I never understood why the devs didn't give the player the option to just tell the blades "no". Paarthunax certainly isn't innocent, but hes definitely put alot more good into the world than bad.
This speech has always stuck with me, and has helped kind of form my philosophy about morality. I meet a lot of people who are convinced that they're irredeemably bad. And I tell them the speech every single time as a point to show that you can be bad and it's fine. It's not the only thing you can ever be. You can always choose to be better. Even if it's the hardest thing that you'll ever do and in a lot of cases, it just might be. But you can still do it. I haven't played a vanilla version of Skyroom in forever, but I always chose Paarthurnax over the blades, because the blades' ideology is inflexible. It doesn't account for the idea that good things can become bad or bad things can become good. It's a short sighted philosophy that doesn't accommodate a changing world, which Tamriel certainly is. Nowadays, whenever I play Skyrim I use a mod called the paarthurnax dilemma. This mod more or less gives you the option to force the blades into compliance. It puts the dragonborn in a position where they have to behave a bit more like a dov, really giving you an understanding of the dominating nature that Paarthurnax mentioned. It feels like a pretty good canon substitute, since it's exactly how I expect someone like the dragonborn to behave. Even if it's not a moral thing, the dragonborn would likely realize that Paarthurnax and the blades both were better to keep as assets. Especially considering the hassle that they have to go through to gain even tertiary information about either, I'm sure they would come to the same conclusion that it's better to have a couple of living encyclopedias around.
I always really like to think in the end the DragonBorn sees dragons are like people and some are good and some are bad and he eventually becomes friends with alot of them
@@Little-wig yes! 100 percent agree! Honestly the Dragonborn had a lot of opportunities to develop their ethical code across the story. Especially the assassination of the emperor. I always save the Dark Brotherhood questline for the end of my playthrough because it feels like both the final test of your skills and knowledge in the art of killing and the final lesson on moral relativism. In my version of the story the Dragonborn pulls a Tiber Septim and reunites the Empire using a combination of great power and knowledge and his unique perspective on life.
this reminds me of a line from scripture regarding humans being superior to angels. angels know only of good since birth. whereas humans know of evil, but can choose to live as good.
I’m pretty sure it’s a meta thing. To be a Dov is to naturally desire power and dominance. The player naturally seeks to 100% the game. But will you live above that temptation and spare the life of the Dragon who has been your ally and mentor since around the beginning - who betrayed Alduin himself for the good of Man and may give his kin a second chance at life with the Way of the Voice? Or will you slay him and take his soul to feel a sense of completion and an advancement in your character’s strength.
Everytime I've played Skyrim, I've come to understand Paarthurnax just a little bit more, absolutely amazing to see him still make me think about my actions.. I've never been able to understand this until now because of how young I was when I first heard it. The more I think about it though, the more I can see a reflection of this in my own life. I think people don't understand that they can change for the better, all it takes is determination and hard work.
yeaa when I was young and oblivion came out I went around and killed every npc I could just to get there armor and stuff, not caring if I failed quest or did them bad
What is better is to over come your evil nature. In that is the strength, will power, desire, and integrity to overcome the evil. In such is purpose, responsibility, and true virtue. Whilst being born good simply is a state of being and has no virtue or efforts.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with that second statement. Just because you’re born good, does not mean it comes with ease. There are plenty of things in the world that try to bring you down make you bitter, uncaring, and apathetic to it all. One can see in those moments the virtue and effort it takes to remain good, even when it hurts to. To overcome your evil nature requires you to fight against yourself. To be born good requires you to eventually fight against others. Both are indescribably difficult.
Everyone--all humans--are dangerous. I would rather live with the knowledge that I'm a monster and learn to discipline myself, than to live in blissful ignorance until I'm caught off-guard by inevitable temptation.
Luke 15:7 tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
For a dragon, he is by far one of the most well-written characters in Skyrim. And his reasoning and whatnot was understandable, and as a Christian is kind of hit home Luke 15:7 for me - I say unto you that likewise more joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. Bethesda ain’t always the best, but when they put effort into a character they put in a lot of effort and they can turn out great. The Blades may have been right to some degree, but they were so blinded by their desire to wipe out the dragons they couldn’t see that Paarthurnax changed and turned from his old ways and embraced righteousness and honor.
