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One central distinction between The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones is highlighted by a famous remark from George R.R. Martin. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Indeed, the King of Gondor ruled for 100 years after the conclusion of Tolkien’s novels, but the specifics of his governance remain unexplored. Such questioning fuels Martin’s own fantasy world, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn avoided.

Delving into Chivalry in Different Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next Game of Thrones series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the fan-favorite tale of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one major contrast between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that George has built, it contains a lot more dark and mature subjects that are presented. A lot of betrayal and deceit, and it’s challenging to find your way,” he said. “For a lot of people in Westeros, it pays off; it did for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For somebody to have the true chivalric honor in that realm is a quality to really look up to, especially in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s need to uphold the ethics that knighthood has probably forgotten in Westeros through his journey in the tourney. I think it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

Following the discussion, the actor attempted to walk back that statement, concerned it might spark a conflict between the two fandoms and put him right in the crossfire. Of course, it prompted a deeper conversation to further explore his thoughts on how knighthood differs between the worlds of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

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

“You find so much more integrity present [in Middle-earth] due to the adult themes in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” he explained. “Characters get so far in roles and status by committing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. In the epic series 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 fairy tale evil.”

Instead of thinking chivalry is harder, the actor argues that in Westeros it’s tougher to navigate while attempting to remain a decent knight.

The Burden of Knighthood in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with some status must have mental confusion,” he remarked, pointing to the morality-clouding anxiety that comes from trying to navigate the politics of Westeros from the perspective of a low-born fighter. Viewers have seen the stress of knighthood throughout the series, with characters like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how people bound by vows are compelled to betray their morals, and the impact to them psychologically.

That said, while 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 The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the best that LOTR has to present.

“The Ranger beats Dunk’s ass any day of the week,” he declared, “I believe Martin would concur.”