Ilyn Payne

Ser Ilyn Payne is a character in Game of Thrones. He is played by Wilko Johnson and debuts in the second episode of the first season.

Ilyn Payne is a knight and warrior who had his tongue removed on the order of the Mad King. He now serves as the royal headsman in the service of King Robert Baratheon.

Season 1
Sansa Stark encounters Ilyn Payne while out walking and is startled by his appearance. Sansa apologizes to Payne for possibly offending him, but receives no reply. Sandor Clegane informs her that Payne had had his tongue removed years ago by the Mad King and now serves as the king's executioner.

When Eddard Stark is led before the people outside the Great Sept of Baelor and admits his 'crimes', King Joffrey Baratheon informs the crowd that both his Lady Sansa Stark and his mother Cersei Lannister have asked that Ned be sent to Castle Black as a punishment. Yet Joffrey states that unlike women he doesn't have a soft heart: he believes that treason should be punished. He orders Ilyn Payne to bring him Ned's head. Ilyn takes Ned's sword, Ice, and beheads Ned with one swift stroke.

Some days later, Marillion is brought before Joffrey on account of a song that he wrote, poking fun at King Robert and Queen Cersei. As a punishment, Joffrey orders Ser Ilyn Payne to cut out Marillion's tongue.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels Ilyn Payne served as Lord Tywin Lannister's captain of household guards when Tywin served Aerys II Targaryen as the King's Hand. After being heard to joke that it was Tywin who truly ruled the Seven Kingdoms, King Aerys ordered Payne's tongue be removed with hot pincers.