@@TarsonTalon I'd argue both paths have their pros and cons. To be born good helps avoid bad things from happening in the first place but those who overcame their bad nature can more successfuly guide other troubled souls down a better path just as they did. Someone who was good all their life won't understand what it's like to be someone in that position. People become evil all the time either by nature or their upbringing. It's no different than a vet trying to warn the younger generation about war or an ex-gang member keeping kids away from crime. We listen to those with experience.
To be born good requires you to fight against others, as the world around you will find ways to make you bitter and spiteful. To fight against your worse natures require you to fight against yourself, as it tempts you with the easier paths and torments you with regrets.
@GUEST-7139 Dragons were like n*zis, they went on to kill millions of humans. Imagine a former n*zi who repented and started doing good actions to repent himself (prays every day, gives food and money to people, apologizes to Jews and gives money to the families he once helped to destroy etc…). I would definitely say that an ex-Nazi has the possibility to go to Heaven if he truly repented and started doing good, but if i had to choose between him and an actual veteran who fought against Nazis since the beginning? I’d choose the one who has been always good 100%. I really only choose Paarthurnax because Delphine is fking arrogant and literally stops protecting the Dragonborn (the thing she ought to do as a Blade) if we don’t agree with her. Also Dragons have it in their nature to dominate and kill humans, so that’s another point to Parturnax for becoming good, but still. English is not my first language also so there might be errors and misunderstandings
I never understood why the devs didn't give the player the option to just tell the blades "no". Paarthunax certainly isn't innocent, but hes definitely put alot more good into the world than bad.
mods save the day
it's a bethesda game lol
This speech has always stuck with me, and has helped kind of form my philosophy about morality. I meet a lot of people who are convinced that they're irredeemably bad. And I tell them the speech every single time as a point to show that you can be bad and it's fine. It's not the only thing you can ever be. You can always choose to be better. Even if it's the hardest thing that you'll ever do and in a lot of cases, it just might be. But you can still do it.
I haven't played a vanilla version of Skyroom in forever, but I always chose Paarthurnax over the blades, because the blades' ideology is inflexible. It doesn't account for the idea that good things can become bad or bad things can become good. It's a short sighted philosophy that doesn't accommodate a changing world, which Tamriel certainly is.
Nowadays, whenever I play Skyrim I use a mod called the paarthurnax dilemma. This mod more or less gives you the option to force the blades into compliance. It puts the dragonborn in a position where they have to behave a bit more like a dov, really giving you an understanding of the dominating nature that Paarthurnax mentioned. It feels like a pretty good canon substitute, since it's exactly how I expect someone like the dragonborn to behave. Even if it's not a moral thing, the dragonborn would likely realize that Paarthurnax and the blades both were better to keep as assets. Especially considering the hassle that they have to go through to gain even tertiary information about either, I'm sure they would come to the same conclusion that it's better to have a couple of living encyclopedias around.
I always really like to think in the end the DragonBorn sees dragons are like people and some are good and some are bad and he eventually becomes friends with alot of them
@@Little-wig yes! 100 percent agree! Honestly the Dragonborn had a lot of opportunities to develop their ethical code across the story. Especially the assassination of the emperor. I always save the Dark Brotherhood questline for the end of my playthrough because it feels like both the final test of your skills and knowledge in the art of killing and the final lesson on moral relativism. In my version of the story the Dragonborn pulls a Tiber Septim and reunites the Empire using a combination of great power and knowledge and his unique perspective on life.
this reminds me of a line from scripture regarding humans being superior to angels. angels know only of good since birth. whereas humans know of evil, but can choose to live as good.
@@Cooler7328 I remember that line. That's a good line. Even in biblical times, they realized that humans have infinite potential.
THIS is why I did not kill him
I’m pretty sure it’s a meta thing. To be a Dov is to naturally desire power and dominance. The player naturally seeks to 100% the game. But will you live above that temptation and spare the life of the Dragon who has been your ally and mentor since around the beginning - who betrayed Alduin himself for the good of Man and may give his kin a second chance at life with the Way of the Voice? Or will you slay him and take his soul to feel a sense of completion and an advancement in your character’s strength.
