Given all Game of Thrones mysteries and histories slowly converging back toward the series’ end, the HBO drama will inevitably omit certain fan-favorite character’s origins. So it is with Brienne of Tarth, whom George R.R. Martin now confirms to have a major tie to his prequel novellas Tales of Dunk and Egg.

Vanity Fair caught Martin attending Baltimore convention Balticon in order to read a new chapter from A Song of Ice and Fire’s sixth entry, The Winds of Winter, after which he confirmed the suspected familial tie. Apparently, height runs in the family for Brienne of Tarth, whose ancestor has been confirmed as Ser Duncan the Tall.

For those unfamiliar with the character chronicled in Martin’s prequel novellas Tales of Dunk and Egg, Ser Duncan was a legendary seven-foot Westerosi knight who served as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to King Aegon V Targaryen, decades before any of the characters fans are familiar with. Martin has oft brought up the novellas in interviews, suggesting that Dunk and Egg would be perfect for an HBO miniseries or movie, should the network need a new chapter of the mythology to explore.

It’s entirely possible that Ser Duncan could appear on the series itself, given that Martin’s A Dance With Dragons saw Bran experiencing a brief vision of a character believed to be Dunk, though it remains to be seen if any connection to Brienne would be established.

Brienne herself likely has some eventful weeks ahead, to return to the Riverlands on Sansa’s behalf, and potentially encounter any number of familiar faces, but what might Martin’s revelation explain of the character, other than height?

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