What Happens When You Live Life To The Max

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Did you know in the books Oberin is a tall, slender, and graceful man, and has a lined, salty face with thin eyebrows, black viper eyes, and a widow's peak nose. His hair is lustrous and black with only a few silver streaks. Oberin is a renowned warrior and has a fearsome reputation throughout Westeros.

[00:00:22]According to Lord Tywin Lannister, he has always been half man. Oberin despises Lord Ma Tyrell, calling him the fat flower of High Garden. In his youth, Oberin and Ellia visited Castley Rock, where they arrived shortly after the death of Joanna Lannister. According to Oberin, his mother and Joanna had planned to wed either Oberin to Cersei Lannister or Elia to Jaime Lannister, or both. Lord Tywin Lannister however was unreceptive of the suggestion stating that his daughter would marry Prince Rhaegar Targaryen only for Oberin's sister to marry him instead. Oberin Martell kind of use some sneaky tactics to defeat the mountain which unlike the show had onlookers surrounding them.

[00:01:08]After the fight begins, Oberin taunts Gregor and the mountain grows increasingly agitated. And in his fury, he actually cuts down a stable boy when he tries to charge Oberin and ends up crashing into the crowd. Oberin cleverly reflects the sunlight into Gregor's narrow visor, blinding him and giving Oberin an opportunity to find a gap in the armpit. When Gregor lifts his arm to shield his eyes, the spear cuts through the male in the gap between the boiled leather and Gregor begins to bleed heavily. When Oberin finds another gap behind the knee and Gregor goes down, Oberin impales him onto the ground, breaking his spear in the process.

[00:01:47]Oberin then grabs Gregor's greatsword.

[00:01:49]Tyrion speculates that Oberin intends to behead Gregor, but Clegane seizes and kills Oberin before he can do so. Tyrion brings up how Oberin crippled the heir to High Garden. And this is why House Tyrell hates Oberin. As you trampled Willis Tyrell, the Dornish men did not react as Tyrion expected. I had a letter from Willis not half a year passed. We share an interest in fine horse flesh.

[00:02:14]He has never borne me any ill will from what happened in the list. I struck his breastplate clean, but his foot caught in a stirrup as he fell, and his horse came down on top of him. I sent a maester to him afterward, but it was all he could do to save the boy's leg. The knee was far past mending. If any were to blame, it was his fool of a father.

[00:02:36]Willis Tyrell was green as his circoat, and had no business riding in such company. The fat flower thrust him into the Tories at too tender an age, just as he did with the other two. He wanted another Leo Longthornne, and made himself a Oberin had the mountain impaled on the ground with his spear. However, this meant the Red Viper was without his trusted spear, and instead he used the mountain's large, cumbersome sword. Say the name, he put a foot on the mountain's chest and raised the greatsword with both hands. Whether he intended to hack off Gregor's head or shove the point through his eyes was something Tyrion would never know.

[00:03:14]Clelegane's hand shot up and grabbed the Dornishman behind the knee. The Red Viper brought down the great sword in a wild slash, but he was off balance, and the edge did no more and put another dent in the mountains vambrace. Then the sword was forgotten as Gregor's hand tightened and twisted, yanking the Dornishman down on top of him. They wrestled in the dust and blood, the broken spear wobbling back and forth.

[00:03:39]Tyrion saw with horror that the mountain had wrapped one huge arm around the prince, drawing him tight against his chest like a lumber before killing him.

[00:03:48]As children, Cersei was supposed to marry Oberin Martell and Jaime was supposed to marry Ellia Martell. This is because Joanna Lannister was friends with Oberin's mother and the two planned to betro their children to each other.

[00:04:03]However, when Oberin and Ellia arrived at Castley Rock, Joanna had died and Tywin refused both suggestions and said Cersei was intended for Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Later, I married Prince Rhaegar instead and Oberin thinks that this is why Tywin had Elia killed.

