Just when viewers thought A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was shaping up as a lighthearted tale of a wandering hedge knight and his cheeky young squire, Episode 3 delivered a bombshell that ripples across the entire Game of Thrones universe. In a heart-pounding moment of desperation, the boy known simply as Egg steps forward to save his companion from certain death, uttering words that shatter illusions and unveil a royal secret hidden in plain sight. This isn’t merely a plot twist—it’s a pivotal revelation that reshapes our understanding of Targaryen lineage, legacy, and tragedy, linking this prequel directly to the events that unfold generations later with Daenerys Targaryen.
Set nearly a century before the rise of Daenerys and roughly 80 years after the Dance of the Dragons chronicled in House of the Dragon, the series follows Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), a lowborn knight of imposing stature and unyielding sense of justice, as he navigates the treacherous world of Westerosi nobility. Accompanying him is Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), a bald-headed, sharp-tongued boy who claims to be an orphan seeking adventure. Their unlikely partnership begins with humble travels, crude humor, and mutual growth, but Episode 3, titled “The Squire,” builds toward an explosive confrontation at the Tourney of Ashford Meadow.
The episode opens with lighter moments that deepen the bond between Dunk and Egg. Egg attempts to train Dunk’s stubborn horse, leading to comedic mishaps, while Dunk imparts practical lessons in knighthood and survival. As the pair explores the bustling tent village surrounding the tourney grounds, they encounter a hooded fortune teller who offers cryptic predictions. For Dunk, she foresees great success and wealth beyond imagination. For Egg, however, the words are chilling: he will become king, only to die in a hot fire where worms feed on his ashes, with all who know him rejoicing at his passing. Dunk laughs it off as nonsense, but Egg’s troubled expression hints at deeper unease. The prophecy foreshadows the tragic fate awaiting Aegon V Targaryen—known to history as Egg—in the infamous Tragedy of Summerhall, where a ritual to hatch dragon eggs ends in flames that claim his life and that of his closest friend, Ser Duncan the Tall.
The tension escalates during the tourney’s events. Prince Aerion Targaryen, nicknamed “Brightflame” for his volatile nature and fiery temperament, commits a brutal act in the lists. In a display of cruelty, he drives his lance through an opponent’s horse, killing the animal and severely injuring the rider. Among the spectators is Tanselle, a Dornish puppeteer whose performance Dunk has come to admire. When Aerion turns his rage on her, assaulting her in retribution for a perceived slight, Dunk intervenes without hesitation. His fists fly in defense of the innocent, but attacking a prince of the blood is treason. Aerion’s knights seize Dunk, ready to mete out savage punishment—breaking every tooth in his mouth before execution.
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In this suffocating instant of peril, Egg emerges from the crowd. Calm yet defiant, he commands the guards to stand down. Removing his cap to reveal the telltale signs of his heritage—or rather, the absence of silver hair he shaved to disguise himself—he declares his true identity: Prince Aegon Targaryen, youngest son of Prince Maekar Targaryen and grandson of King Daeron II. The revelation halts the violence immediately. Aerion, stunned, recognizes his missing brother—one of the princes reported vanished en route to the tourney. Dunk, floored by the betrayal of trust, stares in disbelief as the boy he treated as an equal orphan turns out to be royalty far beyond his station.
This moment is more than dramatic flair; it rewrites Targaryen history in profound ways. Egg, as Aegon V, ascends to the Iron Throne as Aegon the Unlikely, a king beloved by the smallfolk for his reforms but scorned by many lords. His reign attempts to address inequalities, drawing from lessons learned traveling incognito with Dunk. Yet his story ends in fire at Summerhall, fulfilling the fortune teller’s grim words. More crucially, Aegon V’s bloodline extends directly to Daenerys Targaryen. Through his son Jaehaerys II, who fathers Aerys II—the Mad King—Aegon becomes Daenerys’s great-grandfather (with some generational adjustments in the show’s condensed timeline). This connection underscores the cyclical nature of Targaryen destiny: dreams of dragons, fires of ambition, and the heavy price of power.
The reveal also enriches the broader lore. Egg’s older brother Aemon, who forsakes the throne to become a maester at the Citadel and later joins the Night’s Watch, mentions “Egg” fondly in Game of Thrones, tying personal bonds to grand history. The episode highlights themes of identity, loyalty, and the chasm between highborn and lowborn. Dunk, a man of honor from humble origins, now faces the reality that his squire deceived him—not out of malice, but to protect a fragile friendship and escape the suffocating weight of royal expectations.
Performances shine in this pivotal episode. Peter Claffey’s Dunk conveys raw shock and conflicted loyalty, his everyman charm cracking under the revelation. Dexter Sol Ansell’s Egg balances youthful mischief with quiet gravity, making the boy’s sacrifice feel earned and heartbreaking. Finn Bennett’s Aerion radiates unhinged menace, contrasting sharply with the grounded heroism of Dunk and Egg.
As the season progresses toward the trial by combat and further entanglements at Ashford, this twist elevates A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms from charming side story to essential chapter in the Targaryen saga. It reminds audiences that even in a world of thrones and dragons, the most shocking secrets often hide in the simplest companionships. Egg’s three words in that desperate moment don’t just save a life—they bridge nearly a century of fire and blood, proving that one boy’s defiance can echo through generations, all the way to the Mother of Dragons herself.
