When in doubt, pick the ones who aren't Nazis.
Wish I had the option to destroy both, honestly
I went Imperial mostly because the Stormcloaks don't really seem to have a plan for dealing with the Thalmor if they somehow manage to win.
Then you'd just be supporting the Thalmor.That's why we need the dragonborn to take over as king of the world
The Imperials don't really have one either.
It's basically "Let's deal with this one problem, then we can prepare for the other problem" versus "Let's grab our ankles and hope everything works out". Neither is really a viable strategy.
Though it's also implied in the narrative that the Nords were winning most of their battles during the war with the Thalmor, and it was the Imperials who folded, so in a scenario where Skyrim goes independent there's always the possibility that the better fighters having to defend a much smaller region means they'd win any war against the Thalmor (so long as they weren't constantly being bled by the Empire at the same time). Same goes for the Redguard, who were basically doing an effective job of fighting back against the Thalmor until they were sold out by their own allies (which is a significant part of what prompted Skyrim to rebel in the first place).
That's the main reason why the Thalmor don't want either side to win the civil war. The longer the Imperials fight the Stormcloaks, the weaker each faction gets, and the easier it will be for the Thalmor to maintain their own powerbase (or expand it). Either side winning solidifies powerful opposition that will be far better equipped to oppose the Thalmor.
That's why we need the dragonborn to take over as king of the world
I stayed out of it for quite a long time in my first Skyrim playthrough because I recognized the Imperials as being elitist colonizers with direct ties to the Thalmor and the Stormcloaks as being racist reactionaries that lacked a cohesive direction (while also ironicallyAnd yet that same stormcloak will rat you out if you kill the imperials before making them hostile and you leave the stormcloak prisoner alive.having direct ties to the Thalmor as well).
However, I was walking near Whiterun at one point and a group of Imperial soldiers escorting a prisoner encountered me and started a dialogue which lead to them attacking me. I managed to free the prisoner who then encouraged me to join the Stormcloaks, which I immediately went and did.
I have to give credit to Skyrim for having such an immersive world like that. Playing Skyrim really felt like I was part of world that unfolded directly due to every action I made.
Of course, you also apparently sold your soul to at least one Daedric Prince because the Thieves' Guild quest was incredibly stupid, so who knows.You have to side with Hermaeus to complete Dragonborn. All DLC is considered canon unlike the faction questlines. The DLC itself shows you how Hermaeus already trapped a Dragonborn in his realm.
However, I was walking near Whiterun at one point and a group of Imperial soldiers escorting a prisoner encountered me and started a dialogue which lead to them attacking me. I managed to free the prisoner who then encouraged me to join the Stormcloaks, which I immediately went and did.I personally kill all of them in that group, be it for the loot (Imperials) or just because they can't properly fight back (the Stormcloak).
You have to side with Hermaeus to complete Dragonborn. All DLC is considered canon unlike the faction questlines. The DLC itself shows you how Hermaeus already trapped a Dragonborn in his realm.
All of them seem to have more of a claim on you than Mora does.
the stormcloaks didn't try to execute me for no reason, so I sided with them.It wasn't "no" reason. You were caught trying to sneak across the border with a bunch of people they actually were looking for. Wrong place wrong time and the General didn't feel like it was worth the time to doublecheck the registry for your name. Most of the other Imperial soldiers actually did try to advocate for you.
It wasn't "no" reason. You were caught trying to sneak across the border with a bunch of people they actually were looking for. Wrong place wrong time and the General didn't feel like it was worth the time to doublecheck the registry for your name. Most of the other Imperial soldiers actually did try to advocate for you.This.
General Tullius will reason that your imprisonment was a misunderstanding if you go to him after the fact.
It wasn't "no" reason. You were caught trying to sneak across the border with a bunch of people they actually were looking for. Wrong place wrong time and the General didn't feel like it was worth the time to doublecheck the registry for your name. Most of the other Imperial soldiers actually did try to advocate for you.
I never got far into the main story or that particular plotline, so I don't know who the thalmor are, or which side is better in the end, but the stormcloaks didn't try to execute me for no reason, so I sided with them.
I feel like one of the options in the civil war quest should be to show off your dragonborn powers to both sides at the meeting and get them both to agree to following you to take out the thalmor. I'm pretty sure a late game dragonborn can single handedly take out their whole army.I don't think most of the characters in the Civil War storyline are aware they are being manipulated by the Thalmor, nor is it explicitly brought up in a mandatory cutscene. You the player are aware of the true nature of the Civil War because of the optional lore you can find reading things here and there about everything surround it's events.
