A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner teases Dunk’s future as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

Quick read

• Ira Parker says Dunk’s insecurities persist even as Lord Commander.
• Dunk’s journey is about proving himself beyond titles.
• Success only brings new challenges and higher expectations.

Parker on Dunk’s lifelong insecurities

Parker explained that Dunk’s doubts aren’t limited to his early days as a hedge knight. He said that even when Dunk achieves great success, rising to the role of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he will continue to feel like a fraud. Parker compared this to the universal human experience of imposter syndrome, noting that no matter how accomplished someone becomes, new responsibilities always bring fresh anxieties.

Parker revealed: “Yep. What person doesn’t feel that way, even deep into their careers and even successfully deep into their careers, that they’re not complete frauds and undeserving of any little morsel of praise or success that they receive. Honestly – spoiler alert, except I guess people know from the original series – even when he is more successful in his career than he is now and at quite high levels, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he’s still feeling that way.”

Why Dunk’s future remains a struggle

For Parker, Dunk’s story is about more than triumph — it’s about the endless cycle of challenge and growth. He explained that success in Westeros doesn’t mean stability; every achievement only leads to greater expectations. Dunk’s insecurities will remain because each new level of responsibility pushes him out of his comfort zone.

Parker added: “He’s still feeling insecure because there’s always new levels of a job. No one ever lets you stay at the same place for your whole life. As soon as you do a good job, they want you to do something that’s out of your comfort zone. And so, you can remain anxious and feeling unworthy for your entire career.”

Read next: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to wrap up filming Season 2 in June 2026