Bethesda left out a peace settlement that worked . Allow Skyrim it's independence .Allowing them to worship as they please without breaking the White Gold Tower concordant. They would have a mutual defense treaty for when the Dominion attacks Skyrim. and latter Cyrodill . This would also allow Skyrim to aid Hammerfell in their fight against the Dominion .
There's a thalmor dossier in the embassy talking about Ulfric being a sleeping cell, they're having the war so in that way the imperials cannot regroup and attack the aldmeri dominion
It depends on how the Aldmeri Dominion reacted to an independent Skyrim. If the Dominion attacked Skyrim, it would be bad for the region, but good for the Empjre. The Dominion already took a beating in Hammerfell. If they were to sail a fleet to the opposite side of the continent, they would devastate Skyrim but would also take heavy loses. Which would be beneficial to the Empire trying to rally a counter against the Dominion. Skyrim loses, but the Empire prevails. If the Dominion leaves an independent Skyrim alone, it's bad for everyone. Ulfric would be a terrible leader. He's a great warrior and general, if you don't mind slaughtering civilians and children. But he's too fixated on nationalism to make rational decisions. Windhelm, his seat of power, is proof that he would be a disastrous leader. His rule would also lead to an escalation in racial strife, and Skyrim is full of non-Nords. Trade would suffer, emtying everyone's coffers. Skyrim would fall from chaos. The safest bet is the Imperials. Build strength as a coalition, and also don't sacrifice an entire provenence to Ulfric's amatuer rule. Though the most ideal outcome is that the Aldmeri Dominion was defeated, AND all the provenences could be independent peacefully.
Wrong. The Empire had their chance to prove they were the descendents of Tiber Septim, and to stand against the Aldmeri Dominion. A Skyrim chained to the empire could never join with Hammerfell, the only land to resist the Dominion, which is key to stopping them. The Aldmeri Dominion plans on undoing reality itself, so their defeat is ALL that matters. The "idea" that the empire just knelt to the Dominion so that they could regroup and rebuild is a faulty one, bc by surrendering control to the Aldmeri they have crippled themselves from ever being able to regroup. With High elven fingers in the pie, it will never bake. The Dominion will be the ones who are able to rebuild their strength, and using their political control they will NEVER allow the empire to become something capable of standing against them again. The White Gold Concordant proves this. The factors being missed are that Storm cloak controlled areas are unable to thrive as much as empirically controlled ones, but that is false bc we don't know what a Skyrim under complete Storm cloak rule will look like. Without having to repel imperial troops and eleven threats, we don't know what can be established. We DO know what an empirically controlled Skyrim looks like, with eleven hit squads roving the land and Aldmeri influence in every court. The dismissal of Talos worship is not the end, but the beginning of what the Dominion plans to do. It is a COMPLETE erasure of everything human in Tamriel, then a destruction of reality itself. They are the ABSOLUTE evil, and any who lie down with them become just a part of that. The last factor to see is that a Stormcloak (Nord) led Skyrim doesn't end with a sealed off and closed land, cut off from the world. There is much talk of Ulfric as a racist and absolutist, but truthfully Windhelm is the only city I see with areas and structures built for the other races. The khajhiit are forced to camp outside the walls or live in squalor in every city, not just Windhelm. Except for one couple who own an inn and hate their life in Riften, all argonians live in squalor, but in Windhelm they have their own large indoor quarters. The dark elves have been granted their own complete neighborhood in Windhelm, and except for few jackasses who hate them, Ulfric does nothing to uproot them. In every other city, they are forced to be servants, bodyguards and thieves. NO city in Skyrim has a jarl or thane that isn't human. Ulfric's distrust is attributed to him fighting a NORD rebellion, not personal choice. He wants Skyrim to be a land that trades with others and aids in the defense of its neighbors, but just without selling itself to the Dominion to preserve Imperial rule. Titus sold the rights to his kingdom away to preserve his throne, and that's a poor emperor. The Dominion will NEVER loosen the chokehold they have on the empire enough to allow them to rebuild. As soon as enough imperial troops are ready to fight, they will be sent to retake Hammerfell, but in the name of the Dominion. A unified empire is an ALDMERI one now, and that must be fought. Too many people remember the White Gold Tower of Oblivion, and remember fighting to save the empire in that chapter, not realizing that today there are as many Aldmeri waking those halls as humans. Imagine playing Oblivion, but with Mehrunes Dagon sitting on the throne. The empire would be the enemy, not who needed saving. The Dominion sit on either side of the throne today, so there is nothing that benefits the throne that doesn't benefit the Dominion too. That's the catch in Skyrim, while you worry about what's best for trade and stability, you're sending taxed septims (which will be renamed soon) and stability to the Dominion. You worry about the quality of life in Skyrim, by supporting a group who wants to undo life itself. The choice to support the empire is an ALDMERI friendly one, which is the wrong one.
@@Matt-the-Wise Bla, bla, bla... Ulfric is a child with great ambitions. The second war will come, and the new caste of soldiers of the empire will implode A.D. Also, side with stormcloacks as a dragonborn It's the same as spitting from Alessian empire to Septim empire. The only one who can lead tamriel is the dragonborn.
they would probably deal with the empire first before dealing with skyrim seeing as cyrodiil is right on their doorstep and the empire would be cut into disconnected halves if the stormcloaks won
@@sparjs Only a Dragonborn can lead? I think Ulfric can shout better than Titus. The new caste of imperial soldiers will do whatever their Aldmeri masters tell them to, and as the empire has ALREADY shown, that's only to further their agenda. Talos was a dragonborn, that's why they've outlawed his worship, to weaken that whole belief system. So don't bla bla bla me, when you have to ask the elves if you're even allowed to first. Siding with the Dominion is the same as siding with the bad guys, whether that's directly licking an Aldmeri boot or indirectly by supporting an empire that does. That's the equivalent of siding with Mehrunes in Oblivion, or joining the Dwemer at Red Mountain. You're joining those trying to destroy you. Ulfric is a man willing to stand and fight against the threat, no matter what you think of him, and the empire is willing to serve the threat. There's no middle ground or exception.
Your analysis delves deep into the geopolitical dynamics of Tamriel, considering the potential reactions of the Aldmeri Dominion to an independent Skyrim. The strategic implications and the delicate balance between national pride and rational decision-making are crucial aspects. Your mention of Ulfric’s potential leadership challenges and the risk of racial tensions escalating underlines the complexity of the situation. Your ideal scenario of a defeated Aldmeri Dominion and peacefully independent provinces reflects a desire for a more harmonious and self-determined future for Tamriel. The intricate web of possibilities in the Elder Scrolls universe provides ample room for speculation and thoughtful consideration.
I love Ulfric Stormcloak's clothes and the best way to get them without using code, is to join the Imperial Legion and kill Ulfric... that's why I always sided with them....
