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Angel Shaw
Published Feb 22, 2026, 10:41 PM EST
Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Peer Mentor on ScreenRant's New TV team, covering new-release TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy.
Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones).
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Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 ahead!A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 has officially come to a close as episode 6 wraps the tournament at Ashford Valley and sets up Dunk and Egg's future adventures. The start of Dunk's story in this Game of Thrones spinoff has certainly been eventful. The season started with this former squire burying his knight master, Ser Arlan, and deciding to try his luck at the local tournament. On the way, he picked up a young squire, Egg, though he never could have suspected the sort of trouble this boy would bring him.
Egg turned out to be Prince Aegon Targaryen, grandson of King Daeron II Targaryen. The boy's identity was revealed in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 when Dunk attacked Egg's brother, Prince Aerion, in an attempt to save Tanselle, a Dornish puppeteer. Between this action and the fact that it looked like Dunk had kidnapped Egg, things didn't look too promising for this hedge knight's future.
To prove his innocence, Dunk was forced to participate in a trial of seven. This meant he had to come up with six additional men to fight by his side against Prince Aerion and his soldiers. To Dunk's surprise, some of his new friends rallied by his side, and, most surprisingly, Prince Baelor Targaryen, Hand of the King and heir to the Iron Throne, was among them.
Miraculously, Dunk came out victorious in the trial of seven. He isn't a particularly good fighter, but his remarkable endurance prevailed over Aerion. For a fleeting moment, it looked as if the tournament at Ashford would have a happy ending. However, in the final moments of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5, Prince Baelor fell dead. The blow his brother, Maekar, delivered to the back of his head turned out to be fatal. This brings us to the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finale episode.
Dunk Officially Takes Egg On As Squire In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Season 1’s Ending
Dunk is devastated by Baelor's death in a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' final episode. He can't figure out why the gods would take the life of a prince but spare him. No one else can wrap their minds around it either, but Prince Maekar recognizes the significance of his brother's sacrifice. Though reluctant, he asks Dunk to take Egg on as a squire. Maekar says that the hedge knight can come back with the Targaryens to Summerhall, where he will be trained further in combat and leave the wandering of a hedge knight behind him.
At first, Dunk refuses entirely. Princes have brought him a great deal of misfortune, and he wishes nothing more than to leave them in his past. However, it's Prince Daeron who changes his mind. He explains that even Aerion had been a pleasant child, but growing up a Targaryen turned him into the cruel prince we see in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Daeron implies that Egg will either grow up to be like Aerion or else a miserable drunk like himself.
In a short amount of time, Dunk came to really care for Egg. The idea that he might grow up to such a fate bothers him deeply. So, he goes to Maekar and states that he will take Egg to squire, but only if the boy can join him in the life of a hedge knight. They would wander the kingdoms, sleep under the trees, and occasionally stop to serve lesser lords. This way, Egg would grow up away from the pampered life of princes.
Maekar refuses Dunk's request. He looks down on this life, but, moreover, he isn't willing to let go of what he considers to be his last son. Aerion and Daeron have disappointed him greatly, but there is still a chance for little Aegon. Despite this, Egg later turns up at Dunk's camp and says his father gave him permission to join him. The pair set out together, but the final moments of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reveal that Egg lied—Maekar notices in a rage as the Targaryens leave Ashford that his youngest son is missing. Egg joined Dunk without his father's blessing.
In George R.R. Martin's Tale of Dunk and Egg novellas, Maekar agreed to Dunk's demand that he take Egg on the road. This is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' biggest change to the canon story in season 1.
That Final Ser Arlan Shot Explained
As Dunk and Egg head for the horizon on horseback in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 6, we see, for a moment, that Ser Arlan is riding alongside them. After a few yards, however, he turns to the left and sets out into a field. Of course, the old knight isn't really there. Throughout these season 1 episodes, Ser Arlan had been symbolically at Dunk's side. He thought about the man often and was motivated (especially in the trial of seven) by Arlan's words. In those final moments, Dunk is ready to say goodbye and let his master go.
During the flashback scenes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 5, we learn that Dunk wanted nothing more as a child than a loving family. Ser Arlan, though rough around the edges, filled that void. With the old knight gone, Dunk was again left alone—until Egg came into his life. The end of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees Dunk and Egg officially become one another's family. This meant Ser Arlan and Dunk could symbolically part ways.
Aerion's Fate After The Trial Of Seven Explained
Two people in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will forever be blamed for Prince Baelor's death. Dunk will be remembered as the one the would-be king died for, while Prince Maekar would be remembered as the one who struck him down. The two know that they will carry this for the rest of their lives, but they're also both aware that the true cause of this tragedy is Prince Aerion Targaryen.
As punishment for the trouble he caused, Aerion is sent by his father into exile. The prince hopes his son will learn from his mistakes in Lys, one of the free cities of Essos. As the Targaryens leave Ashford in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 6, we see a bloody and bruised Aerion sitting on a carriage in misery.
Did Ser Arlan Ever Actually Make Dunk A Knight?
Dunk spent a good chunk of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms trying to prove he was a true knight. Ultimately, it was Prince Baelor who vouched for him, recalling old Ser Arlan. However, there was always a question among us viewers whether Dunk was being truthful. This series is full of flashbacks, yet we never see one of Arlan actually knighting Dunk. The answer finally comes in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1's final episode.
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Join our newsletter to get scene-by-scene breakdowns, canon-vs-show comparisons, and thoughtful theories about Dunk & Egg's future in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Subscribe for more coverage of this series and related fantasy TV analysis. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Just before Arlan's death, Dunk asks why the old man had never knighted him. He asks if it's because Arlan thought he would leave if he did, or whether there was another reason. An answer never came. It appeared for a moment that Arlan died just as Dunk posed the question, but the knight comically snapped out of it to finish his story. Still, Arlan never provided an answer. Regardless, this flashback officially solved the mystery of Dunk's knighthood. Unless Arlan roused himself long enough to perform the ceremony, Dunk was no true knight when he arrived at Ashford.
What’s Next For Dunk & Egg In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Season 2
As Dunk and Egg leave Ashford in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1's finale, they discuss where they might go in the Seven (though there are actually nine) Kingdoms. Egg mentions he's heard Dorn has good puppet shows, subtly suggesting they head in that direction to find Tanselle, the girl Dunk defended against Aerion. This hints that the pair's next big adventure will be at this location.
Heading into this Game of Thrones series' next chapter, we must also consider Prince Maekar. Since we now know that he didn't actually permit Egg to go with Dunk, this could prove to be a significant issue. He may let the whole thing go, but given his expressed attachment to Egg, this is unlikely. It's just another reason to look forward to Dunk and Egg's continued journey in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2.
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A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Action Fantasy Adventure Release Date January 18, 2026 Network HBO Showrunner Ira Parker Directors Owen Harris Writers George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall
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Dexter Sol Ansell
Egg
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Join our newsletter to get scene-by-scene breakdowns, canon-vs-show comparisons, and thoughtful theories about Dunk & Egg's future in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Subscribe for more coverage of this series and related fantasy TV analysis. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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