Diksha Sundriyal
HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ follows the journey of Ser Duncan the Tall, as he prepares to participate in a tourney through which he hopes to change his fortune. It soon comes to his attention that he is not the only one arriving at Ashford Meadow with the desire to win. Many great knights come to participate in the tourney, and Dunk crosses paths with some well-known knights who become instrumental in deciding how the events turn out for him. One of those significant influences on Dunk’s time in the tourney is Ser Robyn Rhysling. SPOILERS AHEAD.
William Houston Brings the Grizzled Ser Robyn Rhysling to the Screen
William Houston plays the role of Ser Robyn Rhysling in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ The actor is known for his extensive work in theatre, especially the productions he was a part of with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. The Irish actor has built an impressive filmography, with films like ‘Elizabeth: The Golden Age,’ ‘Brimstone,’ and ‘Clash of the Titans.’ His more recent projects include ‘The Gorge,’ ‘Wednesday,’ and ‘The Salisbury Poisonings,’ to name a few. He got interested in acting at a young age, for which he thanks his mother. At the age of 21, he turned towards drama school, while also training for three years at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
In the HBO fantasy series, he plays Ser Robyn Rhysling, who is introduced in the third episode. The character briefly appears at the beginning of the episode, when Egg crosses paths with him while training himself and the horse for the upcoming tourney. Seeing the young boy alone with a horse makes Ser Robyn Rhysling believe that he has stolen the horse. While Egg is intimidated by him, he stands his ground, which leads to the question of the eye-patch. When the knight reveals that he lost his eye during a tourney, when a fragment from a broken lance pierced his face, Egg immediately recognises him. The knight eventually walks away without harming the boy or taking his horse, but the scene does set up his introduction well enough for the audience to remember him, since he will play an important role in the upcoming turn of events, particularly in context with Dunk’s fate.
Apart from how he lost his eye, little is known about Ser Robyn. He is a fearsome knight who is believed to be a little mad and unpredictable, something that Egg mentions when he meets the knight. However, by the end of the season, it becomes clear that no matter what is said or known about him, he remains an honorable man who will not cross his moral lines for something that doesn’t happen correctly. Still, there is a layer of complexity to the role that makes him an interesting character. Actor William Houston revealed that he has a penchant for choosing dark characters to play in his projects, and that might have something to do with his Irish background. He said, “I was brought up during ‘the Troubles,’ and I learned to deal with that kind of ‘normal’ life, so I was very used to the horrors of that time. It’s great to play those roles because it’s basically free therapy.” This shows that the actor relishes playing multifaceted characters who walk the line between good and bad, making them wild cards that could turn the fates of others by choosing what to do in the case of necessity. Thus, the introduction of Ser Robyn Rhysling becomes an important plot point, which will come in handy once Dunk is introduced to the consequences of his actions at the end of the third episode.
Read More: Who is Tanselle? Who Plays Her in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
