Note: This story contains spoilers from “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Episode 6.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1 is over but there is one major question looming over the series – Dunk’s knighthood.
The season ends with Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) setting out as knight and squire to find more work and see Westeros. But a question that has percolated among fans of the story for years has been reignited by the HBO series. It’s the same question many of those running the Ashford Meadows tournament confronted Dunk about: Were you really knighted by a dying man, or are you lying?
Now that the season is wrapped and the wait for more episodes begins, there is plenty of time to confront the question. Did Dunk lie about being knighted by Ser Arlan, what do the stars and showrunner think about the question, and ultimately does it even matter?
Was Dunk Knighted?
One of the biggest lingering questions from the first season of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was whether Dunk was actually knight by Ser Arlan of Pennytree or not. Without a proper witness – aside from a Robin in a tree – there is no one to second Dunk’s claim.
While it’s not a question that is answered in the first season of the HBO series, or even in any of the three published Dunk and Egg stories written by George R.R. Martin, there are moments that certainly point toward one direction.
The Evidence At Hand
There is quite a bit more evidence pointing to the fact that Dunk lied about Arlan knighting him.
For one, there was nobody else around to back up his claim except for a robin Dunk only happens to notice when he’s … relieving himself. While wandering to the tourney, Dunk wonders aloud to his horses if maybe he should head to King’s Landing to join the City Watch or maybe even squire for a second knight. Someone who is knighted probably wouldn’t be looking for another squiring gig or to take up as City Watch.
But the most damning evidence that Dunk is not knighted comes in Episode 4. After Steffon Fossoway betrays Dunk and sides with Aerion to fight in the Trial, Raymun says he’ll fight in his cousin’s stead. He just needs to be made a knight. Despite being down a pair of fighters and time running out, Dunk still hesitates to knight Raymun until Lyonel steps in to do the knighting while Dunk goes to make his plea to the crowd for the final fighter.
Any knight can make a knight but if Dunk was never knighted at all that would delegitimize Raymun’s knighthood if it was ever revealed. His hesitancy feels like it’s all but a certainty that Dunk was not knighted before Arlan died.
Peter Claffey and Showrunner Ira Parker’s Thoughts on the Knighting
While the idea of Dunk’s honesty toward his knighthood has been speculated for years, some people know a bit more. Peter Claffey has been told outright the truth but that’s something he’s sworn to secrecy about.
“I know, and I’m afraid I can’t tell you,” Claffey told TheWrap. “Just go with your gut.”
Showrunner Ira Parker also knows the answer but is embracing the debate for others while he turns his focus to future seasons.
“No, look, the problem is, is that I don’t have an opinion anymore – I know the truth. I have it from George,” Parker said. “So the universe can continue to debate amongst themselves.”
Does It Matter?
Ultimately, does it even matter if Dunk was officially knighted? No, of course it doesn’t.
The whole point of this first story is to prove that Dunk carries all the embodiments and ideals of a true knight – especially when many real knights like Steffon Fossoway and those who ignore Dunk’s call to fight for him are shown as less-than.
Baelor sees the making of a real knight in Dunk because of his steadfast belief in the ideals repeated during the actual knighthood process. That’s why the Prince fights alongside the hedge knight and against his family.
It’ll never matter whether Dunk was officially knighted by Arlan because he’s already representing the very best of what being a knight of the Realm is – and in Westeros that’s no small thing.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Season 1 is now streaming on HBO Max. The show has been renewed for Season 2.
