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A key difference separating The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones is illustrated by an often-cited remark from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for 100 years after the conclusion of Tolkien’s books, but the specifics of his governance remain unexplored. Such inquiry drives Martin’s own fictional universe, often dragging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Exploring Chivalry in Two Fantasy Worlds

The upcoming GOT series, The Hedge Knight, will delve into these complexities through the beloved story of Dunk (the actor) and Egg (the young star). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an age when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. During a comic con discussion, Claffey reflected on one major difference between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the core meaning of knighthood.

“This world that George has built, it contains a lot more dark and mature subjects that are explored. Much betrayal and backstabbing, and it's hard to navigate,” he said. “For a lot of people in Westeros, it works; this was true for Littlefinger for a considerable period. For a person to have the actual chivalric honor in that realm is something to really look up to, especially in the world of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s commitment to maintain the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in Westeros on his quest in Ashford. In my view it takes a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

After the panel, the actor tried to walk back that comment, concerned it might ignite a war between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Naturally, it prompted a deeper conversation to further explore his perspective on how chivalry varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fantasy Worlds

As per the star, a major part of the difference comes down to the contrasting tones between these two legendary fictional settings.

“There is so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” Claffey said. “People rise to power in positions and status by doing hideous things 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 storybook villainy.”

Instead of believing chivalry is more difficult, Claffey argues that in Westeros it’s tougher to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable warrior.

The Burden of Chivalry in Westeros

“A knight with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he remarked, referring to the ethically blurring stress that comes from attempting to survive the scheming of Westeros from the perspective of a humble knight. Viewers have witnessed the pressure of chivalry throughout the franchise, with characters like Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how people under oath are compelled to go against their morals, and what it does to them internally.

That said, while serving as a warrior in the Seven Kingdoms may be more difficult than in Middle-earth, the actor 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 offer.

“Aragorn beats Dunk’s ass any day of the week,” he said, “I’d say George probably agrees.”