Every Game of Thrones Character Alive During A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Credits:- Helen Sloan/HBO

Though they occurred nearly a century before Game of Thrones, the events in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are far from isolated. In fact, a select few original characters bridge the vast gap between these two eras.

We gathered every known figure from the flagship show that already existed during the time of Tales of Dunk and Egg, a set of novellas written by George R.R. Martin chronicling the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and Aegon V Targaryen.

We also included some names that we know have historically interacted with the lead characters and are expected to appear in future novellas.

1 Aemon Targaryen Was Shipped Off to The Citadel to Be A Maester

Aemon Targaryen is mentioned in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms as Maekar’s third son, sent to the Citadel to train as a maester. In the original series, he serves as the maester of the Night’s Watch at Castle Black, where his long tenure has led most to forget his Targaryen heritage.

On his deathbed, the old maester briefly mentions his brother, saying, “Egg, I dreamed that I was old,” as though the weight of a long, arduous life has finally been lifted from his shoulders.

This moment carries a quiet emotional release, as if Aemon is, for the first time in decades, no longer bound by duty, identity, or regret, but simply a brother remembering home in his final breath.

2 Brynden Rivers aka Bloodraven Was Hand of the King

The bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen, Brynden Rivers was a staunch Targaryen loyalist who served as Hand of the King to both King Aerys I and King Maekar I. He was later sent to the Night’s Watch, where he eventually rose to the position of Lord Commander.

We know Brynden in Game of Thrones as the Three-Eyed Raven. He appears in Bran Stark’s visions and eventually guides him on his journey beyond the Wall, leading to the cave where his physical body lies. There, Bran is trained in the use of greensight.

This connection between Brynden during the Dunk and Egg era and the Bloodraven we know in the original series shows his transformation from a political figure into an enigmatic presence. As the Three-Eyed Raven, he is no longer bound by the human duties of court politics, but instead carries a more ancient responsibility, one that has something to do with prophetic dreams.

3 Old Nan Was A Young Maid Living In Winterfell

Old Nan had little screen time in the original show, but in one memorable scene with Bran Stark, she recalls the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall as among the boy’s favorite stories. As a lifelong servant of Winterfell, she may well have encountered the famed hedge knight in her youth.

In The Mystery Knight, Dunk and Egg are already planning a journey up north. Although they have yet to reach Winterfell in the published novellas, it has been confirmed as a destination in the upcoming books.

What’s interesting about this is the possibility that Old Nan’s stories may not just be folklore passed down through generations, but actual fragments of her own memories. She could be recalling the time when knights like Dunk walked the halls of Winterfell.

4 Melisandre Was Centuries Old & Already Practicing Shadow Magic

For someone who has lived for centuries, Melisandre would most certainly already be alive during the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. While Dunk and Egg deal with their problems in Westeros, the Red Priestess is likely in Asshai or elsewhere in Essos, serving the Lord of Light and honing her shadow magic skills.

This period in the prequel timeline is also when magic seems to be waning in Westeros. With dragons gone and Targaryen power slowly loosening its grip on the realm, Melisandre’s existence creates a striking contrast.

It suggests that ancient supernatural forces have not vanished at all—they are simply continuing on a hidden parallel path. In that sense, history in this world isn’t shaped by wars and politics alone, but also by unseen, mystical forces quietly moving in the background.

5 Walder Frey Made A Cameo As A Snot-Nosed Child

It’s hard to picture Walder Frey as a child when we’ve only ever known him as a bitter old man. Interestingly, he makes a brief appearance as a four-year-old in The Mystery Knight, where he’s already described as a “snot-nosed” child who irritates everyone around him.

This connection adds an intriguing layer to Lord Frey; not only did the novella reinforce his bratty behavior, but it also provided a sense of continuity in the whole saga. Who would have thought this kid would one day orchestrate the infamous Red Wedding?  

For some characters, glimpses of childhood can humanize them, but for Lord Frey, it instead confirmed that certain traits may be present from the very beginning, and some people simply can never change for the better.

6 White Walkers Have Been Lurking North of the Wall

The threat of the White Walkers has long plagued the far North of Westeros, and while we didn’t hear any of these in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it doesn’t mean the danger is not already present.

There are also deeper connections that we can make here. Aemon Targaryen studies at the Citadel and eventually joins the Night’s Watch, becoming one of the few figures who will later understand the true scale of the threat.

By this time, the Wall itself is already centuries old and standing firm, and while encounters with White Walkers were extremely rare, the danger has not disappeared—it has simply remained hidden in the shadows of the North.

The Dunk and Egg story feels much safer because it is solely focused on politics, but in reality, the same supernatural threat still looms over the realm.

7 Grand Maester Pycelle Would Be Born to Serve Aegon V Targaryen

Let’s get this straight first: Grand Maester Pycelle is not yet born during the period covered in the latest Dunk and Egg novella, but given Martin has plans for additional stories in the series, it’s likely we will eventually see him enter the timeline in his younger years.

We first meet the character in Game of Thrones as an extremely old man who has served in King’s Landing and on the Small Council for over forty years. After the death of Grand Maester Merion, he was appointed to the position during the reign of Aegon V, despite being only 42 years old at the time, which was remarkably young for a Grand Maester.

He would go on to serve five more kings: Jaehaerys II, Aerys II, Robert Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon, and Tommen Baratheon. What this reveals to us is that the realm’s true power lies in its enduring institutions and those who survive within them. The kings had come and gone, but Grand Maester Pycelle remains.

8 Barristan Selmy Would Eventually Unhorse Ser Duncan the Tall

From one legend to another, Ser Barristan Selmy would eventually face Ser Duncan the Tall in a tourney and successfully unhorse him. This is a fascinating link between the original series and the prequel, as it not only reflects the evolution of knighthood but also shows that no hero exists in isolation.

Their face-off at the tourney becomes a living legend that highlights Selmy’s impressive jousting skills. His many achievements, including this victory, were immortalized in the White Book of the Kingsguard.

As Dunk becomes part of Barristan’s formative story, the latter continues the chain and becomes a living example of knighthood that influences other aspiring knights.

9 Tywin Lannister Would Become Egg’s Royal Page & Cupbearer

Would you believe Tywin Lannister, one of the major villains in Game of Thrones, once served as a cupbearer to Aegon V? This detail helps put the Dunk and Egg era into perspective, as Westeros at the time was still under the politically strained rule of House Targaryen.

This notion that Tywin served Egg also gives us the idea that he was trained early in court. As a boy, he was exposed to the inner workings of Westerosi politics, which eventually influenced the calculating political mind he would later become.

While Egg is remembered for his ideals of reform and concern for the smallfolk, Tywin is about order, authority, and power. This goes to show that the future Hand of the King and Head of House Lannister was always observing and learning the rules of the game from the background.

GOT Character	Whereabouts During AKOTSK
Aemon Targaryen	Shipped off to the Citadel to become a Maester
Brynden Rivers aka Bloodraven	Becomes Hand of the King
Old Nan	A young maid living in Winterfell
Melisandre	Centuries old & serving the Lord of the Light
Walder Frey	Appeared as a snot-nosed 4-year-old
White Walkers	Lurking north of the Wall
Grand Maester Pycelle	Yet to be born, would later serve Aegon V
Barristan Selmy	Yet to be born, would later fight Ser Duncan the Tall
Tywin Lannister	Yet to be born, would later become Egg’s cupbearer

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Which character connection surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!

Game of Thrones and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are currently available to watch on HBO Max.