🔗 Share this article

A key difference separating The Lord of the Rings and GOT is illustrated by a famous observation from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Indeed, the King of Gondor ruled for 100 years after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, but the details of his governance remain unexplored. This type of inquiry fuels Martin’s own fantasy world, often plunging his characters into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Delving into Knighthood in Different Realms

The upcoming GOT series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into this moral mud through the beloved tale of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a recent panel, the actor commented on one significant contrast between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“This world that George has created, it contains a lot more sinister and adult themes that are explored. A lot of betrayal and deceit, and it’s challenging to find your way,” Claffey said. “And for a lot of individuals in this world, it pays off; it did for Littlefinger 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 world 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 Tolkien’s world.”

Following the panel, the actor attempted to walk back that statement, concerned it might spark a war between the two fan communities and place him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a deeper interview to delve into his thoughts on how knighthood varies between the worlds of GOT and LOTR.

Clashing Tones in Fantasy Worlds

As per the star, a significant part of the distinction stems from the clashing tones between these two legendary fictional settings.

“There is so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] due to the adult themes in GOT and George’s world,” Claffey said. “People get so far in roles and rank by doing terrible acts and betraying others, literally and figuratively. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you see so much more nobility, and other than Morgoth or the Dark Lord, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Instead of thinking chivalry is more difficult, Claffey argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s tougher to navigate while trying to be a honorable knight.

The Weight of Chivalry in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he said, pointing to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from trying to navigate the politics of the realm from the perspective of a humble knight. Audiences have witnessed the stress of chivalry throughout the series, with characters like Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals under oath are forced to go against their principles, and the impact to them psychologically.

However, although being a knight in Westeros may be harder than in Middle-earth, Claffey is quick to concede that his role in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no match against the greatest that LOTR has to offer.

“Aragorn beats Dunk’s ass every time of the week,” Claffey declared, “I believe George would concur.”