random morning chat show… Dunk is Coldhands. Bloodraven reaches out to him after the Tragedy, he travels north and dies beyond the Wall from his injuries sustained during the fires and is reanimated as Coldhands” .
The Showrunner Responds
While the spoiler has taken over the news cycle, it comes at a time when the show is already performing incredibly well. Episode 4 of the series, titled “Seven,” is currently the highest-rated chapter of the season, sitting near 9.7 on IMDb .
Showrunner Ira Parker has been open about the challenges of adapting the beloved novellas. In a recent Reddit AMA, he even admitted to making a mistake by cutting a scene that many book readers felt was central to Dunk’s character. “That scene was in the script at one point, then fell out,” Parker explained, taking responsibility for the omission .
He also acknowledged a heraldry error in the show, noting that Maekar and Aerion Targaryen should have displayed their distinct personal sigils rather than the standard Targaryen crest .
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What This Means For The Show
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been positioned as a lighter, more grounded story compared to the massive scale of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. It follows a humble hedge knight and his little squire as they travel from town to town, getting into trouble. But this spoiler confirms that the ending of their journey is just as tragic and dark as anything in the main series .
The series is based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas by George R.R. Martin. Season 1 adapts The Hedge Knight. Season 2 is already in production and will adapt The Sworn Sword, with future seasons planned to adapt The Mystery Knight and eventually, the story of Summerhall .
For now, fans are left with the knowledge that their favorite giant knight might just make it out alive, while the fate of the little prince hangs in the balance. Peter Claffey, who plays Dunk, previously told People magazine that stepping into the lead role was “terrifying” because he understands the reverence fans have for the original show. He explained that Dunk stands out because “he’s just a normal guy” who “doesn’t want to sit atop the Iron Throne” .
Finn Bennett, who plays the villainous Prince Aerion Targaryen, also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about joining the universe. He admitted that he wishes he hadn’t watched the other Targaryen portrayals because it gave him preconceptions. He described Aerion as “slightly bratty” and noted that the weight of Targaryen history weighs heavy on the character .
As the first season continues to air on HBO and Max (Sundays at 10 p.m. ET), with new episodes dropping weekly until the finale on February 22, 2026, viewers will be watching every move Dunk and Egg make with this dark future in mind . In India, the series is streaming exclusively on JioHotstar in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu .
Whether George R.R. Martin actually confirmed Dunk’s survival to a young actor or whether it was a misunderstanding remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the road to Summerhall just got a lot more interesting.
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