Paarthurnax (SPOILERS!!!)

[nokori3byo]

I've been scratching my head about this one since finishing Skyrim's main quest last Saturday: should Paarthurnax be killed or allowed to live?

First, hear me out for a second here. I wasn't about to kill him over the Blades' insistence that he had to die because he was incurably evil. The way I'm roleplaying it, the Dovakiin is a sort of liminal figure, standing between humanity and dragonkind. And while it might be the player's destiny to eliminate the dragon threat by slaying them and absorbing their souls, I can't help but feel that they still have some role to play in the Elder Scrolls world. To begin with, hostilities are bound to resume between the Empire and the Thalmor at some point. The intervention of dragons on one side or the other could really tip the scales (no pun intended).

But I'm getting ahead of myself here...

What really got me thinking about the advisability of leaving Paarthurnax alive was Odaviing's parting statement at the Throat of the World during the epilogue. This late defector from Alduin's leadership voiced doubt that the dragons would accept the "tyranny of Paarthurnax," which sounds to me more than a little like an invitation for the Dovakiin to overthrow Paarthy and seize the leadership for himself. Now obviously, this would not affect the alignment of dragons in-game, but might become relevant later in the story.

Most of all, I feel a certain sympathy for the dragons and their Manichean morality, because part of me believes the world (theirs and ours) really works like that.

What did you decide and why?

 

[RADlTZ]

I let him live, because if Delphine wants him dead she can bloody well do it herself. Plus, she didnt say please.

 

[Kimarous]

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't, maybe? Also, "tyranny" doesn't necessarily need to have a negative context; the original meaning of the word was just "absolute rule". Given that we're dealing with an ancient species here, it's not unlikely that they'd use terminology in such ways, especially since they have don't have the strongest grasp of the common tongue. Even Paarthurnax, who has spent a long time exclusively with humans (albeit not the most talkative bunch) inevitably slips in and out of Draconic every so often, and Odahviing has an even weaker grasp of the language.

 

[kouriichi]

Raj thinks dragons are fickle creatures. Follow thing with biggest stick.
Look how easily one turns on Alduin!

But Raj really has no place to speak on matter. Follow person with biggest supply of moon sugar, then sta-..... I mean, buy from him till Raj has biggest supply.
Also follow woman with biggest breasts! Usually ends up in bad place rather not talk about. Wife Mjoll has 6th sense about me cheating. Always seems to know. Her foot has Clairvoyance, and my nether region is its quest.

But getting off topic again. Think Paarthy should live. Think he is cool bro. Could not save world without him! Why show your gratitude by stabbing him?
Besides, all things backfire in future. Kill him, dragons might not listen to anyone! Then how good will world be? At least Paarthy seems to be reasonable at times. And he always pays tab at tavern! Cannot argue with man who pays tab!

 

[DasNoire]

To put it bluntly, I just slaughtered him and he didn't even fight back. Sadface. In Skyrim, I'm just a cold blooded killer and I take up any chance to kill something. BLOOD.

 

[nokori3byo]

Better the devil you know than the devil you don't, maybe? Also, "tyranny" doesn't necessarily need to have a negative context; the original meaning of the word was just "absolute rule". Given that we're dealing with an ancient species here, it's not unlikely that they'd use terminology in such ways, especially since they have don't have the strongest grasp of the common tongue. Even Paarthurnax, who has spent a long time exclusively with humans (albeit not the most talkative bunch) inevitably slips in and out of Draconic every so often, and Odahviing has an even weaker grasp of the language.

True that. The Attic Greek "turannos" simply meant "king," but for democracy-loving Athenians it quickly took on a negative meaning.

But I think the clear message of Odaviing's words is that Paarthurnax's success would depend completely on having the power to compell loyalty. Running away from the Dovakiin after their first (well, technically second) encounter was exactly what endangered Alduin's grasp on power.

 

[Versuvius]

I let him live. He has mastered himself and his urges to rule and is willing to teach other dragons the way of the word as he has done with those willing to learn it. Delphine even says that while he poses no threat yet he could turn, and frankly, Paarthunax is more amiable, affable and interesting than Delphine or the old coot is. So fuck them. I like that old dragon

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Parthy struck me as helpful, reasonable, and a solid bro. He even understood why the Blades wanted me to kill him and said that they made a valid point. The two Blades are bigoted, hopelessly paranoid people who I did not like at all.

