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One central distinction between The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be highlighted by an often-cited observation from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, the King of Gondor reigned for a century after the conclusion of Tolkien’s books, but the specifics of his rule remain vague. This type of questioning fuels Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Exploring Chivalry in Two Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, The Hedge Knight, will delve into this moral mud through the fan-favorite story of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They encounter a series of perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. At a recent panel, Claffey reflected on one significant contrast between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of knighthood.

“The universe that George has created, it contains a lot more dark and mature subjects that are explored. Much betrayal and deceit, and it’s challenging to navigate,” Claffey stated. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it pays off; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For a person to have the true knightly valor in that world is something to genuinely admire, especially in the land of Westeros. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to uphold the ethics that knighthood has largely abandoned in this world on his quest in Ashford. In my view it takes a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

Following the panel, the actor attempted to soften that statement, concerned it might spark a war between the two fan communities and place him squarely in the middle. Of course, this led to a follow-up conversation to further explore his perspective on how knighthood varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and LOTR.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

According to the star, a major part of the distinction stems from the clashing tones between these two legendary fictional settings.

“There is so much more honor present [in Middle-earth] because of the mature content in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” Claffey explained. “Characters rise to power in positions and status by doing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. In the glorious trilogy that is LOTR, you see so much more nobility, and other than Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Instead of thinking chivalry is more difficult, Claffey argues that in Westeros it’s tougher to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable knight.

The Weight of Chivalry in Game of Thrones

“A knight with some status must have mental confusion,” he remarked, referring to the ethically blurring anxiety that stems from trying to navigate the scheming of the realm from the perspective of a humble knight. Audiences have seen the stress of knighthood across the franchise, with characters like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jamie Lannister in GOT demonstrating how people under oath are compelled to go against their principles, and the impact to them psychologically.

That said, although 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 wouldn’t stand a chance against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“The Ranger defeats Dunk any day of the year,” he declared, “I believe George would concur.”