One of the most impressive reveals in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim comes from meeting the game's friendly dragon, Paarthurnax. After having encountered only hostile dragons, this gave players the chance to not only converse with one - but to see a dragon up close and appreciate its design. As the leader of the Greybeards, Paarthurnax is an excellent representation of balance and a juxtaposition to the antagonist, Alduin.
Paarthurnax, voiced by iconic voice actor Charles Martinet of Super Mario fame, is the game's sole white dragon who rests atop the Throat of the World. He teaches the Greybeards of the Way of the Voice and offers the player counsel as well as buffs. The Blades ask the player to kill him if they wish to continue moving forward with the band of dragonslayers. What can players expect if they choose not to slay Paarthurnax? And why do the Blades want Paarthunax killed?
The Blades come from a long line of dragonslayers who became the personal guard of the king once dragons had become extinct. With their return in Skyrim, the Blades once more seek to take up arms against their sworn enemies. During the questline to be recruited into the Blades, Esbern discovers the player is being advised by Paarthurnax and refuses to move forward with the player's initiation until the friendly dragon has been killed. As with most of Skyrim's quests, the player can choose whether or not they carry out the act, but the bonuses the player will receive from keeping Paarthurnax alive far outweighs slaying him.
Should the player slay Paarthurnax, the Greybeard, Arngeir, will no longer tell players where to find Word Walls. Players will not be welcome at High Hrothgar, there are no more bonuses from Paarthurnax, and the peace treaty council cannot be formed, but the player will be able to join the Blades. Esbern will also offer the player a potion that gives them a permanent buff when fighting dragons. It doesn't seem all that bad, but it is far more beneficial to keep Paarthurnax alive.
Should players keep the great dragon alive, they can still get help from Arngeir in locating Word Walls to fully unlock the power of the voice. Paarthurnax will offer temporary buffs to Shouts, and the peace council to help settle Skyrim's civil war can be convened - which may drastically change allegiances and Jarls. Upon completing the game, Paarthurnax appears in a special cutscene and vows to rein in the remaining dragons, teaching them the Way of the Voice, and instilling peace throughout Skyrim. The only negative to keeping him alive is that Esbern will not create the potion and the quest will go incomplete in the player's quest log. It should also be noted the player will still have access to Sky Haven Temple, the headquarters of the Blades. In there, players will find a sword that deals extra damage to dragons and can be used in lieu of Esbern's potion for a similar effect.
Choosing the fate of Paarthurnax is another morally grey area of the game. Skyrim often asks players to make a choice between two bleak options, but the benefits to keeping Paarthurnax around far outweighs slaying him merely for the sake of a one-time-use potion and the title of Blade. Allowing Paarthurnax to live is a symbolic step toward peace, not only for the events of the council but in proving that dragons are not inherently bad.
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September 25, 2021 at 11:57PM
