Dexter Sol Ansell Has His Own Ideas About Egg’s Future

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As a huge fan of the Game of Thrones world, I’ve always been struck by how… troubled the Targaryens are. Seriously, almost every one we see on screen is, well, a bit monstrous. They’re famous for turning on each other, plotting terrible things – remember the wildfire? – and generally being pretty harsh rulers. Even Daenerys, who I really rooted for for a long time, ultimately showed a dark side with what happened at King’s Landing. But it’s not all bad! I’m really enjoying A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and it’s fascinating to see Egg, who we know is secretly a Targaryen prince, actually seem like a genuinely good person.

The new show inspired by George R.R. Martin’s stories is a welcome change from its predecessors, Thrones and House of the Dragon. Instead of focusing on large-scale dragon fights or complicated political schemes, this six-episode season tells a more personal story. It follows Egg, who is secretly Prince Aegon V but pretends to be a commoner, as he runs away from home before a tournament. He befriends Dunk, a large but inexperienced knight, and becomes his squire. The show features simple pleasures – puppet shows, parties, jousts – and focuses on the growing bond between Egg and his new mentor. Even with a dramatic event – Dunk accidentally getting involved in a massive duel that resulted in the death of the crown prince – the show felt surprisingly refreshing. It proves you don’t need a full-blown war to create compelling family drama.

Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg in Knight, only knows this toned-down version of the world of Game of Thrones. At eleven years old, he hasn’t watched the original series because of its violence and mature content. “I just know there are a lot of dragons and everyone wants to rule,” he explains. He also jokingly mentions having a “really good granddaughter,” likely referring to Daenerys – Egg’s great-granddaughter, who, as the show concluded, wasn’t as impressive as some might think. Since he hasn’t seen the more adult parts of the story, that could actually be a good thing for both him and the show he’s in.

Does playing Egg feel different when his true identity is hidden versus when he’s presenting as the Targaryen prince in his black clothes? The costume definitely makes me feel more regal, but I tried to maintain a consistent portrayal. It’s challenging to balance playing a common boy with hinting at his princely nature. Sometimes I’ll let a bit of that royal side slip out – like when Dunk makes a comment about someone’s background, and Egg casually mentions their family’s wealth, pretending it’s just something he overheard. I have to be careful not to overdo it, though. If Egg acted too much like a prince, it would bother Dunk and make him question who Egg really is. Egg wants Dunk to see him as someone worthy of his respect.

Egg and Dunk have a complicated relationship. Egg serves as Dunk’s squire, meaning Dunk is his superior, but Egg’s royal lineage – he’s the king’s grandson – creates a social imbalance. Dunk often tries to appear as an ordinary person, but Egg ultimately wants to make his father proud. Egg fluctuates between wanting to appear regal and impressive when in public, and wanting to be small, unassuming, and comfortable around Dunk.

The question is, is the true Egg the one who prefers simplicity, or the one who craves grandeur? He desires importance, but deep down, he simply wants to be loved and accepted. He’ll go to great lengths to find a meaningful connection with someone, like Dunk, and earn their friendship or affection.

He isn’t receiving the support he needs from his family. He’s tried repeatedly, but they haven’t been able to provide it. This led him to ask his brother, Daeron – who often drinks – a strange request: “If I give you a bottle of wine, will you shave my head?”

Egg appears to be a kind and well-adjusted child, unlike many Targaryens who are known for their instability. This is likely due to the harsh treatment he received from people like Aerion, who were incredibly cruel to him. Having experienced so much pain himself, Egg doesn’t want others to suffer the same way. He actively tries to ensure everyone feels safe and welcomed, and consistently chooses kindness to prevent others from experiencing the hurt he endured.

Is he truly innocent, or is there a hint of the Targaryen family’s instability hidden inside him? At least when it comes to Aerion, his intentions are clear – he simply wants to kill him.

