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A key distinction between The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be illustrated by a famous observation from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Indeed, Aragorn reigned for 100 years after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his governance remain unexplored. This type of questioning fuels Martin’s personal fantasy world, often dragging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way Aragorn avoided.

Delving into Knighthood in Two Realms

HBO’s next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into this moral mud through the fan-favorite story of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They encounter multiple perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. At a recent panel, Claffey commented on one major contrast between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the very definition of chivalry.

“The universe that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are presented. A lot of betrayal and backstabbing, and it’s challenging to find your way,” Claffey stated. “For a lot of people in Westeros, it pays off; it did for Petyr Baelish for a long time. For a person to have the true chivalric honor in that world is a quality to really look up to, particularly in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to uphold the ethics that chivalry has probably forgotten in Westeros through his journey in Ashford. I think it takes a lot more to be a knight than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

After the panel, Claffey tried to soften that comment, concerned it might ignite a conflict between the two fandoms and place him right in the crossfire. Of course, this led to a follow-up interview 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 significant part of the distinction comes down to the clashing styles between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more honor present [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in GOT and George’s world,” Claffey explained. “People rise to power in roles and rank by committing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. With the epic series that is The Lord of the Rings, you see so much more nobility, and other than the dark Vala or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Instead of believing chivalry is harder, the actor believes that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while trying to be a decent warrior.

The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros

“A knight with some status must have some head fog,” he remarked, pointing to the ethically blurring stress that comes from attempting to survive the scheming of the realm from the vantage point of a humble fighter. Viewers have witnessed the stress of knighthood throughout the series, with figures like Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how people under oath are forced to go against their principles, and the impact to them psychologically.

However, while serving as a warrior in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is still willing to concede that his role in The Hedge Knight is no match against the greatest that LOTR has to present.

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