[00:04:21]Oberin wanted Tyrion to come to Dawn to make Marcella queen. He tells Tyrion, "Perhaps you'll return to Sunspear with me when the day's bloodletting is done.

[00:04:31]My brother Doran would be most pleased to meet the rightful heir to Castley Rock, especially if he brought his lovely wife, the lady of Winterfell.

[00:04:41]Tyrion thinks to himself, "Does the snake think I have Sansa squirreled away somewhere like a nut I'm hoarding for winter? If so, Tyrion was not about to disabuse him. A trip to Dawn might be very pleasant now that I reflect on it.

[00:04:55]Plan on a lengthy visit." Prince Oberin sipped his wine. You and Doran have many matters of mutual interest to discuss.

[00:05:04]Music, trade, wine, the laws of inheritance and succession. No doubt an uncle's council would be benefit to Queen Marcella in the trying times ahead. If Varys had his little birds listening, Oberin was giving them a ripe earful. Oberin and Tyrion plotted to make Marcilla queen. Tyrion thought to himself, "Queen Marcela, it would have been more tempting if only he did have Sansa tucked beneath his cloak. If she declared for Marcela over Tommen, would the North follow?" What the Red Viper was hinting at was treason? Could Tyrion truly take up arms against Tommen, against his own father? Cersei would spit blood. It might be worth it for that alone. Tywin Lannister was killed by his son Tyrion, but Oberin Martell might have already poisoned him. Tywin was killed in the privy and it's later noted that his corpse unusually stank more than any other. The theory goes Tywin might have been constipated due to Oberin poisoning him. It's important to note that Tywin and Oberin had breakfast together. And we also know of a poison called Widow's Blood, which shuts down a man's bladder and bows until he drowns in his own poisons. Cersei was supposed to marry Oberin. And honestly, they would have been such a power couple together since Oberin is probably one of the few people Jaime would actually be a little afraid to fight since he might lose or get poisoned. Oberin is attractive enough to seduce Cersei and could deal with her craziness better than most. Honestly, this coupling might have produced the greatest good considering Cersei is crazy in the books and anyone else Jaime would have murdered. Jaime Lannister is way more overpowered and a better swordsman than his show counterpart. George even said he would annihilate Aragorn in a fight.

[00:06:56]However, what if Oberin and Jaime fought? Who would win? Well, they are both the same age, but Oberin would probably win since Jaime would be unfamiliar fighting a spear, whereas Oberin has spent his life fighting people with swords. Oberin would deploy the same tactics he used against the mountain and kill Jaime by targeting the weakness in his armor. Pedro Pascal had a great time filming Oberin Martell's gruesome death scene in a Game of Thrones. On Hot Ones, he described it as oddly relaxing. It was the best part of the day, he said, noting the heat on set and how the fake blood pumped through tubing felt cool on his skin. Voren the mountain was incredibly gentle. Pascal barely felt his weight as blood and fake flesh covered his face. Pascal actually fell asleep. "I'm a terrible sleeper," he joked. "But apparently face meat and blood do the trick." Tywin actually complimented Tyrion's cunning as they discuss Oberin raising Dawn for Daenerys's brother, Vizeris. You have a certain cunning, Tyrion. But the plain truth is, you talk too much. That loose tongue of yours will be your undoing.

[00:08:07]You should have let Joff tear it out, suggested Tyrion. You would do well not to tempt me, Lord Tywin said. I'll hear no more of this. I have been considering how best to appease Oberin Martell and his entourage. Oh, is this something I'm allowed to know or should I leave so you can discuss it with yourself? His father ignored the sally. Prince Oberin's presence here is unfortunate. His brother is a cautious man, a reasoned man, subtle, deliberate, even indolent to a degree. He is a man who weighs the consequences of every word and every action. But Oberin has always been half mad. Is it true he tried to raise dawn for Vizeries? No one speaks of it, but yes, ravens flew and riders rode with what secret messages I never knew. John Aaron sailed to Sunspear to return Prince Leuen's bones, sat down with Prince Doran, and ended all the talk of war, but Robert never went to dawn thereafter, and Prince Ober seldom left it. Tywin and Tyrion actually discussed how to deal with Oberin's demands for justice. Tyrion tells his father, "Well, he's here now with half the nobility of Dawn in his tale, and he grows more impatient every day," said Tyrion.

