The Mountain and the Viper

"The Mountain and the Viper"
Game of Thrones episode
Gregor "the Mountain" Clegane and Oberyn "the Red Viper" Martell fighting in a trial by combat.
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 8
Directed by	Alex Graves
Written by	David Benioff D. B. Weiss
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Anette Haellmigk
Editing by	Tim Porter
Original air date	June 1, 2014 (2014-06-01)
Running time	52 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martell Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand Michael McElhatton as Roose Bolton Ian McElhinney as Barristan Selmy Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Mace Tyrell Yuri Kolokolnikov as Styr Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei Mark Stanley as Grenn Ben Crompton as Edd Tollett Josef Altin as Pypar Paola Dionisotti as Anya Waynwood Rupert Vansittart as Yohn Royce Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Gregor Clegane Grahame Fox as Ralf Kenning Lino Facioli as Robin Arryn Alisdair Simpson as Donnel Waynwood Richard Doubleday as Vance Corbray
Episode chronology
← Previous "Mockingbird" Next → "The Watchers on the Wall"
Game of Thrones (season 4) List of Game of Thrones episodes

"The Mountain and the Viper" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 38th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Alex Graves. It aired on June 1, 2014.

Gilly (Hannah Murray) has a tense conversation with one of the prostitutes at Mole's Town, before the village is attacked by Styr (Yuri Kolokolnikov), Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju), and the other wildlings. Gilly is discovered by Ygritte (Rose Leslie), but Ygritte notices Gilly's baby and spares them. News of the attack reaches the Wall, where Samwell (John Bradley) laments his decision to move Gilly to Mole's Town, and ponders whether she is still alive. With Mance Rayder's attack on the Wall imminent, the men of the Night's Watch contemplate their chances against the wildling horde.

Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon) rehearses his plan with Reek (Alfie Allen), who will be masquerading as his former self, Theon Greyjoy. Riding a horse with a white flag, Theon enters Moat Cailin and is received by Ralf Kenning (Grahame Fox). Theon gives him the terms for their surrender, which Kenning intends to decline, before he is killed by one of his own men, who assumes command and accepts the terms. However, after the Ironborn open the Moat's gates, Ramsay and his army flay and slaughter them. As a reward for retaking the Moat, Lord Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) legitimizes Ramsay as a true Bolton. The Boltons, their army, and Reek then depart for their new seat at Winterfell.

Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) catches Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) watching her bathe. Although she protects her modesty after seeing him, she later seeks advice from Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and expresses a desire to have a relationship with him. Unfortunately, as all Unsullied are made eunuchs at an early age a relationship is practically impossible. Speaking with Missandei later, Grey Worm admits that he is not sorry that he was castrated, as had he not become Unsullied he would have never met her.