Ser Duncan the Tall: The Hedge Knight Who Became a Legend

Overview

Ser Duncan the Tall—called Dunk by those close to him—begins the collection as a nameless squire from the slums of Flea Bottom. After burying his master, the hedge knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Dunk inherits a sword, a warhorse, and the fragile title of knight. He adopts the name “Ser Duncan the Tall” on the spot, inventing a surname that fits his towering stature. His journey across the three novellas in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms transforms him from an awkward, self-doubting teenager into a knight whose name will echo through Westerosi history.

Plot Role and Chronological Arc

Dunk’s arc unfolds over three linked stories set roughly a century before A Game of Thrones. In The Hedge Knight, he buries Ser Arlan, travels to the Ashford tourney, meets a bald stableboy who calls himself Egg, and after a series of confrontations—including a near-fatal trial by combat with Prince Aerion Targaryen—earns respect and the lasting bond with his squire. In The Sworn Sword, Dunk and Egg serve Ser Eustace Osgrey at Standfast. Dunk investigates the theft of water by Lady Rohanne Webber, tries to defuse the feud between Osgrey and Webber, and ultimately fights in a skirmish that tests his sense of justice. In The Mystery Knight, Dunk and Egg attend a wedding at Whitewalls, where a conspiracy to crown a Blackfyre pretender unfolds. Dunk’s honest instincts put him at odds with plotting lords, and he must rely on his sword and his growing awareness of political danger. The epilogue (Chapter 5) notes that after these events, Dunk and Egg will roam from Dorne to the Wall and beyond the narrow sea, their names becoming part of Westerosi legend.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Dunk is driven by a deep hunger to be a true knight—not merely in title, but in conduct. He remembers Ser Arlan’s praise that he is “quick and strong,” and he repeats the phrase to himself like a mantra. When he finds the bald boy cooking a fish by his campfire, he could drive him away; instead, he allows Egg to stay as a squire, partly because he remembers that Ser Arlan once did the same for him. This reciprocity is central to Dunks moral code: “The Mother must have sent him to me so that I could pay my debt.”

His pride as a hedge knight is fragile but fierce. He refuses to camp on Ashford Meadow among the silk pavilions, knowing he would face mockery. Instead, he chooses a spot under an elm and calls it his “pavilion roofed with leaves.” He endures hardship without complaint, washing his clothes in the stream and sleeping on the ground. When questioned by a lordling who claims to have dreamed of him, Dunk is unsettled but does not retreat.

Throughout the stories, Dunk acts on instinctive fairness. In The Sworn Sword, he objects when Bennis the sellsword cuts a digger’s cheek for no good cause. Even when his liege lord Ser Eustace orders him to fight for the water, Dunk seeks a peaceful resolution first. In The Mystery Knight, his natural suspicion of the conspirators leads him to question motives, though he lacks the education to fully understand the political game.

Key Decisions and Consequences

1. Burying Ser Arlan and claiming knighthood – Dunk digs the grave with his own hands, saying a simple farewell. He then takes the knight’s sword and armor, deciding to enter the Ashford tourney. This decision launches his public life.
2. Taking on Egg as squire – Dunk accepts a boy he could have ignored. This choice leads to a profound friendship, but also entangles him in Targaryen dynastic politics when Egg’s true identity as Prince Aegon is revealed.
3. Entering the Ashford tourney as a hedge knight – He fights in the lists despite lacking armor, a pavilion, or connections. One victory is all he hopes for, and he achieves it, but the subsequent confrontation with Aerion forces him into a trial by combat where he nearly dies.
4. Investigating the dam in The Sworn Sword – Rather than blindly follow Ser Eustace’s commands, Dunk personally examines the Chequy Water and discovers the dam. His insistence on a just resolution puts him at odds with both his lord and the Red Widow, but ultimately leads to a truce.
5. Attending the wedding at Whitewalls – Dunk goes to the wedding hoping to find service, but soon finds himself amid a Blackfyre conspiracy. He refuses to join the plot, and his loyalty to the crown—and to Egg—forces him to fight for the true king.

Each decision reinforces his identity: he is a knight who acts on his own conscience, not on orders or fear.

