Oberyn Nymeros Martell, nicknamed the Red Viper, is a fictional character in the ''
A Song of Ice and Fire
''A Song of Ice and Fire'' is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin. He began the first volume of the series, ''A Game of Thrones'', in 1991, and it was published in 1996. Martin, who init ...
'' series of
epic fantasy
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot.Brian Stableford, ''The A to Z of Fantasy Literature'', (p. 198), Scarecrow Press, Pl ...
novels by American author
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...
and its television adaptation, ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...
'', where he is portrayed by Chilean-American actor
Pedro Pascal
José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal (born 2 April 1975) is a Chilean and American actor. He began his career guest-starring on various television shows before rising to prominence for portraying Oberyn Martell on the fourth season of the HBO fantasy ...
.
Introduced in 2000's ''
A Storm of Swords
''A Storm of Swords'' is the third of seven planned novels in '' A Song of Ice and Fire'', a fantasy series by American author George R. R. Martin. It was first published on August 8, 2000, in the United Kingdom, with a United States edition fol ...
'', Oberyn is the younger brother of
Doran Martell
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
, from the desert kingdom of
Dorne
The fictional world in which the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' novels by George R. R. Martin take place is divided into several continents, known collectively as The Known World.
Most of the story takes place on the continent of Westeros and in a ...
. Unlike his sickly and pensive brother, Oberyn is notorious for both his dangerous and unpredictable nature and his affinity for poisons, for which he earned his nickname. He is subsequently sporadically mentioned in ''
A Feast for Crows
''A Feast for Crows'' is the fourth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. The novel was first published on October 17, 2005, in the United Kingdom, with a United ...
'' and ''
A Dance with Dragons
''A Dance with Dragons'' is the fifth novel of seven planned in the epic fantasy series '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American author George R. R. Martin. In some areas, the paperback edition was published in two parts, titled ''Dreams and Du ...
''. Since his brother is sickly, he travels to
King's Landing in order to claim the Dornish seat on the small council, as well as to seek vengeance for his sister
Elia Martell's death at the hands of Ser
Gregor Clegane
Gregor Clegane, nicknamed "The Mountain That Rides" or simply "The Mountain", is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of T ...
, whom he suspects acted directly on orders from
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister is a fictional character in the fantasy series ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American novelist George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation ''Game of Thrones''. He is introduced in ''A Game of Thrones'' (1996) and subsequentl ...
.
Character description
Oberyn Martell is the younger brother of Prince
Doran Martell
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
, the ruler of the southern principality of Dorne. He is a hotheaded, forceful, and lustful man with a quick wit and a barbed tongue. He is a formidable fighter whose "legend was fearsome" and is nicknamed the "Red Viper" due to his preference for red clothing, as well as the rumor of his use of poisoned weapons in duels.
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister is a fictional character in the fantasy series ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' by American novelist George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation ''Game of Thrones''. He is introduced in ''A Game of Thrones'' (1996) and subsequentl ...
described Oberyn as "always been half-mad"; Oberyn's brother Doran has described him as "ever the viper", "deadly, dangerous, unpredictable", and "no man dared tread on him", and Oberyn himself admitted being a "bloodthirsty man". Oberyn was also responsible for the crippling of
Willas Tyrell, the heir of House Tyrell of Highgarden, during a
joust
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponent w ...
, though Willas never blamed Oberyn for the accident and the two remained friends.
When Oberyn was no more than sixteen years old, he was found in bed with the
paramour
Paramour may refer to:
* A secret lover
** Extramarital sex partner
** Intimate relationship hidden partner
* '' The Paramours'', a U.S. musical quintet
* ''Paramour'' (Cirque du Soleil), musical theatre Broadway residency show
* Paramour Mansi ...
of old Lord Edgar Yronwood, who challenged Oberyn in a duel. The fight was only limited to drawing first blood and finished after both men took cuts, but Oberyn soon recovered while Lord Yronwood died of a festered wound, and it was rumored that Oberyn used a poisoned blade. In order to make peace with House Yronwood, Doran sent his own son
Quentyn Martell
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others (A So ...
to Yronwood as a ward and had Oberyn sent away to Oldtown and then overseas to Lys in temporary exile. Afterward, Oberyn traveled the world, served in the famous
sellsword
A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
company Second Sons before founding a company of his own, and briefly studied poisons and
dark arts as a novice at the
Citadel
A citadel is the core fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of "city", meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core.
