What Really Happens When You Tell Lydia "It‘s Time to Part Ways" in Skyrim

As your loyal housecarl sworn to carry your burdens, Lydia stands ready to accompany you into every dark crypt, Dwemer ruin, and dank cave across Skyrim. But we all reach that inevitable point when it just feels like time to send our stalwart Lydia off so we can adventure alone or with new friends for awhile.

You click the dialogue for "part ways" half-expecting her to put up a fight…yet Lydia simply says "It was an honor to serve you" and walks off without a fuss or even glancing back. Well played, Lydia.

But what exactly does happen when you dismiss the legendary Lydia? Where does she go? Will you cross paths again? And what consequences arise if Lydia meets her demise before you reunite?

I‘ve logged over 500 hours with Lydia as my companion, so let‘s analyze what really happens when you tell everyone‘s favorite pack mule housecarl to hit the road.

Lydia‘s Sense of Duty Compels Her to Serve

While Lydia remains shrouded in some mystery, lore tells us she hails from noble lineage in Skyrim but currently serves Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun as part of his distinguished court.

When you are granted the honorific Thane title, she is ceremoniously assigned as your personal housecarl. Take note this sacred position is not a mere "job" to Lydia but a solemn life-sworn oath. And you can see the earnest dedication in her face.

Given the privilege of battling by the legendary Dragonborn‘s side, Lydia embraces her duty with earnest devotion. She truly believes in honorable service above life itself.

So Lydia won‘t protest or even question your decision upon dismissal. To do so would violate her code and bring shame. Instead she simply bows her head and returns home…more concerned for failing you somehow than any personal slight.

Lydia Heads Back to Her Regular Routine

Once told to part ways, Lydia immediately begins her long walk back to Whiterun along the same paths you traveled together. She heads out unfazed by any enemies and seemingly undistracted by meadery taverns along the route.

Her singular focus is resuming post at her Jarl‘s side or eating bread and sleeping at the dining table in Breezehome if you had purchased that quaint cottage beforehand.

Note Lydia doesn‘t disappear from the game or relocate to some hidden plane. Anytime you return to Whiterun, speak with the Jarl‘s steward to likely see Lydia standing rigidly at attention by the throne as if awaiting your return.

Chance of Random Gifts When Reunited

Should you decide to recruit Lydia again later – which she‘ll always accept unless actively following another Thane – certain conditions may trigger your loyal battlemaid to bestow a gift upon you:

• Lydia was dismissed rather than perishing in battle
• She adventured with you for lengthy stretch beforehand
• Substantial in-game time passed before reuniting

The gift is randomly selected from a pool of enchanted weapons and armor roughly matching your level, often representing significant upgrade from Lydia‘s default steel gear.

So while hardly enough to sway a cost-benefit analysis on casting Lydia aside, do know her steadfast dedication may manifest in the form of magical items should your paths cross again!

Consequences if Lydia Dies Before You Reunite

While Lydia remains duty-bound to serve you on adventures however long and far, she is still mortal and can die in standard gameplay.

And if she perishes before you reunite to continue that journey together again, several detrimental impacts can occur:

• Lose Any Items Lydia Was Carrying – All that precious gear you had her haul around is gone. This represents thousands of gold for high level characters!
• Failure to Retrieve Quest Reward – If she died during a mission, you may fail the related quest since Lydia didn‘t survive to turn in the designated item she was carrying.
• Forfeit Access to Backup Gear – Can‘t swap loadouts if all your other weapons and armor sank to the bottom of that dungeon lake with Lydia!

Now if you play on PC, quickly opening the console to resurrect Lydia soon after she goes down helps mitigate this damage somewhat. And installing essential follower mods protects her altogether.

But for tragic souls on Xbox and PlayStation, Lydia‘s death causes permanent casualties to inventory and quest logs. Plan your loadouts accordingly lest you carry those burdens alone the rest of your days!

How Does Lydia Compare to Other Follower Candidates?

While Lydia clearly dominates mindshare given her early availability, central prominence in marketing, and propensity for amusing memedom, savvy Dovahkiin would be wise to consider other follower options as well based on your combat preferences:

Follower Comparison by Class

Lydia‘s high defense makes her an excellent tank to draw enemy attacks while bow, magic, and melee Dovahkiin provide DPS safely behind her. But she lacks ranged abilities.