Shrine of talos works like any other shrine that's why talos is devine therefore talos worship cannot be banned and thalmore are just oppressing people of Skyrim and empire is also not real Empire it is just puppet so you should side with stormclocks
I'm plaing an orc. Orcs are loyal to the empire for many reasons. But I also feel like it would be a good "Pure revenge story." To side with the storm cloaks. As the empire did try to chop your head off.
Last time I checked their is Talos is worshiped through some strong holds, majority of us who do support the Empire do support Talos (Mr Septem him self) the next in line to the throne if not any bloodline to take it’s place, is the Dragonsblood blood line
It pretty obvious that at some point of plot development Ulfric was cast as one of the antagonists, an evil dragonborn of some sort. The idea was cut, but the conflict resolution wasn't re-developed accordingly and player mostly pushed to the Empire side.
I don’t understand how the db is being pushed to the empire. It’s the complete opposite actually. The battle born - grey mane quest paints the empire in a bad light. General Tulius speaks to his troops like they’re stupid. And oh yeah, THEY TRIED TO CUT THE DRAGONBORNS HEAD OFF. The level of incompetence they showed there needs to be studied. What would have happened if alduin was allowed to run free? One side fights for a just cause and the other fights to protect interests
Speak for yourself. The empire has already lost a few provinces already. It makes sense that Skyrim would follow suit. It’s dying, and the Great War was the start. Same thing happened to the Roman Empire when they abandoned Britannia. There was just no recovering lost territory. It happens to all great empires.
@@indofokinfolkfoo3448Same goes for the Stormcloaks, there are many people on the empire's side saying that the Stormcloaks are bad and that Ulfric will kill anyone who isn't with him, and that includes killing off people who are neutral or passive, such as: The elderly, the sick, children, etc. his own men say something along the lines of "You are with us or against us" no in-between or neutral party. Its pretty obvious that the parties against the empire would have a bias for the Stormcloaks, but it's also obvious that the parties favouring the empire also have a bias against the rebellion, most of them argues that Ulfric is using the rebellion to give himself more power and take the throne as high king of Skyrim. And those who are in favour or Ulfric argues that he is helping Skyrim gain its independence. Regardless, both parties aren't good at all. There is no right question for the debate of The Stormcloaks or The Empire Legion. Skyrim is doomed regardless, the real enemy is Thalmor, they set up the civil war, they're the ones who forced the Empire to outlaw the worship of Talos, they're the ones abducting the innocent people. They do not care if the Stormcloaks or the Empire wins the civil war, it cripples the Empire either way, they prefer that the civil war goes on longer but, they do not care who wins in the end. TLDR; fug the Thalmor elves man, they stole my Sweet Roll.
@@indofokinfolkfoo3448 Well, there are two sides to all of those points. When it comes to the beheading: Tullius had just ambushed and captured Ulfric Stormcloak himself somewhere near Darkwater pass. The intention at the time was an execution without trial _before_ the Thalmor could interfere and prolong the civil war. Thus, this cannot be used as an example of Imperial ineptitude as it clearly demonstrates that the Legion was about to win the war decisively despite Thalmor shenanigans and Stormcloaks efforts, were it not for the unforeseeable return and interference of Alduin or the unknowable importance of a random refugee then this would be an unblemished and resounding victory. When it comes to the capture and imprisonment of Thorald Grey-Mane: Tullius' hands were tied the second the Thalmor got their grubby mitts on him. He had no power over Thorald's fate after that point and his primary interest in this situation is to bolster imperial support in the wealthiest hold of Skyrim.
As th dragonborn the most pragmatic thing to do would actually be to join neither... Trading off prosperity for religious persecution doesn't make the empire a better option than the stormcloaks. Ideally the goal would be to topple the empire and assassinate Ulfric and replace him with a more economically and politically savvy leader. The stormcloaks with a savvy leader could establish the same connections over time as the empire and unity could quickly be achieved if the country is invaded after the empire is brought to heel.
The idea of seeking a new, pragmatic leader to unite and strengthen Skyrim, avoiding the pitfalls of both the Empire and Stormcloaks, speaks to a desire for a more nuanced and self-directed path. It reflects the open-world nature of Skyrim, where player agency allows for diverse approaches to the challenges presented
Thalmor agents sneaking into skyrim, against the treaty? No. the empire allowed them to play Purity-police in skyrim. They work together. The argument of a united front unter imperial control beeing stronger is also wrong. Titus Mede is a weak leader, not able to hold the empire together and not even able to unite his own high council in support of him. The Mede Dynasty in general was weak and ruined the empire over 200 years. Two seperate Armies with at least one strong leader are better than one with a weak leader nobody wants to fight for. The empire represents order, infrastructure investment and economic prosperity? Have you ever played Skyrim? Look around. More than 600years Skyrim was part of the empire. Skyrim lost Solstheim. The Cities and Castles are crumbling and thats not because of the civil war. Only Solitude seems to have profited from all of this. The Nords had big palaces, castles, roads and a magic academy before joining the empire. Winterhold was never rebuild, Windhelm lived of trade with Morrowind, Solstheim Winterhold, and suffered from the losses and the Refugee crisis. There are no efforts to help Falkreath restore lost Helgen despite it beeing an important, if not the most important imperial controlled outpost with its Road to Cyrodiil. Road patrols are the same regardless of who controls the region. damn propaganda. And always this "only to buy time"-thing... You do know that we are talking about 26(!) years until now. So how long shall the people of skyrim suffer under Thalmor torture and defacto rule? "Empire represents political representation compared to the narrow nationalism." How is there political representation? The Empire has only 2 Provinces left. Go to Windhelm. There are 2 Aldmer in the upper city, Stables belong to a Bosmer couple, one of the Farms belongs to a Dunmer Family. You can be Part of the Stormcloaks regardless the race or become a Courtmage, Housecarl, or a Steward. Yes the Argonians have to stay outside of the City but maybe that was part of security concerns with so many Dunmer Refugees in the City and Argonians annexing south Morrowind and enslaving Dunmer there(because dunmer enslaved argonians for centuries). Difficult Situation, debateable, yes. In general, the imperial controlled cities are not better. But the imperials seem to love executing people for weak reasons (Thiefs, Prisoners of War, People who let Gates open and people who are not on a list). Also in terms of Trade and trade network, opportunities the Stormcloak territories have just as many Khajiit Caravans and foreign traders. Remember almost no Province is still part of the empire. A free Skyrim can interfere in Hammerfell and Morrowind, weakening Thalmor, trade with everyone, support Cyrodiil in a war. In the video there are far too many assumptions about Ulfrics future politics. Its like they thought "hey that sounds nationalistic and thats right wing, we have parties in real life which are right wing. lets take their policies and assume Ulfric is a Party-Member. And the Empire sounds like all working together, thats the European Union or United States with their typical benefits for societys. Yeah... Yeah, that sounds fact based"
