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One central difference separating The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be highlighted by an often-cited observation from George R.R. Martin. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Indeed, the King of Gondor ruled for a century after the conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his rule remain vague. Such inquiry drives Martin’s personal fantasy world, often dragging his characters into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Delving into Knighthood in Different Fantasy Worlds

The upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, The Hedge Knight, will delve into this moral mud through the fan-favorite story of Dunk (the actor) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They encounter a series of perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the throne but their mighty beasts have gone extinct. During a recent panel, the actor reflected on one significant contrast between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and adult themes that are presented. A lot of treachery and backstabbing, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he stated. “And for a lot of people in Westeros, it works; this was true for Littlefinger for a long time. For somebody to have the true chivalric honor in that world is something to genuinely admire, particularly in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s need to maintain the morals that knighthood 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 Middle-earth.”

Following the discussion, Claffey tried to soften that statement, fearing it might ignite a war between the two fandoms and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, it prompted a deeper conversation to further explore his thoughts on how knighthood varies between the universes of GOT and LOTR.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

According to the star, a major part of the difference comes down to the contrasting tones between these two iconic fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more honor evident [in Tolkien’s world] because of the mature content in GOT and Martin’s creation,” he said. “People get so far in roles and status by doing terrible acts and betraying others, both physically and metaphorically. With the epic series that is LOTR, you witness so much more honor, and other than the dark Vala or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Instead of believing chivalry is harder, Claffey argues that in Westeros it’s tougher to maneuver while trying to be a honorable knight.

The Burden of Knighthood in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with a certain rank must have mental confusion,” he said, pointing to the ethically blurring stress that stems from trying to navigate the politics of the realm from the perspective of a low-born fighter. Viewers have witnessed the stress of knighthood throughout the series, with characters like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals under oath are forced to betray their morals, and what it does to them psychologically.

That said, while being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be more difficult than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is quick to concede that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no match against the best that LOTR has to offer.

“The Ranger beats Dunk any day of the year,” Claffey said, “I’d say George probably agrees.”