Waymar Royce

"If you want to run away south, run away. Of course, they will behead you as a deserter... if I don't catch you first."

- Ser Waymar to Will

Ser Waymar Royce is a minor character in the first season of Game of Thrones. He is portrayed by Rob Ostlere. He is sworn brother of the Night's Watch who is killed by White Walkers.

Background
Ser Waymar Royce is a knight and the youngest son of House Royce, a noble family of the Vale of Arryn. At some point, Waymar goes to the Wall to join the Night's Watch, where he is placed amongst the Rangers due to his noble birth and skill at arms.

Season 1
Ser Waymar commands a ranging beyond the Wall, accompanied by Gared and Will, to investigate sightings of wildlings close by. Instead, they find Wights and a White Walker. Royce, along with Gared, was brutally killed. Will flees and is eventually executed by Ned Stark for desertion.

Behind the scenes
In the unaired pilot episode he was played by Jamie Campbell Bower, but was recast with Rob Ostlere when the opening scene was re-shot.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, House Royce of Runestone is distantly related to House Stark. Eighteen-year-old Waymar is a skilled warrior, trained by his castle's master-at-arms, but is untested in battle. He is arrogant and has a tendency to underrate the experience of men longer on the Wall due to their lower birth, but is not completely stupid. He is the third and youngest son of "Bronze" Yohn Royce.

Nonetheless, when the Others - as the White Walkers are known in the novels - appear he bravely attempts to fight one in single combat. However, his sword shatters as soon as it touches the crystal sword of the Other, and he is defeated and killed. When Will surveys the damage and retrieves Royce's shattered sword Royce revives as a wight, his eyes now icy blue, and murders Will.