Duncan the Tall

Ser Duncan the Tall (born Dunk) is a major character in the epic fantasy franchise , appearing as the titular main protagonist of the novella series (consisting of the 1998 novella The Hedge Knight, the 2003 novella The Sworn Sword, and the 2010 novella The Mystery Knight) and its upcoming television series adaptation A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, and a posthumous character in the novel series and its 2011-2019 television series adaptation .
He will be portrayed by Peter Claffey in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
== Overview==
Ser Duncan the Tall and his unusual friendship with King Aegon V Targaryen are the subjects of the Tales of Dunk and Egg. These stories are The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight, the first two of which have been reprinted as graphic novels. A fourth short story, The She-Wolves of Winterfell, was intended to be published in 2012, but was postponed until an unknown date.
In these stories, Duncan is revealed to be an orphan boy from the poor quarter of King's Landing, the area known as Flea Bottom. He attracted the attention of a hedge knight called Ser Arlan of Pennytree, and squired for the old man, accompanying him to many tournaments and on at least one major campaign, an incursion into the Red Mountains of Dorne led by House Dondarrion to root out a bandit king. Ser Arlan died on his way to a great tournament at Ashford. Taking up his sword, armor and horses, Dunk competed in the tourney as a knight and was joined by a young boy called "Egg", who asked to become his squire, though Egg was later revealed to be the young Aegon Targaryen in disguise.
As his nickname attests, Ser Duncan was very tall, standing nearly seven feet in height as an adult. This puts him around the same height as Greatjon Umber, though not quite as tall as Hodor (who is in fact several inches over seven feet tall), but taller than Brienne of Tarth (who stands about six foot three inches).
His original name was actually "Dunk" - or rather, growing up as a street urchin in Flea Bottom with no knowledge of his parents or origins, that is the name he picked up as a small child and continued to use until Ser Arlan died (he doesn't remember how he got the name). When he entered himself into the tourney at Ashford as a knight, he was asked if "Dunk" was short for "Duncan", and he decided to say it was, because it was more formal and thus sounded like a better name for a knight (and for all he knew, maybe "Dunk" was short for "Duncan", given that he didn't know how he got his name).
It is strongly implied, but never outright stated, that Ser Arlan didn't actually knight Dunk before he died, but because the tourney at Ashford was strictly only letting knights enter, Dunk decided to lie and say that Ser Arlan had knighted him before his death. Any single knight can dub another man a knight, however, so for all anyone knew Ser Arlan actually did knight Dunk while they were alone on the road - squires are usually promised to eventually be knighted by the men they serve. Dunk was Ser Arlan's squire for years, and earnestly wanted to be a chivalrous knight, and Ser Arlan may have even promised to knight him at some point in the future, but then he died very suddenly from a chill while on the road to Ashford, before he got the chance. The matter is ultimately ambiguous.
Somewhat like the later Sansa Stark or Brienne of Tarth, Dunk became utterly enamored with Ser Arlan's teachings about the duty of a true knight to be chivalrous and defend the weak, and has a very idealized, almost Don Quixote - like belief in what knighthood is. While this strikes many experienced knights as naive, many commoners he encounters - used to being abused by greedy and selfish knights - come to admire his simple but honest belief in the vows of a knight to always do what is right and defend the innocent.
During the tourney at Ashford itself, Duncan became smitten with a beautiful and tall Dornish woman named Tanselle, but when she was assaulted by the sadistic Prince Aerion Targaryen (for the flippant reason that she showed a dragon dying in her puppet show), Duncan walked up and defended her, punching Aerion so hard he knocked loose one of his teeth. Many cynically felt that striking a prince of the royal blood like this was suicidal and utterly naive - but others, including Aeron's own uncle Prince Baelor, were moved by how Duncan lived up to a knight's vow to always protect women from harm, and how he shamed all of the other wealthier knights who were ignoring Aerion's abuse.
Initially, Dunk wasn't a very exceptional fighter when he came to the tourney at Ashford. Ser Arlan had grown quite old and as they were often scrambling from one place to the next looking for work, he was rarely able to spend time giving Dunk more than basic training in the art of swordsmanship. Dunk had seen some combat with Ser Arlan, a campaign against a bandit lord in the Red Mountains. More of Arlan's teaching was in his verbal instructions about what chivalry and knightly behavior are, which he could give as they traveled. Dunk's one major advantage at the time was his great size and strength - but this was a poor match against a smaller but highly trained and skilled swordsman.
