Who is Ser Duncan the Tall?
Ser Duncan the Tall, often called Dunk, is a hedge knight who starts with nothing but a borrowed sword, a half-remembered code of honor, and a stubborn sense of right and wrong.
He is famous in later history for standing up for common people, fighting in Blackfyre rebellions, and eventually wearing white as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under King Aegon V.
The stories show him as tough but kind-hearted: not the cleverest in the room, but usually the one trying hardest to do the decent thing even when it hurts.
Fans often compare him to Brienne of Tarth in spirit, just with even more height and slightly worse luck with nobles.
On X, the fan account @Thrones_Facts points out that Ser Duncan the Tall is presented in the lore as an ancestor of Brienne of Tarth, a detail that neatly links the legendary knight to one of the most beloved characters in later Westerosi history.
The Origin Story of Ser Duncan the Tall
Ser Duncan’s story begins in Flea Bottom, the poorest slum of King’s Landing, where he grows up as an orphan scraping by on street food and small jobs.
A travelling hedge knight, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, takes him on as a squire when he is still a child; after roughly a decade on the road together, Arlan dies, and Dunk claims (or possibly imagines) that he was knighted shortly before that death.
From there, he rides to the Ashford tourney in The Hedge Knight, looking for work, glory, and maybe just a decent meal.
At Ashford he ends up defending a Dornish puppeteer, Tanselle, from a cruel Targaryen prince, triggering a deadly trial of seven that becomes the first big legend of Dunk and Egg.
Why Ser Duncan Is Called “The Tall”?
Ser Duncan is called “the Tall” because he is canonically enormous for Westeros, nearly seven feet in height and broad enough that most armor does not fit without special work.
Characters in-universe treat him like a walking landmark; later fans and maesters alike talk about him as one of the biggest knights who ever lived, the sort of figure people remember in tavern stories generations later.
That height is both an advantage and a bit of a curse: it makes him terrifying in the lists and on the battlefield, but it also turns him into a constant target for mockery, impossible to blend into a crowd even when trying to keep a low profile with his bald little squire, Egg.
Ser Duncan the Tall’s Role in Westerosi History
Ser Duncan’s role in Westerosi history is much bigger than the quiet, road-trip tone of the early novellas might suggest.
Across his life, he fights in multiple Blackfyre rebellions, personally kills Daemon III Blackfyre in the Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion, and later stands as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard during Aegon V’s reign.
He is also present at the Tragedy of Summerhall in 259 AC, where both he and King Aegon V die; sources hint that his valor saves some people from the fire, though the full story is still deliberately murky in the lore.
In modern Game of Thrones–era timelines, his name lingers as a kind of quiet legend, tied by many readers to characters like Brienne of Tarth and even fan theories about hidden descendants, which keeps searches for “who is Ser Duncan the Tall” very active as the new series approaches.
Disclaimer: This content is based on George R. R. Martin’s published lore and officially available information on adaptations and may change as new books or shows are released. It is meant for general information and fan discussion, not as official canon or professional advice.