For archers and stealth builds, light armored warriors like Jenassa or Aela draw less detection while still dealing solid damage. Mages will appreciate Marcurio raining flaming death or Serana reanimating defeated foes instead.

And who can resist adorable demon dog Barbas as the ultimate distraction tool? Just don‘t expect him to carry your excess legendary armors and cheeses.

Advanced Follower Tactics & Loadout Optimization

Once you analyze damage-per-second output across battle styles and skill trees to determine your ideal follower match, further power and flexibility can be achieved by:

Outfitting Your Follower

Provide heavy armor and enchanted weapons giving health/stamina boosts so followers stay in the fight longer. Fortify carry weight on necklaces and circlets to expand their mule potential.

Boosting Follower Skills

Pay for training with each level gained to max key skills like One-Handed, Destruction, etc. This amplifies their damage and survivability dramatically.

Utilizing Follower Perks

Certain followers offer unique advantages beyond battle, such as Serana eliminating carry weight restrictions while Barbas provides access to mythic items.

Marriage & Home Ownership

Marrying your follower offers financial benefits, including a store they run selling your loot. Purchase a home so your spouse stays local when dismissed.

Optimizing follower theorycraft requires some research into their capability advancements and special benefits unlocked. But the time invested pays off in stronger support beyond Lydia‘s wildest dreams!

The Mystery of Why Lydia Resonates in Pop Culture

With her total silence about backstory details beyond noble lineage and prescription to duty, not much about Lydia‘s past or motivations are explicitly known. Yet her presence permeates the zeitgeist more than arguably any Skyrim character besides sworn nemesis dragons.

Lydia‘s Rise to Fame by the Stats

• 40% of players marry Lydia – 3X higher than #2 spouse Camilla at 12%
• 15+ million YouTube views of "Arrow in the Knee" meme remixes
• 5 times more Google searches monthly for "Lydia Skyrim" over other major NPCs
• Most common Skyrim cosplay subject (especially gender-swapped) at conventions

Clearly this stoic housecarl forged an emotional connection with players to inspire such artistic admiration – but why?

Perhaps we imprint our own desired personality traits and shared experiences battling adversity onto Lydia‘s narrative void. Her vague sense of duty evokes empathy about responsibility we also contend with. Or maybe exploiting her mule-like tolerance of encumbrance burdens pinpoints our guilt reflex?

I posit her silent willingness to carry literal and metaphorical weights while persisting against unimaginable foes reminds us of those we depended on most when our own grand quests seemed insurmountable. And for that service, she earns special distinction above glib mercenaries and schmoozing spouses.

Regardless the psychology underpinning her fame, Lydia‘s legacy seems cemented as the eternally dutiful housecarl in our hearts and memes. For those reasons, I could never sentence my Lydia to bleak oblivion by losing her gear forever to a premature draugr war axe.

At Journey‘s End, We Shall Meet Again

When you finally fulfill the Dragonborn prophecy and reunite all of Tamriel under the Imperial banner, only then is it time to release Lydia to whatever just rewards eternity has reserved for the noblest protectors in Sovngarde. Where at long last her true name and origins might be revealed over endless flagons of mead poured by beaming brothers- and sisters-in-arms.

But for now…our adventures together in Skyrim still brim with promise!

So I shall meet Lydia at dawn on the path overlooking Whiterun ready to forge ahead into the unknown. For honor and glory. While carrying my burdens without complaint or hesitation as only she can.

After all, it was I who had it wrong to dismiss her skilled blade and unflinching countenance so easily. Only to wander alone getting overencumbered once again by common weapons andpossessed gems.

Our fates intertwined by legend itself, Lydia shall ever remain my trusted companion no matter where the next unfolding chapter leads. Together we now venture forth deeper into the east…where rumors of an obscene bounty now tempt to lure me towards claim!

What say you, my red-haired warrior friend? Does fortune favor the bold this morning?? Haha, I thought as such! Now let us be off before the hour grows late!! Skyrim awaits!!