The Children (Game of Thrones)

"The Children"
Game of Thrones episode
Tyrion Lannister aiming a crossbow at his father, Tywin.
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 10
Directed by	Alex Graves
Written by	David Benioff D. B. Weiss
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Anette Haellmigk
Editing by	Tim Porter
Original air date	June 15, 2014 (2014-06-15)
Running time	65 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Ciarán Hinds as Mance Rayder Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Ian McElhinney as Barristan Selmy Struan Rodger as the Three-Eyed Raven Thomas Brodie Sangster as Jojen Reed Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed Kristian Nairn as Hodor Tara Fitzgerald as Selyse Baratheon Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei Mark Stanley as Grenn Ben Crompton as Edd Tollett Josef Altin as Pypar Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne Trevor Allan Davies as Fennesz Brenock O'Connor as Olly Kerry Ingram as Shireen Baratheon Octavia Selena Alexandru as the Child of the Forest Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Gregor Clegane Darren Kent as a grieving father Gary Oliver as a Braavosi captain Ian Whyte as a Giant
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Watchers on the Wall" Next → "The Wars to Come"
Game of Thrones (season 4) List of Game of Thrones episodes

"The Children" is the tenth and final episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 40th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Alex Graves.

"The Children" received overwhelming acclaim from critics, with praise directed at the deaths of Shae and Tywin Lannister, Bran reaching the Heart Tree and the fight scene between Brienne and Sandor "The Hound" Clegane.

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) receives a citizen who wants to be sold back into slavery because he feels his life as a high-ranking slave was better than as a freedman. Daenerys reluctantly grants his request, allowing him to form a contract with his former master that can last no longer than a year. The next citizen in line brings her the charred remains of his daughter, who was killed by Drogon, one of her dragons. While Drogon has not returned, she tearfully chains her two other dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, away in the catacombs as a precaution.

Jon Snow (Kit Harington) meets with the King-beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds), ostensibly to discuss an end to their conflict, although Jon actually plans to assassinate him. Though Mance eventually sees through Jon's ruse and nearly kills him, their negotiations are cut short when they hear a horn blast, and a massive cavalry charge led by King Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) and Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) overruns the wildling encampment. Mance surrenders to Stannis, and though Stannis thinks to kill him, Jon suggests taking him captive instead, as Mance once showed him similar mercy. After holding a funeral for the deceased brothers, Jon burns Ygritte's (Rose Leslie) remains north of the Wall, following Tormund Giantsbane's (Kristofer Hivju) request.

Further north, Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his companions reach their destination: the large Heart Tree seen in Jojen Reed's (Thomas Brodie Sangster) vision. Upon approaching the tree, they are set upon by a group of undead. Though Jojen is killed in the attack, Bran, Hodor (Kristian Nairn), and Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick) are saved by a Child of the Forest (Octavia Selena Alexandru). The child takes the group into the cave under the Heart Tree to meet an old man sitting amongst tree roots (Struan Rodger), who tells Bran that while he will never be able to walk again, he will be able to fly.