Obara is the eldest daughter of the 'Red Viper', Oberyn Martell, and is the leader of the Sand Snakes. She inherited both her father's skill with a spear, and his hunger for revenge, and is known to be temperamental. It is said that when her father came to claim her from her mother, her mother resisted, leading to her being beaten. Oberyn then gave Obara a choice: his spear, or her mother's tears. Obara chose the spear.