A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Season 1’s Biggest Unanswered Question About Ser Duncan Was Requested By GRRM Himself

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 finale.George R.R. Martin personally requested how A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ biggest unanswered question about Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey) would be addressed.

Whether Dunk was actually knighted by Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb) is a question that goes back to Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, which never provide an explicit answer. A flashback in the season 1 finale of the HBO adaptation offers more insight, as Dunk asks Arlan why he never knighted him. Arlan does not provide a straight answer and does not bestow the honor on his squire.

In an interview with Collider, showrunner Ira Parker clarifies that the flashback is not meant to confirm that Arlan never knighted Dunk. As requested by Martin, the mystery is supposed to stay ambiguous in the show, and Parker argues that the more important question is if Dunk can earn the title of knighthood, regardless of whether Arlan gave it to him. Check out his comments below:

It’s fascinating to me that that’s what you got out of that scene. At that moment, Dunk had never been knighted by Ser Arlan. He says, “Why did you never knight me?” And then, Ser Arlan dies, and we think it’s over. But then, he’s back and, as far as we know, the continuation of that scene is, “Boy, go get me my sword,” and then he knights him. There is no conformation, one way or the other, coming out of that scene. That’s exactly how Mr. R.R. Martin requested it. It remains [ambiguous] and people can decide for themselves. Look, Danny Webb is a f***ing magician. I love him so much. He’s just become Arlan. It could have been no one else in this whole world. He was just pitch perfect, all the way up until his death. This whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight, whether or not you’re given the title, or if you have to earn the title even after you’re given it. Can you earn it, even if you’ve never been given it?

Martin’s essential input for the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 finale, and how Parker honors it, ties into why the legendary fantasy author has spoken highly of the adaptation and the genuine collaboration he has with the showrunner. In both the books and in the show, audiences have to make their own decision about whether Arlan knighted Dunk, which helps ensure that there is faithfulness and consistency between both versions of the story.

In terms of whether Dunk has earned being a knight, season 1 would indicate that he is well on his way to doing so. Jeopardizing his own future and protecting the innocent Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) from being hurt by Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) is a prominent example of this. The same can also be said for agreeing to take on Aegon “Egg” Targaryen as his squire, largely because Dunk wants Egg to grow up and become a more honorable man than his brothers. It is Dunk’s strong moral code that motivated Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) to fight alongside him instead of the other Targaryens in the Trial of Seven.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 will continue to test Dunk as a knight and father figure to Egg while they go on new adventures. This will always be the primary focus of the show, with the characters’ actions and their bond being more important than the mystery of whether Dunk was knighted, which, per Martin’s request, will be left ambiguous.

All A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 episodes are streaming on HBO Max.