[00:09:26]"Perhaps I should show him the brothel of King<unk>s Landing. That might distract him. A tool for every task.

[00:09:32]Isn't that how it works?" "My tool is yours, Father. Never let it be said that House Lannister blew its trumpets and I did not respond. Lord Tywin's mouth tightened. Very droll. Shall I have them sew you a suit of mly and a little hat with bells on it? If I wear it, do I have leave to say anything I want about his grace? King Joffrey. Lord Tywin seated himself again and said, "I was made to suffer my father's follyies. I will not suffer yours. Enough." Tywin planned to tell Oberin Martell that his Banaman Armory Lodge killed IA Martell and her children and not the mountain.

[00:10:11]Tywin says I will tell him that Sir Armory Lodge killed IA and her children.

[00:10:17]So Armory Lodge is dead, Tyrion said flatly. Precisely. Vargo Hot Armory torn apart by a bear after the fall of Harrenhal. That ought to be sufficiently grizzly to appease even Oberin Martell.

[00:10:32]You may call that justice. It is justice. It was her armory who brought me the girl's body. If you must know, he found her hiding under her father's bed.

[00:10:41]As if she believed Rhaegar could still protect her. Princess Elia and the babe were in the nursery a floor below. Well, it's a tale. And so Amy's not like to deny it. What will you tell Oberin when he asks who gave Lor his orders? So Amory acted on his own in the hope of winning favor from the new king.

[00:11:01]Robert's hatred for Rhaegar was scarcely a secret. It might serve Tyrion had to concede, but the snake will not be happy. This is what Oberin Martell was doing during Robert's rebellion. Before the events of Robert's rebellion, Oberin fathered eight bastard daughters called the Sand Snakes. Oberin tutoed all his children, something few lords do when it relates to their bastard offspring. He instructs them how to protect themselves and permitted them great liberty in growing up. Three or four years before Robert's rebellion, Prince Oberin was unseated by Sir Barristin Selme in Lord Stefon's Tory at Storm's End. He was also present during the Tory at Harrenhal in 281 AC where he danced with Lady Ashara Dane. Now it is currently uncertain where Oberin was during Robert's rebellion, but he did have a very close relationship with his sister Elia. After hearing of what was done to her and her children, Oberin attempted to incite Dawn for the exiled Prince Vizeris Targaryen. The new hand of the king, Lord John Aaron, traveled to Sunspear in the year following the war and was able to maintain the peace. But Oberin has craved vengeance ever since.

[00:12:21]After the war, Oberin rarely left Dawn.

[00:12:24]Oberin is mainly responsible for providing modern sparking to the ongoing feud between his house and the Tyrells because he unintentionally maimed Willis Tyrell in a Tory. Oberin hit Willis's breastplate cleanly, but the boy's foot stuck in a stirrup as he tumbled and his horse fell on top of him. Oberin sent his own maester to help treat Willis, who bears no malice against Oberin. The two communicate via aven message as both share a fervor for horses. Oberin and his brother Doran, Prince of Dawn, worked in secret for years, planning on forcing an end to the reign of King Robert Baratheon and ruining House Lannister. Oberin traveled to Braavos, where Vizeris and Daenerys Targaryen were residing with Sir William Darry.

[00:13:12]Oberam and William signed a hidden marriage pact with the sea lord of Braavos as witness, pledging Vizeris the hand of Princess Arian Martell in marriage in return for Dawn's help in regaining the Iron Throne from House Baratheon. This was the life of Oberin Martell before a game of thrones. During childhood, Oberin Martell played with his siblings Doran and I in the water gardens. In his adolescence, Oberin was fostered at Sandstone. When in his teens, Oberin journeyed with his mother and his sister Ellia Martell and encountered several potential wedding prospects for his sister, touring fortresses at Starfall, the Arbor, Oldtown, the Shield Islands, and Crakol.

