Duncan the Tall

Duncan
Biographical information
Died	259 AL Perished in the Tragedy at Summerhall
Political information
Title(s)	Ser Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
World of Westeros
Season(s)	1, 4

Joffrey: "Four pages for Ser Duncan! He must have been quite a man."

Jaime: "So they say."

— Joffrey Baratheon and Jaime Lannister discuss Ser Duncan's entry in The Book of Brothers.

Duncan the Tall is an unseen character in Game of Thrones. He is long deceased when the events of the series begin. Duncan the Tall is a legendary knight and the subject of several popular songs and stories.

Biography

Background

Ser Duncan the Tall was a great knight in the history of Westeros, a famous warrior and a great friend to King Aegon V Targaryen. He lived roughly between 105 and 40 years before the events of the series, and was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard when Ser Barristan Selmy started his rise to prominence. He is immortalized in many songs and stories.

His personal sigil, seen in his entry in the The Book of Brothers, was a shooting star over an elm tree proper, on a sunset orange background.

Season 1

Old Nan asks Bran Stark if he wants to hear a story and proposes one about Ser Duncan the Tall, saying those were always his favorites, but Bran wants a scary story.

Season 4

Shortly before his wedding, King Joffrey Baratheon finds Ser Duncan's entry when looking through The Book of Brothers. Joffrey is surprised that Ser Duncan had four whole pages devoted to his exploits, much more than is usual, and says that he must have been quite a man. Jaime agrees that everyone says he was.

Image Gallery

Ser Duncan's entry in The Book of Brothers. It displays his personal sigil: a shooting star above an elm tree proper, on a sunset orange background.

Ser Duncan defending his honor in a trial by seven at Ashford

Ser Duncan riding alongside Egg, the boy who would grow up to become King Aegon V Targaryen

In the books

Ser Duncan the Tall and his unusual friendship with King Aegon V Targaryen are the subjects of the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of novellas written by George R.R. Martin set roughly ninety years before the events of the main books. 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 time.

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.

The pair 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.

Potential adaptation

On 10 February 2013, George R.R. Martin confirmed that he had been in discussion with HBO over a possible adaptation of the Tales of Dunk and Egg short stories, though in what format (TV movies, theatrical movie, or a spin-off TV series) was not made clear.

See also

• Duncan the Tall on A Wiki of Ice and Fire