The pair of "Dunk and Egg" had many famous adventures. This included a visit to Dorne, where they were nearly killed by the apparently insane Lady of Vaith, as well as resolving a decades-long dispute between the houses Osgrey and Webber in the Reach. They also helped foil the Second Blackfyre Rebellion before undertaking a lengthy journey north to visit Winterfell. 
Many years later Egg ascended the Iron Throne as King Aegon V Targaryen. Ser Duncan the Tall became a member of the Kingsguard, and later its Lord Commander. Duncan was one of the heroes of the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion. Egg and Dunk faced their last adventure together at Summerhall, on the night of the great fire there, a fire that killed them both, in an attempt to bring dragons back to life. At the same time, Aegon's great-grandson, prince Rhaegar Targaryen was born.
==Synopsis==
Dunk was a tall commoner with a strong build born between 191 AC and 193 AC in Flea Bottom, the poorest slum of the capital city of the Seven Kingdoms King's Landing. Dunk was an orphan who never knew his parents or lineage, instead growing up alone as a street urchin. He theorized that his father may've had been a criminal, and hoped to one day travel north to see if he could find his father among the members of the Night's Watch where many former criminals were found. Dunk had three friends named Pudding, Rafe, and Ferret, who he frequently misbehaved with. He and his friends occasionally sold or dumped suspicious meat at the local shops.
In 198 AC, Dunk was chasing a pig through Flea Bottom when he met a knight named Ser Arlan of Pennytree and became his squire. Ser Arlan was a hedge knight, meaning he travelled around the Seven Kingdoms offering his sword to causes that paid him rather than swearing fealty to a particular master. With Ser Arlan, Dunk rode from place to place, keep to keep, fighting battles and partaking in victory celebrations before moving on. However, they never travelled to the north or to Arlan's hometown. Ser Arlan was a good master, never beating Dunk unreasonably (except once due to a miscommunication) and training him how to wield a sword.
===Tourney at Ashford Meadow===
====Squire No More====
In 209 AC, Dunk accompanied Ser Arlan as he travelled to the lands of the noble House Ashford in the northeast of the Reach. Lord Ashford was hosting a tourney to commemorate his daughter's thirteenth name day, and many great knights from the south and east of the Seven Kingdoms were expected to attend. Arlan was in high spirits as they rode, singing ah hoc songs about Ashford. However, during their journey, the weather turned for the worse. On the first day they were drenched by a heavy rain, on the second a harsh wind struck, and on the third a bitter chill pervaded the lands.
Ser Arlan fell ill with a cold, and was too weak to ride by the fourth day. Feeling that his life was drawing near to its end, Ser Arlan bade Dunk to bring him his sword. As he had promised, Ser Arlan of Pennytree made Dunk the squire a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He told Dunk to be a good, faithful knight, and to always protect the people of the Seven Kingdoms. Dunk promised under oath that he would meet his master's demands. Ser Arlan then passed away, aged somewhere between fifty to sixty. When the rain briefly subsided, Dunk chose a spot under a tree on top of a small hill and dug a grave for his mentor.
Dunk stripped Ser Arlan of his belongings, believing he'd have no need for them and that they'd just waste away in the ground. He said a few words for his mentor, though he wished a Septon of the national Faith of the Seven was present to give him a proper send off, and then filled the grave in before the rain could start again. Dunk briefly considered several options, such as joining the City's Watch of a major city like King's Landing, but ultimately decided to follow in the footsteps of Ser Arlan of Pennytree as a hedge knight. Taking Arlan's horses and other belongings with him, Dunk continued onwards to Ashford to earn himself esteem.
====The Two Princes====
Dunk continued riding until he grew sore, at which point he stopped at a riverside inn. Outside the inn he found a bald boy around ten years of age bathing in the river, who he assumed was the stableboy. He ordered the boy to tend to his horses while he went inside the inn. The child initially refused, so Dunk promised him a copper if he treated them well and headed into the inn before the boy could give a response. The only other patron was a lordling slumbering drunkenly. Dunk ordered a hearty meal and plenty of ale, but abstained on staying overnight as he was mindful of the amount of coin he would need at the tourney.