Wrong. The Empire had their chance to prove they were the descendents of Tiber Septim, and to stand against the Aldmeri Dominion. A Skyrim chained to the empire could never join with Hammerfell, the only land to resist the Dominion, which is key to stopping them. The Aldmeri Dominion plans on undoing reality itself, so their defeat is ALL that matters. The "idea" that the empire just knelt to the Dominion so that they could regroup and rebuild is a faulty one, bc by surrendering control to the Aldmeri they have crippled themselves from ever being able to regroup. With High elven fingers in the pie, it will never bake. The Dominion will be the ones who are able to rebuild their strength, and using their political control they will NEVER allow the empire to become something capable of standing against them again. The White Gold Concordant proves this. The factors being missed are that Storm cloak controlled areas are unable to thrive as much as empirically controlled ones, but that is false bc we don't know what a Skyrim under complete Storm cloak rule will look like. Without having to repel imperial troops and eleven threats, we don't know what can be established. We DO know what an empirically controlled Skyrim looks like, with eleven hit squads roving the land and Aldmeri influence in every court. The dismissal of Talos worship is not the end, but the beginning of what the Dominion plans to do. It is a COMPLETE erasure of everything human in Tamriel, then a destruction of reality itself. They are the ABSOLUTE evil, and any who lie down with them become just a part of that. The last factor to see is that a Stormcloak (Nord) led Skyrim doesn't end with a sealed off and closed land, cut off from the world. There is much talk of Ulfric as a racist and absolutist, but truthfully Windhelm is the only city I see with areas and structures built for the other races. The khajhiit are forced to camp outside the walls or live in squalor in every city, not just Windhelm. Except for one couple who own an inn and hate their life in Riften, all argonians live in squalor, but in Windhelm they have their own large indoor quarters. The dark elves have been granted their own complete neighborhood in Windhelm, and except for few jackasses who hate them, Ulfric does nothing to uproot them. In every other city, they are forced to be servants, bodyguards and thieves. NO city in Skyrim has a jarl or thane that isn't human. Ulfric's distrust is attributed to him fighting a NORD rebellion, not personal choice. He wants Skyrim to be a land that trades with others and aids in the defense of its neighbors, but just without selling itself to the Dominion to preserve Imperial rule. Titus sold the rights to his kingdom away to preserve his throne, and that's a poor emperor. The Dominion will NEVER loosen the chokehold they have on the empire enough to allow them to rebuild. As soon as enough imperial troops are ready to fight, they will be sent to retake Hammerfell, but in the name of the Dominion. A unified empire is an ALDMERI one now, and that must be fought. Too many people remember the White Gold Tower of Oblivion, and remember fighting to save the empire in that chapter, not realizing that today there are as many Aldmeri waking those halls as humans. Imagine playing Oblivion, but with Mehrunes Dagon sitting on the throne. The empire would be the enemy, not who needed saving. The Dominion sit on either side of the throne today, so there is nothing that benefits the throne that doesn't benefit the Dominion too. That's the catch in Skyrim, while you worry about what's best for trade and stability, you're sending taxed septims (which will be renamed soon) and stability to the Dominion. You worry about the quality of life in Skyrim, by supporting a group who wants to undo life itself. The choice to support the empire is an ALDMERI friendly one, which is the wrong one.
@@dragozillasaur813 This one thinks you smell like a litter box. No seriously, that's the point of playing SKYRIM. You should be a Nord, and follow a true Dragonborn and Nordic playthrough. The imperial bootlickers are all hung up on saving the empire in Oblivion, but this is a different game and country. I don't even think a khajhiit or Argonian can BE a Dragonborn, since you'd need a lineage tie to Tiber to have the ability and humans can't cross breed with either. Hammerfell and the redguards are the only nation to resist the Dominion, and so a Stormcloak Skyrim would be the only way of joining that resistance. Kneeling to the empire just means kneeling to the Dominion, which means the next move by the Empire (and Skyrim if it stays imperial) would be marching on Hammerfell, not joining them. You're a fool if you think the empire is gonna regroup to go against the Aldmeri, bc there are more Thalmor assassins sitting in the White Gold Tower watching and directing the emperor than walking the roads of Skyrim. So don't clown on anyone else's racial choice, when you're just playing as a high elf no matter which one you choose.
I think a Dunmer could go with either side tbh. Obviously the Talos thing is a non issue for them but depending on their background could have some pretty legitimate problems with the Altmer or the Imperials. The enemy of my enemy and all that.
@@CaptainBrash Yeah that's my thought as well, the empire didn't help morrowind so fuck them, also they bent over backwards to the altmer N'wah, skyrim took me in. Skyrim and Ulfric doesn't recognize that the Dunmer are superior and isn't giving money to the Dunmer inthe gray quarter, fuck them, I'm with the empire, could be reasons for joining the empire.
Great video, playing Skyrim for the first time without knowledge is easy to go with the Stormcloacks, since the "imperials try to kill you" but later once you know more about the lore and history is more easy to side with the Empire, that was the case for me. Also, what is evident is that the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominiun are in a Cold War, but many people, and the Stormcloacks don't see that. Another thing important is the main objective of the Thalmor in Skyrim is to keep the war going, is the best interest for them keep the Empire wasting resources in the war, they also indirecty support the Stormcloacks to keep the war going, the evidence is in the Thalmor dossie of Ulfric.
Thanks for sharing your insights! It’s true, Skyrim’s political landscape can be deceiving at first glance. The layers of lore and hidden motives make the Imperial side more compelling with a deeper understanding. The Thalmor’s role as puppeteers behind the scenes adds another intriguing dimension to the conflict. Your thoughtful analysis adds richness to the Skyrim experience!
The Empire finds itself in the same boat as Nazi Occupied France. In this case you are deciding to let the Nazis (Thalmor) round up the Jews (Talos Worshippers) because appeasing the Nazis got now buys you more time to defeat them later. Getting the Thalmor out of Skyrim Saves lives, and that outcome can only be about by backing the stormcloaks.
I understand the historical analogy you’re drawing, but in the complex world of Tamriel, allegiance to the Empire is seen as a strategic move against the Thalmor’s overarching influence. While the Stormcloaks fight for independence, the Empire believes a unified front is necessary to resist the Thalmor effectively. It’s a tough choice with moral implications on both sides of the conflict.
@PixelParty4u To which I would respond, the Empire allows a foreign agents to walk on their soil and round up citizens for execution for their religious practices. As soon as they allowed that, the Empire lost the right continue governing their provinces.
The imps are the more logical group to side with because of its size compared to the stormcloaks but take a min and look and all the down falls the imps have that don’t involve the stormcloaks the biggest one is where the DB takes out tidus Mede2 and all of the elder councils amulets those are all the empires and that a another thing they can lose also what about the time the player inadvertently infiltrates the East empire warehouses and we can’t forget bout the bloodhorkers also they steal stuff from the empire’s shippin cargo ships
You make a valid point about the vulnerabilities and internal challenges the Empire faces. The Dark Brotherhood’s actions, the East Empire Company incidents, and other internal issues highlight the complexity of maintaining control over such a vast territory. It’s true that the Empire isn’t without its flaws, and these incidents add nuance to the political landscape of Skyrim. The decision to support the Empire becomes a balance between recognizing its strengths and acknowledging its shortcomings. The intricacies of the Elder Scrolls world certainly make for engaging and thought-provoking gameplay!
