Darkstar and the Martells: The Master Plan

[heisenberg's heroes]

Not much has been said about the Martell's and their seeming failure to enact a plan that has been in the works for almost 20 years. Yet, I think there is more than meets the eye. If Doran Martell has been this Michael Corleone mastermind that's implied, simply sending Quentyn on a Quixotic mission, and sending the Sandsnakes away from Dorne does not seem to be the crux of what he is planning.

Rather, I think the sickly Doran Martell might be more machiavellian than his illness suggests. My hypothesis is that he wanted the Red Viper to go to KL to wreak havoc for the Lannisters. I know, not a stretch, but this goes along with the idea that Oberyn actually poisoned Tywin long before Tyrion shot him. Tywin's time in the privy was long enough for Shae to have fallen asleep, and the possible symptoms mirrors a poison Grand Maester Pycelle describes during Tyrion's trial as one that has been stolen (if I remember correctly).

Moreover, there has recently been a theory from a person on Youtube that the Sellsword company that Oberyn founded is indeed the Brave Companions. The Brave Companions are integral instigators in the Sparrow Uprising that will apparently cause a lot of discord in Westeros.

However, there has been a relationship not explored much: Darkstar (Gerold Dayne) and Doran Martell. In prison, Arianne dwells on who of her companions had sold her out. She cannot picture any of her companions doing something like that. Well, Darkstar was the only conspirator NOT imprisoned. He had "escaped" to Starfall. He maims Myrcella and basically causes the death of one of the Kingsguard, Arys Oakheart. What if this was actually planned? What if Doran contracted Darkstar to do this in order to Hurt the Kingsguard and HURT a Lannister heir, while the Martells themselves would deflect all blame? It would be an ingeniously subtle and clever way to hurt the enemy and still maintain a strong position.

When Balon Swann comes along, Doran sends Obara (the most brutal of the Sandsnakes) and Swann to Starfall to deliver "justice" to Darkstar. While Swann might not be the dope Oakheart might be, it seems likely that Darkstar will prove more dangerous than Swann would think. Not to mention that obara would be there just in case.

This whole ordeal would continually weaken the Kingsguard because, like after Robert's rebellion, replacing many members of the kingsguard usually results in quicker and weaker decisions. In fact, a Martell agent might be chosen to replace a possibly departed Balon Swann.

This is especially poignant if Qyburn actually works for the Martells (as a former member of the Brave Companions) and controls Ser Robert the Strong...

Here it is. Have at it.

[Fire Eater]

I think Oberyn did poison Tywin as well.

I think it would have been mentioned if Oberyn founded the Brave Companions. It was more than the Brave Companions for the Sparrows, but wolves and lions.

Doran, the guy whose mantra is thinking of the children regarding his decisions, is too honorable to harm an innocent child, and what would harming Myrcella and a KG accomplish? It would be too risky. Doran doesn't want a war he knows he can't win.

Obara is part of the ruse. The Lannisters will want Darkstar's head, and helping them would deflect suspicion from the Martells.

[Good Guy Garlan]

Well, to paraphrase Morgan Freeman in "The Dark Knight":

"You have a highly pliable girl in your power, who is betrothed to your son, and who has an actual shot at being declared Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, and who also has a claim to Casterly Rock, Storm's End, and Dragonstone, and your plan is to cut off that girl's ear?

...Good luck"

Not to mention that killing Arys Oakheart actually helped Cersei, which Doran would have known thanks to his supposed friends in court

No, whoever Darkstar is working for (and my guess is Varys) has a different agenda than the Martells

[JonCon's Red Beard]

I think Dayne is working for... Dayne.

And he went to Doran himself and told him about everything. The killing of Myrcella, otoh, was his own thing and he failed due to luck, as the girl's horse prevented him from (for what it looks like) cut her head.

[oursisthefury69]

1. It would only be "clever" and "subtle" in terms of deceiving the reader, not the Lannisters, as they would and will be furious with the Martells when they learn Myrcella is injured, regardless of any potential suspicions they may have that the Martells were purposely involved.

2. They failed to "enact a plan 20 years in the works" in the sense they cant revive Viserys from the dead. You yourself arent even identifying what they "failed to enact", your just saying that their "plan" sucks.

3. God knows why some recently made youtube video is constantly referenced when trying to understand this 9-14 year old storyline.

4. Its really not all terribly hard grasp or close to one of the bigger mysteries of the series, and im not sure why people who've recently read (on) the books keep associating some unknown grand master plan with Doran and Dorne. The very reason Oberyn "wreaked havoc" in Kings Landing is in the dissolution of what was once actually A master plan; Oberyn was an impatient man who waited eagerly for years to see Dorans plan to marry Viserys to Arianne finally come to be, after initially being dissuaded by Jon Arryn and Doran to raise Dornes banners immediately following the sack of Kings Landing. Then soon after word assumedly reached Dorne (and as we ultimately know Doran) that Viserys had been killed, Oberyn took his first opportunity to seek revenge as reckless as need be.

