The Blades are idiots (MASSIVE Skyrim main quest spoilers)

[MiracleOfSound]

Because I know someone is going to neglect to read the title, I shall spoiler box the following.

Spoiler

Refusing to help me anymore until I kill Parrthurnax? Really?

I can completely understand why they would bear a grudge against him due to his history. But to suddenly turn around and alienate Dovahkiin unless he kills him is just flat out retarded.

I thought the Blades were about honour and morals, not petty revenge that, in its short sightedness, potentially endangers the entire world by way of their inaction - alienating and wishing destruction on what is probably their greatest ally and asset in the struggle.

There really should have been another choice here. Dovahkiin should have been able to explain to Delphine and Old Wrinkly Neck how it is wrong to judge a beast on its primal nature, especially one who has spent thousands of years overcoming its nature in order to transcend it and improve itself ethically. The moral question is there, I'm not attempting to answer it here, just suggesting that Delphine is an idiot for posing it at the time she did.

What did you guys think? were the Blades right here or was it a really dumb request?

 

[Ruwrak]

Spoiler

You do realise that they wanted to kill you in Oblivion right?
I'm not impressed by their intelligence, considering they nearly died out MOMENTS after the player dissapeared from their presence after the dissapearance of Mehunes Dagon at the end of Oblivion

Not like they are smart to start with =/

 

[everfreeDragon]

I accidentally found out about this quest early, honestly, unless they are essential for the entire game I plan to cull every blade for this.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Spoiler

I promptly told them to go fuck themselves after they gave me that ultimatum. Parrthurnax had helped me and given me no reason to betray him. It was a really petty request.

 

[suitepee7]

i'm not at that point yet, but i had a looksies at the spoiler anyway. is there any way you can say no to them and continue the main quest?

 

[ShindoL Shill]

i havent reached that part yet, but when i do i swear to Alduin, i will punch Dolphin-lady.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

i'm not at that point yet, but i had a looksies at the spoiler anyway. is there any way you can say no to them and continue the main quest?

Yeah. The game doesn't screw you, just the characters.

 

[walrusaurus]

It definitely wasn't a very well justified position essentially: 'He must die because of a vague moral position that is the single most important thing in our existence, but for some reason we've never even hinted at prior to this!'

What i really took issue with is that they didn't even follow through with their threat. I told them i wasn't going to do it, and they came to the council anyways... wtf. Seriously, how bout some consistency?

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

Spoiler

I let them saunter off back to their stupid castle while I talked to my magical dragon friend. If it wasn't for his 25%+/25%- staggering buff, Skuldafn would've been unplayable with all those FUCKING freight-train Draugr with the two-handers and the dragon shouts. No way I could've kited all of them to death if they could effectively FUS RO DAH me in the back.

 

[ResonanceGames]

Yeah, if they game didn't have that stupid "no important characters can die" feature, I'd slaughter them for their betrayal.

Really though, I think this is just a case of bad Bethesda character writing. They don't write characters, they write plot point and quest vending machines.

 

[bobfish92]

The game was too focused on giving faction choices than ones that were actually relevant or character from within the faction choices. They went for the extremes between the factions when what would have made more sense is delphine meerly warning you against Parth due to the blades historical relations with the dragons. If there is one thing bethesda hasn't been able to do since morrowind its actually make factions that act with character rather than sticking 100% always to their code. Its a horrible piece of recent games always being black and white in comparison to the greys of the past, especially morrowind. And whilst you could debate empire vs stormcloaks is greyshade, their traits are still black and white, even if the final result is somewhat grey. Its a far step from (for example) Hlaau's being by far the least racist - but only because it makes them more money greyshade, or telvanni being indifferent about power but as a result doing fuck all to help people.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

Spoiler

They're kinda right. Try telling Parthanax what the Blades asked you to do. His response? "They're right not to trust me." and goes on to mention that "The need to dominate is built into the heart of every Dovah." And what about talking to your tame dragon about Parthanax? He talks of Parthanax's Way of the Word as "tyrannical". The basic toss up the character is given is do you a) wipe out all the dragons to be sure the threat is gone or b) trust Parthanax to suppress his own nature. And to suppress it every day of his immortal life from now on.