@@PixelParty4u it does for sure and also I forgot to mention the openin scene where the Dragonborn is bout to be executed for crossin the boarder which adds a small vengeance thing to the Dragonborn to get back at the empire for tryin to execute a citizen presumably and if for some reason the empire did execute the Dragonborn they’d inevitably set the end of the world themselves and then there’d be no stopping the events the could try and hold off alduins onslaught for a little while but that wouldn’t be possible unless the empire and stormcloaks put their hatred aside and fight the bigger threat kinda like you can do if your bout to face alduin and then go and start the civil war quest line then you can get the change to negotiate a truce until the dragon threat is felt with
@@thorodinsson5684 That's why I think that Elenwen orders the executions at Helgen. A Stormcloak rebellion only helps the Dominion in the short term, so killing Ulfric is dumb right then. But the Dominion WANTS the world undone, it's their objective as a group. So then hearing that there might be a Dragonborn (no idea how) in that area would mean an execute anyone captured order, bc then Alduin would be unstoppable.
@@Matt-the-Wise I thought that too the first couple play throughs I did in Skyrim but the reason she was there was to actually tryin to stop the execution but Gen tullius didn’t want any part in that even though the imps and Thalmore are supposed to be workin together but you are right on one thing that the thalmore does want the empire to implode but in my mind I feel like the thalmore want it to be a kinda inside job type thing. I could be completely wrong but I’ve played Skyrim since release not sayin you have or anyone else has cause the game has been out for like 12 or 13 years now and trillions of people have played it also it does help to learn these things when you watch every elder scrolls TH-camr under the sun that’s what I do to learn all the secrets for Skyrim between watchin The Epic Nate FudgeMuppet drewmara master neloth and last but not least ESO Danny all these channels know way more about the elder scrolls games ESO is more of someone to do more playthroughs instead talkin bout the mysteries and secrets but he does share a few secrets every now and then while he’s playin
in my personal opinion if you hate the thalmor it makes no sense for you to support ulfric. if the rebellion succeeds, the aldmeri dominion can easily swoop in and land the coup de grace on a further weakened empire before eventually setting their sights onto the newly indepedent skyrim, which would mean the stormcloak rebellion wouldve been in vain, at best allowing for maybe less than a century of independence. what the stormcloaks dont realize is that the empire did not accept the concordat willy nilly, they actually fought tooth and nail before begrudingly settling on peace. the imperials hate the outlawing of talos worship just as much as the stormcloaks do, but just restrain themselves until the time is right
The Empire’s pragmatic approach, accepting the Concordat to bide its time and rebuild strength, reflects a long-term strategy against the Thalmor. Your concern about an independent Skyrim being vulnerable to the Aldmeri Dominion’s influence post-rebellion is a valid consideration. It underscores the complexity of the political situation in Tamriel and the interconnectedness of regional conflicts. Balancing the desire for immediate change with the understanding of long-term consequences is a key aspect of navigating the choices presented in the game.
I played this game a lot a few years ago. Overall I leaned towards the Imperial side. I also find myself favoring the Brotherhood in fallout 4, though I don't agree with everything they do. I think I may have authoritarian leanings...
It’s fascinating how gaming experiences can sometimes reveal aspects of our preferences or inclinations. Enjoying factions with authoritative structures in games doesn’t necessarily reflect real-world beliefs, but it’s interesting to explore various perspectives within the virtual realms
What a well-spoken narrative. I agreed with the points you've made. In short: the empire is thinking in the long term, while I got the feeling that the Stormcloaks are not. And nationalism I don't see as a clever move while the bigger danger is a danger to all. United people are strong. And the Stormcloaks seem to make more enemies than necessary because of their religious believes. On the other hand, for the Dragonborn as the player him or herself it is beneficial from a selfish standpoint to join the Stormcloaks instead: you'll get a Shrine of Talos in Solitude, and you'll get unglitched access to General Tulius Armor, a very practical piece to have. Also, upon joining the Stormcloaks the player will get the otherwise unobtainable Ice Wraith Banes potions. Furthermore, going through Helgen with Ralof rather than Hadvar gives early access to valueable Imperial armor, fetching you some nice coin in the early games. But like I've said, those are all self-centered reasons. Personally I'd prefer the Imperials. Even in death Ulfric admitted his wrongdoings if you happen to come across him in Sovngarde by winning the Civil War on the Imperials side prior to finishing the main quesline. And especially this point has made me think the Imperials are better. Rather I'm right in this is something The Elder Scrolls 6 will reveal.
You’ve provided a well-thought-out analysis, weighing both the self-centered advantages and the broader implications of the conflict in Skyrim. The long-term vision of the Empire and the united front against a common enemy indeed add depth to the narrative. Your consideration of Ulfric’s admission in Sovngarde adds an intriguing layer to the moral aspects of the conflict. It’s fascinating how personal experiences and choices shape our perspectives in these virtual worlds. Looking forward to seeing how The Elder Scrolls 6 unfolds the next chapter in Tamriel’s saga!
This analysis fails to discuss trade after a stormcloak win. Skyrim is crippled because of heavy taxation, they are demoralised because their people are being opressed and tyranised which lowers consumer trust (I can't remember the exact word here so bear with me ;) ) The empire is currently too weak to defend skyrim given most of their countries seceeded. It's sucking Skyrim dry of resources while giving nothing in return. The empire is dying, and when you are weak you can't assert your dominance and ownership as an empire. regrouping instead of spreading thin will result in a stronger empire. The only hope the empire has, is if the Dragonborn joins it, otherwise the Empire is doomed to fail. Going forward, allying with Hammerfell, highrock and Cyrodil is the way to go.
Bethesda left out a peace settlement that worked . Allow Skyrim it's independence .Allowing them to worship as they please without breaking the White Gold Tower concordant. They would have a mutual defense treaty for when the Dominion attacks Skyrim. and latter Cyrodill . This would also allow Skyrim to aid Hammerfell in their fight against the Dominion .
The only time I ever played the Stormcloak side I felt like I was joining a cult.
No. In fact, imma start another Stormcloak playthrough.
Fun fact if you attack Elenwen during Season Unending Ulfric comes to her aid . The storm cloaks are traitors
Seriously?!? I’ve been playing since the 2011 midnight release and still never knew that lol
@@mattdean7461 yeah man ! I found it out on here a few years ago. It’s funny because just before he protests against her attending lol
There's a thalmor dossier in the embassy talking about Ulfric being a sleeping cell, they're having the war so in that way the imperials cannot regroup and attack the aldmeri dominion
@@Trelitty11 dude that’s hilarious 😂 yet another reason for me to support the empire then lol
@@krigeroth9882 fuck them thalmor!! Lol
It depends on how the Aldmeri Dominion reacted to an independent Skyrim. If the Dominion attacked Skyrim, it would be bad for the region, but good for the Empjre. The Dominion already took a beating in Hammerfell. If they were to sail a fleet to the opposite side of the continent, they would devastate Skyrim but would also take heavy loses. Which would be beneficial to the Empire trying to rally a counter against the Dominion. Skyrim loses, but the Empire prevails.
