Both in The Lord of the Rings and in Game of Thrones there are strong fighters in different disciplines. When it comes to the question of how Jaime Lannister would fare in a duel against Aragorn, George R.R. Martin knows the answer.
When comparing the strongest fighters from different universes, fans often wonder what a duel between them would look like. In the case of Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings, a fan asked how a confrontation between Jaime Lannister and Aragorn would play out.
In a panel, of which a clip can be seen on Reddit, he asked George R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, this question. The writer did not have to think long. Assuming that both characters were at the height of their abilities, Martin replied:
„I believe Jaime would probably beat Aragorn, especially if he were allowed to wear armor.”
George R.R. Martin
What sounds like a simple answer has sparked discussions within the community. Many fans do not want to let the experienced writer off the hook so easily.
A Clear Matter for the Fans
What is the opinion of the fans? On Reddit, the clip from the panel was shared, prompting users to immediately weigh in on the comments.
The general sentiment is clear. In the post, the creator shimadon writes: “With all due respect, G.R.R. Martin, Aragorn would slice Jaime open from head to toe and see what Lannisters are made of.”
Even with armor, Jaime would have little chance, Neon_Rhino believes. Most users think that Aragorn would have the upper hand in a duel regardless of the equipment:
- “He [Aragorn] has decades of experience against Jaime. Not to mention that he continually hones his skills,” Eonir points out on Reddit is clear.
- “Aragorn has nearly three times the experience, superhuman abilities like strength and endurance, and is extremely skilled. Jaime loses in almost every category except for the armor,” Mister_Taco_Oz thinks in another post on Reddit.
- “This isn’t even fair because Jaime is just a regular guy who happens to be good with a sword while Aragorn is a Dunedain in the prime of his powers with easily over 60 years of experience,” explains MadRonnie97 on Reddit.
- “Aragorn may be considered a mortal man, but he is much more than that. Martin should hold back on his opinions about The Lord of the Rings (though I would like to believe he’s just trolling),” hopes Jolly_Philosopher13 on Reddit.
He is not alone in this. Other users also think that George R.R. Martin’s response may not have been entirely serious. The comment from Delicious_Series3869 particularly underscores this: “I never took this quote seriously. Martin is indeed a great troll, but he also has a deep respect and admiration for Tolkien (what fantasy author doesn’t?).”
Does Jaime have any other supporters? A few users do not side so clearly with Aragorn. FellowOfHorses writes on Reddit: “Theoretically, Jaime is indeed better than Aragorn, whose focus isn’t on fighting but on leadership.”
In the end, the debate is very subjective and mostly an entertaining discussion about who would be the stronger warrior. An actual encounter between the two characters in a movie or series is unfortunately very unrealistic, so the duel remains pure theory. What is your opinion? Would Aragorn defeat Jaime? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Did you already know: George R.R. Martin had a big problem with one aspect of The Lord of the Rings
