Game Of Thrones: What Would've Happened If Oberyn Martell Lived?

Summary:

• Oberyn Martell needed the Mountain’s confession to avenge his sister but let his rage blind him and died.
• If Oberyn survived, Lord Tywin would have been killed by him rather than Tyrion, poisoned in advance.
• The Martells would forge an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, opposing the alliance of the Lannisters and the Tyrells.

We were all just as shocked and terrified when the seemingly already dead Mountain turned the tables and crushed Oberyn Martell’s skull. We know how you felt. But let’s imagine for a second that the Red Viper didn’t allow his hubris and rage to cloud his mind and actually killed the Mountain after hearing the confession. What would have happened next?

The Mountain Was Instrumental To Prince Oberyn

Years ago, Gregor Clegane brutally murdered Oberyn Martell’s sister Elia and her kids on Tywin Lannister’s orders. While not the universally established truth, it’s something that is well-known in the Seven Kingdoms, though few people are brave enough to talk about it out loud out of the fear for the Lannisters’ wrath.

Prince Oberyn was not afraid of Lord Tywin; if anything, he wanted to kill the man to avenge his sister and nephews. The only problem was that Tywin Lannister was one of the most powerful men in the realm, and without any evidence, it was next to impossible to get to him. For that, the Red Viper needed the Mountain’s confession.

To get it, Oberyn agreed to fight for Tyrion on the trial by combat; after wounding Clegane enough, he began demanding the confession. His plan almost worked, but drunk on his triumph, the Red Viper lost control and was killed by his enemy.

What If Oberyn Martell Survived The Fight?

The further events of the Game of Thrones would have been very different if the Red Viper survived, especially if he would have gotten his confession. Despite the fact that Tyrion wouldn’t have needed to escape and wouldn’t have shot Lord Tywin by extension, the Lannister patriarch would have died either way.

According to many subtle hints in the book and show alike, Oberyn Martell had poisoned Tywin Lannister with Widow’s Blood before the fight. Without its head, House Lannister would have bonded even closer with the Tyrells, making a powerful alliance uninterrupted by cathedrals being blown up or religious cults coming to power.

The Martells, on the other hand, would have been forced to oppose the Lannisters: either Prince Doran would have had to finally choose a side after Tywin’s murder. Most likely, the Martells would have joined forces with Daenerys Targaryen, thus creating another powerful alliance — and changing the history of Westeros dramatically from what we saw on the show.