Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Which is better?

The Lord of the Rings films and the Game of Thrones TV series are the giants of the epic fantasy subgenre. Despite being very different in style and tone, both franchises have captured the hearts and minds of fantasy fandom – LOTR with its visually unmatched epic scenes and GOT with its raw, nuanced, and historically-inspired tale.

Based on two of the greatest works of fantasy literature, written by J. R. R. Tolkien (The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit) and George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire), these two magical worlds are filled with unforgettable characters, heart-pounding adventures, and fun!

So without further ado, let’s take a trip to Middle-earth and Westeros where we will face off against warriors, dragons, giants, Orcs, and other supernatural beings to see who comes victorious. Are you ready?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Which is better?

Ned Stark (GOT)

Sean Bean plays two very different characters in Tolkin and Martin’s fantasy world adaptations and each of them is flawed in its unique way. They have two things in common – first, both Boromir and Eddard Stark are two characters who meet their deaths in the name of a worthy cause, and second, they are both terrific legendary swordfighters.

Boromir (LOTR)

Ned Stark fought in many battles during his quest to free Westeros of tyranny and Boromir successfully defended his home from the forces of Mordor for long years. The Warden of the North is older and therefore – more experienced. Boromir on the other hand, certainly seems like the more talented fighter, especially after he single-handedly took down an entire party of Uruk-Hai in The Fellowship of the Ring.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

Sean Bean Played in both GOT and LOTR: Which is your favorite?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Jon Snow (GOT)

John Snow and Aragorn are two of the most famous fantasy warriors in tv history. Each owns a sword with special abilities, good looks, and a claim to the throne of a kingdom. Both would make a sword duel one for the ages.

Aragorn (LOTR)

Wielding his sword Andúril, the Flame of the West, Aragon has defeated many tough enemies such as Lurtz and the Nazguls. Gripping his sword, Longclaw, Jon Snow took out White Walkers and a dangerous cutthroat like Karl Tanner. Both survived an astounding number of horrifying battles such as the Siege of Helm’s Deep, the Battle of the Bastards, and the Siege.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

We have a high-impact collision between two epic sword-fighting legends, who lives to see another day?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater (GOT)

Bard the Bowman is a master archer and a dragon slayer. Down to his last arrow, He fired his lucky arrow straight at Smaug’s scales and killed him, leaving him to fall into the lake. Bard is considered a hero for slaying Smaug.

Bard the Bowman (LOTR)

Bronn uses his speed abilities to defeat his opponents. He is extremely deceptive with his movement. He tends to lure his opponents in with a feign and then strike them down. Bronn saved Jaime from Drogon during the Battle of the Reach (season 7 episode 4.) Drogon landed right in front of his crossbow.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

Two dragon slayers are out for blood – dragons’ blood! who gets smeared at the end?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Tyrion Lannister (GOT)

Tyrion’s entire story revolves around his dwarfism, his poor relationship with her sister Cersei, his father, and his brother Jamie stems from it. Tyrion is one of the bravest, and smartest characters in Game Of Thrones. He is shrewd and cunning and able to see the bigger picture.

Frodo Baggins (LOTR)

Frodo has shown great acts of bravery having carried the One Ring, in painful torture and temptation. He had to bring the enemy’s ultimate weapon into his stronghold. It was a suicide mission!

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

We have a competition of will between two brave little people, Tyrion and Frodo: Who shines and brings home the title?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Daenerys “Stormborn” Targaryen (GOT)

She is called “Stormborn,” because Daenerys was born during the great storm that sank the Targaryen fleet off of Dragonstone. She was born amid a storm. Much like her name suggests, Queen Daenerys is the perfect storm, chaotic and powerful. Is she a good Queen? She’s good at leading warriors into battle.

But she’s terrible at leading as a politician. Daenerys is not a good decision-maker, more than one time she chooses the blood of the women and children who stood in her way weighing her vengeance. She’s a brilliant conquerer. She’s a shrood salesperson who put her dragon show on. Dragons sell. There is a difference between a warrior queen and a state queen. Daenerys is a tyrant and a terrible one.

Queen Arwen Evenstar (LOTR)

Arwen’s marriage to Elessar, King of the Reunited Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, reunites the long-sundered lines of the Half-Elven and infuses into their descendants the most royal blood of the Elven kindreds. Arwen was the beautiful queen of her people. When she chooses to marry a human, Arwen seals the elves’ fate. She is the last of her race. Finally, when she chooses her marriage she chooses mortality. Thus she embodies the tragic figure.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

As a medieval warrior, you must pledge allegiance to only one Lena Headey. Which do you trust is a better leader?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Arya’s Needle (GOT)

Arya’s sword Needle was made by the then-armorer of Winterfell, Mikken. Jon snow ordered the sword for his little sis.No, Arya Stark’s sword, Needle, is not made of Valyrian steel. It’s made of castle-forged steel. Weird right? It looks Valyrian to us! Anyways, Arya digs Needle and considers it important both as a weapon and as a symbol of her family’s love.

