A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ep 3 Recap: Egg's Targaryen Reveal Explained

Warning! This article contains spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 was the most exciting yet, with Egg finally revealed to be Prince Aegon Targaryen. In the previoustwo episodes of the Game of Thrones spinoff, we learned that two of Prince Maekar's sons, Daemon and Aegon, hadn't made it to the tournament at Ashford Meadow when they were supposed to, which sparked some panic among the Targaryens. Still, the show had to go on, and the tournament officially kicked off in episode 2 without them.

As all this played out, Ser Duncan the Tall was officially recognized as a knight by none other than Prince Baelor Targaryen, heir to the throne. Dunk still wasn't quite ready to joust, however. He first had to adorn his shield with a unique sigil and secure some armor. Dunk asked Tanselle—a Dornish puppeteer on whom he had a bit of a crush—to paint an elm tree beneath a shooting star on his shield. Tanselle agreed.

This becomes a key detail in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3, since Egg's mission to collect the newly painted shield is what leads to the exposure of his identity. Then there is Dunk's affection for Tanselle, which inspires him to act recklessly and cause a world of trouble for himself. More on that later. First, let's dive into Egg's big Targaryen secret.

Egg’s True Identity In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Explained

The ending of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 sees Dunk attack Prince Aerion Targaryen in defense of Taselle. Naturally, a crime like this committed in front of dozens of witnesses should end with a swift execution, but Egg steps in to save the day. He orders the men of the King's Guard to let Dunk go, and they obey. When Egg calls Aerion his brother, everything is out in the open. Egg is Prince Aegon Targaryen, the missing son of Prince Maekar and grandson of King Daeron II Targaryen.

There were hints throughout the first few episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms that Egg was connected to the Targaryens. It's pretty clear that he isn't as low-born as he pretends, since Egg's accent and general attitude differ significantly from Dunk's. Egg also did all he could to avoid being spotted by the Targaryen princes, and apparently felt significant resentment toward Aerion, in particular. Now, we know why.

Egg Meets Ser Robyn Rhysling

Now that we've covered the biggest reveal of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3, let's jump back to the beginning of this installment. Egg is determined to be a good squire and set Dunk up for victory. So, he takes Dunk's horse and lance and heads out to train the steed and practice his own job. It's then that Egg is approached by Ser Robyn Rhysling.

Ser Rhysling is about as tough as they come. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms used one of its flashbacks to explain how Rhysling lost his eye, and it's pretty brutal. Still, this knight is rather kind to Egg. Rhysling only appeared on screen for a few moments, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3 leaves little doubt that this character will eventually play a larger role in the story.

Dunk & Egg’s Bond Continues To Grow

After Egg returns from his run-in with Ser Robyn Rhysling, Dunk is a bit perturbed. Throughout A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk has tried his best to be hard on his squire, but he always ends up giving in to kindness. This is exactly what we see in episode 3. It's a rather sweet sequence, with Dunk encouragingly teaching Egg how to sew a patch onto a garment and fixing some lunch together.

In just a few days, Dunk and Egg have become immensely close. This naturally makes Egg's true identity all the more complicated. Dunk has no idea that the boy he has come to care for (and has been threatening frequently) is a prince. Additionally, there's a sense in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms that Egg has never experienced the sort of closeness and genuine attentiveness Dunk gives him.

Plummer's Offer To Dunk Explained

As of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 3, Dunk hasn't had the chance to joust yet. The first rounds are reserved only for high-born knights and lords, while the hedge knights must wait to challenge later on. In a couple of days, Dunk will be able to choose which opponent he would like to face. However, before that time has a chance to roll around, Dunk is pulled aside by Plummer, the Master of the Games.

Plummer tells Dunk that the Lord of Ashford has overextended himself hosting this tournament. He is therefore looking for ways to earn some of his money back. Plummer hopes that Dunk will agree to face off with Ashford's oldest son, Ser Androw, a knight known for his skill in the lists.

Given Ser Androw's reputation, a great many spectators will bet on his victory. Lord Ashford wants to bet against his son and order Ser Androw to lose on purpose. Dunk is the perfect knight to take on the task of beating Androw for a variety of reasons. He's not only large, but none of the spectators will have seen him joust before, so they wouldn't be suspicious of a victory. Moreover, Dunk is poor. So, he's more likely to agree to the farce.

Though Dunk has yet to provide Plummer with an answer, he has expressed his discomfort at the idea of claiming a false victory. He's eager to prove himself, and a fixed match wouldn't sit well on his conscience. Of course, it likely doesn't matter anymore anyway. Plummer won't have any use for a knight who's likely doomed to die.

Dunk Attacks Prince Aerion To Defend Tanselle

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been building up to Dunk's time at the lists, but episode 3 has introduced a complication. Over the past two episodes, it's become obvious that Dunk has a crush on Tanselle Too-Tall (though she's not too tall for him). Even if he didn't, though, he likely would have acted just as rashly after seeing Prince Aerion break a young woman's fingers.

Tanselle's puppet performance featured a knight defeating a massive dragon, which enraged Aerion. He saw this as a symbolic attack against the Targaryens (ironic since it's the Targaryens' fault that the dragons have died off). After Egg alerted Dunk to what was happening, the knight rushed in to protect Tanselle. He rips the prince off the stage, landing several punches and kicks before the King's Guard restrains him.

It's only because of Egg that Dunk isn't killed at the end of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and this leads to the knight learning the truth about his squire. Still, these details are sure to be only the beginning of Dunk's troubles. Egg might have stepped in now, but there's little chance that his attack on Prince Aerion will go unpunished. Of course, that will all have to wait for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 4.