Game of Thrones vs. The Lord of the Rings

ROUND 1: World-Building

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Anyone who has read or watched “Game of Thrones” (or “A Song of Ice and Fire”, as the print series is called), knows that it is so well-built, you’d think it hit the gym every morning. Each major House of Westeros contains complicated family trees, and each town has its own history mapped out for centuries. And not just in Westeros, because, oh no, this is WORLD building. While George R. R. Martin did not create the languages that were later used in the HBO series, he did produce creation myths, religions, traditions, culture and history for the Seven Kingdoms and across the Narrow Sea. J. R. R. Tolkien is the Alexander the Great of fantasy worldbuilding. In creating “Lord of the Rings” and Middle Earth, he created not just a world, but a complex creation mythology, including functional languages that can still be learned by enthusiasts to this day. If the details of lineage and history seem extra rich (and sometimes exhaustively detailed) in “Lord of the Rings,” it’s because they are. The world of Middle Earth extends past what is contained in the print trilogy (or even the films); there is much more to Tolkien’s extended universe. If any cinematic or bibliographic fantasy world is described as “Tolkienesque”,” well, you know who to tip your wizard’s hat to. WINNER: “Lord of the Rings” “Game of Thrones”: 0 / “Lord of the Rings”: 1

ROUND 2: Heroes

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What makes villains great can, ironically, make heroes … frustrating. Maybe we’re just being too black-and-white about it, but when rooting for a side in a fantasy world, it’s nice to feel that one can make a solid moral choice. That’s not to say the heroes of Westeros and beyond are not remarkable; they are remarkably human, with all their failings in tow. Jon Snow makes hard and at times shocking judgment calls as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch; Daenerys is willing to use entire foreign city-states as a training ground on how to justly rule; and Arya is a damaged girl who has maybe the most cold kills in the show. It’s a thin line between the “good” they pursue and the domination envisioned by their more villainous counterparts. They may be somewhat narrowly drawn, but the heroes of “Lord of the Rings” are beacons of virtue and hope. Resoundingly good and honorable (well, Boromir was a little complicated), their traits are drawn from classic literary epics: loyalty, honesty, concern for the well-being of the masses, and bravery. Elves, hobbits, humans, dwarves and even trees demonstrate these things in spades. Although, reluctant to take up the mantle, Aragorn is a natural leader, unflinching in his efforts; Legolas and Gimli are the best allies a hobbit could have; Éowyn is courageous and loyal; Gandalf is a wise ass-kicking guide. Then there’s Sam. Freaking SAM, the purest of the pure friends, and maybe the bravest of them all. Listen, the world right now really is dark and full of terrors, and some days you just really need the Light of Eärendil, okay? WINNER: “Lord of the Rings” “Game of Thrones”: 0 / “Lord of the Rings”: 2

ROUND 3: Villains

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There is no doubt that there are villainous, treacherous, and downright slappable characters (looking at you Joff!), but for the most part they are more than what they seem in “Game of Thrones”. As in professional wrestling, “bad guys” become fan favorites, (like Jaime Lannister). Even the more villainous characters (like Cersei) have their own real motivations, backstories, and a human side; enough so that the viewer/reader understands how they became the way they are, even if you don’t agree with their present actions. The truly sadistic individuals (Ramsay Bolton, Joffrey, and the like) are either clearly psychotic or deeply damaged, yet are still given their own story development. Just because you’re evil doesn’t mean you can’t be well-rounded evil. The white-hat/black-hat divisions are pretty clearly drawn in Middle Earth. The heroes are literally on the side of the light, while evildoers are sprung from darkness, mud and fire. It is easy to spot the good guys in any scene: the beautiful, pastorally wholesome, and mythologically glamorous individuals are sure to be your bros; the giant flaming eye is, like, bad. Tolkien used outward appearance as a symbol of the corrupt nature within, not just with hideous monster orcs but with humans whose evil shows through on the outside, like the treacherous Gríma Wormtongue or the cowardly and scheming Denethor II. Except perhaps for the curious case of Gollum, twisted by the power of the One Ring, it is mostly easy to take a side in Middle Earth. WINNER: “Game of Thrones” “Game of Thrones”: 1 / “Lord of the Rings”: 2

ROUND 4: Battles

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Top 10 Game of Thrones Battles

After Robert Baratheon found himself on the business end of a boar, and Eddard Stark lost a little off the top, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros were thrown into CHAOS. The beginning of the second book (and second season of the series), saw the start of the War of Five Kings – and things never really slowed down from there. There are so many great battles. From the explosive Battle of the Blackwater to the tense, emotionally-wrought Battle of Castle Black to the chill-inducing Battle of the Bastards, it is well-nigh impossible to nail down the best. But with perhaps the greatest battle of all, that between literal fire and ice, looming over Westeros, we’re sure the best is somehow still yet to come. Tolkien made sure his epic struggle between the powers of good and evil had plenty of emotionally-resonant struggle along with fantastically-detailed violence. Peter Jackson’s masterful take on the trilogy successfully brought all of it to life. The harrowing Battle of the Hornburg (also known as the Battle of Helm’s Deep) saw our heroes cornered as they defended the Rohirrim stronghold against a massive onslaught of Orcs, Uruk-Hai, and other nasties straight outta Mordor. And who can forget the Siege of Gondor and ensuing Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where Sauron’s forces attacked and yet our heroes reigned victorious? It’s close, but for the sheer number of battles – and their many surprising results and tense execution – we’re giving this one to Martin. West-eros Siiiide! WINNER: “Game of Thrones” “Game of Thrones”: 2 / “Lord of the Rings”: 2

ROUND 5: Legacy

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Since HBO premiered “Game of Thrones,” it has reignited the high fantasy and epic genres, with many TV series like “Vikings,” “The Shannara Chronicles,” and “Marco Polo” cropping up over a spectrum of networks. We don’t blame them for trying to tap into that literary-adaptation success, but none have quite been able to match the pop culture phenomenon; they often focus too heavily on one of two aspects of what makes “GoT” a sensation (for example: violence, sex, fantasy, violent sex realities, medieval trappings, political intrigue and so on). But they so often lack the detailed richness of character development and plot arc; and so they miss the core elements that makes the Iron Throne narrative so engrossing. On the other hand, there’s zero doubt about it: EVERY high fantasy written or filmed since the 1950’s is deeply indebted to “LotR”. Geez, even the “R.R.” in George R.R. Martin is a nod to the late, great John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. From his peerless academic background, Tolkien set out to write a great epic in the vein of “Beowulf”. And the extensive imaginative work that went into creating “The Lord of the Rings” has endeared it to countless fans over decades. Its fame show no signs of slowing down: the books have sold around 150 million copies to date and still fly off the shelves, and now Amazon Studios has committed huge dollars to developing a new TV adaption. The road goes ever on and on . . WINNER: “Lord of the Rings” “Game of Thrones”: 2 / “Lord of the Rings”: 3 So, by a score of 3 to 2, it’s the one fantasy franchise to rule them all. LOTR forever!