In ...
, managing to obtain six links of the maester's chain before quitting due to boredom. He is
bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
and has eight illegitimate daughters, collectively known as the "
Sand Snakes
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
". He was very close to his older sister
Elia
Elia is a name which may be a variant of the names Elias, Elijah, Eli or Eliahu, and may refer to:
People
* Aelia (gens) or Elia, a ''gens'' of Ancient Rome
Mononymic
* Elia or Elijah, a biblical prophet
* Elia, a pen-name of Charles Lamb
First ...
and consequently seeks revenge upon Ser
Gregor Clegane
Gregor Clegane, nicknamed "The Mountain That Rides" or simply "The Mountain", is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of T ...
for her death.
Storylines
Books
![A Song of Ice and Fire arms of House Martell scroll](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire_arms_of_House_Martell_scroll.png)
Oberyn Martell is not a
point of view
Point of view or Points of View may refer to:
Concept and technique
* Point of view (philosophy), an attitude how one sees or thinks of something
* Point of view (literature) or narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronou ...
character in the novels, and his actions are witnessed directly and interpreted through the eyes of
Tyrion Lannister
Lord Tyrion Lannister, also known by the nicknames the Halfman or the Imp and the alias Hugor Hill, is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its televisi ...
in the third book, and is later mentioned via the viewpoints of his niece
Arianne Martell
Arianne Nymeros Martell is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin. She is a member of House Martell and the heir to the desert kingdom of Dorne. Arianne is first ...
and the Norvosi captain of his brother Doran's
royal guard
A royal guard is a group of military bodyguards, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as the emperor or empress, king or queen, or prince or princess. They often are an elite unit of the regular arm ...
Areo Hotah
George R. R. Martin's '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others bey ...
in the fourth and fifth books.
''A Storm of Swords''
Oberyn leads a Dornish envoy to
King's Landing to claim the seat on the small council on Prince Doran's behalf and obtain justice for his sister Elia Martell's murderer, as was agreed with then acting Hand of the King,
Tyrion Lannister
Lord Tyrion Lannister, also known by the nicknames the Halfman or the Imp and the alias Hugor Hill, is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its televisi ...
, who is now relegated to the
master of coins. When Tyrion is accused of murdering King
Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey Baratheon is a fictional character in the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its HBO television adaptation ''Game of Thrones''. Introduced in 1996's ''A Game of Thrones'', ...
, Oberyn volunteers to champion for Tyrion in the
trial by combat
Trial by combat (also wager of battle, trial by battle or judicial duel) was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the ...
, so he can fight and seek revenge from the rival champion, Ser
Gregor Clegane
Gregor Clegane, nicknamed "The Mountain That Rides" or simply "The Mountain", is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of T ...
, who is Elia's murderer. Though Oberyn manages to gain the upper hand in the duel and impale Clegane to the ground with his spear, Clegane manages to surprise him by
foot sweep
300px, The attacker on the left sweeps the right foot of the opponent
The foot sweep (also footsweep) is a move in many different styles of martial arts. It is used to trip an opponent. Foot sweeps are commonly used in Tang Soo Do, karate, Muay Th ...
ing him to the ground and
bear-hugging him, then
gouging his eyes and finally killing him by repeatedly smashing his unarmored face (Oberyn is wearing a light
visor
A visor (also spelled vizor) is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects.
Nowadays many visors are transparent, but before strong transparent substances such a ...
less
halfhelm) with a
mailed fist. However, it is later revealed that Oberyn has coated his spear in manticore venom to ensure that Clegane will die a slow and agonizing death.
''A Feast for Crows'' and ''A Dance with Dragons''
When news of Oberyn's death reaches Dorne, the oldest three Sand Snakes Obara, Nymeria and Tyene unsuccessfully attempt to pressure Prince Doran into declaring war against the Iron Throne. Doran's estranged daughter
Arianne then conspires with her three cousins to instate
Princess Myrcella as queen and create a
war of succession
A war of succession is a war prompted by a succession crisis in which two or more individuals claim the Order of succession, right of successor to a demise of the Crown, deceased or deposition (politics), deposed monarch. The rivals are typic ...
against
King Tommen and
House Lannister
George R. R. Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the superhuman Others beyon ...