Bilbo’s Sting (LOTR)

Bilbo’s sword was created by elves. They are skillful sword-craft artists. The sting is not usual in any way. likely, it’s just an elf dagger, rather a large knife if you will, definitely not a sword.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

You’ve been shrunk by a witch! You can barely lift your old sword, but as a skilled fighter, you can still be of use on the battlefield. Which do you choose as your new weapon?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Gandalf (LOTR)

Gandalf is a powerful wizard. His powers are only enhanced by the rings he wears. He would be more powerful in every form he has ever taken. Gandalf’s advice is generally good. He shines when he advises kings and queens.

Qyburn (GOT)

Qyburn the warlock, well he’s good with bringing dead beasts back to life, we’ll give him that. But, he’s also great with fireballs. But seriously, this is a mismatch. Qyburn knows which royal family member is worthy of his advisory services. More precise, whispering services. He knew to pick Cersei, as she provides him with everything he ever wanted. Under Cersei, he rose to the rank of master of whisperers and her closest confidant. So unless you read this paragraph, or the question, then your choice would be obvious Q… okay, vote below, please.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

You have just been crowned king and must choose an aide to guide and advise you. Which magic practitioner do you choose by your side while you rule your kingdom?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Melisandre Red (GOT)

Stannis the rightful king, accepts aid and advice from Melisandre. He grants her free access to practice her sorcery and burn people and septs. He only had sex with Melisandre for her shadow spell.

With Melisandre’s “aid,” the warrior king Stanis murdered his daughter and suffered a tragic defeat in his biggest battle. Stanis went down pretty badly. So, yeah she’s no ace advisor. However, as a Sorceress, she summoned the demons and brought old Jon back from the dead.

Galadriel (LOTR)

Galadriel is old, how old? thousand years old. With a lifespan like Galadriel’s, you get to experience everything from any reference, and every angle. If you want to conquer, an Elf is what you need.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

Which Sorceress would you choose to cover you in battle?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Smaug (LOTR)

Smaug is fully grown and highly intelligent, managing to repeatedly outsmart dwarves and hobbits alike. He is nearly unbeatable, but knowing that might just be what brings him down.

Drogon (GOT)

Formidable in size, Drogon is without a doubt a force to be reckoned with. We’ve seen him grapple with other dragons before and come out on top.

See also: The Lord Of The Rings Vs Harry Potter – Which Is Better?

Vote Below
×

Ser Jorah Mormont (GOT)

LOTR and GOT have presented a long list of knights, but not all Knights are created equal. For this Faceoff, we match up two of the best knights in the R.R. universes. An exiled Northern lord from Westeros who served in mercenary companies. Jorah is an unusual warrior. He lived as a mercenary until he came into the service of Viserys Targaryen. Jorah is a skilled knight and very experienced. He fought in many famous battles (Robert’s Rebellion, the Greyjoy Rebellion, and The Battle of Winterfell.) Ser Jorah Mormont is one of the few knights who breach and survived.

Eomer (LOTR)

Eomer is said to be the greatest hunter and tracker of his age. He is also the leader of the Riders of the Rohan. Eomer is a great swordsman with a wide range of combat skills. He’s a horse rider who traveled far and participated in many battles. He would have done well in the real Middle Ages.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

Three hungry stone Trolls have attacked your village. Which fantasy creature do you send to fight them off?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Brienne (GOT)

Brienne has trained as a knight of Westeros and knows how to fight. She proved herself as a fierce warrior in multiple battles. Brienne made her first impression when she beat King Renly’s men. She fought “The Hound” and she was the first to defeat him. She defeated the legendary Jaime Lannister.

A loyal woman, Brienne dedicates her life to serving, she has a strong moral compass. She may fail, but she’ll do anything for the ones she serves, including sacrificing her own life. If Brienne lived in the 21st century, she would probably serve as a secret agent protecting the president.

Éowyn (LOTR)

Eowyn is a skilled and powerful warrior and an experienced horsewoman. She is the greatest female warrior woman on Middle Earth. The shieldmaiden of Rohan and niece of King Theoden beat the Witch-king of Angmar! The greatest kings and warriors never defeated him. Eowyn proves herself to be a pretty good swordsman. However, hardly ever used a sword and is not the most skillful with the blade. She is extremely brave and loyal.

