Oberyn Martell

It always made sense to book fans that Elia, or Elia as they pronounce it in the play, so I probably will from now on, was more proactive and driven than is portrayed in the brief mentions we have of her in the book so far.

She is a Martell, after all, and sibling to Oberyn.

But in the stage play, that is given shape by her seeing that Rhaegar is plotting a coup at the tourney, advising him how to go about it, including dancing with Lyanna to get in with the Starks and Baratheons, telling him to enter the tourney itself and crown her the Queen of Love and Beauty.

Later, she discovers where the Tower of Joy is, writes to Lyanna to get her to persuade Rhaegar to join the war, conspires with her brother and uncle, out-politics Varys to get access to Queen Rhaella, and at the end even starts plotting marrying her daughter to Prince Viserys, a major protagonist in this drama.

It's just too much.

Well, especially with, uh, with, with Oberyn, which I'm sure we'll get to.

Yeah.

Oberyn having, like, a foursome on the bed, Tywin kicked him out, and Oberyn being like, "Hey, you wanna sit down?"

He's like, "Nah, I'm good"

With how uptight O- uh, Tywin is, I was dying.

Dany's story, again, we just talked about that.

Sansa-

Let's break it down.

Oberyn agrees to fight in a trial by combat.

He agrees.

He's not forced.

He understood the stakes.

He dies fair and square.

Illyria sails back to Dorne, is inciting war, is pissed off at Oberyn's brother Dorne because he doesn't want to fight some pointless war because of something that Oberyn got himself into.

So she kills Dorne Martell, Oberyn's brother.

The show completely cut Arianne Mortell, the heir to Dorne.

In the books, she isn't just seeking mindless revenge for her uncle Oberyn's death.

She launches a brilliant legal proxy war.

She's incredibly smart.

Rhaegar's wife had been Elia Martell, so in addition to sharing an ancestor some five or so generations back, the two houses had shared trauma, with good reason to try and overthrow Robert.

This secret pact, which would have been viewed as treason by the crown, was signed for the Targaryens by Willem Derry and for the Martells by Prince Oberyn Martell.

And the Sealord of Braavos also signed the pact, which is an interesting detail in the discussion about where exactly the house with the red door was.

Dany remembers that lemon tree outside her window, and Braavos is a city devoid of trees.

In my mind, he was biding his time until Robert inevitably self-destructed, or perhaps Cersei did something significant, or maybe Dorne attacked.

Remember, Oberyn tried to lead a counter-rebellion in the wake of Robert's rebellion.

Something would happen that he could capitalise on.

In the meantime, he and Kevin built up the Lannister army and waited for his grandson to grow older and closer to the throne.

Those who have not yielded to her burn while Renly gathers the swords from the Reach and moves to push back the Dornish entirely.

Yet he leaves Ned to handle the Reach and support Oberyn while Lord Nestor restores order in the Crownlands.

he takes his fleet and sets sail for dragonstone he knows every rock of this island its tides its tunnels its secrets guide his ship to an empty inlet that few know about a hundred men disembark and sneak into the castle executing the garrison and setting up ballistas concealed beneath fishing nets and battered carts.

Stannis leads a detachment through a hidden tunnel beneath the cliffs, emerging in the castle's lower halls.

Many answer the call.

Oberyn Martell, Beric Dondarrion, Barristan Selmy, Jorah Mormont, and Thoris of Myr, as well as Daenerys Targaryen herself.

While Robert initially urges her to remain with her army as they march north, she refuses and insists she wishes to know what kind of foe she is fighting.

For the first time in almost 7,000 years, the Night's Watch reassembles its original purpose.

Like that scene, like there was a lot of emotion in that scene.

Cause Negan was, was on the verge of tears doing the Oberyn Martell of you.

Tell me, you say what you did to her.

You tell me what you did to my sister.