The Great Imperial vs. Stormcloak Debate

[Warnolo]

I think is a pitty you can't be your own faction.

 

Screw the imperium or the stormcloaks, I'm independent.

[kristian8801]

I'm probaly going with the Imperials because they say the stormcloaks are racist :dry: and secondly because i;ve already done stormcloaks and i want to try the Imperials :) :hurr:

[SkyrimArcher02]

Although the Imperials banned Talos, that dosen't give the rights for Nords to worship Talos, and why does the Empire ended the Great War by only banning the people to worship a divine? Imperial Legion is getting weaker, yes Ulfric is correct, But Ulfric Himself is a racist, although the influence of the Stormcloaks are protagonists, but dosen't have the right becoming racist. Imperial Legion, themselves banned a mistake divine, Talos/Tiber Septim is responsible making the Empire, and then they banned them, and Skyrim should be an Independence Country like the British Empire colonizing America, and America became an independence country, or like Hammefell, they survived the Aldmeri Dominion attacks. So i'm a Nord, i should become a Stormcloak, because i am proud being on Skyrim and I'm a Nord, but I made a mistake joining the Imperials.

[Fasendil]

I think that the majority of Stormcloak fans do not understand the situation in Skyrim. (Not all, there are ones that know a lot about the situation, only that most I know have the wrong reasoning). Some think the Empire is invading, some do not understand that it was the Concordat the forced the Ban on Talos worship, not the Emperor's will. Cyrodil loves Talos too. Players of Oblivion and Morrowind will remember the Talos Cult and how revered he was when you played in Cyrodil. As I said, it is not all, just some. Personally, I support the Empire. I do not hold the attempted execution against them, if you were found travelling with/near the leader of a rebellion, what do you expect? What if you were a high ranking Stormcloak official? Anyway, there actually is evidence that the Empire wants to fight the Thalmor once more, just listen to what they say if you complete the Imperial campaign. Many of the Imperials also hate the Concordat, and the Dominion, some perhaps more than the Stormcloaks (ie Legate Rikke). I do not really see an argument for the Stormcloaks. The only way to fight the Dominion is one a united front, and while they whine about Talos worship being banned (The ban was not imposed heavily until Ulfric made a fuss), not remembering that other people love him too, they actually undermine the Empire's attempt to reorganise and continue the war. They want their own supposed 'freedom', yet they would happily take away the freedom of other races.

[FennecFyre]

Dang, that vote is close.

 

I sort of support the Imperials, as the Stormcloaks just seem too nationalist and racist to be allowed full rule.

-coughUlfrictheracistjerkwadcough- Besides, the Thalmor are the real enemy here. Who started the big war? Thalmor. Who forced the Empire to ban Talos worship? Thalmor. Who's sitting back and laughing as their conquered people squabble amongst themselves, therefore eliminating any chance of uniting against them and reclaiming their land?

 

Thal-frickin'-mor.

 

I think Skyrim should be made into a sort of sovereign state, allowed to govern themselves but still loyal to the Empire, fighting when requested, possibly paying tribute, and still bound under certain laws to prevent total anarchy. The Nords get their giant egos satisfied, and the Empire doesn't have to deal with a potential uprising. Then, they can lift the Talos ban and focus on beating the tar out of the Thalmor all the way back to Summerset.

 

Alternately, I say Ulfric and Tullius should be kidnapped and placed on a deserted island, so they'll either kill eachother or learn to get along.

 

You have to hand it to Bethesda for creating such a deep, realistic conflict.

 

Am I analyzing this too much?

Edited September 10, 2012 by FennecFyre

[Amnesty08]

One of best forum discussions i have ever seen. Great debate and great points of view but in the end all is coming down to Great War 2. When u ask stromcloaks they all say the first thing is to drive the empire out of Skyrim and then "take the fight to those pointy ears witches". the choice of choosing faction from my point of view comes to a personal choice or the situation your country is in. From my example i come from a country which had civil war for its independence 20 y ago so the topic is kinda fresh =/. We came out of the war as victors meaning we driven the aggressors out of our land and stopped there. We became sovereign and independent state (or so i'm told) for what? Greedy politicians taking away money from our country, unemployment 30%, 40% taxes, and expensive higher education that costs about 5 months pay. So I can put myself in a Stormcloaks position as being angry, bleeding for their country and giving their sons and daughters for the greater good. Ofc they are pissed that many Nords died for the empire for an idea that in the end empire flushed down the toilet. In my point of view the stormcloaks are patriotic, just, and have god given right to create an independent state that will get back on its feat continue trading with the empire and sooner or later drive the thalamor persecution out of mans land. "The only solution is the violent revolution". Hail Stormcloaks true sons and daughters of Skyrim!!!!

