Ser Duncan the Tall’s quest to find someone to vouch for him so he can participate in the Ashford tourney continues in the second episode of HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ The episode begins with a flashback with Duncan’s voiceover, explaining how his former master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, was an honorable hedge knight. It also explains how the old knight passed away. He had a wound inflicted on his arm during a fight, and he never bothered to have it checked out, resulting in the wound getting infected and festering to the point that it killed the knight. The flashback ends at the point where the first episode started, and we find Duncan telling the tale of Ser Arlan to yet another highborn who neither knows the late knight nor cares about what happens to Duncan. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Targaryens Arrive in Ashford
With no one helping out Duncan, he and Egg walk out of the encampments, wondering what to do next. This is when the Targaryens ride into town, and Duncan has an idea. He wishes to try his luck with them one last time, but Egg doesn’t seem so keen on crossing paths with them. So, the boy goes back to the camp while Duncan heads off to give himself one last shot. It turns out that the company is Crown Prince Baelor Targaryen’s. With him is Maekar, his younger brother, and Maekar’s son, Aerion, who mistakes Dunk for a stable boy, just as Dunk did with Egg. It leads to a weird interaction where Dunk tries to explain he is a knight, and Aerion makes fun of how far knighthood has fallen.
When the prince leaves, his horse become aggressive, and it is Dunk who calms him down. He takes the horse inside the stable, and while talking to the beast, he comes across Ser Roland Crakehall and Ser Donnel of Duskendale of the Kingsguard. Duncan introduces himself as a knight, and only Ser Donnel gives him the respect he looks for in everyone. He also reveals that he comes from humble beginnings, but when Dunk asks how he became a member of the Kingsguard despite everything, he gives a rather cryptic answer. Duncan then enters the castle, looking for the Targaryens. He overhears Baelor and Maekar talking about how the latter’s two sons, Daeron and Aegon, have gone missing. A strange girl walks up to Dunk and tells him that the two sons have been missing for a long time and might even be dead. She then calls him a fool and runs away.
While Dunk waits for his chance, Maekar notices him and calls him out for spying on them. Dunk explains he is not a spy and tells them everything about his situation. He reminds Baelor that he, too, has crossed paths with the late knight, and unlike other highborns, he remembers exactly who Ser Arlan is and where he met him. He vouches for Duncan to the Game Master, who has witnessed the whole interaction, giving Dunk a chance to prove himself. Before he leaves, Baelor reminds him that he is not Ser Arlan’s biological son, so he cannot inherit his shield and armor. He must get a new sigil for himself.
Dunk Makes a Heavy Trade for an Armor
Dunk heads back to the encampments, where he and Egg watch a puppet show and are both dazzled by it. Later, Dunk seeks out Tanselle, compliments her on her skills, and asks her if she could paint his shield. When she asks her what he wants painted, he is confused. But then, he remembers that Ser Arlan used to like sunsets. Egg adds that they should paint an elm tree like the one they have camped under, and Dunk adds the green shooting star they saw the night before. Dunk also attempts to converse with her about other things, like when she mentions she was called “Tanselle Too Tall” when she was younger, and Dunk does not give a very good answer.
Later, he and Egg talk about how badly he handled that, but they don’t have much time to discuss as Lyonel Baratheon calls him to help in a game of tug of war. With Dunk and Egg joining the team, the game gets more intense, and eventually, they win. Later that evening, Dunk looks for new armor. He comes across Steely Pate, who offers him new armor, but Dunk notes that it is too pricey for him. Even when Pate lowers the price for him, it is still too expensive. As a dejected Dunk is about to leave, Pate sympathises with him and agrees to give him the armor under the condition that he must find the money by the next day. The hedge knight assures Pate that he will get the money, mentioning that he is here to win. This does not impress the man who notes that everyone else is also there to win. No one intends to lose this joust. This makes Dunk realise that he will have to arrange the money some other way, and the only way to do that is to sell one of the horses.
Dunk and Egg Contemplate the Violent Realities of a Joust
While he is heartbroken to leave one of his horses behind, Dunk has no other choice, and he promises the horse he will come back for him. Now that the money is settled, a lot of Dunk’s problems are solved, at least temporarily. While he and Egg talk about it, the question of being poor and rising above one’s station comes into the picture. Duncan gives an example of Ser Donnel and how he comes from a family of crabbers, but still succeeded in turning his fate around and becoming a knight in the Kingsguard. Egg tells him that Ser Roland and his family are filthy rich, which leads Duncan to wonder how he knows that.
Later, he and Egg join the rest of the people to watch the opening joust. One of the knights fighting in the joust is Prince Valarr, son of Baelor Targaryen, who, Egg reveals, would be a fan favourite. The joust begins with the funfair and violence expected of any other joust. However, as the lances start to break and knights start to fall, Dunk and Egg are gripped with a renewed concern. Dunk worries that he may have signed up for too much too soon. While he claims he was knighted by Ser Arlan, no one, including the audience, has actually seen it happen. So, if he didn’t knight Dunk before dying, it means that he has been falsely claiming himself as a knight. And now, he worries that the truth might come out once he enters the joust and loses everything.
Egg, on the other hand, notices that the squires are required to do much more than just groom the horses and make camp. They actually have to be a part of the joust, where their knights rely on them to get their lances and swords. With his small size, Egg wonders how he will be able to even pick up a lance, let alone hand it to Dunk when the jousting intensifies. This makes both reflect on what the next day holds for them, but it doesn’t chip away at their spirits just yet. At the end of the day, Egg practices with his sword, ready to face the challenges of the next day. Meanwhile, Dunk, once again, talks about what it actually means to be a knight and that, come tomorrow, he will show everyone exactly how great a knight he is.
Read More: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Is Duncan the Tall Related to Brienne of Tarth?
