A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Officially Sets Up Dunk Being Related To 1 Of GOT’s Best Characters

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I’ve been absolutely fascinated learning about the connections between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Game of Thrones! It’s amazing to me how the prequel, set almost a century before the main series, is already hinting at family ties. We’ve seen Egg revealed as the brother of Maester Aemon, and it seems likely Lyonel Baratheon is an ancestor of Robert Baratheon, which makes sense given their status. But what really got my attention was discovering Duncan the Tall is connected to someone we know from Game of Thrones! It’s less expected than those noble lineages, and I’m so curious to see how that connection unfolds as the story goes on.

As a huge fan of both A Song of Ice and Fire and The Tales of Dunk and Egg, I’ve always been fascinated by the hints George R.R. Martin drops. It seems pretty clear that Brienne of Tarth is actually descended from Dunk! Martin hasn’t explicitly confirmed it yet in the books, but he’s said he plans to reveal the connection eventually. The first season finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms really felt like a setup for this. When Lyonel asks Dunk if he’s ever been to Tarth, it’s a huge clue, planting the idea in both Dunk’s head and ours. It might take a few more books to fully unfold, but it’s an exciting possibility!

Dunk & Brienne Have Parallel Stories In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms & Game Of Thrones

This isn’t the first hint that the show has given about a connection between these characters. Episode 5 featured Dunk and Rafe on the Kingsroad, filmed at Northern Ireland’s Dark Hedges – the same location where we previously saw Brienne traveling with Podrick Payne. Showrunner Ira Parker confirmed to Business Insider that this location choice was intentional.

Though they lived in different times, Brienne and her ancestor, Dunk, share a similar fate. The story suggests Dunk never received a knighthood from Ser Arlan of Pennytree, and Brienne was denied one simply because of her gender – a situation Jaime Lannister ultimately corrected in the final season of Game of Thrones. It’s ironic, though, because both characters embody true knighthood more fully than anyone else. They are consistently honorable, kind, and dedicated to protecting those who can’t protect themselves, always keeping their promises, no matter the personal cost.

Brienne and Dunk share noticeable physical traits, likely inherited from Dunk’s family. Beyond their swordsmanship, both characters demonstrate they can win fights through various methods – for example, Dunk defeated Aerion Targaryen, and Brienne battled Sandor “The Hound” Clegane, proving their versatility in combat.

A clear connection between Dunk and Brienne lies in a shield. While it wasn’t featured in the TV series, in the books, an old shield bearing an elm tree and a shooting star is found at Evenfall Hall, the home of House Tarth. Brienne later uses this shield, which originally hinted at a family connection. This link was made even stronger in the book A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and there’s a possibility future stories might show Dunk actually traveling to Tarth.

Although Dunk shares the strongest connection with Brienne, there’s also a possibility he’s related to Hodor. They have noticeable physical similarities, and the books offer some clues. In A Dance with Dragons, Bran Stark sees a tall knight kissing a young woman at Winterfell, and many fans believe this vision shows Dunk and Old Nan.

The ages of the characters fit together – Old Nan is about 100 years old at the start of Game of Thrones, and fans have long suspected she was related to Hodor, possibly as a grandparent or great-grandparent. Also, George R.R. Martin has announced a future story called She-Wolves of Winterfell which will bring the characters to Winterfell, the home of House Stark. This story could involve a brief romance and explain the existence of several illegitimate children – nicknamed ‘mini Dunks’ – born across Westeros.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 will release on HBO and HBO Max in 2027.

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2026-02-23 20:40