Where was it stated the Dragonborn was crossing the border with other people?The opening of the game.
The opening of the game.
The opening of the game.My impression of the opening was that the Imperials were looking for Stormcloaks arresting anyone in the area, they saw the player character crossing the border (no evidence of doing anything illegal), knocked him or her out, tied up and bundled on the cart with the Stormcloaks and the horse thief. The horse thief was not with the Stormcloaks and the implication is that the player character's first sighting of Stormcloaks and horse thief was on regaining consciousness.
Wish I had the option to destroy both, honestly
My impression of the opening was that the Imperials were looking for Stormcloaks arresting anyone in the area, they saw the player character crossing the border (no evidence of doing anything illegal), knocked him or her out, tied up and bundled on the cart with the Stormcloaks and the horse thief. The horse thief was not with the Stormcloaks and the implication is that the player character's first sighting of Stormcloaks and horse thief was on regaining consciousness.Yeah, they were just capturing and then killing anyone who might be a Stormcloak.
Choosing between colonizers and religious zealots made me not interested in the main campaign at all. Tbh I kinda think Skyrim sucks, and so does oblivion, but I did love Morrowind back in the day.Are they really colonizers if the empire started in Skyrim? Talos was a Nord and is the one that took over everywhere else
Choosing between colonizers and religious zealots made me not interested in the main campaign at all. Tbh I kinda think Skyrim sucks, and so does oblivion, but I did love Morrowind back in the day.
Choosing between colonizers and religious zealots made me not interested in the main campaign at all. Tbh I kinda think Skyrim sucks, and so does oblivion, but I did love Morrowind back in the day.
Normally theft is not an crime punished by death.
But they're religious zealots in a world in which gods very much exist.Honestly, that's not the Stormcloaks' main problem.
It's more that they are essentially the fantastical counterpart of white nationalists.
Would it be okay if they were Dunmer?No. Why are you asking?
I wish there was an option for a mutual understanding and unification because either side winning doesn't seem to be a positive outcome. But if I had to choose, I feel like the Imperials would have the resources and direction to get something done if they just got their shit together.
I feel like one of the options in the civil war quest should be to show off your dragonborn powers to both sides at the meeting and get them both to agree to following you to take out the thalmor. I'm pretty sure a late game dragonborn can single handedly take out their whole army.
Interestingly enough, this is sort of touched upon in the quest Season Unending, although it only appears under certain conditions so I think most players are unaware, I've yet to play it through myself but may try on my next play through (spoilers on the link below obviously):
Honestly, that's not the Stormcloaks' main problem.
It's more that they are essentially the fantastical counterpart of white nationalists.
. I kill pretty much every thalmour just because their thalmour. So I'm a racist to.
I prefer stormcloaks win because it's the way the worlds moving. The empires dying so a new world order is forming. Presumably once free they will ally with other free people and unite against there common enemy.
Also everyone is racist, it doesn't mean anything. There are plenty of ingame reasons why they feel how they do. I kill pretty much every thalmour just because their thalmour. So I'm a racist to. Not all thalmour are elf supremist who want to take over the world and establish themselves as the master race, but they still should all die because some do.
I think the dark elves in morrowind are more racist then the nords in skyrim, so they kinda deserve a little self-reflection. Don't like being treated how they treat people.
Thalmor isn't a race though, it is a political group.The Thalmor all are Elves though, aren't they? I mean apart from the odd operatives. The Aldmeri Dominion may comprise of various types of Elves but they're still all Elves (well, Mer > Man being the whole reason they exist in the first place).
The Thalmor all are Elves though, aren't they? I mean apart from the odd operatives. The Aldmeri Dominion may comprise of various types of Elves but they're still all Elves (well, Mer > Man being the whole reason they exist in the first place).the Thalmor are "Elf supremacists"
the Thalmor are "Elf supremacists"Aren't the thalmor pretty much just high elves with some wood elves thrown in?
Hating them is like hating white supremacists
Hating white supremacists does not require hating all white people
hating Thalmor does not require hating all elves
The elves which are not elf supremacists are not Thalmor
(and Dunmer "Elf supremacists " are also not Thalmor)