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A key difference separating The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be illustrated by an often-cited observation from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for a century after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his rule remain unexplored. Such questioning fuels Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Exploring Chivalry in Two Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into these complexities through the fan-favorite tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a recent panel, Claffey reflected on one major difference between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“This world that Martin has created, there are a lot more dark and adult themes that are explored. Much treachery and backstabbing, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he said. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it pays off; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For a person to have the actual knightly valor in that realm is something to really look up to, particularly in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to maintain the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in this world on his quest in Ashford. In my view it takes a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the panel, Claffey tried to walk back that comment, fearing it might spark a war between the two fandoms and place him right in the crossfire. Of course, it prompted a deeper interview to further explore his thoughts on how chivalry differs between the universes of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

As per the star, a major part of the distinction stems from the clashing styles between these two legendary fictional settings.

“You find so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in GOT and George’s world,” he explained. “People rise to power in positions and status by committing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more nobility, and aside from the dark Vala or the Dark Lord, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Rather than believing chivalry is more difficult, the actor believes that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a decent warrior.

The Burden of Knighthood in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with some status must have some head fog,” he said, pointing to the ethically blurring stress that comes from attempting to survive the scheming of Westeros from the perspective of a humble fighter. Viewers have witnessed the pressure of knighthood across the series, with characters like Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how individuals bound by vows are compelled to betray their morals, and what it does to them internally.

However, while serving as a warrior in Westeros may be more difficult than in Middle-earth, Claffey is quick to admit that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“Aragorn beats Dunk any day of the week,” he said, “I believe Martin probably agrees.”