The 50 Best Game of Thrones Characters, Ranked

31. Oberyn Martell

The Red Viper appeared in only one season, but actor Pedro Pascal delivered a character who we couldn’t help but love. Famous and well-liked in his homeland of Dorne (and famous for “f*cking half of Westeros,” according to Tyrion), Oberyn was a highly skilled warrior with a passion for poisons and the pleasures of the flesh. Anything goes in Dorne, after all.

For all his fierceness, Oberyn was an open-minded guy. He visited Casterly Rock as a young boy, and wanted to meet baby Tyrion, who was described as a monster. He just saw a baby. That’s part of the reason why, despite his hatred of House Lannister, he volunteered to stand up and fight for Tyrion in a trial by combat.

Oberyn had a zest for life. He glowed with a confidence bordering on arrogance, but he was also a man of his word. And if you betrayed his trust, or crossed a line, or raped and murdered his sister and her children, you can bet he’ll be coming for you. And just like a viper, the strike will be deadly. He almost got one over on the Mountain, but that overconfidence got the best of him, and his face. We’ll miss you, Prince Oberyn.