As A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms moves ahead, the adventures of Dunk and Egg continue to anchor the series. One of the most anticipated television releases of 2026, the Game of Thrones spin-off has so far earned a positive response from viewers. Unlike earlier entries in the ASOIAF universe, the show leans away from grand spectacle and instead allows its characters space to breathe.
Told entirely from the perspectives of Dunk and Egg, the series places their relationship at its emotional core. Despite the difference in their ages and upbringings, it is this unlikely bond that has long fascinated readers – and now, the viewers.
Credits: HBO
Why Egg wants to follow Dunk
Egg’s decision to squire for Dunk unfolds in the pilot episode. Dunk, grieving the loss of his mentor Ser Arlan of Pennytree and uncertain about his future, first encounters Egg at an inn. Though Dunk initially mistakes him for a stableboy, it soon becomes clear that Egg wants to follow Dunk on his journey. Dunk refuses, and the moment appears to pass.
They meet again the following day after Ser Manfred Dondarrion refuses to vouch for Dunk for the Tourney of Ashford. Sitting by a fire and roasting fish, Dunk reluctantly agrees to take Egg on as his squire – at least for the tourney. What he offers is not comfort or glory, but honesty about the hardship that lies ahead. Dunk tells Egg:
“…And if you’ll swear to do as you’re told… I’ll let you serve me for the tourney. After that, well… we’ll see. I don’t have much, but if you prove worth your keep… you’ll have clothes on your back and food in your belly. The clothes might be rough-spun and the food, salt beef and salt fish, but you won’t go hungry. I promise not to beat you. Except when you deserve it.”
What Dunk sees in Egg
Even before Dunk’s reluctant agreement, Egg’s intentions are unmistakable. Off-screen, he has already washed Dunk’s clothes, caught a horse, tended the fire, and carried out the tasks expected of a squire without being asked. His actions show that he willfully wants to squire for Dunk.
For Dunk, the choice is deeply personal. Through dialogue and flashbacks, the episode reveals his own past as an orphan from Flea Bottom, taken in by Ser Arlan of Pennytree when he had nothing. Ser Arlan fed him, trained him, and became a father figure. Recognising the same hunger and loneliness in Egg, Dunk ultimately decides to bring him along.
Actor Peter Claffey, who plays Dunk, echoed this interpretation on the official Game of Thrones podcast, released soon after the second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms:
“You can see Egg’s eyes light up. He wants to live that squire life and be a knight when he’s older. And I think they see both things that they can really get from each other.”
Egg’s intentions to squire for Dunk seem clear from the very beginning – even Peter Claffey knows it. What begins as a reluctant arrangement soon becomes the foundation of one of the most compelling relationships in the ASOIAF universe. As Dunk and Egg’s adventures continue in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, their bond remains the heart of the story.
What do you like the most about this unlikely partnership between Dunk and Egg? Tell us in the comments.
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