A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is unlike anything else in HBO’s Game of Thrones universe. It’s grittier, more grounded—and, surprisingly, a sharp commentary on occupational licensing.
The biggest mystery of the show’s first season revolves around whether Duncan the Tall is officially a knight. The series leaves it ambiguous: a shrug here, an unanswered question there.
Yet by all accounts, Dunk is a good knight. For decades, he squired for Ser Arlan of Pennytree, a hedge knight with no permanent ties to any noble house. Brave and just, he defends the weak and the innocent, fulfilling the oath all knights take. He may not know how many kingdoms exist in the realm, but he can defeat a highly skilled prince in combat.
"He’s done all the things a knight is supposed to do," Ira Parker, showrunner, said on the official show podcast.Yet Dunk could face execution for claiming a credential he doesn’t technically possess.
Today’s hair braiders, cosmetologists, interior designers, and even fortune tellers face fines or jail time for working without a license—consequences just as absurd as killing someone for knighting without proper credentials.
Was Ser Duncan the Tall ever knighted? Maybe it doesn’t matter.
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