10 Video Game Villains You Didn't Want To Kill

Paarthurnax, also known as “The Old One”, is an elderly dragon and grand master leader of the Greybeards - an ancient and honoured order that dwell within High Hrothgar, teaching the player of the power that dwells within them.

Unfortunately, the beast was also main villain Alduin’s lieutenant during the great Dragon War, and is said to have committed unspeakable atrocities against mankind. As such, the Blades want him to pay for this.

The latter are ancient protectors of the emperors of Tamriel, and they rise up to combat the dragon crisis with the return of Alduin. When the Blades sign a peace treaty with the Stormcloaks and the Empire, they demand that the dragon Paarthurnax be killed, and refuse to deal with you any further until this act is completed. The player is torn between betraying our humankind and our dragonkind.

Although this quest is entirely optional, there isn’t an outcome that leaves you feeling anything but some kind of guilt. But if honour compelled you to slay Paarthurnax, lest he be left to possibly repeat his past crimes, I guarantee that you still had an emotionally hard time doing it.