, but their plan is foiled by Doran and they are all arrested by Areo Hotah. Doran later reveals to Arianne that Oberyn has actually been acting as Doran's enforcer all along to carry out his secret grand plan for House Lannister's downfall. The three Sand Snakes are later also told about the plan, released after swearing allegiance to Doran's strategy, and assigned individual missions to infiltrate the Iron Throne as
sleeper agent
A sleeper agent, also called sleeper cell, is a spy who is placed in a target country or organization not to undertake an immediate mission but to act as a potential asset if activated. Even if unactivated, the "sleeper agent" is still an asset ...
s.
TV adaptation
![Pedro Pascal SDCC 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Pedro_Pascal_SDCC_2014.jpg)
Oberyn Martell is played by
Chilean-American actor
Pedro Pascal
José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal (born 2 April 1975) is a Chilean and American actor. He began his career guest-starring on various television shows before rising to prominence for portraying Oberyn Martell on the fourth season of the HBO fantasy ...
in the
fourth season of the HBO television adaption.
Oberyn arrives in King's Landing with his paramour, Ellaria Sand, to attend Joffrey's wedding in his brother's stead, and his meeting with Tyrion makes it clear that he has actually come to take revenge against the Lannisters for their role in the deaths of his sister, nephew and niece. At the wedding, Joffrey dies after being poisoned, and Tywin initially suspects Oberyn of having a hand in the murder since Oberyn has a past with poison chemistry, while Oberyn denies involvement and accuses Tywin of ordering Gregor Clegane to rape and murder Elia. The two reach a settlement when Tywin promises Oberyn a meeting with Clegane in exchange for Oberyn serving as one of the three judges at Tyrion's trial. At the trial, Oberyn implies that he is not convinced of Tyrion's guilt, and openly questions Cersei's testimony and asks Shae why Tyrion would tell her about all of his plans to murder Joffrey if he was the perpetrator.
When Tyrion demands a trial by combat and Gregor Clegane is chosen as Cersei's champion, Oberyn volunteers to fight for Tyrion, proclaiming that he will exact his vengeance, starting with Ser Gregor. Martell valiantly fights Clegane, his superior speed making up for Clegane's size, and manages to wound him in the shoulder and the leg, flooring him. Refusing to kill him immediately, Oberyn furiously demands that Clegane admit to raping and killing Elia and her children, and that the order came from Tywin himself. Distracted for a moment, Oberyn is floored by Clegane, who – in a manner self-admittedly paraphrasing the murder of Elia – knocks out his teeth, straddles him and slowly gouges out his eyes, admitting to the rape and murder of Elia before crushing his skull. Tyrion is subsequently sentenced to death, but Oberyn's objective of vengeance was not in vain, since his spear is revealed to have been laced with the deadly venom of the manticore, which later begins to kill Clegane. Qyburn is charged with reviving the dying knight and does, though Clegane is now reduced to a mute zombie of his former self. Years later, in a battle with his brother
Sandor Clegane
Sandor Clegane, nicknamed the Hound, is a fictional character in the '' A Song of Ice and Fire'' series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation '' Game of Thrones''.
Introduced in 1996's ''A Game o ...
, Gregor Clegane attempts to use the same move that he used to kill Oberyn against his brother, however, The Hound stabs him in the head before he can finish and sacrifices himself to push The Mountain out the side of the crumbling building, with both of them falling to their deaths in the flames of a dragon.
Reception
Pedro Pascal
José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal (born 2 April 1975) is a Chilean and American actor. He began his career guest-starring on various television shows before rising to prominence for portraying Oberyn Martell on the fourth season of the HBO fantasy ...
garnered positive reviews for his role as Martell in the television show. For his performance, Pascal was nominated for the
NewNowNext Award for Best New Television Actor, and, as part of the ensemble cast, the
.
Family tree of House Martell
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martell, Oberyn
A Song of Ice and Fire characters
Fictional bisexual males
Fictional LGBT characters in literature
Fictional LGBT characters in television
Fictional mercenaries
Fictional polyamorous characters
Fictional princes
Fictional vigilantes
Literary characters introduced in 2000
Male characters in literature
Male characters in television