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One central difference separating The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones is illustrated by a famous remark from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, the King of Gondor ruled for 100 years after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, but the specifics of his rule remain vague. This type of questioning drives Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Delving into Chivalry in Two Realms

HBO’s next Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into these complexities through the fan-favorite 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 line continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a recent panel, the actor reflected on one significant difference between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the core meaning of knighthood.

“This world that Martin has created, it contains a lot more sinister and adult themes that are explored. Much betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to navigate,” Claffey stated. “And for a lot of individuals in Westeros, it works; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a long time. For a person to have the actual chivalric honor in that realm is something to genuinely admire, particularly in the land of Westeros. So I really adore 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 takes a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

Following the discussion, the actor attempted to walk back that statement, fearing it might spark a conflict between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, it prompted a deeper interview to further explore his thoughts on how knighthood varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and LOTR.

Clashing Tones in Fictional Realms

As per the star, a major part of the distinction comes down to the clashing styles between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“You find so much more honor evident [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in Game of Thrones and George’s world,” he said. “People rise to power in positions and rank by committing terrible acts and betraying others, both physically and metaphorically. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more honor, and aside from Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Instead of thinking chivalry is more difficult, the actor argues that in Westeros it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable knight.

The Burden of Knighthood in Westeros

“A knight with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he said, referring to the morality-clouding stress that stems from trying to navigate the politics of Westeros from the perspective of a humble knight. Viewers have seen the stress of chivalry throughout the franchise, with characters like Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones exploring how individuals under oath are compelled to betray their principles, and the impact to them internally.

However, although being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, Claffey is still willing to concede that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wouldn’t stand a chance against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“The Ranger beats Dunk any day of the year,” Claffey said, “I believe George would concur.”