The opening scene of Episode 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finds Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall standing in the pouring rain by a hillside, as his three horses watch him bury his former master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, in the ground. With Arlan's sword in hand, Dunk dreams of becoming a noble and honorable man in a world where theft and backstabbing are the norm. However, he knows that this is easier said than done.
Determined to claim his master's sword, shield, and horses as his own, Dunk sets his sights on Ashford Meadow. But before he reaches the village, he stops at a small inn on the way. The place is quiet, with few souls in the local tavern. Many of them have gone to the nearby tournament where a group of knights are about to duke it out. Only one man remains inside this sleepy inn, and after paying with a coin marked by a Targaryen dragon, he takes off for his room.
As for Dunk, he prepares to head out to Ashford that night, but he's got his hands full with the amusing and rather cheeky Egg. After catching him on one of the horses, Thunder, and exchanging some banter with the boy upon first arrival, Dunk talks about his aspirations. He eventually takes off again, back on the road alone, ready to face whatever challenges may come his way.
At Ashford, Dunk approaches the Master of Games, Plummer, and spins a tale about how Ser Arlan granted him the privilege of being a knight. However, as we soon discover, this is not the case, and without a witness to vouch for his claims, such a claim will not hold water. Nevertheless, if Dunk were to miraculously become a knight, he would also have to contend with the possibility of losing. If he were to lose, he would have to forfeit his arms, armor, and horse to the victor, which he cannot afford to buy back. Therefore, he is banking heavily on winning.
For now, with no one to bear witness to his newfound glory, Dunk must seek another ally at the tournament. The main player here is Ser Manfred Dondarrion. Arlan fought for his father, so Dunk hopes Manfred will be the key to securing his entry into the tournament. After struggling to reach Ser Manfred due to his sleeping habits, Dunk wanders off, muttering to himself and already feeling defeated.
Interestingly, he stumbles upon two other key characters in the show, Ser Steffon Fossoway and his cousin, Raymun Fossoway. The pair are engaged in a duel and sparring when Dunk arrives, but he declines to get involved.
Dunk's situation is not going well, and after several run-ins with prostitutes end badly, Raymun Fossoway eventually catches up to our hedge knight. He apologizes for pressuring him earlier on to fight Steffon and invites him over to party in the tent of House Baratheon.
Inside, Ser Lyonel, the 'Laughing Storm,' gathers the group for a grand party on the eve of the tournament. However, Dunk stands out like a sore thumb and clearly feels out of place. He hasn't brought anything for the man, but this actually works in his favor.
After telling Ser Lyonel that he's here for supper, a hearty laugh and some dancing help lighten the mood. The alcohol only further solidifies their new bond, of course, as Ser Lyonel eventually admits that Dunk is out of his depth and has no chance of winning.
After the festivities of the party had drawn to a close, Dunk finally caught up with Manfred Dondarrion, both of them flanked by women. He waved off Dunk's concerns, professing that he couldn't even remember the name of Arlan of Pennytree. That night, Dunk returned to camp in a state of defeat and found Egg there, waiting for him. The boy had arrived riding on the back of a lamb cart and had already been busy helping Dunk by starting a fire and washing his clothes.
Eventually, Dunk conceded and allowed the boy to stick around, being honest with him about what the role of squire would entail. He promised not to let him go hungry and allowed him to stay. As they lay together beneath the starry sky, Egg pointed out a shooting star flying overhead and explained, in no uncertain terms, that the luck was all theirs.
Here's a more expressive version of the same scenario:
As the party wound down, Dunk finally managed to catch up with Manfred Dondarrion, both of them accompanied by women on either arm. He waved off Dunk's concerns with a careless wave of his hand, claiming not to remember the name of Arlan of Pennytree. That night, Dunk returned to camp feeling defeated and found Egg there, waiting for him with a smile. The boy had arrived riding on the back of a lamb cart and had already been busy helping Dunk by starting a fire and washing his clothes.
After some contemplation, Dunk finally conceded and allowed the boy to stick around. He was honest with him about what the role of squire would entail, promising not to let him go hungry and allowing him to stay. As they lay together beneath the starry sky, Egg pointed out a shooting star flying overhead and declared, with a sense of conviction, that the luck was all theirs.
