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A key distinction separating The Lord of the Rings and GOT is illustrated by a famous observation from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Indeed, Aragorn reigned for 100 years after the conclusion of Tolkien’s books, but the specifics of his governance remain unexplored. This type of inquiry drives Martin’s own fictional universe, often plunging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn never would.

Exploring Knighthood in Two Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into this moral mud through the fan-favorite tale of Dunk (the actor) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. During a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one significant difference between GOT and LOTR: the core meaning of knighthood.

“This world that Martin has created, it contains a lot more sinister and adult themes that are presented. A lot of treachery and deceit, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he stated. “And for a lot of individuals in this world, it pays off; it did for Petyr Baelish for a long time. For somebody to have the true chivalric honor in that world is something to really look up to, especially in the land of Westeros. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s need to uphold the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in this world through his journey in the tourney. I think it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

After the discussion, Claffey attempted to walk back that comment, fearing it might spark a conflict between the two fan communities and put him squarely in the middle. Of course, it prompted a deeper conversation to delve into his thoughts on how knighthood differs between the universes of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

As per the star, a major part of the difference comes down to the contrasting tones between these two legendary fictional settings.

“There is so much more integrity present [in Middle-earth] due to the adult themes in Game of Thrones and George’s world,” Claffey said. “People rise to power in roles and rank by doing terrible acts and betraying others, literally and figuratively. With the epic series 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 fairy tale evil.”

Instead of believing chivalry is more difficult, Claffey argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable warrior.

The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros

“A warrior with some status must have some head fog,” he remarked, referring to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from attempting to survive the scheming of Westeros from the vantage point of a low-born knight. Audiences have witnessed the pressure of knighthood across the franchise, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in GOT demonstrating how people bound by vows are forced to betray their morals, and the impact to them psychologically.

However, although being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Middle-earth, the actor is still willing to concede that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no match against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to offer.

“The Ranger defeats Dunk’s ass every time of the year,” he declared, “I’d say George would concur.”