 

[The Pinray]

I let him live. Blades are ungrateful dicks. If it wasn't for me they'd still be hiding in the damned sewers. So if they want Paarthy dead, they'll have to go through me, the Greybeards, the Companions, and Odahviing first.

Good luck to them. Jerks.

 

[mcnally86]

He gives me buffs and stuff, why would I kill him and lose that. From a moral point of view not many knew he was even on that mountain until he helped you. He is serving his penance, if he steps back out of line Ill kill him then but not before. Sorry blades you guys stink.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

I really like Parthunaax I feel totally miserable atm because the blades want me to kill him.



I wanted to turn around and list all the nasty shit I've done and see if they want to bring me to justice...

They can try...

 

[Akimoto]

Democracy like the blades want may not necessarily lead to peace.

I let him live, because if Delphine wants him dead she can bloody well do it herself. Plus, she didnt say please.

My sentiments exactly. She wasn't too kind to the Grey Beards either.

 

[Apollo45]

I am the Dragonborn. The Blades are sworn to serve me. Therefore they can suck it. That was my thought on it anyway. I'll just wait for a mod to come out allowing me to beat the two of them in to submission without killing Paarthurnax.

 

[Krantos]

She wasn't too kind to the Grey Beards either.

Well, to be fair, the Greybeards were hardly charitable to the Blades either.

I personally think the Greybeards have become a little too into the whole Dragon thing. They seem to prefer Alduin win than to have Dovakiin kill him. There's a variety of things this could be saying about their characters, but I won't go into them here.

OT: I let Parth live. He's not hurting anything on his mountain. If the Blades truly serve the Dragonborn, they will respect my wishes. If not, they can accompany me to the top of the Throat to talk to him. If they still feel the need to kill him, I'll persuade them with a little FUS RO DAH.

 

[willis888]

When the Blades asked me to kill Paarthurnax, I was appalled. I walked about half-way out of the fortress, thinking there is no way that I was going to actually do it, before turning around and sneaking back inside to murder the Blades instead.

I gained a level from the ensuing assassination attempt. It's lame that they're both marked Essential and can't be killed, but they're kinda weak and make good trainers.

 

[Sincendiary]

My character doesn't trust any dova, but sees Paarthunax as currently more useful alive than dead, Delphine has long outlived her usefulness and should be grateful he doesn't decapitate her.

If Paarthunax becomes a threat in the future, he sees no reason he can't kill him then, not like he's not good at dragon killing.

Also, his voice is cooler.

 

[Nieroshai]

I think the "tyranny" of Paarthurnax is the fact that he has, to force a D&D comparison into the game, become lawful neutral whereas his brethren are for the most part chaotic neutral to chaotic evil, and would view any rule at all except from a literal demigod like Alduin as a challenge. Personally, from talking to Paarthurnax himself about his need to die, hee admits he constantly struggles with the fact that his heart cries to return to its chaotic roots, so maybe it is best in the end that he dies. Meanwhile, I see no reason to kill him unless he does something evil, since the Dovahkiin could put him down in a heartbeat. That and the Greybeards as an ally seems more of a plus than the expendable Blades who have been consumed with what I see as a perversion of their original purpose.

 

[Nieroshai]

I really like Parthunaax I feel totally miserable atm because the blades want me to kill him.



I wanted to turn around and list all the nasty shit I've done and see if they want to bring me to justice...

They can try...

Like that life sapping shout you can only complete by joining the Dark Brotherhood, that I've been using to kill dragons from cover? Yeah, I think they'd go ballistic if they knew, especially with my lycanthropy and daedric cannibalism ring.

 

[nokori3byo]

I let him live. Blades are ungrateful dicks. If it wasn't for me they'd still be hiding in the damned sewers. So if they want Paarthy dead, they'll have to go through me, the Greybeards, the Companions, and Odahviing first.

Good luck to them. Jerks.

This is pretty much how I feel. Though I like Esbern as a character, and I never would have thought I7d wind up siding with Mario against Antonius Block in anything...

 

[brunothepig]

There's a few reasons I didn't kill him. Most importantly, he's badass. But also, without his help there was no chance of defeating Alduin. He openly admitted that dragons are not to be trusted, but I say he still deserves trust. Yeah, he did awful things way back, but back then with Alduin holding ultimate power there wasn't much choice.

Also very important, he is now instructing other dragons in the way of the Voice. This means less dragons trying to eat peasants, and it means a few more allies if something else comes along. Lets see the Thalmor fight the Dovahkiin and his army of motherfucking dragons.