If the Dominion leaves an independent Skyrim alone, it's bad for everyone. Ulfric would be a terrible leader. He's a great warrior and general, if you don't mind slaughtering civilians and children. But he's too fixated on nationalism to make rational decisions. Windhelm, his seat of power, is proof that he would be a disastrous leader. His rule would also lead to an escalation in racial strife, and Skyrim is full of non-Nords. Trade would suffer, emtying everyone's coffers. Skyrim would fall from chaos.
The safest bet is the Imperials. Build strength as a coalition, and also don't sacrifice an entire provenence to Ulfric's amatuer rule. Though the most ideal outcome is that the Aldmeri Dominion was defeated, AND all the provenences could be independent peacefully.
Wrong. The Empire had their chance to prove they were the descendents of Tiber Septim, and to stand against the Aldmeri Dominion. A Skyrim chained to the empire could never join with Hammerfell, the only land to resist the Dominion, which is key to stopping them. The Aldmeri Dominion plans on undoing reality itself, so their defeat is ALL that matters. The "idea" that the empire just knelt to the Dominion so that they could regroup and rebuild is a faulty one, bc by surrendering control to the Aldmeri they have crippled themselves from ever being able to regroup. With High elven fingers in the pie, it will never bake. The Dominion will be the ones who are able to rebuild their strength, and using their political control they will NEVER allow the empire to become something capable of standing against them again. The White Gold Concordant proves this. The factors being missed are that Storm cloak controlled areas are unable to thrive as much as empirically controlled ones, but that is false bc we don't know what a Skyrim under complete Storm cloak rule will look like. Without having to repel imperial troops and eleven threats, we don't know what can be established. We DO know what an empirically controlled Skyrim looks like, with eleven hit squads roving the land and Aldmeri influence in every court. The dismissal of Talos worship is not the end, but the beginning of what the Dominion plans to do. It is a COMPLETE erasure of everything human in Tamriel, then a destruction of reality itself. They are the ABSOLUTE evil, and any who lie down with them become just a part of that. The last factor to see is that a Stormcloak (Nord) led Skyrim doesn't end with a sealed off and closed land, cut off from the world. There is much talk of Ulfric as a racist and absolutist, but truthfully Windhelm is the only city I see with areas and structures built for the other races. The khajhiit are forced to camp outside the walls or live in squalor in every city, not just Windhelm. Except for one couple who own an inn and hate their life in Riften, all argonians live in squalor, but in Windhelm they have their own large indoor quarters. The dark elves have been granted their own complete neighborhood in Windhelm, and except for few jackasses who hate them, Ulfric does nothing to uproot them. In every other city, they are forced to be servants, bodyguards and thieves. NO city in Skyrim has a jarl or thane that isn't human. Ulfric's distrust is attributed to him fighting a NORD rebellion, not personal choice. He wants Skyrim to be a land that trades with others and aids in the defense of its neighbors, but just without selling itself to the Dominion to preserve Imperial rule. Titus sold the rights to his kingdom away to preserve his throne, and that's a poor emperor. The Dominion will NEVER loosen the chokehold they have on the empire enough to allow them to rebuild. As soon as enough imperial troops are ready to fight, they will be sent to retake Hammerfell, but in the name of the Dominion. A unified empire is an ALDMERI one now, and that must be fought. Too many people remember the White Gold Tower of Oblivion, and remember fighting to save the empire in that chapter, not realizing that today there are as many Aldmeri waking those halls as humans. Imagine playing Oblivion, but with Mehrunes Dagon sitting on the throne. The empire would be the enemy, not who needed saving. The Dominion sit on either side of the throne today, so there is nothing that benefits the throne that doesn't benefit the Dominion too. That's the catch in Skyrim, while you worry about what's best for trade and stability, you're sending taxed septims (which will be renamed soon) and stability to the Dominion. You worry about the quality of life in Skyrim, by supporting a group who wants to undo life itself. The choice to support the empire is an ALDMERI friendly one, which is the wrong one.
@@Matt-the-Wise Bla, bla, bla... Ulfric is a child with great ambitions. The second war will come, and the new caste of soldiers of the empire will implode A.D. Also, side with stormcloacks as a dragonborn It's the same as spitting from Alessian empire to Septim empire. The only one who can lead tamriel is the dragonborn.
they would probably deal with the empire first before dealing with skyrim seeing as cyrodiil is right on their doorstep and the empire would be cut into disconnected halves if the stormcloaks won
@@sparjs Only a Dragonborn can lead? I think Ulfric can shout better than Titus. The new caste of imperial soldiers will do whatever their Aldmeri masters tell them to, and as the empire has ALREADY shown, that's only to further their agenda. Talos was a dragonborn, that's why they've outlawed his worship, to weaken that whole belief system. So don't bla bla bla me, when you have to ask the elves if you're even allowed to first. Siding with the Dominion is the same as siding with the bad guys, whether that's directly licking an Aldmeri boot or indirectly by supporting an empire that does. That's the equivalent of siding with Mehrunes in Oblivion, or joining the Dwemer at Red Mountain. You're joining those trying to destroy you. Ulfric is a man willing to stand and fight against the threat, no matter what you think of him, and the empire is willing to serve the threat. There's no middle ground or exception.
Your analysis delves deep into the geopolitical dynamics of Tamriel, considering the potential reactions of the Aldmeri Dominion to an independent Skyrim. The strategic implications and the delicate balance between national pride and rational decision-making are crucial aspects. Your mention of Ulfric’s potential leadership challenges and the risk of racial tensions escalating underlines the complexity of the situation. Your ideal scenario of a defeated Aldmeri Dominion and peacefully independent provinces reflects a desire for a more harmonious and self-determined future for Tamriel. The intricate web of possibilities in the Elder Scrolls universe provides ample room for speculation and thoughtful consideration.
I’ve always sided with the Imperials
I’ve always sided with stormcloaks
@@doodlegoose2262 to each their own right?
I love Ulfric Stormcloak's clothes and the best way to get them without using code, is to join the Imperial Legion and kill Ulfric... that's why I always sided with them....
Shrine of talos works like any other shrine that's why talos is devine therefore talos worship cannot be banned and thalmore are just oppressing people of Skyrim and empire is also not real Empire it is just puppet so you should side with stormclocks
@@bhavyasharma4115 nahhhh lol you can though
I'm plaing an orc.
Orcs are loyal to the empire for many reasons.
But I also feel like it would be a good "Pure revenge story." To side with the storm cloaks.
As the empire did try to chop your head off.
