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One central difference between LOTR and GOT is illustrated by an often-cited remark from George R.R. Martin. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for 100 years after the events of Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his governance remain unexplored. This type of questioning fuels Martin’s personal fantasy world, often plunging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn never would.

Exploring Knighthood in Different Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the fan-favorite story of Dunk (the actor) and Egg (the young star). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the throne but their mighty beasts have gone extinct. At a recent panel, Claffey reflected on one significant contrast between Game of Thrones and LOTR: the very definition of chivalry.

“This world that Martin has built, there are a lot more dark and adult themes that are presented. A lot of betrayal and backstabbing, and it’s challenging to find your way,” Claffey stated. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it works; this was true for Littlefinger for a long time. For somebody to have the true chivalric honor in that realm is a quality to really look up to, particularly in the world of Westeros. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s need to maintain the ethics that chivalry has largely abandoned in Westeros through his journey in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a warrior than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the panel, the actor tried to walk back that comment, fearing it might ignite a war between the two fan communities and place him right in the crossfire. Of course, this led to a deeper conversation to delve into his thoughts on how knighthood differs between the universes of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

According to the star, a significant part of the difference stems from the contrasting styles between these two legendary fictional settings.

“You find so much more integrity evident [in Middle-earth] due to the adult themes in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” Claffey said. “People rise to power in positions and status by committing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, both physically and metaphorically. In the epic series that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more honor, and aside from Morgoth or the Dark Lord, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Rather than thinking knighthood is more difficult, Claffey believes that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to maneuver while trying to be a honorable warrior.

The Burden of Knighthood in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he said, pointing to the morality-clouding stress that stems from trying to navigate the scheming of the realm from the perspective of a humble knight. Audiences have witnessed the stress of chivalry across the franchise, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals under oath are compelled to betray their morals, and the impact to them psychologically.

That said, while serving as a warrior 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 greatest that The Lord of the Rings has to offer.

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