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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Not as the ride-to-Miraak mechanic. During “At the Summit of Apocrypha,” you use the full three-word Bend Will shout on Sahrotaar, who lands and carries you toward Miraak. Bethesda’s guidance says powerful dragons, including most named dragons, can resist the shout; it does not confirm what happens if you aim it directly at Miraak.
What Bend Will does during the Miraak quest
In “At the Summit of Apocrypha,” Sahrotaar is the dragon you need to target. Use all three words of Bend Will on him; once he lands, mount him to travel toward Miraak. The quest walkthrough describes this sequence, but it does not establish that Bend Will controls Miraak himself. Elder Scrolls Wiki: At the Summit of Apocrypha
How to use Bend Will to ride Sahrotaar
- Learn all three words. Bethesda says the dragon-riding ability is earned by learning the full Bend Will shout during the Dragonborn main questline. Bethesda Support: How do I get the ability to ride a dragon?
- Equip the complete shout. Bethesda Support says Bend Will works like any other shout: hit the dragon with all three words to tame it and force it to land. Bethesda Support: How do I use the ability to ride a dragon once I have it?
- Target Sahrotaar and mount him. When he lands, approach and mount him to continue the quest toward Miraak.
Will it work if you target Miraak directly?
The available official guidance does not specify Miraak’s response to a direct Bend Will cast. Bethesda cautions that especially powerful dragons—including Alduin and Paarthurnax—and most named dragons resist the shout. That warning is relevant context, but it is not a direct confirmation of Miraak’s exact response. Bethesda Support’s dragon-riding guidance
So, distinguish the two targets: the quest uses Bend Will to tame Sahrotaar, not as a documented way to control Miraak. Earlier uses of Bend Will in the questline do not replace the full three-word shout required for dragon taming.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
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If the Miraak encounter stops working
Bethesda has a separate support note about an Aetherial Shield issue that can break the Miraak encounter. Its advised workaround is to reload a save from before using the Shield and avoid using it during the battle. Bethesda does not attribute that issue to Bend Will. Bethesda Support: Aetherial Shield issue during “At the Summit of Apocrypha”
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