[00:14:00]Oberin spent his hours ridiculing Ella's admirers. The final castle they visited was Castley Rock where they reached shortly after the demise of Lady Joanna Lannister in labor. According to Oberin, his mother and Joanna had intended to marry either Oberin to Cersei Lannister or IA to Jaime Lannister or both. Lord Tywin Lannister, however, was dismissive of the overture, remarking that his daughter would wed Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. He suggested the infant Tyrion Lannister as a spouse for IA instead, which was regarded as an affront. At the age of 16, Oberin was discovered in bed with the mistress of Lord Edgar Yornwood. So, the lord provoked him to a jewel. The match was to first blood given the prince's youth and noble birth, and both sustained Nyx.

[00:14:55]Edgar's injuries infected and killed him. Oberin has been tilted as the red viper ever since by allies and rivals alike due to rumors that he fought the jewel with a venomous blade. Afterward, Oin was dispatched to Oldtown and then to Liss in brief exile, though none dubbed it such in order for House Martell to forge peace with House Yornwood. And Prince Quentin Martell was sent to ward to Yornwood. Oberin traveled widely in the free cities where he mastered much about toxins and perhaps even darker crafts. He had practiced at the citadel going so far as to craft six lynxes of a scholar's chain before he became wary. He campaigned in the disputed lands across the narrow sea, riding with the second sons for a time before creating his own company, which might be the brave companions terrorizing Westeros and turning the people against the Lannisters. The Sand Snakes were actually really interesting characters that the show completely failed to adapt. First of all, they all looked completely different. The oldest, Oberah, was big and butch, fighting with a spear and the one most like her TV show counterpart. Meanwhile, Nimriia has all the beauty that her elder sister Ober lacks, but is no less deadly. She uses dagger and assassinations and scoffs at Ober's plan to go to war.

[00:16:21]Telling her uncle that she needs only her sister, Tyenne, and the two will assassinate Cersei, Jaime, Lord Tywin, and King Tommen. Lastly, Tyenne is blonde hair and blue eyes. She mostly uses poisons. Tyenne counces her uncle to wed his son Tristane to Marcelia now and then crown the princess as queen to incite war with the iron throne. Then bleed the Lannisters in the high passes and treacherous deserts like they did with Aegon the Conqueror. As you can see, each is quite interesting and different from each other. One of the sand snakes was named Tyenne and she had blonde hair and blue eyes and was sent to King's Landing to infiltrate the High Sparrows movement and report back to House Martell after Cersei's arrest.

[00:17:03]Here is what book Doran told her to do.

[00:17:06]Your mother was a scepter. Oberin once told me that she read to you in the cradle from the seven-pointed star. I want you in King's Landing 2, but on the other hill. The swords and the stars have been reformed. And this new high septin is not the puppet that the others were. Try and get close to him. Tyenne replies, "Why not? White suits my coloring. I look so pure." So despite her innocent and pious persona, Tyenne is regarded as treacherous. Her soft pale hands are as deadly as Ober's callous ones. She shares her father Oberin's knowledge of poisons, and this is her preferred weapon of choice. The sand snakes in Game of Thrones were nothing like their book counterparts. On the show, they're basically walking cliches, slinging poison daggers, trading cringy oneliners, and stirring chaos and dawn with all the grace of a wrecking ball. Then, just like that, they're killed off with barely any fanfare. It's messy and forgettable. But in the books, each of Oberin's daughters has real depth. Obara is a hardened warrior. Nimriia is cold and calculating. Tyen hides deadly ambition behind sweetness. They're not just fighters. They're political players with different versions for Dawn's future.

[00:18:29]Their presence actually means something.

