Ser Duncan the Tall is this Game of Thrones character's ancestor and it'll blow your mind
Dunk is connected to another Game of Thrones legend
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has just brought a Game of Thrones legend to life: Dunk, aka Ser Duncan the Tall. If you’re wondering if he’s related to any other characters, prepare for your mind to be blown.
The tapestry of Westeros’ Great Houses and their shared histories is enormously rich and sprawling. You could spend hours digging into the lore of George R.R. Martin’s stories and find hundreds of small links spanning centuries.
That’s what made House of the Dragon so appealing. The first spin-off revolves around the Targaryens, perhaps the most infamous (and important) family in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a bit different. It’s based on Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas and a much smaller-scale story. Still, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any big connections – and this one is a doozy.
How Ser Duncan the Tall connects to Game of Thrones
Ser Duncan the Tall has a big relation to a Game of Thrones character: he’s Brienne of Tarth’s ancestor.
Did people initially draw a line between the two because they’re both tall knights? Probably (Brienne only gets knighted in the original TV show, not the books, to be clear).
However, there was a particularly telling detail in one book. In A Feast for Crows, Lord Selwyn Tarth has Ser Duncan’s shield and arms in his armoury.
Later, his daughter – Brienne! – paints the same arms on her shield and uses it as she travels around the crownlands and riverlands.
Also, Brienne is described as being “thick as a castle wall” – a phrase used for Duncan in the novellas.
George R.R. Martin confirms Duncan the Tall and Brienne of Tarth ancestry
Martin was initially coy about Brienne’s ancestry. In 2000, a reader asked the author if the Song of Ice and Fire series included any of Dunk’s descendants. He said yes (via the Citadel), but provided no other clues.
Five years later, during a signing tour, another reader asked Martin if he’d ever reveal who it is.
“I gave a pretty strong hint in the new book,” he told them, and when they suggested Brienne would be too obvious, Martin replied: “You think?”
Fast-forward to 2016. While appearing at Balticon, Martin delivered the news everyone had been waiting for.
“Yes, Brienne is descended from Ser Duncan the Tall – though she doesn’t know it herself,” Martin said (via Miscelana).
There have been theories about Duncan’s other descendants. For example, he could be Hodor’s ancestor, considering one of Bran’s visions featured a young woman standing next to a tall knight.
However, a question remains: how exactly are they related? Is he Brienne’s grandfather?
Martin said this would be revealed eventually, but given how long it’s taking him to finish The Winds of Winter, don’t hold your breath.
Read more: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was filmed in 4 classic Game of Thrones locations