The inn's matron gave Dunk directions to Ashford, which was still a day's ride away. As he conversed with the woman, the lordling across the room awoke in a drunken stupor and told Dunk, whom he claimed to have seen in a dream of his, to stay away. He then stumbled upstairs to bed. After drinking his fill, Dunk headed outside and was amused to find the stableboy wearing Ser Arlan's armor and sitting atop his horse. After reluctantly dismounting, the child asked if he could be Dunk's squire. The hedge knight told him his mother wouldn't want that. The boy replied that his mother was dead, confusing Dunk who'd assumed the innkeeper was his mother.
====Arriving at Ashford Meadow====
Dunk continued up the road until he reached Ashford Meadow, where the tourney was taking place, in the early evening. The meadow was bustling with merchants and entertainers, and various other types of people. Plentiful pavilions had been set up for the great noble knights and lords in attendance, though Dunk knew if he formed a meagre pavilion near their's he would be ridiculed. As such, he waded into the forest south of Ashford Meadow and chose a spot half a mile from the tourney grounds to set up camp. After tending to his horses, he bathed and then headed back to the tourney grounds in search of armor he could wear for the contest.
Dunk bought a sausage and some ale, and watched a puppet show in which a knight battled and slew a dragon. He thought the dragon's puppeteer, a tall, slim Dornish girl with a pretty face, was very attractive and wished he had a coin to spare to give her. Nevertheless, Dunk found a stout armorer called Steely Pate whose work he liked the look of. After measuring Dunk, Pate promised to find suitable armor for Dunk for the price of eight hundred stags. Dunk promised to deliver the required funds the next day and gave the man a small down payment so that he wouldn't sell his work to another before Dunk could acquire the money he needed.
====Dunk and Egg====
Dunk then returned to his pavilion in the woods, where he was shocked to find the stableboy from the night before cooking a fish by a fire. The child explained that he had stowed in the back of a cart to get to Ashford, all because he still wanted to be Dunk's squire. Dunk threatened to take the boy home, to which he responded that Dunk would miss the tourney as King's Landing was his home. Seeing that the child had done a good job of caring for his things, Dunk decided to take the boy as a squire for the tourney's duration. Not wanting to give away his slum origins now that he was a knight, Dunk introduced himself as "Duncan the Tall."
The boy introduced himself as "Egg," a name which amused Dunk due to the child's bald head. Ser Duncan promised Egg that under his care he would always have food and clothes on his back, though nothing elaborate, and that he would only beat him when he deserved it. He privately decided that he would teach Egg the arts of battle and nurture him, as Ser Arlan of Pennytree had done for him. Later, as he lay on the grass to sleep, Dunk witness a green shooting star fly across the night sky. He took pride in the fact that he alone had witnessed it, as all the highborn knights and lords would be sleeping in their luxurious tents.
====The Princely Procession====
The next morning, Dunk woke Egg up and had him help prepare one of his horses, Sweetfoot. Sweetfoot had served admirably as Ser Arlan's palfrey for many years, but Dunk had reluctantly decided to sell her so that he could muster the funds to buy armor from Pate. After ordering Egg to take care of the pavilion in his absence, he mounted Sweetfoot and headed into the town of Ashford, which was north of the meadow. Dunk went to see Plummer, the steward of Ashford Castle, who was also the tourney's master of games. Plummer was unconvinced that Dunk was actually a knight as he claimed, and didn't intend to let him join the tourney.
After further discussion, Plummer agreed to let Dunk into the games if he could find someone to vouch for him. Having seen the banners of House Dondarrion in the tourney grounds, Dunk believed that Ser Manfred Dondarrion, whose father he and Ser Arlan had served for years prior, might remember him. Dunk told a stableboy to fetch the castle's master of horses, but before he could a large procession flying the banners of House Targaryen rode into the castle grounds. Lord Ashford, his sons, and his daughter all hurriedly emerged to greet the royal party. Dunk thought to himself that Lord Ashford's daughter wasn't a fair maiden.
A Targaryen Prince dismounted next to Dunk and told him to attend to his needs, to which Dunk replied that he was a knight rather than a serving boy. The Prince quickly disregarded Ser Duncan and moved on, at which point the master of horses arrived. Dunk tried to sell the man Sweetfoot, but he was in a rush and uninterested. Instead, the master of horses directing him to a horse merchant in the town. Exiting the stable, Dunk saw two knights of the fabled Kingsguard standing in the yard. Ser Duncan greeted the pair of them and anxiously asked if they were participating in the tourney, which they were not.