-Many of you commented on Ulfric and the size of his ego well il be first top say im glad that he is like that. Great leaders have to be passionate, assured of the righteousness for their cause, brutal and patriotic (not racist). For that i can respect Ulfric and his cause. (My personal situation in life and the fact that my country is like it is, bended a**es to the EU, UN and such, and my personal view on society and how it's supposed to be so don't take this as an Objective point of view. I think that country is great when their leader is great and both Titus and the gov of my country irl suck a** ). Sorry for my lingual and grammatic errors i do not hail from native English speaking country.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Amnesty08

[thestormdragon]

If neutrality was a choice in Skyrim I would stay neutral.

 

Joining either side has its advantages and weaknesses. If I chose the Empire I would have to take the view that the captain of the Imperial Guard at Helgen was secretly in co-hoots with the Thalmor even against the mainstream views of the Empire. She is an example of an extremist in one faction. General Tullius appears to only be carrying out orders, and Aldis seems reluctant to even be a part of wholesale slaughter. It is also possible that the Thalmor have quietly convinced some of the Imperials at Helgen that all who are caught with the Stormcloaks are spies regardless of who they are and are to be executed promptly. A way of using false propaganda to keep the Empire and everyone else under Thalmor control. It seems inspite of the Treaty with the Aldemeri Dominion the High Elves controlling the Thalmor and perhaps once a part of the Aldemeri Dominion against the Empire are still very much in control and won the Great War in reality crushing the Empire and setting up a puppet government in the place of the original one that was in place before the Great War. Those loyal to the Empire but not the Thalmor dare not speak against the Thalmor for fear of losing their lives. They hope to change what is wrong from within quietly. They do not like Ulfric's uprising and many fall for the Thalmor propaganda against Ulfric, while others quietly believe the Empire is the only thing stopping the Aldemeri Dominion from attacking openly and destroying all of Tamriel.

 

Joining the Stormcloaks is compelling from the standpoint that the Imperials where just about to chop your character's head off. Rebellion sometimes is a healthy thing. The Empire has grown stagnant and many in it have fallen under the sway of Thalmor propaganda. Ulfric started his Stormcloak rebellion under the reason of the ban on Talos worship. Ultimately he want's power. The reason though to other Nords in Skyrim is justified. Freedom of religion, not oppressed as the Thalmor would have it. Ultimately it is more than just freedom of religion. The Thalmor don't wan't any other race in the Empire to have control but them. The banning of Talos is a banning of the old ways of the Empire before the Great War when others where in control. The Stormcloaks in their way want to go back to those old ways before the Thalmor and the war with the Aldemeri Dominion that shifted power from men to high elves after the Great War. As a Dragonborn the hero is from a long line of ancestors that were men that first fought the dragons in Skyrim long before the Great War shifted power to the high elves. If the character is of a race of men then the character would follow their roots straight from the past and the Stormcloaks would be the way to go no matter what type of character Ulfric is.

 

If the character is an elf or an imperial things would not be so clear cut. The imperial would show reluctance to turn away from the Empire if influenced by Thalmor propaganda, or secretly feel that joining the Stormcloaks would be the only way to set the Empire free. Elves are heavily persecuted in Skyrim by the Nords who do not even make the distinction between the different types of elves. Where all elves guilty of being against the Empire in the Great War or only the high born elves? This is never really made clear. Wood elves and dark elves may simply decide they hate Ulfric Stormcloak and anything to do with him and side with the Empire. The high elves may even feel loyalty to the Thalmor who are also high elves.

 

I say choosing a side depends on the character's race and feelings about the current situation. Do they believe the propaganda? Are they loyal to their homeland? (Imperials or Nords) Do they think it is time for change? Do they go with the gut feeling of betrayal set at the beginning? Or like Aldis do they regret what has come to pass and see how many in the Empire have become corrupt and that the only way to change that is to work within not completely destroy what once brought all of Tamriel together and prevented total chaos. To change without or within is the true choice and what side is chosen will set the course of change. In the end what side is chosen doesn't matter both are needed to come together against a bigger foe.

[Amnesty08]

Oh yea and Stormcloaks have better music =D \m/ >__< \m/

http://youtu.be/Bjb5VLTAorQ

[Drazard]

Damn the poll vote are equal

 

I like the town of imperials so I will go to imperials (SOON)

 

cause right now I'm focus on minor quest not on main quest

 

I don't like the town of Stormcloak

 

and I hate what Ulfric did he is so desperate for the power and being desperate won't put you into the right direction

 

if you know what I mean.

[cadonex]

First time I played as a Nord male fighting for the Stormcloaks (boring). Now my second time I'm a Wood Elf female engaging in same sex relationships fighting for the Imperials because of Stormcloak bigotry and arrogance. The Imperials seem a lot more thankful for your assistance and even say how much they want to get the civil war cleared up so they can concentrate on the Thalmor (so Thalmor are viable targets).