Summary

• Killing Paarthurnax aligns with the Blades, offering buffs and radiant Dragon Hunting missions.
• Sparing Paarthurnax maintains Greybeard , aiding in unlocking Voice powers and Shout bonuses.
• Choosing peace by sparing Paarthurnax results in a symbolic and potentially better future in Skyrim.

One of the most impressive reveals in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim comes from meeting the game's friendly dragon, Paarthurnax. After having encountered only hostile dragons, this encounter gives players the chance to not only converse with a dragon directly, but also to see one 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 is the game's sole white dragon, and rests atop the Throat of the World. He teaches the Greybeards in the Way of the Voice and, as their leader, offers the player counsel as well as Dragonborn power buffs. However, the Blades ask the player to kill him if they wish to continue moving forward with the band of dragonslayers' quest line. It's not immediately clear what players can expect if they choose not to kill Paarthurnax, or why the Blades want Paarthurnax killed in Skyrim.

The Blades come from a long line of dragonslayers who became the king's personal guard force once dragons had become extinct. They debuted in Morrowind, but with their return in Skyrim, the Blades once more seek to take up arms against their sworn enemies. During the quest line to be recruited into the Blades, one member, Esbern, discovers the player is being advised by Paarthurnax and refuses to move forward with their initiation until the friendly dragon has been killed. As with most of Skyrim's quests, the player can choose whether they carry out the act or not, with differing effects from either option.

What Happens If Players Kill Paarthurnax In Skyrim?

Siding With The Blades

Should the player kill Paarthurnax in Skyrim, they'll have effectively chosen to side with the Blades. The most immediate effect, of course, is that Paarthurnax will no longer be able to grant the player meditation bonuses to their Shouts. Killing Paarthurnax will also anger the Greybeards, and they'll revoke the player's status as an honorary member. While they won't become immediately hostile, they may attack the player if they try to remove anything from its halls.

If the player already has a meditation bonus from Paarthurnax when they kill him, they'll be able to keep it, but can never change which Shout it affects again.

Killing Paarthurnax will also prevent the player from undertaking certain quests given by Greybeards. For example, Greybeard Arngeir will no longer tell players where to find Word Walls, which means players will have to find new Shouts entirely on their own. It's easy enough to get around this with a decent guide to Skyrim's Shouts, but not as easy as simply picking up quests from Arngeir and following the markers.

In the long term, with the Greybeards distrustful of the Dragonborn, players will no longer be able to use High Hrothgar to form a peace treaty council during the quest "Season Unending." This basically locks them into one ending or another for the civil war storyline: they won't be able to get both sides to reconcile their differences, and will be forced to carry their chosen faction to victory. Depending on the player's decision, either the Stormcloaks or the Imperials will win the war decisively, and be able to enact their vision for Skyrim.

Effectively, the only positive of killing Paarthurnax is that the player will be able to the Blades in Skyrim. Once they're a member, the player can bring up to three companions to Delphine at Sky Haven Temple to have them inducted into the Blades as well. Esbern will also offer the player a potion that gives them a permanent buff when fighting dragons. For the rest of the game, the Blades will offer radiant Dragon Hunting missions. In the immediate aftermath, it doesn't seem all that bad. But in the long run, it is far more beneficial to keep Paarthurnax alive.

What Happens If Players Don't Kill Paarthurnax In Skyrim?

Siding With The Greybeards

Much as the only positive for killing Paarthurnax is the ability to the Blades, the only negative for sparing Paarthurnax is that the Blades close their doors to the Dragonborn forever. They miss out on Esbern's potion and any further Dragon Hunting quests. Should players decide not to kill Paarthurnax in Skyrim, they'll side with the Greybeards, which means they can still get help from Arngeir in locating Word Walls to fully unlock the power of the Voice. Paarthurnax will continue to offer temporary buffs to Shouts, and the peace council to help settle Skyrim's civil war can be convened. This may drastically change allegiances and Jarls, but will ultimately result in a better outcome for both sides.

Players must either convene and complete the peace council, or win the war decisively for their chosen faction, before convincing the Jarl of Whiterun to help them capture a dragon during the main quest "Season Unending."

Deciding not to kill Paarthurnax does not completely block players from interacting with the Blades in the future, as they will still have access to their headquarters at Sky Haven Temple. However, they'll no longer be able to officially, or to induct new into the Blades. Moreover, taking anything from Sky Haven will be considered stealing, much as choosing to kill Paarthurnax does for High Hrothgar.

Earlier in the Blades quest line, players may have found a sword at Sky Haven that deals extra damage to dragons and can be used in lieu of Esbern's potion for a similar effect. However, it's still possible to get this sword (called Dragonbane) even after choosing to side with the Greybeards by sparing Paarthurnax. But taking it may make the residents hostile unless they're able to do so without being seen. Players who want to find the exact location of this sword (called Dragonbane) should watch the video below from Daniel T on YouTube:

Finally, choosing not to kill Paarthurnax will unlock an additional ending cutscene. After the player has defeated the game's final boss, Paarthurnax will appear before them one last time. He'll explain that he aims to travel the world, lecturing other dragons in the Way of the Voice and urging them toward peace. It doesn't actually affect anything about gameplay, though. Dragons will still attack the player after the credits roll -presumably, they haven't gotten Paarthurnax's memo yet. Still, as unimpactful as it is, this could be considered one of Skyrim's good endings. It looks toward a more peaceful future, in which humans are able to coexist with dragons instead of trying to wipe each other out.

Choosing whether to kill Paarthurnax is another morally gray area of the game. Skyrim often asks players to make a choice between two bleak options, but the benefits of keeping Paarthurnax around far outweigh 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 through the events of the peace council storyline, but in proving that dragons are not inherently bad. Depending on the player's other choices, it can also help bring about the best ending possible in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

Source: Daniel T/YouTube