A key difference between The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones is illustrated by an often-cited observation from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn ruled for 100 years after the conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the specifics of his governance remain unexplored. Such inquiry fuels Martin’s own fictional universe, often plunging his characters into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero avoided.
Delving into Chivalry in Different Fantasy Worlds
The upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into this moral mud through the fan-favorite tale of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter multiple perilous adventures in an era when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. During a recent panel, the actor commented on one significant contrast between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of knighthood.
“This world that Martin has created, there are a lot more dark and mature subjects that are presented. A lot of treachery and deceit, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he stated. “For a lot of people in Westeros, it pays off; it did for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For a person to have the actual chivalric honor in that world is a quality to really look up to, particularly in the world of Westeros. So I really adore Dunk’s commitment to uphold the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in Westeros on his quest in the tourney. I think it takes a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”
After the panel, Claffey tried to walk back that comment, fearing it might spark a conflict between the two fandoms and place him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a follow-up conversation to delve into his thoughts on how knighthood varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and LOTR.
Clashing Tones in Fantasy Worlds
As per the actor, a major part of the distinction comes down to the contrasting styles between these two iconic fantasy worlds.
“There is so much more honor present [in Tolkien’s world] because of the adult themes in GOT and Martin’s creation,” he said. “People get so far in roles and status by doing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. In the epic series that is LOTR, you witness so much more nobility, and other than Morgoth or the Dark Lord, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”
Rather than thinking chivalry is harder, Claffey argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable knight.
The Weight of Chivalry in Westeros
“A warrior with some status must have mental confusion,” he said, referring to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from trying to navigate the scheming of the realm from the perspective of a low-born knight. Audiences have seen the stress of chivalry across the series, with characters like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how people under oath are compelled to betray their morals, and what it does to them internally.
However, although being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is still willing to admit that his character in The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that The Lord of the Rings has to present.
“The Ranger defeats Dunk every time of the year,” Claffey declared, “I believe Martin would concur.”
