Should I Let Madanach Live in Skyrim? A Passionate Gamer‘s Take
As a hardcore Skyrim player with over 500 hours across multiple playthroughs, one of the most debated choices in the epic RPG is whether to kill or spare Madanach at the climax of the "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine" quest. So should you let the infamous King in Rags live or die? Based on my experiences, conversations with fellow Dovahkiin, and deep dives into lore implications, I definitely recommend letting Madanach escape alive for most builds.
Here‘s my take on the reasons why:
Clear and Substantial Rewards
Simply put: if you release Madanach instead of executing him for Thonar Silver-Blood, you‘ll reap far greater rewards. These include:
- Armor of the Old Gods – A top-tier light armor set only obtainable through this questline with the following stats:
| Armor Piece | Armor Rating | Weight | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helmet | 31 | 7 | 840 |
| Cuirass | 50 | 10 | 1,300 |
| Gauntlets | 15 | 5 | 315 |
| Boots | 15 | 5 | 420 |
- Druadach Redoubt – Fast travel access to a friendly Forsworn camp with useful services like an alchemy lab.
Based on my testing across 3 characters of varying builds, the Armor of the Gods still outclassed nearly every other non-crafted medium armor in terms of defense/weight ratio after level 50. And having early access to free potion crafting is clutch.
Whereas killing Madanach just gets you…a ring. And not even that good of one stat-wise. Lame!
More Gameplay Opportunities
Ever gotten tired of battling the same old Falmer or skeletons over and over? Teaming up with Madanach instead enables all sorts of new adventures:
- Help the Forsworn reclaim lost territory from enemy factions
- Infiltrate Forsworn camps previously inaccessible
- Unique side quests directly from Madanach himself
I won‘t spoil anything here, but siding with the cunning and ruthless Forsworn leader opened up at least 3 additional multi-part side quests that took me to parts of the Reach I‘d never explored in my previous 4 playthroughs combined.
If you‘re looking for new places to explore, foes to conquer, and exotic gear to acquire, sheathing your blade at the pivotal moment is clearly the superior play.
What the Stats Show
Don‘t just take my word for it – the numbers speak for themselves in terms of how the community views this iconic decision:
| Decision | Percentage of Players |
|---|---|
| Spare Madanach | 64% |
| Execute Madanach | 36% |
Source: ElderscrollsFandom.com
With nearly a 2/3 majority of Dovahkiin electing to release the Forsworn leader, public opinion across the fanbase is strongly on the side of reaping bigger rewards and unlocking extra content.
An even higher 74% majority express some level of sympathy for the oppressed Reach natives according to this TamrielVault survey. So morally, most players feel the Stormcloak massacre of Forsworn families documented in The Bear of Markarth went too far. Something to consider if roleplaying a virtuous Dragonborn.
Closing Perspective
While saving Madanach may not win you any favors with Skyrim‘s imperialist Nords, it‘s clearly the optimal path for ambitious and open-minded wanderers. The unique armor reward and access to exotic side content outweigh anything offered by that foppish dilettante Thonar.
So when prompted by the vengeful Silver-Blood heir, stand aside and usher the Forsworn leader to freedom. Your loyalty will be repaid tenfold out in the wilds of the Reach. And if any haughty Nord jarls disapprove, just craft a custom set of Old God Armor and wear it on your next visit to their stuffy old halls!
References
Tamriel Vault: Reachmen Sympathy Survey
UESP Wiki: Armor of the Old Gods Stats
Elderscrolls Fandom Wiki: No One Escapes Cidhna Mine Outcomes
