Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things

"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things"
Game of Thrones episode
At the episode's climax, Tyrion Lannister is surrounded by Catelyn Stark's newfound allies.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 4
Directed by	Brian Kirk
Written by	Bryan Cogman
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Marco Pontecorvo
Editing by	Frances Parker
Original air date	May 8, 2011 (2011-05-08)
Running time	55 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin Conleth Hill as Varys Jerome Flynn as Bronn Owen Teale as Alliser Thorne Jamie Sives as Jory Cassel Ron Donachie as Rodrik Cassel Francis Magee as Yoren Ian McElhinney as Barristan Selmy Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Gethin Anthony as Renly Baratheon Emun Elliott as Marillion Susan Brown as Septa Mordane Margaret John as Old Nan John Bradley as Samwell Tarly Mark Stanley as Grenn Josef Altin as Pypar Luke McEwan as Rast Conan Stevens as Gregor Clegane Amrita Acharia as Irri Roxanne McKee as Doreah Kristian Nairn as Hodor Jefferson Hall as Hugh of the Vale Joe Dempsie as Gendry Andrew Wilde as Tobho Motte Callum Wharry as Tommen Baratheon Aimee Richardson as Myrcella Baratheon
Episode chronology
← Previous "Lord Snow" Next → "The Wolf and the Lion"
Game of Thrones (season 1) List of Game of Thrones episodes

"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" is the fourth episode of the HBO medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones, which first aired on May 8, 2011. It was written by Bryan Cogman and directed by Brian Kirk. In this episode Lord Eddard Stark, the new Hand of the King, investigates the sudden death of his predecessor. Jon Snow, Eddard's bastard son, defends a new recruit who has just joined the rangers at "the Wall." Exiled prince Viserys becomes increasingly frustrated as the Dothraki horde he needs to invade Westeros and win back his crown continues to linger at Vaes Dothrak. The episode ends with Eddard's wife Catelyn arresting Tyrion Lannister on suspicion of attempting to murder her son Bran.

The title comes from the original book, spoken by Tyrion after he provides Bran Stark with a saddle design that will allow him to ride despite his paraplegia: "I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things."

Critical reaction to the episode was mostly positive, with critics citing the Night's Watch scenes at the Wall as highlights, as well as Michelle Fairley's performance as Catelyn Stark in the final scene of the episode with Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. In the United States, the episode achieved a viewership of 2.5 million in its initial broadcast.

Lord Eddard Stark begins quietly inquiring into the death of Jon Arryn, the previous Hand of the King, who had long served as the Kingdom's chief administrative nobleman. Questioning Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover), who tended Jon Arryn in his final days, Stark learns that Arryn's last words were "the seed is strong" and that he was reading a book titled The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms.

Helped by Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen) and his net of informers, Eddard follows up on two more clues regarding the last days of his predecessor. He questions a smith's apprentice whom Jon Arryn had visited in his last days and, due to his resemblance to King Robert, Stark deduces that the boy is the king's bastard. Eddard also plans to question Jon Arryn's former squire, but the recently knighted young man is killed while jousting at the tournament held in Eddard's honor. The knight responsible for his untimely end is Ser Gregor Clegane (Conan Stevens), also known as "the Mountain" due to his towering size. He is a Lannister bannerman and is the older brother of "the Hound" Sandor Clegane. Baelish tells Sansa the secret of the Clegane brothers: as children, Gregor brutally burned his brother's face, thus explaining the Hound's scars.