Game of Thrones Actor Shares Spicy Opinion on LOTR Chivalry
One central difference between LOTR and Game of Thrones can be highlighted by an often-cited remark from the GOT author. “How did Aragorn handle taxes?” Certainly, Aragorn reigned for a century after the events of Tolkien’s books, but the details of his rule remain unexplored. This type of inquiry drives Martin’s own fantasy world, often dragging his characters into ethical gray areas in a way the LOTR hero avoided.
Delving into Chivalry in Different Realms
The upcoming GOT series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, aims to dive into these complexities through the beloved story of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell). They encounter a series of dangerous exploits in an era when the Targaryen line continues to occupy the Iron Throne but their fearsome dragons have gone extinct. At a recent panel, Claffey commented on one significant difference between GOT and LOTR: the very definition of chivalry.
“This world that Martin has built, it contains a lot more sinister and mature subjects that are explored. Much betrayal and deceit, and it's hard to navigate,” Claffey said. “For a lot of individuals in this world, it pays off; it did for Littlefinger for a considerable period. For a person to have the true chivalric honor in that world is something to really look up to, particularly in the land of the Seven Kingdoms. So I really adore Dunk’s need to uphold the morals that chivalry has probably forgotten in this world through his journey in the tourney. In my view it requires a lot more to be a knight than it does in Middle-earth.”
After the discussion, Claffey tried to soften that comment, fearing it might spark a war between the two fan communities and put him squarely in the middle. Naturally, this led to a follow-up interview to delve into his thoughts on how knighthood differs between the universes of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings.
Divergent Themes in Fictional Realms
As per the actor, a major part of the distinction stems from the contrasting tones between these two legendary fantasy worlds.
“You find so much more integrity evident [in Tolkien’s world] due to the adult themes in Game of Thrones and Martin’s creation,” Claffey explained. “Characters rise to power in roles and rank by committing terrible acts and betraying others, both physically and metaphorically. In the epic series that is LOTR, you witness so much more nobility, and other than Morgoth or Sauron, those pure evils, [LOTR] is a lot more like fairy tale evil.”
Rather than believing knighthood is harder, the actor believes that in the Seven Kingdoms it’s more difficult to maneuver while trying to be a honorable warrior.
The Burden of Knighthood in Westeros
“A knight with a certain rank must have mental confusion,” he remarked, pointing to the ethically blurring anxiety that stems from attempting to survive the politics of the realm from the perspective of a humble knight. Viewers have witnessed the pressure of knighthood across the franchise, with characters like Ser Criston Cole in HotD and Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones demonstrating how individuals bound by vows are forced to go against their principles, and the impact to them psychologically.
That said, while being a knight in Westeros may be harder than in Middle-earth, the actor is still willing to concede that his character in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wouldn’t stand a chance against the greatest that LOTR has to present.
“Aragorn defeats Dunk any day of the year,” he said, “I’d say George probably agrees.”