SwiftRosenthal Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 whoever wins in the end needs to fight the real enemy of anyone that isn't an Elf; the ThalmorAgreed. My current character is pure Stormcloak but I'm hoping Skyrim and the Empire will become friends again after flooding the Summerset Isles' cities with Elven blood and exterminating the rest of the Falmer to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greymane Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 The Empire. For the plain and simple reason that I've no confidence at all in the Nord's ability to face the Thalmor alone. Their prejudice against both magic and other races will leave them vulnerable and alone when the Thalmor come for them; and they would come for them. The Stormcloaks somehow fail to see that the Thalmor are not merely interested in crushing the Empire, but ANY human independence. Parting ways with the Empire might buy them a little extra time to prepare or the Thalmor might decide to attack them first before turning their sights on Cyrodiil. Either way, a confrontation is inevitable and Skyrim would have poor chance facing the Thalmor by themselves. Reunification of the Empire, or at least evolution into a new organization of united provinces, will be the only way to check the aggression of the Dominion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danathan Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Its roughly a Utilitarianism Vs. Deontological type of situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killerx243 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Also I've read many people say that the Stormcloaks couldn't protect Skyrim against the Thalmor, but I think that if they can defeat the Empire in a civil war then why not the Thalmor? Also there has been many similar situations in the history before when a weaker force has been able to survive a stronger opponent. This goes beyond Skyrim, the Empire losing Skyrim divides their lands, cutting all land travel between High Rock and Cyrodiil. The reason the the Stormcloaks would be unable to defeat the Thalmor is that the Thalmor have been rebuilding. Even if Cyrodiil held for a year it would not be enough for them to do it alone. Hammerfell would join the Empire in open war against the Hammerfell, they have the Thalmor at a standstill and it only was kicked out of the Empire to keep peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billyro Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I always joined the Imperials because I love the roman feel they have to them (well, actually they have lost a lot of that in Skyrim compared to Morrowind) and also that you side with the Imperials in previous games. The Stormcloaks seem like usurpers to the main character's role in the TES games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettM Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 So, I conclude that the only way to save skyrim from the real threat is to beat Ulfric fast and with the less casualties possible, so the empire can actually rebuild its forces(Like the thalmor have been doing all along) and stand ready to face the dominion. I actually want to read and alternate theory though, since so many people seem to support the stormcloaks. How would a stormcloak victory be good for Skyrim in the end?There is one thing you left out of your analysis. If there are now Thalmor "advisors" and "observers" posted in a few key places in Skyrim, trying to expand their foothold, what must the situation be in Cyrodiil? The place must be crawling with their spies and agents. If the Thalmor can strut around Markarth issuing orders and doing as they please, is it not likely even worse in the imperial capital? The Dominion is going to be aware of every move the Empire makes towards rebuilding and aware of every plan for defense, so they will be prepared to disrupt or counter anything the Empire does. Meanwhile, the Empire is hampered in gaining any intelligence on the Dominion because of the destruction of the Blades. The Empire makes a pretense of independence, but has actually become a client state of the Dominion, with no real hope of standing against it. An independent Skyrim means a place where the Thalmor are no longer free to openly hunt down all sources of resistance against them, as they are under the Concordat: Blades, Talos worshipers, etc. This gives a resistance more opportunity to build strength than the current situation, I think. The Empire has already granted independence to Hammerfell, so "re-unification" is all but impossible at this point anyway. The best hope for humanity, not to mention the rest of Tamriel, may be the quick breakup of the Empire followed by the emergence of a new political structure. See below. A united front against the Dominion is needed, but that does not necessarily mean that the Empire must be put back together. Reunification of the Empire, or at least evolution into a new organization of united provinces, will be the only way to check the aggression of the Dominion.I'll take option two, please. After thousands of years of rising and falling empires, it may be time for an advance in political philosophy in Tamriel, with the key word being "federation". Hammerfell and Skyrim are both outraged that the Empire betrayed their interests, but I don't think either would hold any lingering grudges that would prevent them from agreeing to an alliance with Cyrodiil as independent states. Let Skyrim go quickly, before either side does any more bleeding, and get to work on repairing relations, which will be a lot easier if the Empire is magnanimous and acknowledges the just grievances of the Nords. Furthermore, there are others in Tamriel that have no reason to love the Empire (e.g., Black Marsh) but also fear the Dominion. They certainly aren't going to agree to become part of the Empire again, and the Empire has no strength to force them back into the fold. However, these states might be more than willing to join a federation that guarantees them self rule while providing a united defense against outside threats. There may also be hope in a re-formed Blades organization based in Skyrim. They aren't going to serve a non-Dragonborn Emperor who threw them to the Thalmor wolves, but there is a Dragonborn in Skyrim now for them to serve. The Blades haven't been dragon-fighters for centuries but have been serving the Empire as cloak-and-dagger types. With Alduin defeated, perhaps they can be persuaded to give up their renewed dragon obsession and go back to covert operations against the Thalmor who nearly destroyed them. Stirring up internal dissent in the Dominion might be right up their alley, since there are many Altmer and Bosmer who are not happy with the Thalmor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenRanger Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 The Thalmor hate me, stormcloaks hate me, imperials tried to kill me, what's a bosmer to do? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zazoomah Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I joined stormcloaks because the Imperials tried to lop my head off for no good reason and without a trial! i mean, come on: Guy enters skyrim. "OMG that must be a spy! lets lop his head off! xDDDD" I mean seriously, why can't i just be thrown in Jail instead? Medieval laws are ridiculous. Screw you imperial bastards.... >_> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matth85 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I joined stormcloaks because the Imperials tried to lop my head off for no good reason and without a trial! i mean, come on: Guy enters skyrim. "OMG that must be a spy! lets lop his head off! xDDDD" I mean seriously, why can't i just be thrown in Jail instead? Medieval laws are ridiculous. Screw you imperial bastards.... >_> ...You are found VERY close to ULFRIC. The ONLY reason there is a WAR going on.Frankly, I would have killed the player at the spot I found him/her. Why risk getting backstabbed? Why risk Ulfric being free again? That said, neither is "good" -- but the Imperials is a better evil.The choice is: The Empire, consisting of 3 countries. Or the Stormcloak, Skyrim alone. Who can win against the Thalmor? 3 or 1? My math teacher once told me 3 > 1, so it's only natural to go with the imperials. That said, I'd go with the imperials only because of the ignorant of Ulfric. The rule of evolution is the strong live, and the weak dies. If the Nords want to fight everybody else and get slaughtered, it's their business. I, on the other hand, will stand with the imperials -- waging war for controll and showing than mer isn't going to be anywhere near godhood as long as I'm here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greymane Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 You know, thinking about it, the one big thing I'll give to the Stormcloaks side is the issue of alliances. Not that the Stormcloaks make any or seem willing to, but the alliances the Empire are willing to enter into show their desperation. They're willing to support blatant incompetents such as Siddgeir or openly corrupt ones like Maven Black-Briar. Their policy of putting into power anyone willing to even temporarily support them and tow the line stands a very good chance of biting them badly in the end and even in the immediate sense is not in the least bit good for Skyrim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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