[00:18:32]The show turned them into caricatures.

[00:18:35]The books made them dangerous, driven, and complex. Honestly, Dorne went from being a power cake of vengeance and politics to filler content that barely made a dent. And the Sand Snakes deserved so much better. Doran Martell, the Prince of Dawn, was one of the great players of the Game of Thrones, unlike his show counterpart. In the books, he pretends to be weak, but is actually plotting the downfall of the Lannisters and looking for ways to put Dawn in control by having Targaryenss rule again and having them marry Dornish people along the way. In the show, he is barely given any debt, is actually weak, and ends up dying in a pretty non-significant way. This was Doran Martell's master plan to bring down House Lannister in the books. He is with his young daughter, Ariana. And she learns that she had a secret marriage pact to a Targaryen.

[00:19:31]Promised. I was promised. Who is it? Who have I been betrothed to all these years? It makes no matter. He is dead.

[00:19:41]Then left her more baffled than ever.

[00:19:44]Ariana asked what killed him. It was a pot of molten gold. We princes make our careful plans and the gods smash them all arai. When Arian asks why he is doing all this, he replies, "Vengeance."

[00:19:59]His voice was soft. Justice. Prince Doran pressed the Onyx dragon into her palm and whispered, "Fire and blood."

[00:20:09]Marcella is still set to marry Tristane Martell like in the TV show. However, rather than kill Marcela, the Sand Snake's plan is to crown Marcela queen over Tommen since she is older and in Dawn, age comes before sex. Although the plan to crown Marcela is foiled like in the TV show and during it, Marcela has her face cut open and she loses an ear and part of her cheek. However, the possibility of crowning Marcela still remains open and might lead to conflict between Marcela and Tommen, who is also still alive in the books. The Dawn plotline in the Game of Thrones TV show stands as a glaring example of how a promising story line can be mishandled and ultimately ruined. In the books, Dawn is a rich and intricate region, as seen by Oberin's great introduction in season 4, and hosts a plethora of compelling characters. However, the TV adaption reduced Doran Martell, one of the realm's most powerful and cunning characters, to a passive and indecisive figure who accomplished nothing. Equally disappointing was the betrayal of the Sand Snakes, who were presented as one-dimensional caricatures, their actions lacking nuance and sophisticated motivation. The assassination of Doran Martell and the Sandnake seizing control lacked any careful buildup. Ariel Hotar, one of the deadliest fighters in Westeros, dies almost instantly. And even the Sand Snakes and Ellia get a worthless conclusion to their stories, making Dawn the worst plot line in the show. There was a really important character that the show cut entirely, and that was Ariana Martell. She was the daughter of Doran Martell and heir to Dorne. There was actually a plot in the book where she was supposed to marry Bizeris and Dawn would rise up for him as king, but it never materialized. In the upcoming Winds of Winter, she will decide who Dawn allies with in the war for the Iron Throne. She might also marry her cousin Aegon Targaryen, the son of Elia and Rhaegar Targaryen to become queen of Westeros. However, George has said Aegon and Daenerys will have a second dance of the dragons like Reineer and Aegon. Sunspear is a walled settlement protected by three massive winding walls encircling one another and containing miles of narrow alleys, hidden courts, and noisy markets. The three-fold gate, where the gates are lined up one behind the other, avoids the labyrinth, instead allowing straight passage on a brick path to the old palace. One of Sunspear's chief structures is the original stronghold of House Martell, the Sandship, which is a large ugly duncoled building that looks like a Drummond. The Sandship was the ancient keep of House Martell, Minor Dornish Lords. When Nimriia arrived in Dawn with the 10,000 ships of the Royer, possibly around 700 years before Aegon's conquest, she wed Lord Morris Martell, the Lord of the Sandship. This alliance of the Martell with the Royar led to the unification of Dawn in Namria's war.

[00:23:20]Allaria Martell is not driven by revenge or a desire to incite a war with the Lannisters. She tells Oberin's daughters, "I saw your father die."

