Highlights
- Bethesda's games often contain character deaths that strongly affect the main protagonist's decisions, goals and motivations throughout the story.
- Characters like The Lone Wanderer's Dad, Jessamine Kaldwin, and Martin Septim are incredibly important figures in their respective stories, even if they aren't on-screen as much as the protagonists and antagonists of the games they are featured in.
- In many cases, their deaths are pivotal in the narrative structure of the game, drastically affecting the protagonist's actions and emotions.
Fans of Bethesda Softworks are accustomed to seeing immersive and vast open worlds along with complex role-playing elements in their games. Despite criticisms aimed at its recent titles, franchises like Fallout, Elder Scrolls, and Wolfenstein show fans why Bethesda is one of the biggest companies in gaming today. The success of its previous titles has meant that Bethesda is now hoping to release new games at a quicker rate than before.
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Although these Bethesda characters are clearly villains, they do have a few oddly heroic tendencies that set them apart from the rest.
Some of the most acclaimed games developed or published by the studio use compelling character arcs to keep the player engaged throughout the game. The studio is also notable for its creative use of character deaths as a useful tool to influence important plot points, and to provide emotional stakes in a story where the player is deeply immersed. In fact, when a key character is written off in a way that makes sense, and that drives the plot forward, it resonates with the players so much that they empathize with the protagonist even more. In fact, in some cases, these deaths are a turning point in the narrative that ends up defining the game, or even the franchise that they are a part of.
5 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
Martin Septim
Martin Septim is one of the most memorable characters from The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, and an illegitimate son of one of the most important emperors in The Elder Scrolls franchise. Not knowing that he was a secret heir to the long-ruling Septim dynasty, Martin lived as a humble priest of the God Arkay in the city of Kvatch. His heritage was revealed to him by the main character of Oblivion, the Hero of Kvatch, during Tamriel's invasion by the Daedric forces of Mehrunes Dagon.
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Some deaths in games developed or published by Bethesda have affected protagonists and players alike, leaving them heartbroken in the process.
In a climactic final battle, Martin made the ultimate sacrifice. He shattered the Amulet of Kings to become the avatar of Akatosh, taking the form of a giant dragon to destroy Mehrunes Dagon and banish him to Oblivion, but sustained a mortal wound in the process. His heroic death saved Tamriel, and Martin is considered the last and greatest Septim. He was a selfless priest that will forever be remembered for his noble sacrifice.
4 Dishonored
Jessamine Kaldwin
Empress Jessamine of Dunwall was the lover of the main protagonist of Dishonored, Corvo Attano. The two of them had a child together, Emily, who would later become the main character of the second game, along with her father. The Empress was revered by her subjects and maintained order in her kingdom with elegance and authority.
Tragically, a shocking coup at the beginning of the first game led to her sudden death, and the kidnapping of her child. Corvo, having witnessed this firsthand, swore vengeance upon her killers, and embarked upon a quest to uncover a sinister conspiracy and restore Emily to the throne. The Empress's tragic death sparked the events that defined the Dishonored series, and her memory is forever etched into Dunwall's dark history. A recent leak suggests that Dishonored 3 could be on the horizon, and it would be exciting for fans to see the Empress's legacy live on in this amazing universe created by Arkane Studios.
3 Fallout 4
The Sole Survivor's Spouse
Fallout 4
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 10, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
In the year 2077, the main protagonist (called the Sole Survivor) in Fallout 4 escapes with their spouse and son Shaun into a nuclear vault upon imminent nuclear attack. They are tricked into entering cryogenic pods to be frozen alive. A hundred and fifty years later, the main character is awoken, and is horrified to see their spouse killed by some mysterious figures. Powerless and helpless to do anything, they can only watch as their son Shaun is abducted, and they are refrozen again to be awoken sixty years later.
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Bethesda is excellent at creating immersive worlds, where the gameplay, characters, and plots make it hard to leave for reality.
The rest of the game is spent trying to locate Shaun, and to avenge their spouse's death. The cold-blooded murder of a loved one in a strange, time-distorted, nuclear-waste environment is a deeply traumatic life event for the Sole Survivor, and it serves as the driving narrative force that propels the main storyline of Fallout 4. With the popularity of the TV series bringing old fans back to the games, and also lots of new players, this plotline will strongly resonate with a lot of people.
2 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
High King Torryg
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Platform(s)
- PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Nintendo Switch , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
In the events that immediately preceded The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, High King Torryg was the Jarl of Solitude and the High King of Skyrim until his death at the hands of Ulfric Stormcloak. His death, and the capture of Ulfric, precipitated the reappearance of Alduin, and heavily escalated the events that led to the conflicts in Skyrim.
Torryg was challenged by Ulfric Stormcloak over the leadership of Skyrim. Torryg was honor-bound to accept the challenge, but was unprepared to face Ulfric, due to his training in the use of the Thu'um with The Greybeards. His death polarized onlookers and citizens in Skyrim; some believed it was murder while others did not. It effectively hastened the civil war that is one of the main conflicts driving the plotlines in Skyrim. All in all, it is one of the most impactful character deaths in the game, and at the end of the primary quest line, he can be seen in Sovngarde, where the main character can briefly speak to him. Hopefully, the next Elder Scrolls game will contain a few references to Torryg for fans with an eye for detail, considering how large the game's map is reported to be.
1 Fallout 3
The Lone Wanderer's Dad
In the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Fallout 3, the journey of the main character (called the Lone Wanderer) begins with the disappearance of their father, James. As one of the few remaining survivors of Vault 101, their father played a critical role in the shelter's operations. However, James abandons the vault's safety without explanation, leaving the Lone Wanderer to leave too, and unravel the mystery behind his departure.
The Lone Wanderer discovers that James was the former resident scientist of Vault 101 and had dedicated his life to Project Purity - a mission to provide clean water to the entire Capital Wasteland. In a heartbreaking climax, the protagonist is briefly reunited with their father, only to witness James sacrifice himself to reinitiate Project Purity. The story of the protagonist and his father is one of the saddest in all of Bethesda's games, and it is a haunting tale of reunion and separation. There aren't many Bethesda games like this one, with a world so dark and depressing. It is not surprising that Fallout 3 is considered one of the greatest videogames of all time, and fans of Bethesda would love to see a remaster.
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Despite the heroics of most Bethesda protagonists, some aren't afraid to be a little bad, providing wastelands and fantasy worlds with villainy.