The Kingsguard knights explained that Prince Valarr, the eldest son of Prince Baelor Breakspear and second-in-line to the Iron Throne, was serving as one of the five champions of Lord Ashford's daughter. Two other Princes intended to participate, though not as champions. Dunk then rode into town and sold Sweetfoot, with the intent to buy her back if he was successful in the tourney. With his coin pouch full, Dunk returned to the tourney grounds and watched the puppet show. He tossed the dragon puppeteer two coins and asked her to join him for some food. Though flattered, the girl declined as she had to prepare for another show.
====Apples of Fossoway====
Dunk then decided to watch the other knights training. He observed two members of House Fossoway facing off. Having grown bored of sparring with his younger counterpart, the older of the two Fossoways noticed Dunk and beckoned him over. Introducing himself as Ser Steffon Fossoway, he challenged Ser Duncan the Tall to a mock duel. The younger Fossoway urged Dunk to accept the invitation, as he wanted to see his arrogant elder humbled. Dunk declined however, as he wanted to keep his fighting style a secret before the tourney. Ser Steffon was insulted, and quickly found another sparring partner.
The younger Fossoway, who was his older cousin's squire, went after Dunk and apologised for urging him to accept his cousin's challenge. The younger Fossoway introduced himself as Raymun Fossoway, and wished Dunk good fortune in the forthcoming games. The hedge knight then headed to Pate's stall and bought a suit of armor before heading back to his pavilion in the woods. He showed the armor to Egg and asked if he knew how to maintain it, which he did so long as he had the correct supplies. Dunk then told Egg that he would take him to the tourney grounds the next day, though Egg didn't seem overly ecstatic.
====Acquiring a Witness====
Dunk headed to meet with Ser Manfred of House Dondarrion, but was upset to learn that the knight didn't remember him or Ser Arlan of Pennytree. He tried to convince Ser Dondarrion that he had served under his father with a story, but he was dismissed regardless. Ser Dunk dejectedly returned to Ashford Castle empty-handed to meet with the steward, but found him to be not in his office. He was informed that the steward was in the great hall, so Dunk headed there. Sitting at the head of the head table in the hall was Prince Baelor himself, who was arguing with his younger brother, whom Dunk assumed was the King's youngest son, Prince Maekar.
Prince Maekar was upset because his eldest and youngest sons, the Princes Daeron & Aegon, had both ran away during the journey to Ashford. Maekar angrily demanded to know what Dunk was doing in the hall. Baelor informed his brother that the steward was expecting Dunk, and then politely bade the hedge knight to approach and speak his intent. Dunk nervously explained his predicament to the Prince Baelor. Baelor remembered Ser Arlan from the tourney at Storm's End nearly a decade prior, and agreed to vouch for Dunk. He then apologised to Dunk for Prince Maekar's rudeness, and asked the hedge knight to be on his way.
As a parting note, Prince Baelor told Dunk to create a new sigil for himself, as the law forbade him from using Ser Arlan's. Ser Duncan then returned to the tourney grounds. He walked past several whores and briefly considered paying for a night with one, as he had never been with a woman and thought there was a chance he could die the next day. He quickly dashed the thought away though and went looking for Egg. He found his new squire watching one of the puppet shows performed by the tall Dornish girl he fancied. Dunk and Egg watched the entire duration of the show, and went up to the puppeteer afterwards to give their compliments.
Knowing he would need his own symbol to participate with, Dunk asked the puppeteer if she could paint a new sigil over the shield that had belonged to Ser Arlan. After pondering with Egg for a moment, he decided his sigil should be an elm tree with a sunset behind it and a green shooting star above it. The girl agreed to paint the shield for Dunk, and introduced herself as Tanselle and relayed that growing up she had been called Tanselle "Too-Tall" because of her height. Dunk thought the nickname to be cruel, as he believed her to be the perfect height for kissing. He was going to say as such, but stopped himself out of bashfulness.
===Tourney Beginnings===
The next day, the tourney began. The five champions of Lord Ashford's daughter were two of her brothers, Androw and Robert of House Ashford, Ser Humfrey of House Hardyng, Prince Valarr, and Lord Leo of House Tyrell, whom Dunk had served under many years prior. The goal of the champions was to defend their positions by besting challenging knights. If a champion knight was bested, their defeated would claim their place as a champion. At the end of the tourney, the final five champions would be named the victors. Dunk, as a knight of low birth and little renown, wouldn't be participating until the third day of the competition.
