History
Olenna Tyrell, nee Redwyne, doubtlessly had many thrilling adventures before we meet her in season 3. No one this sassy could have led a boring life. She enters the story as an elderly woman, the head of House Tyrell and a crafty player of the game of thrones. Although she has a proper heir in her oafish son Mace, it’s clear from early on that Olenna’s real successor is Mace’s daughter: the beautiful, wily Margaery. After the Tyrells help the Lannisters defend King’s Landing against Stannis in season 2, Margaery is engaged to King Joffrey, thus cementing an alliance between the two families.
But Joffrey was the worst, so Olenna had him assassinated at his own wedding. She wanted Margaery to be queen, yes, but would prefer it if her granddaughter married someone less likely to murder her on a whim. Like, for example, Joffrey’s more mild-mannered brother Tommen.
Having done what she came there to do, Olenna left King’s Landing. Margaery married Tommen, and everything seemed to be coming up roses for House Tyrell. However, Tommen’s mother Cersei interfered. She empowered a dangerous group of religious fanatics called the Sparrows, and one of their first orders of business was to throw Margaery’s brother Loras in holy jail for the crime of sleeping with dudes. Olenna returned to try and right the ship, but it wasn’t too long before the Sparrows spun out of control, turning on Cersei and plunging King’s Landing into a state of panic. Once it was clear she had lost too much ground, Olenna got the hell out of dodge before she was thrown in jail, too.
Naturally, after Olenna left, more terrible things happened. Cersei, eager for revenge against the Sparrows, blew up their place of place of worship — Margaery, Mace and Loras were inside. Enraged, Olenna joined up with the Sand Snakes of Dorne to get vengeance for her children and grandchildren.
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Status
We’ve only ever known Olenna as a sly, behind-the-scenes schemer. Now we’re going to get to see her in wartime. She commands the Tyrell army, she’s out for blood, and she has some fierce allies in the Dornish. So armed, she could do some major damage.
Not only that, but Olenna’s alliance with the Dornish also gives her an effective alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, who’s on her way to Westeros with her vast armies and three dragons in tow. Those two should get along famously.