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A central difference between The Lord of the Rings and GOT can be illustrated by a famous remark from the GOT author. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, the King of Gondor ruled for a century after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, but the details of his rule remain unexplored. Such questioning drives Martin’s personal fictional universe, often plunging his protagonists into moral ambiguity in a way the LOTR hero never would.

Delving into Knighthood in Two Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will delve into these complexities through the beloved tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Egg (the young star). They face multiple dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen dynasty continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a comic con discussion, Claffey commented on one major difference between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of chivalry.

“This world that George 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 said. “And for a lot of people in this world, it pays off; it did for Littlefinger for a long time. For somebody to have the actual chivalric honor in that world is something to genuinely admire, especially in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s commitment to maintain the ethics that chivalry has largely abandoned in this world on his quest in Ashford. In my view it takes a lot more to be a knight than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

After the panel, Claffey tried to soften that comment, concerned it might spark a war between the two fan communities and put him right in the crossfire. Of course, it prompted a deeper interview to further explore his perspective on how chivalry varies between the worlds of GOT and LOTR.

Clashing Tones in Fantasy Worlds

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

“You find so much more honor present [in Middle-earth] because of the adult themes in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” Claffey said. “Characters get so far in positions and rank by doing hideous things and betraying others, literally and figuratively. In the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you see so much more honor, and aside from Morgoth or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like storybook villainy.”

Rather than believing knighthood is more difficult, the actor argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to navigate while attempting to remain a honorable warrior.

The Weight of Chivalry in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with some status must have mental confusion,” he said, pointing to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from trying to navigate the politics of Westeros from the perspective of a humble knight. Audiences have seen the stress of chivalry throughout the series, with figures like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in GOT demonstrating how individuals under oath are forced to go against their principles, and what it does to them internally.

However, although serving as a warrior in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Middle-earth, the actor is quick to admit that his character in The Hedge Knight is no match against the greatest that LOTR has to present.

“The Ranger defeats Dunk any day of the week,” he said, “I believe Martin would concur.”