Rilian

Infobox Narnia character
name=Rilian
race=Human
nation=Narnia
gender=Male
title=King of Narnia
parents=Caspian X and Ramandu's daughter
otherFamily=See relations of Caspian.
major1=The Silver Chair
film1=1990 BBC miniseries: Richard Henders

In C. S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" fictional series, Rilian (2325-?) is the son of King Caspian and the grandson of Ramandu the star. Rilian appears in two of the seven books, "The Silver Chair" and "The Last Battle".

Biographical Summary

In "The Silver Chair"

When Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole arrive in Narnia in "The Silver Chair", Prince Rilian has been missing for many years. The problems began when his mother was bitten and killed by a green serpent when she and Rilian were out in the woods. The prince became obsessed with killing this serpent. Whilst he was searching, he encountered a beautiful woman dressed in green, the Lady of the Green Kirtle. One day he did not return to the castle, and both he and the green lady disappeared. The Lady bewitched Rilian so that he could not remember anything from before his imprisonment, which he was made to think was a rescue from some unspecified danger.

Eustace, Jill and Puddleglum first meet Rilian (although they do not recognise him) when the Lady of the Green Kirtle advises them to visit Harfang. He is later revealed to be the silent black knight who rode beside the Lady. They eventually find the enchanted Rilian in the underground city ruled by the Lady of the Green Kirtle. At this point they still do not realise who he is. He tells the three that he suffers from nightly psychotic episodes and therefore must be bound every night to a silver chair. If he is released, he warns, he will kill everyone within sight, and immediately turn into a deadly green serpent.

Once Rilian is tied to the chair, he begins to threaten the companions to untie him and makes increasingly violent threats. Eventually he begs them to release him in the name of Aslan. The children had previously promised to obey the request of one who asks in Aslan's name, and so they reluctantly release him. Rilian then reveals his true identity and that the Lady had kept him prisoner underground, enchanted by day and only returning to sanity at night. He hacks the silver chair to pieces.

When the Lady returns and fails to tries to bewitch the companions, she transforms into a green serpent. Rilian realizes that he has been enslaved for all these years by his mother's murderer. They kill the serpent and return to Narnia, where Rilian meets his father just before the old king dies.

In "The Last Battle"

Rilian is dead at the start of the following book chronologically, "The Last Battle", meaning he must have died some time between 2356, when Eustace and Jill help him, and 2555, when his descendant Tirian has taken over the throne. Rilian briefly appears alongside his father and mother at the great reunion at the end of the book.

Portrayals

*In the 1990 television serial produced by the BBC, "The Silver Chair", Prince Rilian was played by actor Richard Henders.

References

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