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One central difference between LOTR and GOT is illustrated by a famous observation from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Indeed, the King of Gondor ruled for 100 years after the conclusion of Tolkien’s novels, but the specifics of his rule remain vague. Such questioning fuels Martin’s own fantasy world, often plunging his protagonists into ethical gray areas in a way Aragorn avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Two Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next GOT series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the beloved story of Ser Duncan the Tall (the actor) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They face a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen line still holds the throne but their mighty beasts have died out. During a comic con discussion, the actor reflected on one major difference between GOT and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of knighthood.

“The universe that George has created, there are a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are presented. Much betrayal and backstabbing, and it’s challenging to navigate,” he said. “And for a lot of people in Westeros, it pays off; this was true for Littlefinger for a long time. For somebody to have the actual chivalric honor in that world is something to really look up to, especially in the land of Westeros. So I really adore Dunk’s need to maintain the ethics that chivalry has largely abandoned in this world on his quest in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”

After the discussion, the actor attempted to soften that comment, concerned it might ignite a war between the two fan communities and put him squarely in the middle. Of course, this led to a deeper conversation to further explore his thoughts on how chivalry varies between the worlds of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Clashing Tones in Fictional Realms

As per the actor, a significant part of the difference comes down to the contrasting styles between these two iconic fantasy worlds.

“You find so much more honor evident [in Tolkien’s world] due to the adult themes in GOT and George’s world,” Claffey said. “People get so far in roles and status by committing terrible acts and stabbing people in the back, literally and figuratively. With the glorious trilogy that is LOTR, you see so much more honor, and aside from Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Instead of believing chivalry is harder, the actor argues that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s tougher to maneuver while trying to be a honorable knight.

The Weight of Knighthood in Westeros

“A knight with a certain rank must have some head fog,” he remarked, referring to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from trying to navigate the politics of Westeros from the vantage point of a low-born fighter. Viewers have seen the pressure of knighthood across the franchise, with figures like Criston Cole in HotD and Jaime Lannister in GOT exploring how people under oath are forced to go against their morals, and what it does to them internally.

That said, although being a knight in Westeros may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, Claffey is quick to admit that his role in The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the best that The Lord of the Rings has to offer.

“The Ranger beats Dunk any day of the week,” Claffey declared, “I believe George probably agrees.”