Who is Egg? The truth behind A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' squire
Egg may be Dunk's squire, but there could be more to him in the Game of Thrones books
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has introduced a cheeky chappy: Egg, Dunk’s Squire. However, who is he really?
The new Game of Thrones spin-off, based on George R.R. Martin’s novellas, is set between the original series and House of the Dragons.
With either side almost 100 years away, there shouldn’t be much (if any) overlap. Almost all of the characters in the cast of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be new – unless you’re au fait with the source material, of course.
That brings us to Egg, the young, bald stableboy who joins Dunk on his adventure to Ashford Meadow. But is there more to him? Well, we’re about to get into some major book spoilers, so this is your last chance to stop reading.
***Warning: book spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ahead***
Who is Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
Before we get into all the spoilers, here’s what we know about Egg so far.
He’s introduced early in episode 1, with Dunk encountering him as he stops at an inn. He offers Egg money if he tends to his horses, or else he’ll get a “clout in the ear” (something he threatens throughout the series).
After Dunk catches Egg playing on his horse, Egg offers to be his squire. Reluctantly, he agrees, and the pair set off to Ashford Meadow for the tourney.
In a touching scene from the end of the episode, the pair try to get some sleep outside under a tree. When they see a shooting star, Egg says it brings good luck to those who see it.
Dunk thinks he’s talking nonsense, but he quickly sees the sentiment. “So the luck is ours alone?” he asks, because all the other knights have tents. Egg smiles as he shuts his eyes.
The truth behind Egg’s identity in Game of Thrones
In George R.R. Martin’s books, Egg is actually Aegon V Targaryen.
Aegon V never appeared in Game of Thrones, nor did he show up in House of the Dragon (because he wasn’t born yet, duh).
He has three brothers – Daeron, Aerion, and Aemon – as well as two sisters, Rhae and Daella. None of them have appeared in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms thus far.
He’s the son of Maekar I Targaryen, and his uncle Baelor is the Hand of the King to Daeron II (the Good).
The question is, how loyal will the series remain to the books? Martin has been complimentary of the show – especially compared to House of the Dragon – and even called it as “faithful as a reasonable man could hope for”.
Why is he called Egg?
You think Egg is called Egg because… well, because he’s a young boy with a bald head, he resembles an egg.
This is a fair interpretation, but someone else gave him that nickname: his brother Aemon… who goes on to become Maester Aemon, Castle Black’s blind Targaryen.
In the book, these are among Aemon’s last words: “Egg had an innocence to him, a sweetness we all loved… it takes a man to rule. An Aegon, not an Egg. Kill the boy and let the man be born.”
Game of Thrones did something similar with Aemon. His final words in the show were, “Egg, I dreamed that I was old.”
There are other spoilers in Game of Thrones regarding Aegon’s destiny, but we won’t divulge them… yet.
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