Game of Thrones Star Shares Controversial Opinion on LOTR Knighthood

One key distinction separating LOTR and GOT can be illustrated by a famous remark from George R.R. Martin. “What was Aragorn’s tax policy?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for a century after the conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the details of his rule remain unexplored. Such questioning drives Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his protagonists into ethical gray areas in a way the LOTR hero avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Two Realms

The upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into this moral mud through the beloved tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (the actor) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter multiple dangerous exploits in an age when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a comic con discussion, Claffey commented on one major difference between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the core meaning of chivalry.

“The universe that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are explored. A lot of betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to find your way,” Claffey stated. “And for a lot of people in this world, it works; this was true for Petyr Baelish for a considerable period. For a person to have the actual knightly valor in that realm is a quality to genuinely admire, especially in the land of Westeros. So I really adore Dunk’s commitment to uphold the ethics that knighthood has largely abandoned in this world on his quest in Ashford. In my view it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Tolkien’s world.”

Following the discussion, the actor tried to walk back that statement, fearing it might ignite a conflict between the two fandoms and place him right in the crossfire. Naturally, this led to a deeper interview to delve into his perspective on how chivalry varies between the worlds of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.

Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms

As per the star, a significant part of the difference comes down to the clashing tones between these two iconic fictional settings.

“There is so much more honor evident [in Tolkien’s world] due to the adult themes in GOT and Martin’s creation,” Claffey said. “Characters rise to power in roles and status by doing terrible acts and betraying others, literally and figuratively. In the epic series that is The Lord of the Rings, you witness so much more honor, and aside from the dark Vala or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

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

The Burden of Chivalry in Game of Thrones

“A warrior with some status must have some head fog,” he remarked, pointing to the ethically blurring stress that comes from trying to navigate the scheming of Westeros from the perspective of a humble fighter. Audiences have seen the pressure of chivalry across the series, with characters like Criston Cole in House of the Dragon and Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how people bound by vows are compelled to go against their principles, and the impact to them internally.

That said, while being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be harder than in Tolkien’s realm, the actor is still willing to concede that his character in The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that The Lord of the Rings has to present.

“Aragorn beats Dunk’s ass every time of the week,” he declared, “I’d say Martin probably agrees.”