That Weird Green Men Scene Foreshadows A Mysterious 'House Of The Dragon' Legend
House of the Dragon (2022) Season 3, Episode 1, concluded with the infamous Battle of the Gullet, which resulted in the death of Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett). However, before all that, Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) sent Ulf (Tom Bennett), Hugh (Kieran Bew), and Addam (Clinton Liberty) to intercept Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) on his way to Harrenhal with their dragons. Aemond never comes, and the Dragonseeds decide to leave after encountering a couple of strange things on the Isle of Faces.
One such occurrence involves Addam and Hugh glimpsing a man adorned with antlers. The moment is brief, no more than a few seconds. However, the mysterious man in question is most likely one of the Green Men, and this sighting could pay off on a legend mentioned in George R. R. Martin's source material, Fire & Blood.
Addam's Trip To The Isle Of Faces, Explained
The following section contains spoilers for George R. R. Martin's Fire & Blood.
House of the Dragon Season 3 has been action-packed so far—and there are more battles still to come. One, in particular, marks a major betrayal. During the First Battle of Tumbleton, Ulf and Hugh switch allegiances, abandoning Rhaenyra's cause for Team Green. Addam, as the last loyal Dragonseed, decides to seek out the Green Men on the Isle of Faces.
This is where details get sparse. Martin's book only mentions the incident, with the historical accounting not allowing for details because no one but Addam was there. As such, the line between fact and legend blurs, but what's most important is that Addam returns to Rhaenyra with over 4,000 new soldiers.
Again, how the Green Men contributed to Addam's recruitment is unknown, which gives the House of the Dragon writers room to play with the tale, if they decide to recount it at all. That said, Addam's brief spotting of one of the Green Men seems to suggest foreshadowing for Addam's later meeting with the mythical people.
Who Are The Green Men In 'House Of The Dragon'?
This isn't the first time the Green Men have appeared in House of the Dragon. Remember the antlered man that Daemon (Matt Smith) glimpsed at Harrenhal in Season 2? Daemon, of course, chalks the vision off as part of his dream-like hallucinations (or maybe nightmares is the better word), but it proves the Green Men are around and likely poised to play a role in the Dance of the Dragons, no matter how small.
To understand the Green Men, you need to time-travel to the early days of Westeros. Here, legends imply that after the First Men, aka the original human settlers, waged war against the Children of the Forest, the non-human creatures of Westeros, they made a pact. Together, they carved faces on all the trees—hence the Isle of Faces name—and appointed men to guard the forests.
As such, the Green Men are part of an ancient order that is still active during House of the Dragons and Game of Thrones (2011). Martin doesn't give much detail about them, which creates an interesting in-universe lore shrouded in mystery. Questions about whether they're magical or not remain ongoing debates among citizens of Westeros, and even descriptions of the Green Men vary based on who you ask.
The Green Men spotted in House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1, appears to be wearing an outfit created from elk antlers and skins rather than actually having organic antlers themselves. However, as House of the Dragon continues, we may get more answers about one of the Game of Thrones Universe's biggest mysteries.