Relationships

Egg (Prince Aegon Targaryen) – The relationship is the emotional core of the trilogy. Dunk first sees Egg as a “wretched boy” who might rob him, but quickly comes to trust him. Egg’s curiosity, intelligence, and hidden royalty create a dynamic of master and squire that slowly becomes a genuine partnership. Dunk teaches Egg swordsmanship and the hard life of a hedge knight; Egg teaches Dunk to read the world beyond the tourney field.

Ser Arlan of Pennytree – The dead master haunts Dunk’s memory. He measures himself against the old knight’s example: Ser Arlan “was a true knight” who gave Dunk a home. Dunk tries to live up to that standard, even as he surpasses his teacher.

Prince Baelor Targaryen – In the first story, Baelor treats Dunk with unexpected courtesy, offering him wine and words of encouragement. This kindness shapes Dunk’s view of what a prince should be. Later, Baelor’s death affects the realm and Dunk personally.

Lady Rohanne Webber – In The Sworn Sword, the Red Widow is an antagonist who nonetheless earns Dunk’s grudging respect. Their interaction over the dam and water rights reveals Dunk’s ability to see nuance in conflict.

Kyle the Cat, Maynard Plumm, and other hedge knights – These itinerant knights reflect the reality of Dunk’s world: good men living on the edge of poverty and glory. They offer camaraderie and sometimes rivalry.

Themes and Symbol Connections

Dunk embodies the gap between chivalry and reality. He longs for the ideals of honor and prowess but must contend with rusted armor, empty coin purses, and the scorn of noble-born knights. His rope sword belt and tree-pavilion are symbols of his humble station.

The theme of class and honor runs through his story. Dunk is lowborn, yet he insists on acting honorably. The highborn knights who look down on him often fail to match his integrity. His friendship with Egg—a prince pretending to be a common boy—bridges class divisions and questions their meaning.

Dunk’s loyalty to Egg and to his own moral compass reflects the theme of loyalty and duty. He could abandon Egg to pursue easier patronage, but he never does. In The Mystery Knight, he remains loyal to the Targaryen crown despite temptations to side with the Blackfyre claimants.

The legacy of the Blackfyre Rebellion shapes the political landscape of all three stories. Dunk is repeatedly drawn into conflicts rooted in the rebellion, even though he understands little of its history. His decisions inadvertently help stabilize the Targaryen regime.

The motif of prophecy and dreams appears when a drunken lordling says, “I dreamed of you,” and later when Dunk sees a falling star. The story does not confirm the dream’s significance, but these hints suggest a destiny Dunk is unaware of.

Discussion Questions and Answers

1. Why does Dunk invent the name “Ser Duncan the Tall” rather than using “Ser Duncan of Pennytree” or another name?
   He has no house and no known birth village. “Pennytree” belonged to Ser Arlan, not to him. Dunk chooses “the Tall” because it is true and sounds “puissant,” even if it invites mockery. It’s a claim to an identity he builds through action.

2. What does Dunk’s decision to keep Egg as a squire reveal about his character?
   It shows both compassion and a desire to repay the kindness Ser Arlan showed him as a homeless boy. He accepts the risk of being robbed because he believes in the debt of mentorship. His offer to feed, clothe, and not beat Egg “except when you deserve it” is a blunt but sincere beginning.

3. In The Sworn Sword, why does Dunk refuse to take Lady Rohanne’s side against Ser Eustace, even after he sees the dam?
   Dunk is sworn to Ser Eustace as his knight, but he also believes the water theft is wrong. He does not side with her politically, but he presses for a settlement that recognizes the shared need. His sense of justice is independent of feudal loyalty.

4. How does Dunk change from The Hedge Knight to The Mystery Knight?
   He grows more confident in his judgement and more willing to question authority. In the first story he is almost bashful around great lords; by the third, he challenges them directly. He also learns to read political signs—though he still relies on his gut instinct.

5. What is the significance of the falling star Dunk sees on his first night with Egg?
   He interprets it as good luck “that is mine alone” while the other knights sleep under silk. The star foreshadows his eventual rise from obscurity to fame, though at the moment it is simply a piece of superstitious optimism. Like many of Dunk’s beliefs, it is partly naive but partly earned.

For a deeper understanding of Dunk’s world and the questions readers often ask, see the Questions and Answers page and the Ending Explained analysis.