Last time I checked their is Talos is worshiped through some strong holds, majority of us who do support the Empire do support Talos (Mr Septem him self) the next in line to the throne if not any bloodline to take it’s place, is the Dragonsblood blood line
I'm a Stormcloak forever.
Great Skyrim Lore, fine work, thanks, be well….
It pretty obvious that at some point of plot development Ulfric was cast as one of the antagonists, an evil dragonborn of some sort. The idea was cut, but the conflict resolution wasn't re-developed accordingly and player mostly pushed to the Empire side.
I don’t understand how the db is being pushed to the empire. It’s the complete opposite actually. The battle born - grey mane quest paints the empire in a bad light. General Tulius speaks to his troops like they’re stupid. And oh yeah, THEY TRIED TO CUT THE DRAGONBORNS HEAD OFF. The level of incompetence they showed there needs to be studied. What would have happened if alduin was allowed to run free? One side fights for a just cause and the other fights to protect interests
Speak for yourself. The empire has already lost a few provinces already. It makes sense that Skyrim would follow suit. It’s dying, and the Great War was the start. Same thing happened to the Roman Empire when they abandoned Britannia. There was just no recovering lost territory. It happens to all great empires.
@@indofokinfolkfoo3448Same goes for the Stormcloaks, there are many people on the empire's side saying that the Stormcloaks are bad and that Ulfric will kill anyone who isn't with him, and that includes killing off people who are neutral or passive, such as: The elderly, the sick, children, etc. his own men say something along the lines of "You are with us or against us" no in-between or neutral party.
Its pretty obvious that the parties against the empire would have a bias for the Stormcloaks, but it's also obvious that the parties favouring the empire also have a bias against the rebellion, most of them argues that Ulfric is using the rebellion to give himself more power and take the throne as high king of Skyrim. And those who are in favour or Ulfric argues that he is helping Skyrim gain its independence. Regardless, both parties aren't good at all.
There is no right question for the debate of The Stormcloaks or The Empire Legion. Skyrim is doomed regardless, the real enemy is Thalmor, they set up the civil war, they're the ones who forced the Empire to outlaw the worship of Talos, they're the ones abducting the innocent people. They do not care if the Stormcloaks or the Empire wins the civil war, it cripples the Empire either way, they prefer that the civil war goes on longer but, they do not care who wins in the end.
TLDR; fug the Thalmor elves man, they stole my Sweet Roll.
@@indofokinfolkfoo3448 Well, there are two sides to all of those points.
When it comes to the beheading: Tullius had just ambushed and captured Ulfric Stormcloak himself somewhere near Darkwater pass. The intention at the time was an execution without trial _before_ the Thalmor could interfere and prolong the civil war. Thus, this cannot be used as an example of Imperial ineptitude as it clearly demonstrates that the Legion was about to win the war decisively despite Thalmor shenanigans and Stormcloaks efforts, were it not for the unforeseeable return and interference of Alduin or the unknowable importance of a random refugee then this would be an unblemished and resounding victory.
When it comes to the capture and imprisonment of Thorald Grey-Mane: Tullius' hands were tied the second the Thalmor got their grubby mitts on him. He had no power over Thorald's fate after that point and his primary interest in this situation is to bolster imperial support in the wealthiest hold of Skyrim.
As th dragonborn the most pragmatic thing to do would actually be to join neither... Trading off prosperity for religious persecution doesn't make the empire a better option than the stormcloaks.
Ideally the goal would be to topple the empire and assassinate Ulfric and replace him with a more economically and politically savvy leader.
The stormcloaks with a savvy leader could establish the same connections over time as the empire and unity could quickly be achieved if the country is invaded after the empire is brought to heel.
The idea of seeking a new, pragmatic leader to unite and strengthen Skyrim, avoiding the pitfalls of both the Empire and Stormcloaks, speaks to a desire for a more nuanced and self-directed path. It reflects the open-world nature of Skyrim, where player agency allows for diverse approaches to the challenges presented
The only time I joined the Stormcloaks, I did so with the intention of defecting to the legion
Thalmor agents sneaking into skyrim, against the treaty? No. the empire allowed them to play Purity-police in skyrim. They work together.
The argument of a united front unter imperial control beeing stronger is also wrong. Titus Mede is a weak leader, not able to hold the empire together and not even able to unite his own high council in support of him. The Mede Dynasty in general was weak and ruined the empire over 200 years. Two seperate Armies with at least one strong leader are better than one with a weak leader nobody wants to fight for.
The empire represents order, infrastructure investment and economic prosperity? Have you ever played Skyrim? Look around. More than 600years Skyrim was part of the empire. Skyrim lost Solstheim. The Cities and Castles are crumbling and thats not because of the civil war. Only Solitude seems to have profited from all of this. The Nords had big palaces, castles, roads and a magic academy before joining the empire. Winterhold was never rebuild, Windhelm lived of trade with Morrowind, Solstheim Winterhold, and suffered from the losses and the Refugee crisis. There are no efforts to help Falkreath restore lost Helgen despite it beeing an important, if not the most important imperial controlled outpost with its Road to Cyrodiil. Road patrols are the same regardless of who controls the region. damn propaganda.
And always this "only to buy time"-thing... You do know that we are talking about 26(!) years until now. So how long shall the people of skyrim suffer under Thalmor torture and defacto rule?
"Empire represents political representation compared to the narrow nationalism." How is there political representation? The Empire has only 2 Provinces left. Go to Windhelm. There are 2 Aldmer in the upper city, Stables belong to a Bosmer couple, one of the Farms belongs to a Dunmer Family. You can be Part of the Stormcloaks regardless the race or become a Courtmage, Housecarl, or a Steward. Yes the Argonians have to stay outside of the City but maybe that was part of security concerns with so many Dunmer Refugees in the City and Argonians annexing south Morrowind and enslaving Dunmer there(because dunmer enslaved argonians for centuries). Difficult Situation, debateable, yes. In general, the imperial controlled cities are not better. But the imperials seem to love executing people for weak reasons (Thiefs, Prisoners of War, People who let Gates open and people who are not on a list).