We’re seeing Egg try to kill his brother, and it’s driven by a lot of pain. He’s remembering how Aerion hurt those he cared about – killing his cat and nearly killing Dunk during the Trial of Seven – and feels compelled to stop him. He believes he needs to right these wrongs. Then Maekar appears, and this is significant because Egg always craved his approval. For the first time, Maekar is kind and shows affection, placing his hands on Egg’s shoulders. This moment calms Egg and makes him feel finally accepted. Maekar likely never expected Egg to take such drastic action, but he sees it as Egg finally standing up for himself. It’s possible Maekar even feels a sense of pride, as he didn’t seem to care for Aerion himself.

It’s tough, honestly. I really felt for Egg when Baelor died, even though he wasn’t super close to him. They didn’t spend a lot of time together, Baelor was always busy with his duties, but Egg knew he was a genuinely good person, the best of the Targaryens, and that loss hit him hard. But it was absolutely devastating for Dunk. Dunk truly admired Baelor, thought the world of him. Baelor stood by him, fought alongside him during the Trial of Seven, and to lose someone like that… it just broke Dunk’s heart.

Who is most to blame for Baelor’s death – Maekar, Aerion, Dunk, Egg, or even fate? It’s really a shared responsibility. If even one small thing had been different – if Tanselle hadn’t been at the puppet show at that specific moment, or if Dunk hadn’t arrived when he did, or if Egg hadn’t sought Dunk’s help – things might have turned out differently. Ultimately, Egg’s good nature seems to have led to Baelor’s death. I asked Dunk to rescue her, and Baelor, being kind himself, defended Dunk because of his kindness.

In the world of Westeros, being kind can be dangerous, and Dunk will likely struggle with guilt because of this. But does Egg share any of that responsibility? It doesn’t seem so. Egg is used to tragedy – his family often faces violent deaths. For him, it’s almost expected, whereas Dunk is more surprised. Everyone in Egg’s family dies by violence, not from natural causes.

The final scene after the credits shows that Maekar never actually allowed Egg to become Dunk’s squire, which wasn’t clear in the original story. We’re wondering what motivated Egg to leave with Dunk despite this, and if he’ll face any repercussions. It seems like Egg might have been scared, seeing people die and Aerion being sent away, and fearing he’d be next. He possibly decided to simply escape and start a new life elsewhere with Dunk.

Does the second season feel distinct because it focuses on another Dunk and Egg story instead of telling how everything began? It definitely has more action, and Egg is much more involved this time around.

How much of Egg’s eventual fate do you know?
Do you mean Summerhall?

So, you’re already familiar with the situation. Everyone has their own ideas about what’s going to happen, and a lot of people seem certain. But I talked to George, and even he’s still unsure. What are your thoughts? Maybe take another look at things – you might see it differently.

Does knowing what happens to Egg later in life affect how you play him as a child? I’m really just focused on the character in the moment. I honestly didn’t even realize Egg would become king – I completely forgot for a long time, and then it just hit me, ‘Oh right, Egg becomes the king!’ But I try not to dwell on it too much because those events are still 40 years away.

The fortune teller in episode three is the only time this idea appears in the first season. Egg is really taken aback by what she says, and it makes you wonder why. Is he confused because the prediction doesn’t make sense, or is he actually scared it might come true? Considering the history of the Targaryens, he seems to believe the fortune teller is being genuine, and it hits him that something similar could happen to him.

People are always curious about what it’s like to be bald. It’s actually pretty fun – the crew shaves my head every morning when we film. Being bald has even been helpful since I went back to school. I’ve started a little side business, too. If anyone wants to feel my head – it’s surprisingly soft where the hair used to be – they can touch it if they buy me a drink. And if they buy me a meal, they get to touch my head every day!

A clip is circulating online showing Daniel Ings saying he thought you were okay with swearing, but then it cuts to you saying you actually dislike it. Is this a difference in personality between you and Egg? Does Egg use a lot of swear words? He doesn’t seem to think of them as offensive – just regular words.

Without asking you to repeat anything, did you learn any new swears while making this show?
No.

So you already knew all along—you’re just holding back because you’re a decent person, right? Yeah, you probably overhear other students talking about it.

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2026-02-23 07:03