8 times Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings were basically the same

Why fantasy authors can't seem to come out from under the shadows of the great J. R. R. Tolkien

By: Shamita Harsh |
August 17, 2017 1:07 pm

The Lord of the Rings is as big a phenomenon as the popular HBO TV Series, Game of Thrones. But while George RR Martin seems to be earning the full spoils of the war, JRR Tolkien sadly never got to see the huge fandom his trilogy created. The two most famous fantasy authors in history seem to be drawing parallels in their respective narratives. First Harry Potter ( hey there JK Rowling) and now GoT, LOTR seems to have given many authors food for thought.

Did you also want to stop Jon Snow from stepping beyond the wall in the latest episode of Game of Thrones? And while the entire fandom of the GoT series is anticipating what will happen next (read: who will die next), it is time people, to look at the very last scene of Season 7, Episode 5. For most of you who have read and seen The Lord of the Rings will understand that in The Fellowship of the Ring, the young hobbit, Frodo, begins his journey with eight other companions to Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring that belongs to the Dark Lord Sauron. And if you take a look at the party that leaves on an expedition to search for a sample White Walker, it is basically Jon leaving with the brotherhood.

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Exhibit B

2. The Whitewalkers can be only be killed by special swords that are made of Valyrian steel just like the Dead Men of Dunharrow could only be killed by Aragorn’s sword Andúril.

3. People coming back from the dead. Both Jon Snow and Gandalf the Grey were thought to be dead, both were dear to the fans and made it back from the dead.

4. Just as Samwell Tarly leaves from the Citadel, we are reminded of how this crucial character is inspired from the infamous sidekick Samwise Gamgee. Both characters help to establish the epitome of friendship with Jon Snow and Frodo Baggins respectively. Their love for food, loyalty to their friends and a general well-natured heart are striking characteristics of both these people. Also, SamWELL and SamWISE? LOL. Cute, GRRM.

5. A seemingly small reference was made during the Battle of Bastards from Season 6, when an almost lost battle turned tables at the last moment. The only difference? Gandalf had told Aragorn that he would find help, a.k.a Rohirrim and to look for them at first light. However, Sansa, on the other hand, did not even drop a hint that she might get Littlefinger to bring the Knights of the Vale, the only full-fledged Westerosi army that had not been decimated by the War of the Five Kings.

6. Whoever you maybe rooting for – there isn’t one solid protagonist in GoT, just like LOTR had several layers of characters intertwined in one plot.

7. The wall dividing the good from the bad and the crossing of the wall is considered as a step that will decide the fate of the story.

8. And finally, both the plot-lines have been derived from a historical setting with references to epic battles. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is loosely based on the Wars of the Roses, a vicious series of battles of succession that took place in 15th-century England. And Tolkien had a lot of mythology and the early European empire to thank for the backdrop in the books.

Also Read: What happens when Game of Thrones meets Disney characters – Photos

Why can’t fantasy authors escape from the great Tolkien’s shadow? Let’s just hope Martin isn’t aiming for a Lord of The Rings ending to Game of Thrones. One dragon to rule them?

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