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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fans are wondering whether one particular line in last week's season finale is a dig – or good-natured joke – at Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin
The line in question comes via a flashback, when Ser Arlan says to Dunk, "A true knight always finishes a story." This is in response to Dunk asking his mentor why he never knighted him, but Arlan dies soon after, so Dunk never finds out why.
"Do you think it’s a shot towards GRRM?" asked one fan on Reddit, referring to the 15-year (and counting) wait for the next A Song of Ice and Fire novel, The Winds of Winter.
"Honestly, I think this was written as a joke between Ira and GRRM. I think George is in on it," said another. Martin is a co-creator and executive producer on the show, so he has some involvement.
"It was very likely GRRM’s idea, as a joke. That’s his type of humor. Or if not his idea, he certainly found it funny and approved," wrote someone else. "Similar to his own self-deprecating reference of 'which plan? That fat man's plan that changes every time the moon turns?'"
Others had given the scene some deeper thought, however. "Okay, so a serious response, it's Dunk speaking to the ghost of Ser Arlan," suggested another user. "And Arlan is telling him that he needs to finish the story he started with Egg. Dunk asked him before this why he never knighted him, and Arlan is essentially responding that if you are truly a knight, then you will see this story through to the end."
Although my interpretation of the scene is that Dunk was never knighted, the ideas was to keep things ambiguous. "There is no confirmation, one way or the other, coming out of that scene. That's exactly how Mr. R.R. Martin requested it. It remains [ambiguous], and people can decide for themselves," showrunner Ira Parker recently teased.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows down-on-his-luck hedge knight Dunk as he attempts to make a name for himself at a tourney after the death of his mentor, Ser Arlan. On the way, he meets a mysterious young boy named Egg, who's determined to be Dunk's squire – whether Dunk likes it or not.
All episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are available to stream now on HBO Max in the US and NOW in the UK. For more on the show, check out our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review or our guide to the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 ending explained.
