That ominous A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 prophecy actually ties into the George R.R. Martin book lore in a major way

In the third episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a mysterious prophecy is given to Dunk and Egg – and it has some fascinating roots in George R.R. Martin's sprawling Westeros lore.

Below, we've broken down what this prophecy is in the show, as well as what it means based on information from the books. Naturally, that means there are A Song of Ice and Fire spoilers ahead, and these spoilers will give away the fates of multiple A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms characters. So, if you don't want to know any more about the show, turn back before the second section of our explainer.

For even more on the show, check out our 4-star A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review for our spoiler-free verdict on the whole show.

What is the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 prophecy?

A mysterious woman offering fortunes at the tourney tells Dunk, "you shall know great success and be richer than a Lannister," which he dismisses – after all, it sounds pretty meaningless. However, when the woman looks at Egg, her voice becomes much more serious, and what she says next seems to carry great weight.

"You shall be king, and die in hot fire, and worms shall feed upon your ashes. And all who know you shall rejoice in your dying," she tells the boy, to his horror.

What does the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 prophecy mean? *Spoilers*

If you're still reading, then you don't mind encountering spoilers from George R.R. Martin's wider lore, which could end up spoiling very distant plot points for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

As we learn in the final moments of episode 3, Egg is actually Prince Aegon, son of Maekar, and brother of Aerion (read our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Targaryen guide for the full family tree). However, Egg isn't directly in line for the throne just yet, as Baelor and his two sons stand in the way.

In Martin's Hedge Knight novella, Baelor is tragically killed defending Dunk in a trial against Aerion. That makes Baelor's son, whom we've seen briefly in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, next in line. But, both of Baelor's sons later die in the Spring Sickness, along with the king, Daeron II.

The king's brother Aerys I takes over, and from him, his son Maekar (the same one in the show) eventually inherits the throne. When Maekar dies, a succession crisis arises: his sons Daeron and Aerion have both already died, and his other son, Aemon, is at the Wall (we see him in Game of Thrones season 1). Ultimately, a Great Council – like the one shown in the House of the Dragon prologue – is called, and Egg is declared king, making him Aegon V.

However, Egg isn't that popular with the lords of Westeros, as he favors the smallfolk and brings in reforms that the nobility aren't fans of. He also doesn't have any dragons, since they went extinct in Westeros before his reign. Sadly, an obsession with resurrecting dragons is what ultimately kills him.

While the full details of the Tragedy of Summerhall still haven't been revealed, we do know that Egg, Dunk, and Egg's son Duncan (named after Dunk) perish in a terrible fire, most likely caused by an attempt to bring back dragons.

This fire occurs on the day of Prince Rhaegar's birth – he's the older brother of Daenerys, and Daenerys, as we know, will ultimately be the Targaryen who brings dragons back to life – and Rhaegar, born at Summerhall, is one of the survivors of the blaze.

So, the prophecy will indeed be fulfilled. Egg will be king and die in hot fire, and the lords who disliked him will probably rejoice – though, Summerhall is regarded as a major tragedy in Westerosi history, so not everyone will be happy. Either way, it's a sad fate for this young squire.

You can keep up to date with the show with our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release schedule, or see our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows for everything else that's in store.