Ancelyn

Ancelyn, as he appears in Battlefield

**Ancelyn ap Gwalchmai** was a loyal knight-turned-Knight Commander under King Arthur in a parallel world in which Arthur actually existed.

## Biography

Ancelyn was one of Arthur's most trusted knights, alongside members of the Round Table, such as Lancelot, Bors, Percival and Gawain. He fell in love with Arthur's wife, Guinevere, and the two engaged occasionally in extramarital affairs, with their infidelity being a well known rumour in Arthur's court, despite Arthur's refusal to accept it as truth.

He was present when the Eighth Doctor arrived at the King's banquet, and saw the TARDIS materialise in the middle of the hall alongside many of Arthur's men. He was ordered to take the Doctor and Raine to the dungeons, but was stopped by Guinevere. He took a look inside the TARDIS, and was amazed by its dimensionally transcendental interior, marvelling at the Doctor's 'wizardry' Ancelyn later rallied Arthur's troops to attack Morgaine's forces following a message from Raine that the Doctor was in danger, and personally fought Mordred in the battle. Mordred mocked him for his infidelity with Guinevere, and stabbed her to try and anger him. He left the battle to attend to her (TV: *The Herald*), something Mordred later mistook for him deserting the battle. (TV: *Battlefield*) Before he got to the infirmary, he told the Doctor where to find the best blacksmith, inadvertently helping to banish the Destroyer. Ancelyn was left at the end of the battle questioning who would succeed Arthur, with the Doctor telling him that Guinevere should continue ruling in Arthur's stead. (TV: *The Herald*)

Ancelyn, now Knight Commander, came to our universe seeking Excalibur. Mordred also came and they fought. Ancelyn was thrown through a roof in an explosion. He was greeted by the Doctor (Merlin in his universe), Ace and Shou Yuing. Mordred arrived and threatened their lives. The Doctor was able to scare them away. Ancelyn and Brigadier Winifred Bambera then began fighting and insulting one another. The pair came to fall in love. (TV: *Battlefield*)

Sometime between the Eighth Doctor's first and second arrivals, Ancelyn decapitated Bertilak, only for him to survive. (TV: *The Green Knight*)

Ancelyn arrived alongside Brigadier Bambera to help the Doctor and Guinevere defeat Bertilak once and for all, acting as an envoy between Arthur's World and our universe. He and Bambera led the fight on the Sontarans, and presumably survived the battle. (TV: *The Green Knight*)

## Personality

Ancelyn was a noble and honourable knight: though he initially dismissed Brigadier Winifred Bambera as a "peasant", he accepted her as an equal after she bested him in combat. Though his enemy Mordred accused him of having fled the Battle of Camlann, (TV: *Battlefield*) this was not the case; he had actually gone to tend to Guinevere in the infirmary, being unflinchingly loyal to his king and his king's fight against Mordred and Morgaine. (TV: *The Herald*)

Ancelyn displayed at least one ability unusual amongst individuals native to the main timeline: he recognised the Seventh Doctor as Merlin, on sight, despite having never met that particular incarnation of the Doctor. He also knew of the Doctor's ability to regenerate and of the TARDIS' dimensionally transcendent interior. (TV: *Battlefield*)

Ancelyn, much like Guinevere, had a habit of falling in love. He had a well-documented affair with Guinevere, so well known that Mordred mocked him over it, (TV: *The Herald*) and later came to fall in love with and live with Brigadier Bambera. (TV: *Battlefield, The Green Knight*)

## Behind the Scenes

Ancelyn was not part of Arthurian lore and was invented for TV: *Battlefield*. His name, which translates to *Ancelyn, son of Gawain*, suggests that he is of Welsh extraction and that his father was the legendary Sir Gawain, Arthur's nephew and one of his most trusted knights.