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A central difference separating The Lord of the Rings and GOT is highlighted by a famous observation from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for a century after the events of Tolkien’s books, but the details of his rule remain unexplored. This type of questioning drives Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his protagonists into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Different Fantasy Worlds

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into these complexities through the fan-favorite story of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They face multiple perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. During a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one major difference between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of knighthood.

“This world that George has built, it contains a lot more dark and adult themes that are presented. Much betrayal and deceit, and it’s challenging to find your way,” he stated. “And for a lot of individuals in Westeros, it works; this was true for Littlefinger for a long time. For a person to have the true chivalric honor in that realm is something to genuinely admire, especially in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to maintain the morals that chivalry has largely abandoned in Westeros through his journey in Ashford. I think it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the panel, the actor attempted to soften that statement, concerned it might ignite a conflict between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Of course, it prompted a follow-up interview to delve into his thoughts on how chivalry varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and LOTR.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

As per the star, a major part of the distinction comes down to the contrasting styles between these two iconic fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more honor present [in Middle-earth] because of the adult themes in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” he said. “People rise to power in positions and status by committing hideous things and betraying others, both physically and metaphorically. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more nobility, and other than Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Rather than believing chivalry is harder, Claffey believes that in Westeros it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a decent knight.

The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros

“A warrior with a certain rank must have mental confusion,” he remarked, pointing to the morality-clouding stress that comes from trying to navigate the politics of Westeros from the vantage point of a low-born knight. Audiences have seen the stress of knighthood throughout the franchise, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals bound by vows are forced to betray their morals, and the impact to them psychologically.

However, while being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Middle-earth, Claffey is quick to admit that his role in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no match against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“Aragorn defeats Dunk’s ass any day of the week,” he said, “I believe George would concur.”