Rigsy is the innocent bystander caught up in events beyond his control. As Clara moves further into a leadership role Rigsy becomes our audience surrogate. He is there to ask questions and bear witness as the story unfolds. While Clara evinces a cavalier attitude he becomes increasingly desperate. The stakes are real for him in a way they never are for Clara. Rigsy has a wife and child he would dearly love to return to while Clara acts as if she has nothing to lose. Ashildr has no qualms in using Rigsy to further her scheme to capture the Doctor. She ignores his suffering and focuses solely on her goal. Rigsy is a pawn in a chess match between two powerful immortal beings and he highlights our feelings of insignificance in a vast and complicated universe.