Along with Egg, Duncan joined the spectators. Egg gave the names of the lords and knights that Dunk wasn't already familiar with. The two Ashford brother were swiftly defeated and replaced as champions by Ser Lyonel of House Baratheon and Ser Tybolt of House Lannister. Dunk studied his prospective opponents, and decided that of the five champions he would have the best chance of defeating Prince Valarr himself, who only went up against inexperienced or elderly knights. Later in the day, the Targaryen Prince who had mistaken Dunk for a stableboy, named Aerion Brightflame, emerged upon his horse to participate in the games.
Prince Aerion challenged Ser Humfrey Hardyng, the knight champion who had won the most tilts in the day so far. When it came to the joust, the Prince dishonorably toppled his opponent by aiming at Ser Hardyng's horse rather than the knight himself. Ser Hardyng's horse was grievously wounded and had to be put down, and the knight himself broke his leg in the fall. The Prince dismounted and tried to attack Ser Humfrey while he was down, though he was held back by squires. Dunk and the rest of the crowd were shocked and appalled by Prince Aerion's conduct. Lord Ashford decided to name Ser Humfrey the victor of the tilt.
===Crushing Rebellions===
In 236 AC, another rebellion against the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms was launched by House Blackfyre, this time led by Daemon III Blackfyre. Together with the Golden Company, a sellsword army founded and led by the Blackfyre supporter Ser Aegor Rivers, Daemon III landed in the Seven Kingdoms at the Massey's Hook peninsula in the Crownlands. Duncan rode out with King Aegon V, the three Princes, and an army and met the invaders at Wendwater Bridge. The forces under King Aegon's command completely decimated the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion. Duncan personally slew Daemon III in the battle, though Aegor Rivers was able to evade capture.
To help mend his relationship with the lords who were discontent with his rule, Aegon V planned to marry his five children off to various powerful Houses. He arranged his eldest, Prince Duncan, to marry the daughter of Lord Lyonel Baratheon, who had defended Ser Duncan at Ashford decades prior. However, Prince Duncan fell in love with a commoner and called off the engagement in 239 AC. His pride deeply wounded, Lord Lyonel declared independence from the Iron Throne. After a brief period of brutal fighting, the rebellion was ended by Ser Duncan himself when he bested his old ally Lord Lyonel Baratheon in a trial by combat.
==Powers & Abilities==
===Abilities=== 
*Adept Combatant: Despite his post as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall was never a truly exceptional fighter. He received fairly limited formal training in jousting and swordplay, which was taught to him during his tenure as the squire of Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Instead, Dunk's martial prowess mainly came from his experience and resourcefulness. Growing up in Flea Bottom, Dunk learned to fight for his life without any semblance of honor, earning him tricks in battle that highborn warriors wouldn't consider. He also gained considerable skill in his years as a hedge knight. In battle, Duncan used his physical strength and size to gain an advantage over his opponents. Even in his early career as a hedge knight, he was capable of fending off several soldiers simultaneously thanks to his physical power.
== Gallery==
File:Duncan the Tall's personal coat of arms (ASOIAF).png|Duncan the Tall's personal coat of arms (ASOIAF).
File:Gallows Knight coat of arms.svg|Duncan the Tall's personal coat of arms as the Gallows Knight (ASOIAF).
File:Duncan the Tall's personal coat of arms (GoT) 2.png|Duncan the Tall's personal coat of arms (Game of Thrones).
==Trivia==
*George R. R. Martin comfirmed that Duncan the Tall had a enigmatic descendant who is still alive.
*In 2023, it was confirmed that HBO greenlit and ordered production on an installment based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, which is officially titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: A Hedge Knight. Ever since then, the series is currently in production.
*Some fans theorize, based on a series of clues, that Duncan may have saved Princess Rhaelle Targaryen, Egg's granddaughter, daughter of Jaehaerys II, and the sister-wife of Prince Aerys, during the fire at Summerhall. Rhaelle was pregnant by Rhaegar during the fire so Duncan also saved the little prince. 
**He, from easily misunderstood clues, believes that he kicked down a door to get her out and then went back into the fire to save Egg but couldn't and burned to death.
*Some fans have drawn up a list of possible descendants of Ser Duncan; based on height, strength, and descriptions reminiscent of Dunk's (it is recommended to remember that these clues can be easily misinterpreted and that the following characters are not descended from Dunk or may never be known):
**Brienne of Tarth (confirmed by Martin)
**Hodor (implied)
**Sandor Clegane
** Ser Gregor Clegane
**Little Paul
**Grenn
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