The season 1 finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ties up a lot of loose ends, but it keeps one key plotline ambiguous. Yes, we're talking about Duncan's supposed knighthood from his mentor Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Turns out, the mystery surrounding the knighthood was deliberately kept ambiguous at the request of George R.R. Martin himself.
Throughout the entire debut season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the show keeps flashing back to Dunk in his younger days as a squire to hedge knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Dunk follows Ser Arlan from a young age, learning the trades of the profession... granted, Arlan is certainly not the most traditional of knights. In his final moments, Ser Arlan leans against a tree surrounded by leagues of fields, with only Dunk for company. In that moment, Arlan goes about his delusional ramblings, but Dunk has just one question: “Why did you never knight me?” he asks. “Did you think I’d leave you? I wouldn’t have. Or was it something else?"
Arlan ignores Dunk and continues to tell his story. Ultimately, the series never actually shows viewers that Dunk has been knighted; we merely take his word for it. This is in line with Martin's novella, "The Hedge Knight," which takes a similar approach with Dunk and Ser Arlan's final moments.
Speaking to Collider, showrunner Ira Parker explained that the knighthood was always meant to remain ambiguous. It's certainly become a plot point that's had fans divided, as they scoured Martin's text as well as the show for any sign of a solid answer about whether Ser Arlan actually knighted Dunk. "At that moment, Dunk had never been knighted by Ser Arlan," Parker explained. "He says, 'Why did you never knight me?' And then, Ser Arlan dies, and we think it’s over. But then, he’s back and, as far as we know, the continuation of that scene is, 'Boy, go get me my sword,' and then he knights him."
""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.""
Whether or not Dunk was officially knighted, he demonstrates knightly conduct throughout the season — so much that even Baelor Targaryen fights by his side. For Parker, it's the acts of righteousness rather than the title that make Dunk a true knight. "This whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight, whether or not you’re given the title, or if you have to earn the title even after you’re given it. Can you earn it, even if you’ve never been given it?"
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 is now streaming on HBO. Season 2 is currently in production, and will premiere sometime in 2027.