A Song of Ice & Fire Fans discussion

So I just read "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" and loved it.
But a thought appeared to me: "What if Dunk is a Targaryen?". It makes somewhat sense; we readers don't know Dunk's parents except for his mother who was a whore.

After all Aegon the IV fathered lots of bastards like Bittersteel and Bloodraven and could also have fathered Dunk. Even though Dunk doesn't have the purple eyes of the Targaryen lineage it could still make sense; Bittersteel has purple eyes but black hair.

Dunk has sun-streaked hair which could be blond/silvery and 'thus mean he is half Targaryen.

What do you guys think about the theory?

It's estimated Dunk was born 7-9 years after Henry the Eighth Aegon the Unworthy died. I think there is always a good chance he may have a drop of dragon blood in him considering how many bastards the Targs sired in Dragonstone and Kings Landing though

Aegon IV died in 184 AC. Dunk was born in the early 190s (his age isn't precisely given, but he was around 16-17 in The Hedge Knight, which takes place in 209 AC). There's no way that he could be Aegon IV's son.

More importantly, what would be the point of him being a Targaryen? How would it improve the story in any way? If anything, it would make it worse. The whole point of The Hedge Knight (and to a lesser extent, the other two stories, as well as Dunk's general life story) is that even someone as lowborn as an orphan from Fleabottom can make a difference to history, by being a true knight and remembering his vows to protect those in need, while most of the nobles ignore this duty or actively violate it. This theme would be rendered pointless if Dunk was himself of noble blood.

Additionally, Dunk is already travelling with a Targaryen prince in disguise: Egg. And in The Mystery Knight, he has another Targaryen (a bastard, not a prince) in disguise as a companion: Bloodraven, who is using a glamour to pose as Ser Maynard Plumm. The story would get downright ridiculous if Dunk himself was also a Targaryen prince and/or bastard in disguise.

Mitali wrote: "Aegon IV died in 184 AC. Dunk was born in the early 190s (his age isn't precisely given, but he was around 16-17 in The Hedge Knight, which takes place in 209 AC). There's no way that he could be A..."
Yeah you probably have the right of it.
Just a thought that struck me and thought to ask here since nobody else has asked the question on google (as far as I have seen). Would have been a surprising plot twist though :P