For the record I went with Parthanax, but I could see where the Blades were coming from.

 

[kyogen]

I like the choice the player has to make in Skyrim. The Blades have their own point of view for a reason, and I prefer Delphine and Esbern to Jauffre & co. in Oblivion. I still didn't side with them, but I get where they're coming from.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Aren't dragons the sons of Akatosh? Why would they all be inherently evil? Also, since the PC has the soul of a dragon wouldn't that make him/her evil as well?

 

[EHKOS]

I didn't even....we needed their help? I think on my run they said as long as I associated with him then we were done and I was like "Ok I guess they leave now...or something. Whatever."
And that was a the weird negotiation where Ulfric gets pissed for getting the Reach and just up and leaves my ass hanging with the Imperial scum. So it got awkward for me and I never saw them again......

 

[Kopikatsu]

Aren't dragons the sons of Akatosh? Why would they all be inherently evil? Also, since the PC has the soul of a dragon wouldn't that make him/her evil as well?

If by 'Sons of Akatosh' you mean that Akatosh was the 'boss' of Dragons at one point, then yes. But it's not like Dragons come from Akatosh or anything.

Also, Dragons as a whole aren't inherently evil...but the Dragons resurrected by Alduin are. That's why he resurrected them, because they'd serve him.

 

[DracoSuave]

Aren't dragons the sons of Akatosh? Why would they all be inherently evil? Also, since the PC has the soul of a dragon wouldn't that make him/her evil as well?

They're not evil, per se. They're very hierarchal, and whoever is the most powerful is the one in charge. The dragons aren't following Alduin out of goodness or evil; they follow because Alduin is frikken mighty.

Parth. isn't helping you because he wants to save the world, he's helping you so that the death of Alduin will create a power vacuum for him to fill. Once he fills it, dragon attacks don't exactly stop. Look at the Greybeards... they're not there to make sure the Thu'um is widespread to combat the dragon menace; they ration it out according to Parth.'s needs. They ration that knowledge out; only the Dragonborn gets exemption, and that's because Parth. NEEDS the Dragonborn to defeat Alduin permenantly; only the Dovahkiin can kill a dragon forever.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Aren't dragons the sons of Akatosh? Why would they all be inherently evil? Also, since the PC has the soul of a dragon wouldn't that make him/her evil as well?

They're not evil, per se. They're very hierarchal, and whoever is the most powerful is the one in charge. The dragons aren't following Alduin out of goodness or evil; they follow because Alduin is frikken mighty.

Parth. isn't helping you because he wants to save the world, he's helping you so that the death of Alduin will create a power vacuum for him to fill. Once he fills it, dragon attacks don't exactly stop. Look at the Greybeards... they're not there to make sure the Thu'um is widespread to combat the dragon menace; they ration it out according to Parth.'s needs. They ration that knowledge out; only the Dragonborn gets exemption, and that's because Parth. NEEDS the Dragonborn to defeat Alduin permenantly; only the Dovahkiin can kill a dragon forever.

I think the fact that there are still hostile Dragons after you beat the game is more of a gameplay and story segregation kind of thing. Otherwise, it would be 'You beat the game but don't have enough souls to get all the Shouts? Sucks for you!'

Not really sure about the whole power vaccum thing...did it say that anywhere? Because...

Spoiler

Paarthurnax was instrumental in Alduin's defeat the first time around. And after Alduin was beaten, Paarth just kind of...didn't do anything at all.

I don't remember if they explained why Ulfric can use Shouts, but I imagine the reason the Greybeards don't just teach people willy nilly is because it has the chance to backfire horrifically (Like someone walking up to the High King and Shouting him to death for instance). Also, it takes a really, REALLY long time to learn them if you aren't Dragonborn.

 

[chronicfc]

yeah, I was wondering about that, so I went to Parth to explain the situation and he was all "*****, please, I'm a good guy" so I decided just to say "Fuck You, Bladey McFuckerson"