There were some excellent characters on Game of Thrones. Of course, the best tended to die, and that was certainly the case for Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn Martell.
At first, it was hard to tell whether we should like Oberyn or not. He was a stranger from the southern land of Dorne who wanted revenge on behalf of his sister Elia, who was married to Rhaegar Targaryen and died years ago during Robert's Rebellion when Tywin Lannister sacked the city of King's Landing. He wanted answers and he wanted closure. He wanted much of what we all still want today when we face injustice.
His quest led to his death. However, he gave us some brilliant moments leading up to it.
Oberyn’s fight against the Mountain
We do have to start with Oberyn's death scene. Only it’s not about the death scene but about the fight in general. Oberyn wasn’t afraid to go up against Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane. In fact, he was excited to do it. This would give him a chance to face off again the man who raped and murdered his sister.
He danced circles around The Mountain. There was even a moment where it looked like he was going to win. Technically he sort of did, considering he stabbed the Mountain with a poisoned spear. He was smart in the way he played things. Well, up until his need for vengeance got the better of him.
Going head to head with Cersei and Tywin
When we first get to meet Oberyn, we see he isn’t afraid to stand up against those in power. He has a confidence that nobody else in Westeros has, and it’s refreshing. This comes home in a moment during Joffrey's wedding to Margaery Tryell when he introduces his paramous Ellaria Sand to Cersei and Tywin.
There are a few comments about illegitimate children, and you can tell that Oberyn knows the truth about Cersei’s kids. The best part is where he makes it clear why he has really traveled to King's Landing. He makes a comment that some places see highborns look down on those of low birth, while other places find the rape and murder of women distasteful, referring to his sister. He certainly has a way with words.
Stabbing the Lannister’s hand
We first encounter Oberyn Martell in a brothel, where we find out just how dangerous he can be. He comes across two Lannister men who really don’t know their place. They look down on Oberyn because he is from Dorne, but they fail to recognize his skills.
Oberyn proves just how fast he is when it comes to using his weapons. Just as one Lannister man reaches for his sword, Oberyn pulls out his dagger and stabs him in the hand. Who else laughed at that moment?
Oberyn explaining his preferences of lovers
The Seven Kingdoms are a diverse place. People in each kingdom felt and thought differently, never moreso than in Dorne. Not only did they not look down on illegitimate children, but they also don't have hang-ups about sexuality. If you liked it, you liked it. It’s not like it hurts anyone else as long as everyone consents.
Oberyn gets a chance to explain this when he's with his paramour Ellaria Sand in a brothel, the same one where he stabbed Lannister a few episodes before. The gods made people and they delight Oberyn. He’s not going to choose sides when it comes to matters of love. However, he is also not going to do something that others don’t consent to, and there’s a lot that we can learn from him. Was this the moment so many of us just fell in love with Pedro Pascal?
Oberyn's talks with Tyrion
Oberyn never really hid what he wanted or why he was in King’s Landing. In a chat with Tyrion when they first meet, he shared that he was there to get justice for his sister, and reiterated it episodes later after Tyrion was in a prison, framed from the murder of Joffrey Baratheon. In a moving scene, Oberyn volunteers to fight the Mountain in Tyrion's stead in a trial by combat, reminding us that honor does exist in Westeros, even if it's a bit warped and strange.
For years, Oberyn had held onto everything that happened to him. He traveled the world to gain experience and knowledge. He made sure that he learned how to fight. It all came down to this. The Lannisters aren’t the only ones who pay their debts.
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