[The Second To Last Dragon]

im pretty sure darkstar is self motivated.

[heisenberg's heroes]

1. Who, then, ratted Arianne out? Areo Hotah responds to Arianne's pleas of "who dunnit?" by simply stating, " Someone told. Someone always tells." Who? Who could've done it except for Darkstar? and if he's self-motivated, how would maiming the heir to the iron throne be advantageous to him on any level? If you also remember, Darkstar doesn't try to harm Myrcella until Arys Oakheart refuses to surrender and charges Hotah. Darkstar actually tries to talk Oakheart down. The King's guard's death almost seems like a punishment from Doran to Arianne. Hotah didn't HAVE to swing the blade to kill him. The knight was already knocked off his horse.

WHICH brings me to Doran's attitude and personality:

2. The Red Viper might have been an impatient man, but poison "a woman's weapon" has to be used with care and precision to ensure the proper reaction. Doran, as opposed to what is assumed in SoS, actually reveals to his daughter and nieces that he and the Red Viper have worked closely on some plan for years, and were not as opposite as some might assume. They both want bloody revenge and have been working together to achieve this goal.

3. Just as Varys and Manderly use their feminimity and weight (respectively) to have enemies underestimate them, so does Doran with his gout and grandfatherly attitude towards the young dwellers. The man is ruthless when it comes to enemies. What would surprise you more: a thug following you and stabbing you in the back, or an elderly old man poisoning your supper or leading you into a trap. Mark my words, Balon Swann will not survive his encounter with Darkstar, and the King's guard will be further weakened.

4. Again, Ser Robert Strong is only Cersei's tool if it's assumed that Qyburn is a true Lannister loyalist, which I have strong doubts. He latched onto the dimmest bulb in the Lannister household and fed into her paranoia and crazy notions. Qyburn might not be aligned with the Martells, but he most definitely isn't a pawn of Cersei. Dr. Frankenstein has something else going on.

[Tynned Lannistark]

Oberyn poisoned Twyin is one of the theories I found most plausible. Its not only supported by text but also makes a lot of sense from story line perspective. The irony of Tyrion becoming a kinslayer when in fact his father would have died anyway is exactly the sort of thing GRRM would do.

Darkstar ratting out is possible. its not impossible that he is working for Doran, but I am not sure I can find good justification for Doran to send him to do what he did. Doran is a cautious man , its very unlike him to take such a risk to achieve unclear results.

Oberyn starting the brave companion sounds unreasonable to me.

[Thanos Targaryen]

I don't know where this idea of Oberyn poisoning Tywin came from. It's not like Tywin was suffering/sweating in discomfort when Tyrion shot him while he was sitting on the loo.

As for Darkstar a likely pair of culprits that he's working for could be Varys & Illyrio. Rub out Myrcella to eliminate her as a rallying point for any pro-Lannister/Baratheons and anti-Targaryens to gather their forces around when Daenerys or Aegon VI arrive. Possibly Littlefinger is in on it too. He has a tendency to hire out some genuinely awful people (e.g. Lyn Corbray) to insert themselves into critical situations in order to cause some of his trademark chaos. Darkstar taking a shot at Myrcella while's she's supposed to be under Martell protection automatically increases tensions between Dorne and the Crown. Lannister eyes turn southwards to Dorne which allows Littlefinger to do more of his plotting in the Vale and the North.

[I S**t Gold]

There's something to Darkstar for sure. I'm interested to find out what exactly makes him 'the most dangerous man in Dorne.'

I've always had Darkstar pegged as the mole and I've actually considered the idea the maiming of Myrcella was deliberate in the past. I still think he's the mole, but there were a few things that convinced me the maiming could not be part of the plan. I think that was Darkstar improvising. The maiming of Myrcella causes far more problems than it solves for Dorne. To do that just to make a point to Arianne seems ridiculous. Then there's Doran's love of children.

[The Black Adder of Dorne]

Moreover, there has recently been a theory from a person on Youtube that the Sellsword company that Oberyn founded is indeed the Brave Companions. The Brave Companions are integral instigators in the Sparrow Uprising that will apparently cause a lot of discord in Westeros.

It's not recent at all. Half the stuff in Skinchanging Sweetrobin's videos that make sense are taken from theories posted many moons ago on this forum.

3. God knows why some recently made youtube video is constantly referenced when trying to understand this 9-14 year old storyline.

Amen.

4. Its really not all terribly hard grasp or close to one of the bigger mysteries of the series, and im not sure why people who've recently read (on) the books keep associating some unknown grand master plan with Doran and Dorne.

They make that association because a plan of waiting years for a friendless exiled orphan to somehow raise an army and invade Westeros is moronic and does not require calculation or careful planning. People's expectations for Doran are high because he's been built up by both himself and Tywin as a cerebral, calculating player with a burning desire for revenge and years in which to plot. If that was the extent of his plans it's a bitter disappointment for anyone who wants the Lannisters to fall.