See also: The Top 110 Best Lord of the Rings Quotes

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

These two legendary shieldmaidens have agreed to represent two accused men as champions in a trial by combat. Who overpowers his opponent in the name of justice, Brienne of Tarth or Éowyn?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Wun-Wun (GOT)

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, let’s have some giant fun! Wun-Wun is about 20 feet tall giant! He can swing trees with ease, shatter a boat and cause it to Sink. Trees beat spears. If you need to pick a giant warrior to join your line of defense, you might want to pick Wun-Wun.

Olog-Hai Troll (LOTR)

The Olog-Hai are not your usual trolls. They are fast, more intelligent, and very strong. They were made for battle, and they are fierce and cunning. Sauron developed the Olog-hai to endure the sun.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

As the new warrior-king, you now command your forces. You have a limited budget and need to choose between attack trolls vs giants, which one would you recruit?

Vote Below
×

Ghost (GOT)

Ghost is a Direwolf. He has snow-white fur and ruby-red eyes. He and Jon Snow are BFFs. Like his name, Ghost is rarely seen in the Game of Thrones series. But, we did see him in the Battle for Winterfell against the army of the dead, Ghost charged along with the Dothraki. He survived!

Warg (LOTR)

Wargs, in Norse Mythology, are implied to be “The evil wolves over the Edge of the Wild.” They are not exactly wolves. They are larger and more intelligent, and they serve as transport for orcs. There is a lot of power in these animals.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

We have two fierce fantasy creatures fighting for territory domination – who wins and who gets obliterated?

Vote Below
×

The Dothraki Army (GOT)

Hi-yo, Silver! Riding a horse into battle is pretty cool and can certainly give you the upper hand over warriors who Fight on foot. In this category, we focus solely on warriors who fight on horseback. They look like fierce Mongol warriors. They are excellent horseriders. But, the Dothraki is not the best army in fiction.

The Rohirrim (LOTR)

The Dothraki army has horrible battlefield tactics and sacrifices almost all of the advantages of light cavalry. They are very good at attacking unarmed villagers though. Rohirrim (masters of horses) is the word Gondorians use to refer to the people of Rohan. Their greatest advantage is the speed that allows them to appear on the battlefield like ghosts. They are light cavalry that relies on headlong charges with swords.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

This is a classic light cavalry versus heavy cavalry: Who would win in a fight, the Dothraki horde or the Rohirrim Army?

Vote Below
×

The Godswood (GOT)

A place of worship and prayer for the First Men. Every castle included a wooded area, and at the center was a Weirwood tree – this was called the Godswood. The magical trees are not “sacred” as described in the show, but simply inherent and essential to their way of life, and a part of the balance in nature.

The White Tree of Gondor (LOTR)

The White Tree was grown from the fruit of Nimloth the Fair that stood in the courts of the King at Armenelos in Númenor, ere Sauron burned it. The White Tree Of Gondor is genetically a product of evolution from the Silver Tree of Valinor.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

It’s a dream come true – you have been selected as a royal gardener for the royal court. Which one of these trees do you plant in his decorative garden?

Vote Below
×

Podrick Payne (GOT)

Podrick is a member of a lesser branch of House Payne, a Westerlands noble house that has served the Lannisters well. He is an honest lad, with a rocky and tumultuous backstory and a good sense of sword-fighting. He served knights and learned from them a great deal. Podrick is quiet, loyal, and charmingly awkward.

Samwise Gamgee (LOTR)

He’s a loyal friend and a man of service. The young hobbit accompanied Frodo on his quest to Mount Doom. His loyalty was tested to the ultimate degree as Sam would risk death to save the ones he loves. Sam Gamgee is the 19th Century ideal of a good proletariat – obedient, docile, and content with disparities in material resources and opportunities.

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones Faceoff

Quests are hard, man! Who do you choose as emotional support on your journey? Sam or Podrick?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: The Mountain vs The Great Golbin

Which boulder warrior would win in a bare-knuckle fight to the death?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Oberyn Martell vs Gil-galad 

Which spear warrior would win?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Euron Greyjoy vs Gimli

Which ax warrior would win?

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: The Night King on Ice Dragon vs The Witch-King on Fell Beast 

Which evil king would win an epic sky battle?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Wight-horse vs Battle Goat

Which steed would win in a face-off battle?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Dragonstone vs Barad-Dûr

Which castle is more impregnable?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: The Wall vs The Black Gate of Mordor

Which fortification headquarter would strike fear in your opponent?

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne vs The One Ring

Vote Below
×

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Which is better?

Make Your Selection Below

Lord of the Rings vs Game of Thrones: Which is better?

Vote Below
×

Having studied scriptwriting in London, I subsequently worked on a number of film sets. I write about pop culture trends, films, and tv series on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu.