One of the most legendary game companies in the world, Bethesda, has gone from height to height over the last two decades. Bringing franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls to the fore, as well as working on huge new projects such as Starfield, this company has proven time and time again that they are worthy of sitting atop the gaming industry.
8 Darkest Endings In Bethesda Games, Ranked
Not all Bethesda games end on a high note. Here are some noteworthy titles that offer unusually dark conclusions.
In the world of RPGs, there are many characters who don’t get as much characterization as could be expected. But equally, there are many others who become beloved and truly iconic through the player’s interactions with them. Building an entire world filled with missions and stunning environments isn’t enough to make a truly great game, the faces and names that populate it are just as significant.
8 Vault-Boy
The Literal Icon
- Appears In Fallout Franchise
- Played By N/A
The most iconic faces and characters in the Fallout franchise are actual NPCs in the games, but closely on their heels is a figurine that doesn’t appear in any of the games except in the form of collectibles and in menus. The Vault-Boy is Vault-Tec’s own icon and the symbol of fallen America in the franchise.
Though the Vault Boy doesn’t have much character, his flashing smile and upbeat appearance in the desolate, post-apocalyptic world of Fallout make him an icon of a different sort. While there is huge character turnover between Fallout games, Vault-Boy has been a consistent presence, a recognizable face that helps inform players that they are still very much in the same world.
7 Miraak
The Most Devastating Villain
- Appears In Skyrim: Dragonborn
- Played By Peter Jessop
Though there were already a number of campaigns and storylines in the original version of Skyrim, the infamous game benefited greatly from the DLCs which were later added. The Dragonborn DLC saw the player’s character taking on the first ever Dragonborn, Miraak, who was a truly malevolent presence that ended up becoming one of the best Elder Scrolls villains to date.
Miraak is a terrifying villain who managed to bend the wills of most people in Solstheim and was hidden away in Daedric realms with Hermaeus Mora at his side. He also managed, even with his limited screen time, to become one of the most notable characters in Skyrim, despite not even being mentioned in the original game.
6 Sheogorath
The God Of Madness
- Appears In Oblivion: Shivering Isles & Skyrim
- Played By Wes Johnson
Although he has appeared prominently in The Elder Scrolls Online, Sheogorath had already made an iconic name for himself in Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls Universe long before that. The Daedric Gods are a devastating pantheon of terrible sorts, but Sheogorath’s unpredictable style made him many fans each time he appeared to trouble and inconvenience players.
The craziest thing about Sheogorath is that he is secretly, at least in Oblivion’s Shivering Isles expansion, Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of Order, and he has been cursed to live as the thing he hates the most in Sheogorath. If the player defeats him then they break this curse and become the new Sheogorath, getting to be named as the new version of an iconic character, whose mission and artifact in Skyrim remain one of the most chaotic parts of that entry.
5 Joshua Graham
The Burned Man
- Appears In Fallout: New Vegas – Honest Hearts
- Played By Keith Szarabajka
Although Bethesda is more focused on world-building when they create their massive, beloved RPGs, once the game has been completed, they get to add more interesting elements later. This is a big part of the reason for the DLCs to Bethesda games, including so many memorable characters, and Joshua Graham was very much the focus of the second Fallout: New Vegas DLC, Honest Hearts.
Graham first came up in the chilling intro story about how he was Caesar’s foremost soldier before failing, and thus being covered in burning pitch and thrown into the Grand Canyon. Having survived this, Graham became a ghost story, part of a religious cult, and a fascinating character to boot, and he is one of the two religious leaders who the player can listen to in the quest line. Graham favours the destruction of the White Legs, a path featuring much more violence which has become a popular choice in the DLC.
4 Dogmeat
The Most Beloved Companion
- Appears In Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter
- Played By River
Of all the various companions who can join the player in their quests across either the Elder Scrolls or Fallout franchises, Dogmeat is by far the most lovable of them all. This dog is met in the Wasteland in Fallout 4 at the very first stop outside of the player character’s hometown. Though there are many great companions available in Fallout 4, Dogmeat is the only mandatory one who will join you at some point no matter what.
As such, he has become a lovable piece of Fallout history, even appearing in the live-action TV show based on the world of Fallout. Dogmeat is one of the most significant faces in Fallout history and remains one of the most beloved dogs in video gaming.
3 Alduin
The World-Eater
- Appears In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
- Played By Daniel Riordan
Although the primary villain in Bethesda games isn’t always the most fleshed-out character, they are often some of the best remembered. This definitely goes for Alduin, the dragon who is capable of bringing other dragons back from the dead in Skyrim.
8 Darkest Skyrim Characters, Ranked
The snowy lands of Skyrim have created some truly cruel characters that fester and feed off of darkness, creating some truly memorable characters.
Technically known as a God in the Nordic Pantheon, Alduin is a devastating creature who proved himself capable of troubling completely different eras of heroes, and even causing horror and panic in the Nordic afterlife. Only the Dragonborn could, after a great deal of side questing and training, defeat such a monster, who has become as iconic as the Dragonborn themselves in video game lore.
2 Nick Valentine
The Old-School Robo-Detective
- Appears In Fallout 4
- Played By Stephen Russell
Though fans all have their own favorite Fallout 4 companions, there is one who stands out for his relevance in a number of storylines, and his own lore and story being so fascinating. Nick Valentine is a synth and owner of the Valentine Detective Agency in Diamond City at the time the protagonist arrives, searching for their son and hoping to gain assistance from Valentine.
A key character who the player has to meet within the main story, as well as a great companion and someone who becomes involved with the much-beloved Far Harbor DLC to boot. With one of the most straight-and-narrow moral compasses of anyone in the Fallout world and a charming personality based on old noir-style detectives, Nick makes for a hugely memorable part of Fallout 4.
1 Serana
The Ultimate Skyrim Companion
- Appears In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – Dawnguard DLC
- Played By Laura Bailey
Though there are a huge number of potential followers in Skyrim, there has for many years been one who has surpassed all others. Serana, a vampire who was locked away by her father with an elder scroll, is a mysterious figure and a much-beloved one in the huge world of Skyrim.
Though she doesn’t even appear in the original game, the Dawnguard DLC has become iconic, particularly because it introduced Serana and allowed players to have her by their side through their adventures, though never as a wife. Not only can she not be killed, but she is also a fierce warrior who is much more useful than most followers. While it is difficult to declare one Bethesda character the most iconic and memorable to date, many Skyrim players will have spent more time with Serana by their side and on their screen than any other character.
Which Skyrim Character Are You, Based On Your Zodiac Sign?
Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is populated with all sorts of NPCs, ensuring there is someone for each Zodiac sign.