Spoilers for the last episode
I am prone to whining and *****ing about the often crude and simplistic ways, in which the writers bring some of the novels themes and moments on screen, but this time I got to give Weiss & Benioff their due. Even knowing what was coming, I was on the edge the whole time, and the ending made me genuinely uncomfortable. And not just becouse of the sheer gore factor, but becouse of the tragic ignomity of it all. Such a vibrant, dazzling life snuffed out in such a totally debasing, dehumanizing way. Just thinking about it makes me literally cringe on the inside (and though I try not to think about it, Oberyn's demise continues to haunt me through the day).
It wonderfully illustrates Martin's theme of "true power" and all the social conventions and cultural notions of 'honor','courage' and so on, being unceremoniously, brutishly brought down to "pragmatic reality" level. Watching and hearing Oberyn scream like an animal, made me think that even with all his brashness and strong hedonistic personality, he would never have traded the justice for Elia and her children, for that one moment of terrible, totally dehumanizing agony. In that last moment Oberyn was inside Mountain's "personal space", 100% at his mercy, and no other character traits, no other social gambits that might make him a "better" man elsewhere, mattered for **** in that one moment. He was in his world. And that is both very "ASOIAF", very true, and just so....****ing depressing.
Hats off to Pedro Pascal as well. I think the writers underutilised Oberyn a bit, giving him only two book moments, and filling the rest with new scenes, most of which boiled down to crude sexposition and empty talk about his bisexuality (seriously, the writers seemed only to be intrested to focus on his preffered sex bits, rather than all the great character moments from the books), but the casting was Spot-On. Pascal just oozes charm, sex-appeal. And he really nailed his last moment on the show. It was great to see him growing more furious and unhinged with every moment, relishing the punishment he brought onto the Mountain (he even seemed to have lost his accent for a second, while screaming and accusing Tywin). "Have they told You who I am?" - chills. I really hope to see more of him in the future.