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One central distinction between The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones can be highlighted by an often-cited observation from George R.R. Martin. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, the King of Gondor reigned for 100 years after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his governance remain unexplored. Such questioning drives Martin’s own fictional universe, often plunging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Delving into Chivalry in Two Realms

HBO’s next Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into this moral mud through the fan-favorite tale of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one significant contrast between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that Martin has created, there are a lot more dark and adult themes that are presented. A lot of treachery and backstabbing, and it's hard to navigate,” he said. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it works; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a long time. For somebody to have the true knightly valor in that world is something to genuinely admire, especially in the world of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s need to uphold the morals that chivalry has largely abandoned in Westeros through his journey in the tourney. In my view it takes a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the discussion, the actor attempted to soften that statement, fearing it might ignite a conflict between the two fandoms and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a follow-up interview to delve into his perspective on how chivalry varies between the worlds of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

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

“You find so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in Game of Thrones and George’s world,” he explained. “Characters rise to power in roles and rank by committing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, 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.”

Instead of believing knighthood is more difficult, the actor argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while trying to be a honorable warrior.

The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros

“A knight with some status must have mental confusion,” he said, pointing to the ethically blurring anxiety that comes from attempting to survive the politics of Westeros from the vantage point of a humble fighter. Audiences have seen the pressure of knighthood across the series, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how people under oath are compelled to betray their morals, and the impact to them internally.

That said, while serving as a warrior in Westeros may be more difficult than in Middle-earth, Claffey is still willing to admit that his role in The Hedge Knight is no match against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to offer.

“The Ranger beats Dunk every time of the year,” Claffey said, “I’d say Martin probably agrees.”