Ser Duncan the Tall is quickly winning hearts in HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. But his heroic act of defending an innocent puppeteer from a cruel prince shows he shares a dangerous trait with some of Game of Thrones‘ most famous—and ill-fated—characters. In the world created by George R.R. Martin, a rigid sense of honor and a need to do the right thing can be a fatal flaw.
The newest show in the Game of Thrones universe, set about a century before the original series, follows a young, wandering knight named Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, a boy nicknamed Egg. The story is based on Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. Peter Claffey stars as the kind but sometimes naive Dunk, with Dexter Sol Ansell playing his clever young companion. The series has been praised for its lighter, more comedic tone compared to the brutal political dramas of its predecessors. However, a recent act of heroism by Dunk has viewers worried, as it echoes the paths of beloved characters who met tragic ends.
The Ashford Incident: A Heroic but Risky Stand
The central event sparking this concern occurs during a tournament at Ashford Meadow. Dunk, a humble hedge knight, witnesses Prince Aerion Targaryen, a member of the ruling royal family, brutally attacking a puppeteer named Tanselle. The reason for the attack is as petty as Aerion is cruel; he is offended because her puppet show depicts a dragon dying. Acting on his knightly instincts to protect the innocent, Dunk intervenes. He confronts the prince and punches him so hard he knocks out one of Aerion’s teeth.
While this is a definitively heroic moment that wins Dunk the admiration of the common folk, it is also a profoundly dangerous and naive act. In the hierarchical world of Westeros, striking a prince of royal blood is considered suicidal. Dunk’s actions immediately put his own life in grave peril, leading to his arrest and a demand for a trial by combat. He is only saved from certain death because his young squire, Egg, reveals his own secret identity: he is Prince Aegon Targaryen, Aerion’s brother. This revelation complicates the situation and forces a formal trial.
Actor Peter Claffey explained Dunk’s mindset: “It is betrayal. Dunk is not the brightest spark in Westeros, of course. He tries to see the goodness in everybody… It’s just complete and utter confusion and then betrayal to think that this prince of the realm knew that he would get this man in serious trouble.”
A Stark Parallel: When Honor Leads to a Fall
This pattern—where a noble character’s commitment to justice puts them at a severe disadvantage—is a recurring and tragic theme in George R.R. Martin’s stories. The character who best exemplifies this is Eddard “Ned” Stark, the patriarch from Game of Thrones. From the beginning, Ned was portrayed as the honorable hero in a world of schemers and liars. His unwavering commitment to truth and law, however, was his greatest weakness. He repeatedly chose the morally right path over the politically smart one, a strategy that ultimately led to his public execution at the end of the first season.
This fatal trait of “more honor than intelligence” seems to be a family legacy. Ned’s son, Robb Stark, was a brilliant military commander who never lost a battle. Yet, he lost the war and his life at the Red Wedding because he refused to compromise his beliefs and play as dirty as his enemies. Similarly, Ned’s supposed bastard son, Jon Snow, was assassinated by his own men for making the honorable choice to protect the Wildlings, a decision that went against the wishes of the Night’s Watch. The track record for strictly honorable heroes in this universe is grim, which casts a shadow over Dunk’s future.
Dunk’s Path: Learning a Hard Westerosi Lesson?
The critical question for Dunk’s character is whether he will learn from this brush with disaster or continue on a path that could lead to a fate like Ned Stark’s. The show has established a theme of Dunk realizing the world of knights is not the chivalrous ideal he once believed. They are flawed people who don’t always uphold the virtues he was taught.
Actor Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg, believes his character feels only “a tiny bit” guilty for the trouble his secret caused Dunk, reasoning that “it’s not his fault his family is horrible to him.”
To survive, Dunk may need to learn the difficult art of compromise—something Ned Stark never mastered. This concept of a noble hero having to betray their core beliefs for a greater good is reflected in Jon Snow’s final, devastating choice to assassinate Daenerys Targaryen to protect the realm. While Dunk’s journey may not reach such an extreme, his story is likely to be about confronting a world that is not as simple as the black-and-white ideals of knighthood. The bond between Dunk and Egg, which Claffey describes as strong enough to survive betrayal, will be central to this growth.
A Lighter Tale with a Familiar Edge
Despite these ominous parallels, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms maintains a notably lighter atmosphere than Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. The chemistry between Claffey and Ansell is a major source of this warmth, with their dynamic being compared to beloved on-screen duos. The show finds humor in the small, awkward moments of life among the common folk, a contrast to the high-stakes drama in royal palaces.
However, long-time fans know that in Westeros, laughter and light can be fleeting. The history of the franchise is built on subverting fairy-tale expectations. Dunk’s story is not a mystery; book readers and attentive show fans know he eventually becomes the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard for King Aegon V Targaryen (Egg) and dies alongside him in the tragic Summerhall fire. This known, tragic end for both characters adds a layer of poignancy to their early adventures. It reminds viewers that this lighter journey has a fixed destination in fire and sorrow, making Dunk’s current struggles and noble choices feel even more significant.
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