“These two characters are actually quite lonely”: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner on the “unconscious” reason Dunk and Egg seek each other out

Having premiered on January 18, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has won fans over with its simplicity and relatable themes. Dunk (Peter Claffey) is not a typical hero, nor is his choice of a squire, a nine-year-old orphaned boy named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). Their unusual partnership creates an engaging dynamic that quickly pulls viewers in. In a press conference (via Starry Constellation Magazine), showrunner Ira Parker stated that the reason Dunk and Egg feel drawn towards each other is that they are “lonely.”

Quick read:

• Ira Parker said that Dunk and Egg were dealing with loneliness when they met.
• Dunk and Egg did not truly understand the reason they gravitated towards each other.
• The characters were longing for the kind familial connection that they had not had so far.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner addressed the reason Dunk and Egg gravitated towards each other

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms sees Dunk and Egg meet for the first time in episode 1. Egg insisted that Dunk let him squire for him, and the hedge knight gave in despite his initial hesitation. By episode 2, they have an understanding, even with all their banter.

During the conference, Parker said, “When they first meet each other, I think these two characters are actually quite lonely. […] The two of them come together, and I’m not sure that they see that in each other, but there’s something unconscious about, you know, the reason that they seek each other out.” He explained that Dunk had lost Ser Arlan, the only person he had in the name of family, when he met Egg, who was feeling “abandoned” and “aimless” himself at the time.

Ira Parker on how A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is about family

Unlike Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does not center on the conflicts between royal families. However, that does not imply that there are no familial themes involved at all. During the press event, Parker said, “Really, this whole story is about family, and about the different nature of how families are made. This relationship is at its core, a knight and a squire, but that’s also a mentor and mentee, a master and apprentice. But there’s also, you know, a father and son.”

He further explained that Dunk and Egg share a brotherly bond, with their relationship shaped by a mutual search for the sense of family they’ve both lacked.