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One central distinction between LOTR and GOT is highlighted by a famous remark from George R.R. Martin. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for a century after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the specifics of his rule remain unexplored. This type of questioning fuels Martin’s personal fantasy world, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Two Fantasy Worlds

The upcoming GOT series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into these complexities through the fan-favorite tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face multiple dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a comic con discussion, the actor reflected on one significant difference between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are explored. Much betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to navigate,” he stated. “And for a lot of individuals in Westeros, it pays off; it did for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For somebody to have the actual knightly valor in that realm is a quality to really look up to, especially in the world of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s need to maintain the morals that knighthood has probably forgotten in Westeros on his quest in Ashford. I think it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the discussion, Claffey tried to soften that statement, fearing it might ignite a conflict between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a deeper interview to delve into his perspective on how chivalry varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

According to the actor, a major part of the distinction comes down to the clashing styles between these two iconic fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more honor evident [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in Game of Thrones and George’s world,” he explained. “People rise to power in roles and rank by committing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. With the glorious trilogy that is LOTR, you see so much more nobility, and other than the dark Vala or the Dark Lord, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Rather than thinking knighthood is harder, Claffey argues that in Westeros it’s more difficult to navigate while trying to be a honorable warrior.

The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros

“A warrior with some status must have mental confusion,” he remarked, referring to the morality-clouding stress that comes from trying to navigate the politics of the realm from the perspective of a humble fighter. Viewers have seen the pressure of chivalry throughout the series, with figures like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how individuals bound by vows are compelled to go against their principles, and what it does to them internally.

However, although serving as a warrior in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is still willing to concede that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that LOTR has to present.

“The Ranger defeats Dunk any day of the week,” he said, “I’d say George probably agrees.”