Chapter 5: The End – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with the title “THE END……of the beginning,” signalling that the conclusion of this collection is only a starting point for the characters. The narrator then looks ahead to the future of the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg (Prince Aegon Targaryen). It states that more travels and travails await them in the years to come. Their journeys will carry them across the length and breadth of the Seven Kingdoms, from Dorne to the Wall, and even beyond the narrow sea to the Disputed Lands and the shining cities of Essos.
Along the way, they will cross paths with lords, knights, sorcerers, fair maids, and noble ladies. Their names, the text promises, will be written into the annals of Westeros, never to be forgotten. The chapter then breaks off by saying those are tales for another time, followed by the exhortation “Keep reading.” The author signs off with the location Santa Fe and the date May 2015.
Key Events
- The chapter presents a forward-looking epilogue rather than a narrative scene.
- The narrator explicitly states that Dunk and Egg will undertake extensive future travels.
- The geographical scope is outlined: Dorne, the Wall, the Seven Kingdoms, beyond the narrow sea, Essos.
- A list of character types they will meet is given: lords, knights, sorcerers, fair maids, noble ladies.
- The narrator asserts that Dunk and Egg will leave a permanent mark on Westerosi history.
- The author adds a personal note with location and date.
Character Development
Dunk (Ser Duncan the Tall): The epilogue reinforces that Dunk, despite his humble origins and lack of knighthood in the early tales, is destined for great deeds. His journey from hedge knight to a figure remembered in the annals shows growth in reputation and impact.
Egg (Prince Aegon Targaryen): Egg’s hidden identity as a Targaryen prince is now set to unfold in the wider world. The epilogue hints that his squire years are training for a larger role, ultimately leading to his coronation as King Aegon V.
Together, their partnership is solidified as the central relationship of the series, with the epilogue promising that their combined adventures will become legendary.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
The Journey: The entire chapter is built around the theme of travel and adventure. The repeated mention of locations (Dorne, Wall, Essos) turns the map of the known world into a symbol of limitless possibility.
Legacy: The promise that their names will be “written into the annals” underscores the idea that even the smallest beginnings can lead to historical significance. This motif appears in earlier novellas when Dunk worries about his lack of fame.
Cyclical Storytelling: The deliberate “THE END……of the beginning” framing suggests that every ending is also a commencement. This mirrors the way the collected novellas serve as a prelude to the later Targaryen history and even the main A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The Open Road: Unnamed but implied, the road is the stage for all encounters. It represents freedom, danger, and the promise of change.
Why This Chapter Matters
This brief epilogue is the only part of the book that explicitly steps outside the story world to address the reader. It bridges the three separate novellas into a unified saga and confirms that the tales of Dunk and Egg are part of a larger ongoing legend. For readers familiar with the main series, it provides tantalising hints about how Egg becomes King Aegon V and how Dunk becomes Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. It also deepens the emotional resonance of earlier chapters by assuring the reader that their favourite characters will survive and thrive—at least for a time. The author’s personal sign-off (Santa Fe, May 2015) adds a real-world timestamp, grounding the fictional world in the author’s own creative journey.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the author choose to end the collection with a forward-looking epilogue rather than a traditional conclusion?
The epilogue emphasises that the three novellas are only the beginning of Dunk and Egg’s story. By describing future travels and encounters, the author transforms the ending into an invitation to imagine the characters’ ongoing adventures and to recognise that their legend extends beyond the printed page.
2. How does the epilogue reinforce the themes of legacy and adventure present in the preceding novellas?
Throughout the book, Dunk worries about his place in the world and whether he can live up to the ideals of knighthood. The epilogue directly answers that worry by promising that his and Egg’s names will be remembered. It also reasserts adventure as the engine of the story, listing the many places and people they will encounter.
3. What might the phrase “THE END……of the beginning” suggest about the structure of the entire collection?
It suggests that the three novellas are a prologue to a longer series. The “end” refers to the conclusion of this volume, but the “beginning” points to the vast history of Westeros that readers know from the main series. It also hints that the author planned more Dunk and Egg stories, making this a deliberate pause rather than a full stop.