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One key difference between The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones can be highlighted by a famous observation from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn ruled for a century after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, but the details of his governance remain vague. Such questioning drives Martin’s personal fantasy world, often plunging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way Aragorn avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Different Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the beloved story of Dunk (the actor) and Aegon Targaryen (the young star). They face a series of perilous adventures in an age when the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a recent panel, the actor commented on one major contrast between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that Martin has created, it contains a lot more dark and adult themes that are explored. Much betrayal and deceit, and it’s challenging to navigate,” Claffey stated. “For a lot of people in this world, it works; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For somebody to have the actual knightly valor in that world is a quality to really look up to, especially in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s need to uphold the morals that knighthood has largely abandoned in Westeros on his quest in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

After the discussion, Claffey tried to walk back that statement, fearing it might spark a war between the two fan communities and place him squarely in the middle. Naturally, this led to a deeper interview to delve into his perspective on how knighthood differs between the worlds of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

As per the star, a major part of the difference stems from the contrasting tones between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more integrity present [in Middle-earth] because of the adult themes in GOT and George’s world,” he explained. “People rise to power in roles and status by committing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. With the glorious trilogy that is LOTR, you see so much more honor, and other than the dark Vala or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Instead of believing knighthood is harder, the actor believes that in Westeros it’s tougher to maneuver while trying to be a decent knight.

The Weight of Knighthood in Game of Thrones

“A knight with some status must have some head fog,” he said, pointing to the morality-clouding anxiety that comes from trying to navigate the scheming of the realm from the vantage point of a low-born fighter. Viewers have witnessed the pressure of knighthood throughout the franchise, with characters like Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how people under oath are forced to go against their morals, and the impact to them psychologically.

That said, while serving as a warrior in Westeros may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is still willing to concede that his role in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“The Ranger beats Dunk’s ass every time of the week,” he said, “I believe George probably agrees.”