NOTE: This article focuses on the trio of villainous Sand Snakes, the eldest of them: Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene, both novel and television counterparts.
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Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene Sand, also known as the Sand Snakes, are supporting characters in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and major antagonists in the TV series Game of Thrones. They are the three eldest (but infamous) of the eight Sand Snakes, the bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell.
Obara is portrayed by Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nymeria is portrayed by Jessica Henwick (who also played Suzanne Brewer in The Gray Man), and Tyene is portrayed by Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (who also played the Crone in Willow).
Overview[]
The Sand Snakes are what people call the eight bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell. The four eldest Sand Snakes were born from five different women; one of them was a septa, another was a noblewoman, another was a prostitute and another was a trader. The oldest, most prominent, and only villainous Sand Snakes are Obara, Nymeria, and Tyene Sand, though there are actually eight confirmed in total. They are also the only Sand Snakes portrayed in the television series.
The fourth eldest Sand Snake is Sarella Sand, the daughter of Oberyn and a trader from the Summer Islands. The youngest four Sand Snakes are Oberyn's daughters by his paramour Ellaria Sand, the bastard daughter of Lord Harmen Uller. The oldest is currently 14-year-old Elia Sand, while the youngest are Obella, Dorea, and Loreza. Ellaria's girls adore the three eldest Sand Snakes.
Personality[]
In the novels, while they are villainous in both their personality and actions, the Sand Snakes are nonetheless fierce warriors who possess a code of honor, as they are unwilling to harm certain innocent people, such as Princess Myrcella Baratheon.
However, this proved to be hypocritical as they would not hesitate to murder anyone just for their own reasons and motivations; an example is when Obara and Nymeria seek to murder King Tommen I Baratheon as part of their plot to exact revenge on House Lannister, even though Tommen didn't do anything wrong to them or their family. Another example is when after her father was killed by Gregor Clegane, Obara sought to use this as an excuse to sack and burn the entire city of Oldtown for her own personal reasons, which would have resulted in the raping and deaths of countless innocent people and more worse increase the Reach's hatred towards Dorne.
In the TV series, the Sand Snakes are depicted in a much darker and sinister manner than their novel counterparts, and are seen as villainous mercenaries, who are completely immoral and have no sense nor a trace of honor. They have an insatiable love for combat and murdering their victims and enemies, which can even extend towards their own family members. This is seen when one of them murders their cousin, and the other is disappointed of being robbed of the kill.
Members[]
The three eldest Sand Snakes are:
Obara Sand[]
Obara is the oldest of the Sand Snakes and the daughter of a whore from Oldtown. She abandoned her mother for her father after choosing him over her. She is currently 28 years old in the novels.
Obara is known for her short temper and is the most dangerous and aggressive out of all the Sand Snakes. However, while being prickly and bad-tempered, she is still smart enough to not fight those who can surpass her, such as Areo Hotah, the captain of the guard to Prince Doran Martell. Obara is a confident rider who uses spurs, often to the point where the horse is bloody. She only rides stallions. She hates Oldtown, as opposed to her half-sister Sarella, who loves the city. Obara is also fond of wine. In the Game of Thrones series, she is machine-like in behavior, being ready to murder anyone in cold blood just for her own amusement.
Nymeria Sand[]
Nymeria, called Lady Nym, is born as the daughter of a noblewoman from Old Volantis. Being the second eldest of the Sand Snakes, she is currently 25 years old in the novels, being three years younger than Obara. In the TV series, instead of being born a Volantene, she is stated to be of YiTish origin.
While looking elegant and refined, she has all that Obara lacks in look and personality but is no less deadly. Nymeria is also vengeful in nature. In Game of Thrones, she has a competitive nature but expresses indifference towards the taboo of Kinslaying.
Tyene Sand[]
The youngest of the three eldest Sand Snakes, Tyene is the daughter of a septa and the closest to her cousin, Princess Arianne Martell. She is two years younger than Nymeria and five years younger than Obara, as Nymeria currently 23 years old in the novels. In Game of Thrones, she is the eldest daughter of Ellaria Sand.
Though Tyene is sweet and pious, she is also a treacherous poisoner. In the show, she possessed a streak of sadism, as she strongly took pleasure in killing her enemies with poison as well as watching them die a slow death from the effects of the poisons she used.
Gallery[]
A Song of Ice and Fire[]
Sand Snakes[]
Obara[]
Nymeria[]
Tyene[]
Game of Thrones[]
Trivia[]
- Their television counterparts are far more unpleasant, immature, and cruel than their novel counterparts.
- In the television series, the Sand Snake Elia Sand never made an appearance, despite having been mentioned in the fourth season. In the show's continuity, Elia is the younger sister of Tyene Sand, who in the novels is not Ellaria's daughter; instead, she is the blonde-haired and fair-skinned daughter of a septa.
- Only three Sand Snakes have appeared in the TV show, and only four of them are confirmed to exist.
- In the novels, four Sand Snakes are prominently featured, the fourth one being Elia Sand, so far featured as a supporting character in Arianne's sample chapters of The Winds of Winter.
- However, a total of five Sand Snakes might have been featured in supporting roles so far, as it is theorized by readers that Sarella Sand actually appeared in two chapters, disguised as a boy and novice of the Citadel, under her backwards name Alleras, as Sarella has been stated to be a bookworm who loves Oldtown and is currently there "playing a game" in the city. The character Alleras appeared as a supporting character.
- In the novels, four Sand Snakes are prominently featured, the fourth one being Elia Sand, so far featured as a supporting character in Arianne's sample chapters of The Winds of Winter.
External Links[]
- Sand Snakes on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Obara Sand on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Nymeria Sand on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Tyene Sand on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Sand Snakes on the Game of Thrones Wiki
- Obara Sand on the Game of Thrones Wiki
- Nymeria Sand on the Game of Thrones Wiki
- Tyene Sand on the Game of Thrones Wiki