@@teleportedbreadfor3daysi feel like he would understand if you killed him, kinda like itatchi and Sasuke
@@Little-wig Have you done it before?
@@teleportedbreadfor3daysyea back when the game first came out on my first playthrough on ps3, I was young baby
@@Little-wig Makes sense
Everytime I've played Skyrim, I've come to understand Paarthurnax just a little bit more, absolutely amazing to see him still make me think about my actions.. I've never been able to understand this until now because of how young I was when I first heard it. The more I think about it though, the more I can see a reflection of this in my own life. I think people don't understand that they can change for the better, all it takes is determination and hard work.
yeaa when I was young and oblivion came out I went around and killed every npc I could just to get there armor and stuff, not caring if I failed quest or did them bad
What is better is to over come your evil nature. In that is the strength, will power, desire, and integrity to overcome the evil. In such is purpose, responsibility, and true virtue. Whilst being born good simply is a state of being and has no virtue or efforts.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with that second statement. Just because you’re born good, does not mean it comes with ease. There are plenty of things in the world that try to bring you down make you bitter, uncaring, and apathetic to it all. One can see in those moments the virtue and effort it takes to remain good, even when it hurts to.
To overcome your evil nature requires you to fight against yourself. To be born good requires you to eventually fight against others. Both are indescribably difficult.
@@elijahhayter3026Great write up!! 😊
Spider-Man is born good, and he suffers tremendously.
@@owlson2527 why thank you, owlson. I appreciate that.
@@elijahhayter3026 I agree
Everyone--all humans--are dangerous. I would rather live with the knowledge that I'm a monster and learn to discipline myself, than to live in blissful ignorance until I'm caught off-guard by inevitable temptation.
Amen
wise words
Luke 15:7
tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
late night recommendations are the best
For a dragon, he is by far one of the most well-written characters in Skyrim. And his reasoning and whatnot was understandable, and as a Christian is kind of hit home Luke 15:7 for me - I say unto you that likewise more joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.
Bethesda ain’t always the best, but when they put effort into a character they put in a lot of effort and they can turn out great. The Blades may have been right to some degree, but they were so blinded by their desire to wipe out the dragons they couldn’t see that Paarthurnax changed and turned from his old ways and embraced righteousness and honor.
I'd like to note, this is the same voice actor as Mario, what is this if not range?
i had no idea this whole time 💀😂
Being born good some times means you grow up to be bad.
And in that lie the trials that come with being born good.
I always choose Paarthurnax, but i really have to say this: it is definitely better to be born good.
@GUEST--fn4bp It's a lot easier to not sabotage your life, than it is to salvage a life you've already sabotaged.
@@TarsonTalon but being born bad is not you sabotaging your life
@@TarsonTalon I'd argue both paths have their pros and cons. To be born good helps avoid bad things from happening in the first place but those who overcame their bad nature can more successfuly guide other troubled souls down a better path just as they did.
Someone who was good all their life won't understand what it's like to be someone in that position. People become evil all the time either by nature or their upbringing. It's no different than a vet trying to warn the younger generation about war or an ex-gang member keeping kids away from crime. We listen to those with experience.
To be born good requires you to fight against others, as the world around you will find ways to make you bitter and spiteful. To fight against your worse natures require you to fight against yourself, as it tempts you with the easier paths and torments you with regrets.
@GUEST-7139 Dragons were like n*zis, they went on to kill millions of humans.
Imagine a former n*zi who repented and started doing good actions to repent himself (prays every day, gives food and money to people, apologizes to Jews and gives money to the families he once helped to destroy etc…).
I would definitely say that an ex-Nazi has the possibility to go to Heaven if he truly repented and started doing good, but if i had to choose between him and an actual veteran who fought against Nazis since the beginning? I’d choose the one who has been always good 100%.
I really only choose Paarthurnax because Delphine is fking arrogant and literally stops protecting the Dragonborn (the thing she ought to do as a Blade) if we don’t agree with her. Also Dragons have it in their nature to dominate and kill humans, so that’s another point to Parturnax for becoming good, but still.
English is not my first language also so there might be errors and misunderstandings
My first playthrough... I made the mistake of killing him... Not knowing any better
It's okay. You know better now. That's the life lesson here. You learned better, and you are better now.