Also in terms of Trade and trade network, opportunities the Stormcloak territories have just as many Khajiit Caravans and foreign traders. Remember almost no Province is still part of the empire. A free Skyrim can interfere in Hammerfell and Morrowind, weakening Thalmor, trade with everyone, support Cyrodiil in a war. In the video there are far too many assumptions about Ulfrics future politics. Its like they thought "hey that sounds nationalistic and thats right wing, we have parties in real life which are right wing. lets take their policies and assume Ulfric is a Party-Member. And the Empire sounds like all working together, thats the European Union or United States with their typical benefits for societys. Yeah... Yeah, that sounds fact based"
Wrong. The Empire had their chance to prove they were the descendents of Tiber Septim, and to stand against the Aldmeri Dominion. A Skyrim chained to the empire could never join with Hammerfell, the only land to resist the Dominion, which is key to stopping them. The Aldmeri Dominion plans on undoing reality itself, so their defeat is ALL that matters. The "idea" that the empire just knelt to the Dominion so that they could regroup and rebuild is a faulty one, bc by surrendering control to the Aldmeri they have crippled themselves from ever being able to regroup. With High elven fingers in the pie, it will never bake. The Dominion will be the ones who are able to rebuild their strength, and using their political control they will NEVER allow the empire to become something capable of standing against them again. The White Gold Concordant proves this. The factors being missed are that Storm cloak controlled areas are unable to thrive as much as empirically controlled ones, but that is false bc we don't know what a Skyrim under complete Storm cloak rule will look like. Without having to repel imperial troops and eleven threats, we don't know what can be established. We DO know what an empirically controlled Skyrim looks like, with eleven hit squads roving the land and Aldmeri influence in every court. The dismissal of Talos worship is not the end, but the beginning of what the Dominion plans to do. It is a COMPLETE erasure of everything human in Tamriel, then a destruction of reality itself. They are the ABSOLUTE evil, and any who lie down with them become just a part of that. The last factor to see is that a Stormcloak (Nord) led Skyrim doesn't end with a sealed off and closed land, cut off from the world. There is much talk of Ulfric as a racist and absolutist, but truthfully Windhelm is the only city I see with areas and structures built for the other races. The khajhiit are forced to camp outside the walls or live in squalor in every city, not just Windhelm. Except for one couple who own an inn and hate their life in Riften, all argonians live in squalor, but in Windhelm they have their own large indoor quarters. The dark elves have been granted their own complete neighborhood in Windhelm, and except for few jackasses who hate them, Ulfric does nothing to uproot them. In every other city, they are forced to be servants, bodyguards and thieves. NO city in Skyrim has a jarl or thane that isn't human. Ulfric's distrust is attributed to him fighting a NORD rebellion, not personal choice. He wants Skyrim to be a land that trades with others and aids in the defense of its neighbors, but just without selling itself to the Dominion to preserve Imperial rule. Titus sold the rights to his kingdom away to preserve his throne, and that's a poor emperor. The Dominion will NEVER loosen the chokehold they have on the empire enough to allow them to rebuild. As soon as enough imperial troops are ready to fight, they will be sent to retake Hammerfell, but in the name of the Dominion. A unified empire is an ALDMERI one now, and that must be fought. Too many people remember the White Gold Tower of Oblivion, and remember fighting to save the empire in that chapter, not realizing that today there are as many Aldmeri waking those halls as humans. Imagine playing Oblivion, but with Mehrunes Dagon sitting on the throne. The empire would be the enemy, not who needed saving. The Dominion sit on either side of the throne today, so there is nothing that benefits the throne that doesn't benefit the Dominion too. That's the catch in Skyrim, while you worry about what's best for trade and stability, you're sending taxed septims (which will be renamed soon) and stability to the Dominion. You worry about the quality of life in Skyrim, by supporting a group who wants to undo life itself. The choice to support the empire is an ALDMERI friendly one, which is the wrong one.
so says the stormcloak fan who plays as a khajiit
@@dragozillasaur813 This one thinks you smell like a litter box. No seriously, that's the point of playing SKYRIM. You should be a Nord, and follow a true Dragonborn and Nordic playthrough. The imperial bootlickers are all hung up on saving the empire in Oblivion, but this is a different game and country. I don't even think a khajhiit or Argonian can BE a Dragonborn, since you'd need a lineage tie to Tiber to have the ability and humans can't cross breed with either. Hammerfell and the redguards are the only nation to resist the Dominion, and so a Stormcloak Skyrim would be the only way of joining that resistance. Kneeling to the empire just means kneeling to the Dominion, which means the next move by the Empire (and Skyrim if it stays imperial) would be marching on Hammerfell, not joining them. You're a fool if you think the empire is gonna regroup to go against the Aldmeri, bc there are more Thalmor assassins sitting in the White Gold Tower watching and directing the emperor than walking the roads of Skyrim. So don't clown on anyone else's racial choice, when you're just playing as a high elf no matter which one you choose.
Given the fact I tend to play as a Drummer (Dark Elf) when playing Skyrim. The outlaw of the worship of Talos means nothing to me.
I think a Dunmer could go with either side tbh. Obviously the Talos thing is a non issue for them but depending on their background could have some pretty legitimate problems with the Altmer or the Imperials. The enemy of my enemy and all that.
@@CaptainBrash Fair point.
@@CaptainBrash Yeah that's my thought as well, the empire didn't help morrowind so fuck them, also they bent over backwards to the altmer N'wah, skyrim took me in. Skyrim and Ulfric doesn't recognize that the Dunmer are superior and isn't giving money to the Dunmer inthe gray quarter, fuck them, I'm with the empire, could be reasons for joining the empire.
Great video, playing Skyrim for the first time without knowledge is easy to go with the Stormcloacks, since the "imperials try to kill you" but later once you know more about the lore and history is more easy to side with the Empire, that was the case for me.
Also, what is evident is that the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominiun are in a Cold War, but many people, and the Stormcloacks don't see that.
Another thing important is the main objective of the Thalmor in Skyrim is to keep the war going, is the best interest for them keep the Empire wasting resources in the war, they also indirecty support the Stormcloacks to keep the war going, the evidence is in the Thalmor dossie of Ulfric.
Thanks for sharing your insights! It’s true, Skyrim’s political landscape can be deceiving at first glance. The layers of lore and hidden motives make the Imperial side more compelling with a deeper understanding. The Thalmor’s role as puppeteers behind the scenes adds another intriguing dimension to the conflict. Your thoughtful analysis adds richness to the Skyrim experience!
The Empire finds itself in the same boat as Nazi Occupied France. In this case you are deciding to let the Nazis (Thalmor) round up the Jews (Talos Worshippers) because appeasing the Nazis got now buys you more time to defeat them later. Getting the Thalmor out of Skyrim Saves lives, and that outcome can only be about by backing the stormcloaks.
I understand the historical analogy you’re drawing, but in the complex world of Tamriel, allegiance to the Empire is seen as a strategic move against the Thalmor’s overarching influence. While the Stormcloaks fight for independence, the Empire believes a unified front is necessary to resist the Thalmor effectively. It’s a tough choice with moral implications on both sides of the conflict.
@PixelParty4u To which I would respond, the Empire allows a foreign agents to walk on their soil and round up citizens for execution for their religious practices. As soon as they allowed that, the Empire lost the right continue governing their provinces.
The imps are the more logical group to side with because of its size compared to the stormcloaks but take a min and look and all the down falls the imps have that don’t involve the stormcloaks the biggest one is where the DB takes out tidus Mede2 and all of the elder councils amulets those are all the empires and that a another thing they can lose also what about the time the player inadvertently infiltrates the East empire warehouses and we can’t forget bout the bloodhorkers also they steal stuff from the empire’s shippin cargo ships
You make a valid point about the vulnerabilities and internal challenges the Empire faces. The Dark Brotherhood’s actions, the East Empire Company incidents, and other internal issues highlight the complexity of maintaining control over such a vast territory. It’s true that the Empire isn’t without its flaws, and these incidents add nuance to the political landscape of Skyrim. The decision to support the Empire becomes a balance between recognizing its strengths and acknowledging its shortcomings. The intricacies of the Elder Scrolls world certainly make for engaging and thought-provoking gameplay!
