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A central difference 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 ruled for a century after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his governance remain vague. Such questioning fuels Martin’s personal fantasy world, often dragging his characters into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Exploring Chivalry in Different Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next GOT series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the beloved story of Ser Duncan the Tall (the actor) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of perilous adventures in an era when the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. During a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one significant difference between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of chivalry.

“The universe that George has created, there are a lot more dark and adult themes that are presented. Much betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to navigate,” Claffey stated. “And for a lot of individuals in Westeros, it pays off; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For a person to have the true knightly valor in that realm is a quality to genuinely admire, particularly in the world of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s need to maintain the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in this world on his quest in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the discussion, Claffey attempted to soften that statement, concerned it might spark a war between the two fan communities and put him squarely in the middle. Of course, this led to a follow-up interview to further explore his perspective on how chivalry differs between the universes of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

According to the actor, a significant part of the difference stems from the clashing styles between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“You find so much more integrity evident [in Tolkien’s world] due to the adult themes in GOT and George’s world,” Claffey said. “People rise to power in roles and status by committing hideous things and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. In the epic series that is LOTR, you see so much more nobility, and other than the dark Vala or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Rather than believing knighthood is harder, the actor argues that in Westeros it’s tougher to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable knight.

The Burden of Chivalry in Westeros

“A knight with some status must have mental confusion,” he said, pointing to the ethically blurring anxiety that comes from attempting to survive the scheming of the realm from the vantage point of a low-born fighter. Audiences have seen the pressure of knighthood throughout the series, with characters like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jaime Lannister in GOT exploring how individuals under oath are forced to betray their principles, and what it does to them psychologically.

That said, while being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Middle-earth, the actor is quick to admit that his role in The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the best that LOTR has to present.

“Aragorn beats Dunk any day of the week,” Claffey said, “I believe George probably agrees.”