Set photos from House of the Dragon's third season reveal a proper look at the Green Men in the Game of Thrones universe. The HBO Max series is a prequel to the mainline show based on George R.R. Martin's Targaryen history novel Fire & Blood. Season 3 of House of the Dragon will continue to traverse the fantasy realm of Westeros as the Targaryen dynasty goes to war with itself for the Iron Throne.
Some new photos taken from the set of House of the Dragon, which recently wrapped filming its third season, have revealed a look at an intriguing new character. The image shows a man dressed in green prosthetic makeup and forestry attire. He also has distinctive tree-like horns on his head, which has led many fans to believe this is another appearance of a Green Man.
A similar Green Man showed up briefly in Season 2 of House of the Dragon, when Daemon (Matt Smith) followed Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) to the Godswood at Harrenhal. This took place right before Daemon received his prophetic vision of the future, which convinced him to re-swear fealty to Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy). During this sequence, the Green Man was shrouded in shadow and seen at a distance, making this set photo one of the best looks at the Green Men's actual design.
Not much is known about the Green Men in Game of Thrones. In A Song of Ice and Fire lore, the Green Men hail from the Isle of Faces, a sacred island in the heart of a lake named the Gods Eye. The island is home to the holy weirwood trees, which are believed to be imbued with the spirits of the ancestors, and the Green Men are said to be the guardians of these spaces. It is also near Harrenhal, where Daemon held camp for much of Season 2.
Nursery tales in the lore of Game of Thrones suggest that Green Men possess green skin and antlers, while Maesters have a more grounded belief that they wear green clothes and bear wooden headdresses. The depiction in House of the Dragon seems to lean more toward the fantastical interpretation of the Green Men, suggesting they are magical beings.
House of the Dragon's third season continues the story of the civil war between the Greens and the Blacks in the Targaryen dynasty. The series stars Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Tom Glynn-Carney, and Ewan Mitchell. It first aired in 2022 and will return in 2026.
What Role Will the Green Men Play in House of the Dragon Season 3
The Green Men are only referred to in stories and whispers in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, so for one to show up in House of the Dragon Season 2 was already a big surprise for fans. For the character to return in Season 3 raises even more questions, suggesting perhaps that House of the Dragon will explain more of the lore around this mysterious group.
Additional photos from the House of the Dragon Season 3 set seem to show a meeting between Alys Rivers and the Dragonseeds (the new dragonriders from Rhaenyra's side), which is likely when this Green Man character will return as he was also linked to Alys when she took Daemon to the weirwood tree in Season 2, suggesting she may have a connection to them.
Later in the Fire & Blood book, Addam Velaryon is said to take counsel with the Green Men before the second battle of Tumbleton. It's unclear how far into the book Season 3 of the show will get, but this appearance of the Green Men in Season 3 of House of the Dragon could be planting the seeds for Addam's eventual meeting with them.
The Green Men and their links to the Children of the Forest are a part of Game of Thrones lore that wasn't explored fully in the original show. Their inclusion in House of the Dragon could be a second chance at doing justice to this undiscovered group's lore, adding more insight into the history of Martin's fantasy world on-screen.
