The 30 most heartwarming moments on Game of Thrones

26. Tyrion helps Bran take the reigns (“Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”)

SARAH: When Tyrion arrives at Winterfell following his short trip to the Wall in Season 1, he receives a less-than-warm welcome from Robb Stark, the acting Lord of Winterfell. It’s easy to watch this scene back and feel irritated by Robb’s defensiveness, but it’s also hard to blame him. When Catelyn set out for King’s Landing, she imparted to her eldest son her suspicion that one or more of the Lannisters had attempted to murder his little brother. We, the audience, know that Tyrion is innocent, and although he suspects his siblings of the crime, he could be forgiven for taking offense and leaving Winterfell without a backwards glance.

Leave he does, but not before giving a special gift to a now-crippled Brandon Stark: plans for a saddle that will allow him to ride a horse alongside his brothers and friends. It’s a short, sweet, effective scene that warms the heart. At this point in the show, we’re just getting to know Tyrion as a character. He’d already connected with Jon on the road to the Wall, and shared his relief upon learning that Bran pulled through his ordeal, even if he didn’t come out of it fully intact. Bran is very grateful for the gift, and for the knowledge that he isn’t entirely alone in the world. Although he’s surrounded by friends and family, it took Tyrion Lannister, an outsider, to sense that he was feeling like he no longer belonged, and to do something about it.

There’s no hidden motive behind Tyrion’s gift. It’s the product of a kind heart and thoughtful mind. Tyrion wasn’t obligated to help Bran, but helped him anyway because, in his own words, he has a special place in his heart for cripples, bastards and broken things. Not only does this memorable line give the episode its title, it establishes Tyrion Lannister as a champion of the downtrodden, and a decent human being to boot.

KATIE: While this short exchange is heartwarming in and of itself, it’s very important in hindsight. Early on, Tyrion establishes common ground with two enormously important characters: Jon and Bran, who are now the resurrected King in the North and the Three-Eyed Raven respectively. And Tyrion has a bond with another Stark: Sansa, his estranged wife. While the pair had an understandably tricky relationship, there was also a sense of understanding and empathy.

There’s a long history of bad blood between the Starks and Lannisters, and it’s noteworthy that Tyrion has reached out with kindness to several of the Stark family members. He, like Arya, judges people based on their character rather than their name, which offers hope that the reasonable and well-intentioned will come to rule Westeros in the end. Tyrion has created major alliances that will undoubtedly come in handy now that the remaining characters and their plots are converging.

The North remembers, so it’s only fitting that the Starks remember Tyrion’s unselfish good deeds when the time comes.