Of all the popular match-ups in the fantasy world, The Lord of the Rings‘ Aragorn facing Game of Thrones‘ Jaime Lannister is among the most talked about. No matter which franchise is preferred, there’s no denying each swordsman’s skill, as both of them rank as one of the top fighters of their respective franchises. It’s also why the match-up is so heated because it’s difficult to find a clear victor.

Aragorn’s Strengths and Weaknesses in The Lord of the Rings

Aragorn definitely has experience on his side, being the age of 87 during The Lord of the Rings. At just 16 years old, Aragorn became a Ranger of the North, protecting the lands from dangerous foes. Throughout his life, he hunted and attacked allies of Sauron and even led a siege on the city of Umbar, which stood with the forces of Mordor. His entire life was full of conflict and victories, and so he undoubtedly has the skill to stand against Jaime Lannister.

When debating this match-up, the most common argument made for Aragorn’s victory is his bloodline. As a descendant of Númenor, an ancient and powerful race of men, Aragorn has the gift of increased strength, wisdom and life. This gives him a distinct advantage over Jaime, as Aragorn could be considered super-human in the world of Game of Thrones.

While this gives Aragorn the upper hand, his natural-born advantage doesn’t necessarily equate to skill. It’s known that Aragorn has survived battles with thousands of men and orcs, yet little is said about his one on one fights with other skilled swordsmen. He undoubtedly has excellent precision and control when weaving through a hoard but facing down an expert fighter with no distractions is a much different circumstance than he seems used to.

Jaime Lannister’s Strengths and Weaknesses in Game of Thrones

Although Aragorn is much older, that doesn’t mean Jaime is low on experience. He’s said to have won his first fighting tournament at the age of 13 and went on to win many more throughout his life. Jaime also managed to successfully fight Brienne of Tarth all while being bound and starving as her prisoner. Not to mention his reputation for fighting is known all over the land. As arguably the best living swordsmen, Ser Arthur Dayne and Barristan Selmy each commended his skill.

Of course, Jaime’s biggest weakness compared to Aragorn is that he’s just an average human being. Although royal blood can hold power in Game of Thrones, nothing about Jaime’s body is different from any other person. Even if he reached the peak of what a human fighter is capable of, Aragorn is naturally faster and stronger while wielding a blade at the end of the day.

However, during a fan Q&A with Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, an audience member asked who he thought would win in this match-up. Unsurprisingly, Martin chose his own Jaime Lannister over Aragorn, yet he gives a good reason rather than just picking favorites. Poking fun at Aragorn, Martin says, “Armor was invented for a reason. It’s good to wear armor if you’re fighting with sharp pieces of metal.”

While wearing no armor can make you more dexterous, it’s a good point that Aragorn is at a disadvantage for never wearing any. It’s likely that Aragorn could hit more strikes on Jaime, but it’s no good if the sword can’t pierce the armor. And if Jaime were to strike just one heavy blow on Aragorn, it could possibly leave a lethal wound.

Winner: Aragorn

Despite most match-up discussions favoring Aragorn by a landslide, it would likely be a much closer fight than people realize. Jaime’s skill paired with his armor means he could stand his ground for a long while and take a good amount of hits before going down. Meanwhile, one precise strike at Aragorn’s vitals could be all it takes to win.

However, at the end of the day, Aragorn’s natural Númenorean physique trumps all other advantages. While the actor portraying Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings movies appears as a normal man, Middle-earth lore makes it clear that the men of Númenor are far stronger than the average human. And so, no matter how skilled Jaime is, Aragorn could likely tire him out before even breaking a sweat.