Not really? They were holding their own against him even while shackled. He might be more powerful than anyone individually, but there's no way he can take the whole party on.
I can see why Ardon wants to give another person a chance to atone. It's part of his own redemption. As for the rest of the party, El is obsessed with keeping them together, Peanut will do whatever Odie says, and Odie is a non character whose most prominent character trait is stupidity. He'll do what Ardon wants, because he always does.