Game of Thrones Actor Reveals Controversial Opinion on Lord of the Rings Chivalry

A key distinction between LOTR and GOT is highlighted by a famous remark from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, the King of Gondor reigned for a century after the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but the specifics of his rule remain vague. Such questioning fuels Martin’s personal fictional universe, often dragging his characters into moral ambiguity in a way Aragorn avoided.

Exploring Knighthood in Different Fantasy Worlds

HBO’s next Game of Thrones series, The Hedge Knight, aims to dive into this moral mud through the beloved tale of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter a series of perilous adventures in an era when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have died out. At a comic con discussion, Claffey commented on one significant difference between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: the very definition of knighthood.

“The universe that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are explored. Much treachery and deceit, and it’s challenging to find your way,” he stated. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it works; it did for Petyr Baelish for a long time. For somebody to have the actual chivalric honor in that realm is something to genuinely admire, particularly in the land of Westeros. I deeply appreciate Dunk’s commitment to uphold the morals that knighthood has probably forgotten in Westeros on his quest in the tourney. I think it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”

Following the panel, Claffey 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 interview to delve into his perspective on how chivalry varies between the universes of GOT and The Lord of the Rings.

Clashing Tones in Fantasy Worlds

As per the actor, a major part of the distinction comes down to the contrasting tones between these two legendary fantasy worlds.

“There is so much more integrity present [in Middle-earth] due to the mature content in GOT and George’s world,” he explained. “People get so far in positions and status by doing terrible acts and betraying others, literally and figuratively. With the glorious trilogy that is The Lord of the Rings, you see so much more honor, and other than the dark Vala or Sauron, those absolute villains, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”

Rather than believing knighthood is more difficult, the actor believes that in Westeros it’s tougher to maneuver while trying to be a honorable warrior.

The Burden of Knighthood in Westeros

“A warrior with some status must have some head fog,” he remarked, pointing to the morality-clouding anxiety that stems from attempting to survive the politics of Westeros from the vantage point of a humble fighter. Audiences have witnessed the stress of knighthood throughout the franchise, with figures like Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in GOT exploring how people under oath are compelled to betray their morals, and what it does to them internally.

However, although being a knight in the Seven Kingdoms may be more difficult than in Middle-earth, the actor is still willing to concede that his role in The Hedge Knight wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that LOTR has to offer.

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