The Most Disappointing Boss in Skyrim is Alduin

Players and critics alike have praised The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Bethesda's fifth installment in the series. For 11 years, fans have been engaged by everything from the spectacular open-world design to a variety of colorful side quests.

Skyrim's storyline culminates in the Dragonborn defeating Alduin, a mighty dragon feared by all - an antagonist everyone dreads. The Dragonborn's quest requires the assistance of several NPCs, beginning with Alduin's burning down of Helgen, where the game begins.

It is the Dragonborn's responsibility to master the Thu'um's ways and overcome treacherous obstacles to defeat the infamous beast. The mighty dragon Alduin, however, does not put up a noteworthy fight when players finally reach the supposedly epic battle with him. It is defeated as easily as any other wild dragon in the game. The main quest line's boss, Alduin, has proven to be much more disappointing than the DLC bosses, such as Miraak and Lord Harkon.

Miraak vs Alduin: How do they compare

Fan-favorite antagonist Miraak, an inspiration for numerous fan arts, intricate costumes, and theories, shows Alduin's weakness. Skyrim's Dragonborn DLC takes the player to Solstheim, a remote island where the player will face fellow Dragonborn Miraak, one of the game's most terrifying enemies. Besides utilizing the Bend Will shout to control dragons and NPCs, this Dragonborn has also agreed to raise an army with Hermaeus Mora to invade and conquer Skyrim.

When the player has completed the DLC's quest line, he or she is finally faced with Miraak, who is the hardest boss available in Bethesda's games. Seven of the game's shouts are used by him without any time limits, so his attacks are much faster than those used by the player.

A staff that summons tentacles that deliver critical poison damage to Dragonborn is another example of Miraak's customized equipment. Throughout the battle, he can regenerate his health multiple times by absorbing the souls of the dragons in the ring with him.

Furthermore, he is immune to the Mehrunes' Razor's instant kill mechanism, paralysis, as well as the fan-favorite Unrelenting Force shout. When players defeat Miraak, they will be able to loot his robes, sword, staff, and mask, allowing them to emulate a fraction of the powers of the Dragonborn.

Also Read: A new Skyrim player learns the hard way about giants

Lord Harkon and Alduin: Comparisons 

Miraak alone would prove that Alduin sets the bar too low, but the dreaded vampire Lord Harkon in the Dawnguard DLC also provides a much greater challenge. There are two options for Dragonborn in this DLC: team up with the Dawnguard to fight vampires or join the vampires to combat Dawnguard slayers. This is one of Skyrim's most difficult main boss battles, regardless of how the player chooses to fight him.

As a winged vampire lord, the winged vampire lord not only brings intimidation but also speed. The Dragonborn is hit from many angles by him, which makes him extremely hard to keep track of as he flashes across the room. Lord Harkon can strike at the Dragonborn from these ever-changing vantage points with his sword, wicked claws, and Magicka.

The fact that Lord Harkon regenerates his Magicka and stamina rapidly makes it difficult for the enemy to wear him out or stop him from getting a hit in, in addition to his damage output. Only when he regenerates his health does he pause, undoing much of the progress that the Dragonborn had made.

In the game's vampires, Auriel's Bow may give the Dragonborn an advantage over Harkon, a legendary weapon that harnesses the power of sunlight when tied to a Sunhallowed Elven Arrow. Nevertheless, he can lose this advantage if the Dragonborn gives him the bow beforehand.

With Auriel's Bow, the Dragonborn can slay Harkon much faster than if they didn't use sunlight weapons, by dodging his attacks and taking advantage of Harkon's pause to heal. Upon defeating Lord Harkon, the Dragonborn may loot his sword and armor.

What makes Alduin so easy in Skyrim

Alduin, the main boss of the game, appears to be similarly difficult to any other wild dragon fight, despite Bethesda's arsenal of challenging and enjoyable bosses. Despite being potentially deadly, the dragons in this game are not particularly difficult to defeat.

The Dragonborn will have an advantage over Alduin if they use their Dragonrend shout in the quests leading to the fight. A comparison to Miraak and Harkon's difficulty leads players to wonder if Bethesda deliberately made Alduin easy. 

Skyrim's easy defeat of Alduin may be a testament to how Bethesda intended Skyrim to be played. Skyrim is a multifaceted game, filled with adventure, complexity, and beautiful graphics, as the quest line leading up to Alduin demonstrates.

There is nothing like the intensely difficult but rewarding boss battles found in Dark Souls games like Skyrim. Although Skyrim does deliver on boss battles, it is a game meant for exploration and immersion. The game's true beauty and play style might have been lost if Bethesda focused exclusively on defeating Alduin.