Brandon Stark, who is technically King now, was crippled in the first episode of the series. Tyrion was talking about himself and Jon in Season 1, but that sort of applies to everyone who ended up 'winning' or surviving Game of Thrones. Tyrion's little callback also may have motivated Jon in his decision to lead the homeless Wildlings back out of Westeros, and likely never come back. The council sends Jon back to the Wall as punishment, knowing full well that this is hardly a punishment for Jon Snow. The second, where the callback appears, happens when Tyrion is freeing Jon Snow after he was imprisoned for killing Daenerys Targaryen. The first occurs when Tyrion is imprisoned, and he and Jon to figure out what they should do in the aftermath of Daenerys Targaryen flattening King's Landing with fire and blood, he repeated the sentiment. It's the second of two 'prison talks' that the characters have in the episode. “The world will always need a home for bastards and broken men' is what Tyrion says in the series finale. 'I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples, and bastards, and broken things' - that's what Tyrion said to Jon in Season 1, when they met at the Wall. Tyrion's 'cripples, bastards, and broken things' line in the Game of Thrones finale not only referenced Season 1, it ended up being kind of the theme for the entire series.
Spoilers for the Game of Thrones series finale ahead! The callbacks in the Game of Thrones came quick, but hit hard.
