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A central distinction between LOTR and GOT can be highlighted by a famous observation from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, the King of Gondor ruled for 100 years after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his governance remain vague. Such inquiry drives Martin’s own fantasy world, often plunging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Delving into Chivalry in Different Fantasy Worlds

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into these complexities through the beloved tale of Dunk (the actor) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They encounter multiple perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a recent panel, Claffey reflected on one major difference between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the core meaning of chivalry.

“This world that George has created, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are explored. A lot of treachery and deceit, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he said. “And for a lot of individuals in Westeros, it works; this was true for Littlefinger for a considerable period. For a person to have the true knightly valor in that realm is something to genuinely admire, particularly in the land of Westeros. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to uphold the morals that chivalry has largely abandoned in this world through his journey in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the panel, Claffey tried to soften that comment, fearing it might spark a conflict between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a follow-up interview to delve into his perspective on how knighthood differs between the universes of GOT and LOTR.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

As per the star, a significant part of the difference stems from the contrasting tones between these two iconic fictional settings.

“There is so much more honor present [in Middle-earth] due to the adult themes in Game of Thrones and George’s world,” he explained. “People get so far in positions and status by committing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more honor, and other than Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Instead of thinking knighthood is harder, Claffey argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s tougher to navigate while trying to be a honorable warrior.

The Burden of Chivalry in Westeros

“A knight with some status must have mental confusion,” he remarked, referring to the morality-clouding stress that stems from trying to navigate the scheming of the realm from the perspective of a humble knight. Viewers have seen the stress of knighthood across the franchise, with characters like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals under oath are forced to betray their morals, and what it does to them internally.

That said, although serving as a warrior in Westeros may be more difficult than in Tolkien’s realm, Claffey is still willing to admit that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no match against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“Aragorn beats Dunk any day of the year,” Claffey said, “I’d say George would concur.”