[00:23:30]Allaria Sand laid her hands on the mountain's head. Here is his killer. Can I take a skull to bed with me to give me comfort in the night? Will it make me laugh? Write me songs. Care for me when I am old and sick? Oberin wanted vengeance for Elia. Now the three of you want vengeance for him. I have four daughters, I remind you, your sisters.

[00:23:53]My Ela is 14, almost a woman. Oella is 12 on the brink of maidenhood. They worship you as Dory and Lozer worship them. If you should die, must L and Oella seek vengeance for you, then Dory and Lori for them. Is that how it goes round and round forever? I ask you again, where does it end? The Sand Snakes have yet to do much in terms of the story. While the show gave them prominent roles in season 5, the reality is only three of them try to convince Prince Doran to rise up against the Lannisters only for Doran to have them imprisoned. The real player in Dawn in the books is Doran's daughter, Ariana Martell, whose plan is to crown Marcilla to force Tommen and the Lannisters to war among each other, but fails and instead is sent off to potentially marry a Targaryen. As we know, Dawn was massively botched in the show, especially post Oberin. But some things just didn't make logical sense at all.

[00:25:01]The Sand Snakes went to avenge their father Oberin. So their plan involves killing his entire family like his brother, Prince Doran. Having later killed Marcella, they also did something which is entirely the opposite of what Oberin would do. We do not kill little girls in Dawn. This is just among one of many reasons why season 5 is the least like seasons. With the sack of King's Landing taking place, Sir Amory LCH killed Aia's daughter, Princess Rainees, by stabbing her 50 times. The mountain then murdered her son, Prince Aegon, by smashing his head against a wall. And then, of course, the mountain proceeded to Ellia, already traumatized by witnessing her son's death, before smashing IA's head in the same way. The Tyrell Rails and Martels actually despise each other as houses. One would think it's because Oberin Martell inadvertently turned Ma Tyrell's eldest son, Willis, into a after knocking him off a horse during a Tory, preventing Willis from becoming a knight. However, Willis actually bears no ill will towards Oberin, and the two remained in touch afterward. The real reason is that the two neighbors have wared for centuries, similar to how the Blackwoods and Brackens still hate each other. Tywin states that the Dornishmen will come to the wedding even though others were against it. "This could be ticklish," the dwarf thought, waiting to see how his father would handle it.

[00:26:31]"Prince Doran comes at my son's invitation," Lord Tywin said calmly.

[00:26:36]"Not only to join in our celebration, but also for the justice Robert denied him for the murder of his sister Ellia and her children." Tyrion wondered if any of the three would be bold enough to say, "But Lord Tywin, wasn't it you who presented the bodies to Robert all wrapped up in Lannister cloaks?" None of them did. But it was there on their faces all the same. When the king is wed to your marjgery and Marcela to Prince Tristane, we shall all be one great house, Sir Kevin reminded Ma Tyrell. The emnities of the past should remain there. Would you not agree, my lord?

[00:27:09]This is my daughter's wedding and my grandson, said Lord Tywin firmly. No place for old quarrels. Surely the Game of Thrones show absolutely butchered the entire Dawn story line. On screen, Prince Doran Martell is made to look weak and clueless, quickly assassinated by Aaria Sand in a clumsy coupe. Ariana Martell, his daughter, heir, and one of the most politically intriguing characters in the books, doesn't even exist in the show. What we get instead is a rushed revenge plot, awkward dialogue, and fight scenes that fans still cringe about. But in the books, Dorne is a simmering pot of political schemes. Prince Doran is anything but passive. He's playing the long game, secretly planning to marry Ariana to the Zeris Targaryen and later support Daenerys. Ariana herself is fierce, intelligent, and challenges both tradition and her father's secrets. Her presence adds real depth to the Martell legacy. Cutting her didn't just simplify the plot, it erased the soul of Dawn's story. Anyway, subscribe for more.