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The delightful HBO series, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” brings a host of engaging characters to the screen, among them the puppeteer Tanselle, portrayed by Tanzyn Crawford. Her story intertwines with that of Ser Duncan the Tall, played by Peter Claffey, who finds himself smitten with Tanselle and requests her artistic talents to refurbish his worn-out shield with a new coat of arms. However, their budding connection takes a dark turn when Prince Aerion Targaryen, depicted by Finn Bennett, takes offense at one of her puppet shows, interpreting it as an insult to his family. In a fit of rage, Aerion breaks Tanselle’s fingers, provoking Dunk to retaliate, which leads to his arrest. Tanselle’s fate remains uncertain as she vanishes from the first season after this incident.
HBO
In the episode titled “Seven,” Baelor Targaryen, portrayed by Bertie Carvel, reveals to Dunk that Aerion’s vindictive nature could lead to Tanselle facing treason charges, which only compounds Dunk’s predicaments. Later, Dunk learns from Steely Pate, played by Youssef Kerkour, that Tanselle has wisely fled to Dorne, escaping the prince’s cruel machinations. Her departure is not entirely without closure, as she leaves the newly painted shield with Pate for Dunk.
Hailing from Dorne, Tanselle’s decision to return home instead of confronting the Targaryens’ likely unjust trial is understandable. In the season finale, “The Morrow,” Egg, portrayed by Dexter Sol Ansell, proposes they travel to Dorne, hinting at the region’s reputation for exceptional puppet shows—a subtle encouragement for Dunk to pursue Tanselle.
In George R. R. Martin’s novellas, Dunk and Egg venture to Dorne in hopes of finding Tanselle. Despite attending numerous puppet shows, their search proves fruitless. Dunk is left disheartened but continues to dream of a future with her, although she remains absent in the subsequent novellas, “The Sworn Sword” and “The Mystery Knight,” released in 2003 and 2010 respectively.
Fans should keep in mind the precedent set by “Game of Thrones,” which famously diverged from Martin’s original writings, especially as the series progressed beyond the existing books, with “The Winds of Winter” and a concluding volume yet to be published. “House of the Dragon” also introduced its own narrative shifts, some of which have not aligned with Martin’s vision, adding further intrigue to how these stories might develop on screen.
In the source material, Dunk doesn’t find Tanselle
HBO
In George R. R. Martin’s novellas, Dunk and Egg ride to Dorne in search of Tanselle. While they watch countless puppet shows, they never find her. This disappoints Dunk, though he continues to dream of Tanselle and a possible future with her. However, he doesn’t physically encounter her in 2003’s “The Sworn Sword” and 2010’s “The Mystery Knight.”
Now, before anyone gets too upset about this fading love story, remember that the “Game of Thrones” show made controversial changes to events from the books. Famously, the show overtook the source material, as Martin hadn’t written “The Winds of Winter,” much less a finale novel, and thus plotted its own course and conclusion to the story. In addition, “House of the Dragon” made its own changes to the story, some of which upset Martin.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdom” showrunner Ira Parker claimed to The Hollywood Reporter that this series will not do anything without Martin’s approval, though. “In my very first meeting with George, before I officially had the job,” Parker said, “I promised I wouldn’t put anything in that he didn’t want.” So, the fate of Dunk and Tanselle’s relationship lies in the hands of the author.