A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Who is Egg?

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Be warned: this article contains major spoilers for Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. HBO’s new Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, premiered on January 18, 2026, and has been well-received. The fantasy series is based on George R.R. Martin’s novella, “The Hedge Knight,” and tells the story of Ser Duncan the Tall and his much shorter squire, Egg.

So, who exactly is Egg? Fans of Game of Thrones are used to characters hiding their true selves. While the HBO series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is just beginning, George R.R. Martin first published the story as a novella back in 1998, giving fans over two decades to guess Egg’s real identity. If you don’t want to find out who Egg is, stop reading now!

Who is Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

Image via HBO

HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place in the history of Westeros between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. It’s set roughly 80 years after House of the Dragon and 90 years before Game of Thrones. King Daeron II Targaryen is ruling, but the age of dragons is over. While some people still remember seeing dragons fly, these magnificent creatures have been gone for more than 50 years by this time.

The young man known as Egg is actually Aegon Targaryen, a member of the royal family. He earned the nickname “Egg” as a baby because he was small and had a dragon egg with green and white swirls in his crib. His bald head also contributed to the nickname. Aegon doesn’t want the responsibilities that come with being a prince, so he hides his identity by shaving his signature silver hair and pretending to be a simple stable boy, continuing to go by “Egg.”

How A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Connects to Game of Thrones Through Egg’s Story

Egg spent his childhood learning about power and deception within the Red Keep, but becoming Dunk’s squire quickly reveals how much he still needs to learn about the world beyond the castle.

Currently, Egg is concealing his royal background, but the story reveals he eventually embraces his destiny and becomes King Aegon V, known as “the Unlikely.” His reign is crucial, as it ultimately leads to the events we see in Game of Thrones. Many viewers will recall Maester Aemon’s final words – “Egg, I dreamed I was old!” While we know Aemon was one of the last Targaryens, the connection between the two stories is that Aemon was actually Egg’s older brother.

The upcoming seasons of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will show Egg’s journey to adulthood and his eventual reign as King of Westeros, while Dunk will become the leader of his personal guard, the Kingsguard.

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2026-01-20 21:05