Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ takes the audience back to the world of Westeros, but with a twist. Unlike ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘House of the Dragon,’ it doesn’t focus on an all-out war between the different noble houses of the continent. It turns the attention towards the commonfolk, following the misadventures of a hedge knight named Ser Duncan the Tall, aka Dunk. While the first season traces his origins, this isn’t the first time that he has been mentioned in the Westerosi universe. The audience previously heard of him in the fourth season of ‘Game of Thrones,’ where Geoffrey makes a passing remark about how much space his story takes up in a book about knights. This, however, isn’t the only connection that he has with the parent series. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ser Duncan the Tall is a Confirmed Ancestor of Brienne of Tarth
One of the most significant characters in ‘Game of Thrones’ is Brienne of Tarth, who undergoes a significant arc over seven seasons of the series, following her introduction in the second season. Viewers might notice several similarities between her and Duncan, starting with their heights, which make them stand out in a crowd. They are also notably kind, just, and inherently good characters in a world where almost every other character walks the line between good and evil. Fans of the book series have long suspected a connection between them, believing that these qualities were passed down from Dunk to Brienne through blood. Interestingly, author George R.R. Martin left enough breadcrumbs to fuel this theory.
In the books, particularly in ‘A Feast for Crows,’ Brienne is described as “thick as a castle wall,” which is the exact phrase the author used to describe Dunk in the ‘Dunk and Egg’ novellas, which serve as the inspiration for ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ There is also the detail of Dunk’s shield being in possession of Brienne’s family, and her choosing a sigil (a field of blue with a golden sun) that is reminiscent of the sigil Dunk chooses for his shield (a green star shooting over an elm tree during a sunset). Martin confirmed these theories at the 2016 Balticon in Baltimore, where he gave a live reading from a chapter he wrote for his work-in-progress, ‘The Winds of Winter.’ He stated that Brienne is, in fact, a descendant of Duncan the Tall. However, she herself is not aware of this connection.
He also didn’t confirm exactly how they are related, but there are enough threads that reveal possible connections between them. His confirmation also served as a nod to the parallels between Dunk and Brienne’s characteristics as well as their character arcs, especially in the context of being considered some of the greatest knights in the realm. (Notably, the ‘Game of Thrones’ episode in which Brienne gets knighted by Jami.e Lannister is also titled ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’) According to the books, Dunk extensively travelled the Seven Kingdoms before becoming the Commander of the Kingsguard and taking the vow of celibacy. He is known to have spent a significant amount of time in the Stormlands, which is where Tarth is located. It is possible that the connections became entangled in a way that led Duncan to have a child, who eventually led to the birth of Brienne.
Brienne is Not the Only Descendant of Duncan in Game of Thrones
Apart from confirming the connection between Brienne of Tarth and Ser Duncan the Tall, George R.R. Martin has also dropped hints that there are at least four other descendants of Duncan in ‘Game of Thrones.’ Considering Duncan’s extensive travels, it makes sense that he would have had multiple romances in different kingdoms of Westeros and may have conceived illegitimate children whose family branches extend to the time of ‘Game of Thrones.’ One of the major contenders in this theory is the beloved character, Hodor, who also exhibits certain similarities with Dunk. He is a gentle giant who is all about kindness, strength, and loyalty at all times, something that can be used to describe both Dunk and Brienne.
This theory wouldn’t be too far-fetched, as Dunk is known to have visited Winterfell during his travels with Egg. He also returns to Winterfell while escorting Maester Aemon to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Around the same time, Hodor’s grandmother, Old Nan, would have been pretty young. In the books, one of Bran’s visions shows a young woman with a tall knight under the Heart Tree in Winterfell. While it is not yet confirmed by the author, this young woman could be Old Nan, and the tall knight could be Dunk, making Hodor Dunk’s direct descendant. This leaves at least four other possible descendants, and fans have speculated that the Clegane brothers (known for their size, though not for other gentler features Dunk is known for) could be another possibility.
The names of Grenn (who also appears in the show) and Small Paul (who appears only in the books) are also believed to be Dunk’s possible descendants. However, in these cases, the connections are not as significant, and so far, Martin has not confirmed any of them, leaving fans constantly speculating and theorising. Hopefully, the future seasons of ‘A Knight of Seven Kingdoms’ will shed more light on the matter as we find out more about Dunk’s travels, the places he has visited, the people he crossed paths with, and the connections he has made during his epic adventures with Egg.
Read More: Where is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Filmed? All Shooting Locations
You must be logged in to post a comment.