Player of Thrones: Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne

Welcome to a new featured post on Winter is Coming, Player of Thrones.

Player of Thrones posts will be utilized to highlight new characters from HBO’s Game of Thrones, and also return to some familiar faces.

I encourage you to post favorite quotes about the characters that we meet and hold discussions based on what we know already about the Featured Player. If you do choose to talk about the character with spoilers please remember to use our spoiler veil of magic.

With that being said our first character does not disappoint, Oberyn Martell.

To understand any Player in the Game of Thrones we must understand where they came from.

Oberyn and the Martells are from the land of Dorne, specifically, the Great City of Sunspear. Dorne is the most southern territory on the continent of Westeros and is ruled by the Prince of Dorne, Doran Martell. The Martell’s sigil is a field of Orange, a sun in splendor gules pierced bendwise by a spear. Their words are Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.

Elia Martell, Doran and Oberyn’s sister, was wed to Rhaegar Targaryen, King Aerys II Targaryen’s son and heir to The Iron Throne. During Robert’s Rebellion Rhaegar was killed, The Lannister Army sacked King’s Landing and killed King Aerys II. During the Lannister invasion, Elia Martell was raped and killed by Ser Gregor Clegane (The Mountain). In addition, Rheagar and Elia’s two children were brutally murdered in an attempt to rid the kingdom of all Targaryens and kill the Targaryen blood line.

Oberyn Martell is played by Pedro PascalOberyn became furious, and wanted to raise up the Dornish Army to march on the Lannisters and Baratheons in King’s Landing. Jon Arryn, the standing hand of the king, negotiated with the Dornish Princes to prevent further bloodshed.

As you could imagine, time has not healed these open wounds, and Prince Doran despises the Lannister name. When he was sent the invitation for the Royal Wedding (Joffery and Margaery) he decided to send Prince Oberyn in his place. Oberyn arrives in King’s Landing with his paramour Ellaria Sand (Sand is the bastard surname in Dorne), and quickly states that he has not only come to attend the wedding, but to seek justice for what Ser Gregor Clegane and the Lannisters have done to his family.

…the Lannisters aren’t the only ones who pay their debts.

Oberyn is a smart, cunning, sexy, and dangerous player to join in the Game of Thrones… He wasn’t named “The Red Viper” for nothing…

Tell us how you feel about Oberyn Martell in the comments below. How has he played so far in this very dangerous game? Are you excited we finally meet people from Dorne? Remember to mark all spoilers with the veil…

Done in the Light of the Lord

• Published on 04/09/2014 at 8:42 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:43 PM CDT