Jaime Lannister vs Aragorn; who would win in a duel?!

Jaime Lannister, possibly the most renowned living swordsman in Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire.

Aragorn, Isildur’s heir and wielder of Anduril, Ranger of the North from Lord of the Rings. 

And the question everyone is asking: who would win in a fight between these two legendary men?

But to be frank, comparing Aragorn to Jaime Lannister isn’t just a comparison of two good swordsmen; it’s more like comparing a Greek demigod-hero to a medieval man at his fighting peak.

A better match for Jaime to duel might be Boromir, since Boromir’s Numenorean blood is way less pure than Aragorn’s, which gives poor normie Jaime a bit of a fighting chance.

But anyway, you’re here to find out who would win in a fight between Jaime and Aragorn, and even though I’ve already made it extremely obvious which way the fight would go, I’m going to go ahead and detail the whole thing out anyway!

When George R. R. Martin was asked this same question, he said Jaime would win, giving a good reason for favoring his own character, though not convincing enough for Lord of the Rings fans. His answer was:

"Armor was invented for a reason. It's good to wear armor if you're fighting with sharp pieces of metal."

And he’s correct, Jaime wears armor while Aragorn does not, so if Jaime were able to strike Aragorn he might inflict a lethal wound. If he were able to strike Aragorn. And I don’t think he has much chance of that.

To illustrate my point, let’s look at some of each opponent’s achievements and special characteristics.

Let’s start with Jaime:

- Normal human with typical strength and lifespan.

- Won his first tournament at age 13.

- Acknowledged as a formidable swordsman by Arthur Dayne and Barristan Selmy.

- Held his ground briefly against the Smiling Knight in his youth.

- Eliminated four members of Robb’s personal guard before being captured.

- Outmaneuvered Brienne of Tarth despite being chained and severely weakened by starvation.

Now it’s time for Aragorn (buckle up and get ready to hear how supernatural he was):

- Descended from an angelic being (Melian the Maia) that existed outside the boundaries of space-time before the world was created. To some extent, “fate” itself bends to support him, as it did for his ancestors who were borne safely out of the Downfall of Numenor.

- His Numenorean blood grants him exceptional speed, strength, and wisdom.

- Immune to confusion or imbalance in combat situations.

- Biologically requires minimal sleep, enabling endurance and resistance to age.

- Became a Ranger of the North at 16.

- Recognized as the greatest swordsman of the Third Age (a period of about 3,000 years).

- Trained extensively in warfare by High Elves, mastering their martial disciplines.

- Traveled across Middle Earth killing all supernatural threats.

- Single-handedly repelled multiple Nazgul, a feat matched only by elite High Elven warriors and a Maia.

- Nearly single-handedly defended against a force of 100 Uruks at Amon Hen.

- Emerged unscathed from pivotal battles at Helm’s Deep and Pelennor Fields.

- Wields a magical sword powerful enough to kill a Maia.

- Led sieges and fought adversaries of Sauron.

- Survived battles with thousands of foes.

Now, I think it’s obvious who would win the fight. Isn’t it? No? Still have doubts? Ok!

Let’s assess Jaime’s role in a major battle. During the Battle of the Whispering Wood, he managed to defeat around twelve men, a significant achievement considering his human capabilities. However, despite his efforts, Jaime's presence did not sway the outcome of the battle, resulting in his defeat. This is quite unlike characters from Tolkien's tales, who surpass ordinary men and often dispatch dozens of foes effortlessly, their mere presence capable of altering the course of battles against formidable odds, highlighting their superhuman endurance and skills.

Also, Jaime didn’t actually participate in many battles. He killed quite a number of men during Robert's rebellion, but there was a 20 year period of peace between that battle and the Whispering Wood, except for the Greyjoy's rebellion, which has no mention of whether Jaime fought in it. We do know he is exceptionally good in tourneys though, having won several. 

But these accomplishments are no match for Aragorn.

Aragorn spent almost fifty years traveling Middle-earth, venturing into perilous lands, and battling Sauron's forces, continuing this fight until Sauron's ultimate defeat. Throughout the entirety of these years, Aragorn remained vigilant and mentally prepared for danger and combat.

By the time of the Lord of the Rings, Aragorn, now in his 80s, possesses decades of extensive experience in combat, strategy, and leadership, complemented by numerous successes. He has triumphed over Orcs, Uruks, Southrons, and others in battle. Armed with Anduril, he can effortlessly slice through most types of armor.

Aragorn never tires and is immune to confusion and being knocked out due to his bloodline. He can fight for days on end, whereas Jaime, being an ordinary human, becomes delirious and sloppy after a few hours. When Jaime is exhausted, gasping for breath, and worn out from fighting with the weight of his heavy sword and armor for hours, Aragorn remains fresh and can engage in combat effortlessly.

After reading all of this, how can you be in any doubt over which is the greater swordsman? Over which is more likely to survive a duel?

I announce Aragorn as the winner of this fight, and by now you should be completely agreeing with me!