Spoiler Being Mortal --> The key to defeating dragons ?

[feliciano182]

So, after repeated use of the Become Ethereal and Dragonrend shout against dragons, and realizing how unbelievably useful both are when fighting them, I started pondering on some questions about the mythology of the main questline in Skyrim.

As those of us who have finished the main storyline know, the Dragonrend shout bases it's power on it's ability to force dragons to land by making them reflect on the idea of mortality, this is arguably the most useful shout when battling dragons, and it is also key to defeating Alduin.

In a similar fashion, though considerably more passive, Become Ethereal allows the Dragonborn to shield himself/herself completely from any damage by the dragons, it is worthy of mention that Paarthurnax says that this shout is (paraphrasing) considerably more atuned to mortal-kind than it is to the dragons, probably because as the description indicates, it taps into The Void to let the Dragonborn assume that aspect.

The point of all this is, what do you think about the idea that the only way to defeat inmortal beings is by acknowledging your own mortality ? Which seems to be the on-going "theme" with shouts specifically taylored to battle dragons; and if that was the case, can more subtext like this be found within Skyrim's main storyline ?

 

[Leseras]

It's impossible to acknowledge your/our own mortality when we have the power to rewind time whenever something goes wrong.

 

[Mighty Pecan Pie]

It's impossible to acknowledge your/our own mortality when we have the power to rewind time whenever something goes wrong.

seems legit.

 

[Psiberzerker]

So, after repeated use of the Become Ethereal and Dragonrend shout against dragons, and realizing how unbelievably useful both are when fighting them, I started pondering on some questions about the mythology of the main questline in Skyrim.

As those of us who have finished the main storyline know, the Dragonrend shout bases it's power on it's ability to force dragons to land by making them reflect on the idea of mortality, this is arguably the most useful shout when battling dragons, and it is also key to defeating Alduin.

In a similar fashion, though considerably more passive, Become Ethereal allows the Dragonborn to shield himself/herself completely from any damage by the dragons, it is worthy of mention that Paarthurnax says that this shout is (paraphrasing) considerably more atuned to mortal-kind than it is to the dragons, probably because as the description indicates, it taps into The Void to let the Dragonborn assume that aspect.

The point of all this is, what do you think about the idea that the only way to defeat inmortal beings is by acknowledging your own mortality ? Which seems to be the on-going "theme" with shouts specifically taylored to battle dragons; and if that was the case, can more subtext like this be found within Skyrim's main storyline ?

Excellent point, and I'll remember that the next time somebody insists that because we're Dragonborn that automatically makes us Immortal//High King/Talos himself.

 

[feliciano182]

It's impossible to acknowledge your/our own mortality when we have the power to rewind time whenever something goes wrong.

I wasn't getting at that though, sure, you can save and reload as much as you want, but that doesn't pertain directly to the storyline and it's mythology; what I found interesting was that the writers at Bethesda thought the one weapon mortal-kind has on dragons is, precisely, their mortality.

To me it's a fascinating concept, one that sadly gets too frequently overlooked when analyzing the merits of the main questline of the game.

 

[Leseras]

I wasn't getting at that though, sure, you can save and reload as much as you want, but that doesn't pertain directly to the storyline and it's mythology; what I found interesting was that the writers at Bethesda thought the one weapon mortal-kind has on dragons is, precisely, their mortality.

To me it's a fascinating concept, one that sadly gets too frequently overlooked when analyzing the merits of the main questline of the game.

Alright jokes aside...vampires are 'immortal', yet all I had to do was blast a few balls of fire to toast them. Dragons are immortal, yet they can be killed by the generic guards. Sure they can be revived by Alduin but they can still die. And if they die near the dragon born they are gone forever. Even the immortal Daedric Princes can be killed if the circumstances are right. The Aedra are not infallible as well.

Maybe in actuality there is no such thing as immortality in TES, at most you're just really hard to kill.

 

[feliciano182]

Obviously there's plenty of ways to kill dragons, I didn't say otherwise, only that the story puts great emphasis on comparing mortals to dragons, and somehow trying to sway the player that mortals can get the upper hand on dragons because they can die, absolute irony.

 

[Leseras]

I think that's a yes and no. It cannot be absolutely any mortal, dragon rend or not. The first people who knew dragon rend got absolutely flattened by Alduin.

 

[feliciano182]

I think that's a yes and no. It cannot be absolutely any mortal, dragon rend or not. The first people who knew dragon rend got absolutely flattened by Alduin.

Yes and no as well, they almost won the Dragon War, but had to banish Alduin from their time.

 

[feliciano182]

Paarthurnax says, Wuld se tiid los tahrodiis. Those who try to hasten the end may delay it; those who seek to delay the end my work to bring it closer. More irony. In the life of the dragonborn, it becomes evident. Alduin would never have ignited the power of the dragonborn had he not forced a show of strength at Helgen. The dragonborn must slay Mirmulnir before Alduin will resurrect any more dragons. They are interdependent.

If we believe in the part mythopoesis may play in this world, then some divines may rely on mortals as well, though I am not certain of how I feel about this concept.

I think the writers did openly intend to shake some foundations, as you state, irony is a strong theme throughout the story, Alduin shows up, "chest-beating" Helgen into ashes, and as a consequence he ends up enabling his own demise in the process.

Similarly, The First Tongues tried to banish Alduin, and perhaps they contributed themselves towards the prophecy of the end of the world, Alduin's soul hasn't been taken yet, so the worst might indeed come to pass to Mundus.

Not sure what you meant about Mirmulnir though *ponders*