This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary. (October 2022) |
Ellaria Sand | |
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A Song of Ice and Fire character Game of Thrones character | |
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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Created by | George R. R. Martin |
Portrayed by | Indira Varma |
In-universe information | |
Alias | The Serpent's Whore |
Gender | Female |
Family | House Uller |
Significant other | Oberyn Martell |
Children |
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Relatives | Harmen Uller (father) |
Ellaria Sand is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of high fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, where she is portrayed by Indira Varma.[1]
Ellaria first appears in the third novel A Storm of Swords (2000). She is only mentioned in A Feast for Crows (2005), but returns in A Dance with Dragons (2011). She is the paramour to Oberyn Martell and mother to several of his bastard daughters, the Sand Snakes. After the death of her lover in a duel at the hands of Ser Gregor Clegane, she is sent into deep mourning, though she pushes for Oberyn's brother Doran Martell to sue for peace, seeking an end to the cycle of revenge.
In the television adaptation, her storyline is slightly combined with that of Oberyn's niece, Arianne Martell, seeking for Dorne to go to war against the Lannisters' for their crimes against House Martell. However, in stark contrast to Arianne, Ellaria is portrayed as a ruthless and vengeful killer who seeks to murder the innocent Myrcella Baratheon, instead of crowning her to oppose Cersei and Tommen, and then slays Oberyn's remaining family so that she can seize power in Dorne. This change was met with a negative critical reception.