@@PixelParty4u it does for sure and also I forgot to mention the openin scene where the Dragonborn is bout to be executed for crossin the boarder which adds a small vengeance thing to the Dragonborn to get back at the empire for tryin to execute a citizen presumably and if for some reason the empire did execute the Dragonborn they’d inevitably set the end of the world themselves and then there’d be no stopping the events the could try and hold off alduins onslaught for a little while but that wouldn’t be possible unless the empire and stormcloaks put their hatred aside and fight the bigger threat kinda like you can do if your bout to face alduin and then go and start the civil war quest line then you can get the change to negotiate a truce until the dragon threat is felt with
@@thorodinsson5684 That's why I think that Elenwen orders the executions at Helgen. A Stormcloak rebellion only helps the Dominion in the short term, so killing Ulfric is dumb right then. But the Dominion WANTS the world undone, it's their objective as a group. So then hearing that there might be a Dragonborn (no idea how) in that area would mean an execute anyone captured order, bc then Alduin would be unstoppable.
@@Matt-the-Wise I thought that too the first couple play throughs I did in Skyrim but the reason she was there was to actually tryin to stop the execution but Gen tullius didn’t want any part in that even though the imps and Thalmore are supposed to be workin together but you are right on one thing that the thalmore does want the empire to implode but in my mind I feel like the thalmore want it to be a kinda inside job type thing. I could be completely wrong but I’ve played Skyrim since release not sayin you have or anyone else has cause the game has been out for like 12 or 13 years now and trillions of people have played it also it does help to learn these things when you watch every elder scrolls TH-camr under the sun that’s what I do to learn all the secrets for Skyrim between watchin The Epic Nate FudgeMuppet drewmara master neloth and last but not least ESO Danny all these channels know way more about the elder scrolls games ESO is more of someone to do more playthroughs instead talkin bout the mysteries and secrets but he does share a few secrets every now and then while he’s playin
in my personal opinion if you hate the thalmor it makes no sense for you to support ulfric. if the rebellion succeeds, the aldmeri dominion can easily swoop in and land the coup de grace on a further weakened empire before eventually setting their sights onto the newly indepedent skyrim, which would mean the stormcloak rebellion wouldve been in vain, at best allowing for maybe less than a century of independence. what the stormcloaks dont realize is that the empire did not accept the concordat willy nilly, they actually fought tooth and nail before begrudingly settling on peace. the imperials hate the outlawing of talos worship just as much as the stormcloaks do, but just restrain themselves until the time is right
The Empire’s pragmatic approach, accepting the Concordat to bide its time and rebuild strength, reflects a long-term strategy against the Thalmor. Your concern about an independent Skyrim being vulnerable to the Aldmeri Dominion’s influence post-rebellion is a valid consideration. It underscores the complexity of the political situation in Tamriel and the interconnectedness of regional conflicts. Balancing the desire for immediate change with the understanding of long-term consequences is a key aspect of navigating the choices presented in the game.
I played this game a lot a few years ago. Overall I leaned towards the Imperial side. I also find myself favoring the Brotherhood in fallout 4, though I don't agree with everything they do. I think I may have authoritarian leanings...
It’s fascinating how gaming experiences can sometimes reveal aspects of our preferences or inclinations. Enjoying factions with authoritative structures in games doesn’t necessarily reflect real-world beliefs, but it’s interesting to explore various perspectives within the virtual realms
Whiterun it actually neutral in the civil war.
The Empire is weak, stagnant and corrupt.
Bro just worship Talos at the crib. No need to do it in public.
What a well-spoken narrative. I agreed with the points you've made. In short: the empire is thinking in the long term, while I got the feeling that the Stormcloaks are not. And nationalism I don't see as a clever move while the bigger danger is a danger to all. United people are strong. And the Stormcloaks seem to make more enemies than necessary because of their religious believes.
On the other hand, for the Dragonborn as the player him or herself it is beneficial from a selfish standpoint to join the Stormcloaks instead: you'll get a Shrine of Talos in Solitude, and you'll get unglitched access to General Tulius Armor, a very practical piece to have. Also, upon joining the Stormcloaks the player will get the otherwise unobtainable Ice Wraith Banes potions. Furthermore, going through Helgen with Ralof rather than Hadvar gives early access to valueable Imperial armor, fetching you some nice coin in the early games.
But like I've said, those are all self-centered reasons.
Personally I'd prefer the Imperials. Even in death Ulfric admitted his wrongdoings if you happen to come across him in Sovngarde by winning the Civil War on the Imperials side prior to finishing the main quesline. And especially this point has made me think the Imperials are better.
Rather I'm right in this is something The Elder Scrolls 6 will reveal.
You’ve provided a well-thought-out analysis, weighing both the self-centered advantages and the broader implications of the conflict in Skyrim. The long-term vision of the Empire and the united front against a common enemy indeed add depth to the narrative. Your consideration of Ulfric’s admission in Sovngarde adds an intriguing layer to the moral aspects of the conflict. It’s fascinating how personal experiences and choices shape our perspectives in these virtual worlds. Looking forward to seeing how The Elder Scrolls 6 unfolds the next chapter in Tamriel’s saga!
Didn't see any reason why anyone should join the Empire here. More chaos and the eventual collapse of the Empire should always be the goal.
I've always been a stormcloak but this has given me a lot to think about
And then let the aldmeri dominion take over a divided Tamriel and treat humans as second class citizens?
This mofo is in the dominion fan club!
Let the Mer take over, not the Dominion in particular. @@clintonbaird5465
Dunmer primarily, but the Dominion isn't all bad.@@Shyy_Guyy
Empire will lose actually, first sell hammerfell then sell talos skyrim
All empires are corrupt and eventually will collapse. Nice staying with history Bethesda LOL
This analysis fails to discuss trade after a stormcloak win. Skyrim is crippled because of heavy taxation, they are demoralised because their people are being opressed and tyranised which lowers consumer trust (I can't remember the exact word here so bear with me ;) ) The empire is currently too weak to defend skyrim given most of their countries seceeded. It's sucking Skyrim dry of resources while giving nothing in return. The empire is dying, and when you are weak you can't assert your dominance and ownership as an empire. regrouping instead of spreading thin will result in a stronger empire.
The only hope the empire has, is if the Dragonborn joins it, otherwise the Empire is doomed to fail.
Going forward, allying with Hammerfell, highrock and Cyrodil is the way to go.
So your option is just go along with another country controlling Skyrim .
The imperial legion sucks. Skyrim is for the nords
Milk drinker
Lame ass Argument