The fourth instalment of DiversityQ’s Game of Thrones series analyses the strategic qualities of the characters Oberyn Martell and Grey Worm. 

This week, as the much-anticipated final season speeds towards its conclusion, DiversityQ takes a closer look at the minority characters in Game of Thrones and how their diversity not only enriches the plot but helps those in power, stay in power – similar to what happens in the world of business.

 1. Oberyn Martell

A Prince of Dorn, Oberyn Martell may be considered a disadvantaged minority in our world, being ethnic and of the LBTGQ community, but in Westeros, it’s not his background that disadvantages him, it’s his need for revenge and his overconfidence. Knowledgeable, fierce and a proud family man, he lives a fulfilled life amongst the beautiful landscape of Dorn but despite all this, puts his own life – and the lives of his family – at risk to seek revenge. The result? He gets his head smashed in by the Mountain. In business, the outcome may not be as bloody, but the essence remains the same; there’s a fine line between confidence and over-confidence. The former helps you succeed but the latter can make you lose everything.

2. Grey Worm

One of the few people of colour in Game of Thrones, Grey Worm is an ex-slave freed by Daenerys and the chosen leader of the Unsullied army. Fearless, loyal and focused, despite his difficult background and the abuse he has suffered from – including being castrated – he remains steadfast and strong in the face of hardship. Every business could benefit from a diligent and focussed worker like Grey Worm, and it’s a reminder that peoples’ pasts, as painful and challenging as they may have been, aren’t always a hindrance. For some, their past is a driving force behind their determination to succeed. Because of Grey Worm, Daenerys is where she is today: the ruler of Mereen, the liberator of Slavers Bay and well on her way to securing the iron throne.

So far this week, we have explored the Game of Thrones characters Cersei Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen and Missandei, and Tyrion Lannister. Tomorrow we take a look at Jamie Lannister.

Game of Thrones is shown on the Sky platform in the UK