5 Lord of the Rings Characters That Would’ve Claimed Game of Thrones’ Iron Throne

The heroes in The Lord of the Rings fight because it’s the right thing to do. A darkness is consuming Middle-earth, and the only way to stop it is to destroy the One Ring and remove Sauron from the equation. However, the Dark Lord has eyes and ears everywhere, which means a full frontal assault won’t work. Instead, Gandalf recruits some old friends and a few Hobbits to take the One Ring to Mordor and destroy it. Throughout The Lord of the Rings trilogy, each member of the Fellowship proves their worth by facing down insurmountable odds and refusing to back down. It’s not all that different from what the good guys in Game of Thrones have to deal with, but they rarely come out on top.

To survive in Game of Thrones, characters have to be cutthroat, ready to betray their allies at the drop of a hat. Becoming the Protector of the Realm takes even more effort because everyone and their mother is after it. A handful of The Lord of the Rings characters would be up for the task, though, as they would give Cersei Lannister and Co. a run for their money.

1) Gandalf

Gandalf is a wizard, which means he has incredible powers that rival even the Dark Lord’s. However, his mission in Middle-earth is to aid the people who call the land home, not do the work for them, so he does a lot more wheeling and dealing than fighting. Gandalf’s ability to rally people and get them to believe in themselves would help in his quest for the Iron Throne. He may not want to rule Westeros, but keeping evil people out of the most important seat in the Seven Kingdoms is more important than his pride.

2) Aragorn

Like Jon Snow, Aragorn has royal ties that he would rather ignore than embrace. He prefers defending the innocent on the battlefield to playing politics, but once he gets to Westeros, he will realize that he’s the best man for the job. Aragorn is all about honor, and he’s not afraid to call someone out if he thinks they’re shirking their responsibilities. One pep talk from Strider would get all of the lords and ladies of Westeros on his side.

3) Sauron

It’s a shame, but evil people almost always get their way in Game of Thrones, at least for a little while. Cersei and Ramsay Bolton both get to rule for prolonged periods despite being just the worst. Sauron has them beat in the strength department, though, so taking control of King’s Landing would be a walk in the park for him. While Sauron may have his eyes on bigger things in Westeros, such as the Night King’s army or the Three-Eyed Raven, he loves to boss people around, and that’s all the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms does.

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4) Galadriel

The Elves watch over Middle-earth for countless years, and Galadriel is one of the race’s fiercest warriors. She opposes Sauron and his forces on numerous occasions and wields Nenya, one of the Rings of Power. However, Galadriel probably wouldn’t have to use her jewelry much to walk into the Red Keep because her vast knowledge would make her one of the best battle strategists in Westeros. She can smell evil coming from a mile away, giving her a leg up when someone foolishly attempts to oppose her.

5) Elrond

By the time The Lord of the Rings rolls around, Elrond’s fighting days are behind him. He wants only to worry about his people, who won’t be able to stick around in Middle-earth much longer if Sauron gets what he wants. Elrond’s ability to lead is second to none, and while he may never have his eye on a throne, he would make a great king. Westeros would be lucky to have him, as he would ensure everyone has what they need. It also doesn’t hurt that he would have his daughter, Arwen, who is as compassionate as anyone, at his side.

Game of Thrones is streaming on HBO Max, and The Lord of the Rings movies are available on Prime Video.

Do you think The Lord of the Rings characters on this list could claim Game of Thrones‘ Iron Throne? Who else from Middle-earth has a shot? Let us know in the comments below!