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One key difference between The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be illustrated by an often-cited observation from George R.R. Martin. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, the King of Gondor reigned for 100 years after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, but the details of his governance remain unexplored. This type of questioning fuels Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn avoided.

Delving into Knighthood in Different Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into these complexities through the fan-favorite story of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne but their mighty beasts have gone extinct. At a comic con discussion, Claffey commented on one major contrast between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the very definition of chivalry.

“This world that George has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are presented. Much betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to find your way,” Claffey said. “For a lot of people in this world, it pays off; this was true for Littlefinger for a considerable period. 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 commitment to uphold the ethics that knighthood has probably forgotten in this world through his journey in Ashford. I think it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

After the panel, Claffey attempted to walk back that comment, concerned it might ignite a war between the two fandoms and place him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a follow-up conversation to further explore his thoughts on how knighthood differs between the worlds of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Clashing Tones in Fantasy Worlds

According to the actor, a significant part of the difference comes down to the clashing tones between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] because of the adult themes in GOT and Martin’s creation,” Claffey explained. “Characters rise to power in roles and rank by committing hideous things and betraying others, literally and figuratively. In the glorious trilogy that is LOTR, you see so much more honor, and other than Morgoth or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Instead of believing chivalry is more difficult, Claffey argues that in Westeros it’s more difficult to maneuver while trying to be a decent warrior.

The Weight of Knighthood in Westeros

“A warrior with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he remarked, referring to the ethically blurring stress that stems from attempting to survive the politics of the realm from the perspective of a low-born knight. Audiences have witnessed the pressure of knighthood throughout the franchise, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in GOT exploring how people under oath are compelled to go against their principles, and the impact to them internally.

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 greatest that LOTR has to present.

“The Ranger beats Dunk’s ass any day of the week,” he declared, “I’d say Martin probably agrees.”