Essential followers in Skyrim cannot be killed, making them valuable companions in tough battles. Characters like Aela the Huntress, Barbas the talking dog, and Cicero offer unique skills and immortality, making them powerful assets to any player's journey. Some essential followers require that players complete quests or make certain choices in order to recruit them.

Not all followers in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim are created equal, and there is no better proof of that fact than the existence of essential followers. These NPCs are internally marked as significant characters, usually due to their involvement in important quests. As a result, they are impossible to kill by any means; bringing their health down to zero will only temporarily incapacitate them. While other followers can perish (rather easily) in their service to the Dragonborn, Skyrim's essential followers will stick by the player's side through the toughest battles, and that makes them some of the best company.