But seriously, who do you think really won the civil war?

[huntsman2310]

Not to end this, but I find this comment by a redditor to be a good reason why the Stormcloaks would win canonically win the civil war.

 

http://www.reddit.com/r/skyrim/comments/1851c5/how_do_you_figure_the_civil_war_ends_canonically/c8bo5yp

Edited February 14, 2013 by huntsman2310

[HeyYou]

The Thalmor win the civil war. After all, it is what they WANT to be happening. Distracts the empire from what they are doing, weakens both the empire, and Skyrim, leaving both open to conquest by the thalmor.

[BrettM]

The Thalmor win the civil war. After all, it is what they WANT to be happening. Distracts the empire from what they are doing, weakens both the empire, and Skyrim, leaving both open to conquest by the thalmor.

The Thalmor win if the civil war continues. The last thing they want is a win by either side. The Thalmor are as much afraid of a Stormcloak win as they are of an Empire win. It's right there in Ulfric's dossier: "Ulfric's death would have dramatically increased the chance of an Imperial victory and thus harmed our overall position in Skyrim" and "A Stormcloak victory is also to be avoided, however ..."

[ElvenHeroine]

RightHandofSithis said:

 

 

 

Bethesda never makes such critial game choices cannon, and they never

name the player as being involved in anything other than the main

quest.

 

They will probably not mention the victor of

the civil war. I can see them saying that eventually Skyrim remained in

the empire, but (like morrowind) retained near completle autonomy.

If Skyrim retained autonomy, then it is clear that Ulfric Stormcloak failed. See I don't get why you even argued in the first place. You say, Bethesda would never tell you who won, but then you conceded that Skyrim would ultimately remain a part of the Empire, which tells us you believe Ulfric would fail, since his whole entire cause was to insure Skyrim's independence, not its already established autonomy.

 

BrettM, on 15 Feb 2013 - 07:21, said:

 

The Thalmor win if the civil war continues. The last thing they want is a win by either side. The Thalmor are as much afraid of a Stormcloak win as they are of an Empire win. It's right there in Ulfric's dossier: "Ulfric's death would have dramatically increased the chance of an Imperial victory and thus harmed our overall position in Skyrim" and "A Stormcloak victory is also to be avoided, however ..."

Not if something else happens like the Akavir invade. If the Akavir invade Tamriel just as the Thalmor are about to win, then the Thalmor are going to have to re-conciliate with the Nords, Bretons, Imperials, Dunmer, Orsimir, Redguards, and Argonians to form a new alliance in order to fend off the Akaviri invaders.

Edited February 17, 2013 by ElvenHeroine

[VaynardTheWhiteWolf]

As far as I recall, the Stomcloaks are the Cannon winners of the Civil War, and the Journals you find in the Thalmor embassy tell us that Ulfric is under Thalmor vigilance, aswell as the Empire, so yeah, no matter what side you choose, in the end both will tell that they must re-build Skyrim to its former glory to face down the Thalmor as the Aldmerian Domain will be turning its attention to Skyrim once again. So that proves that Ulfric don't give a f*#@ about the Thalmor and will fight them in another war, so will Tulius. Another point is that when you Kill Ulfric you can find him and Galmar Stone-fist on Sovngarde, proving that they are true nords of honor. Everything leads up to 2:1 for the Stormcloaks, making them the Cannon winner on the game, but as a User said, in the next TES Game the books will tell us both are dead.

[Lachdonin]

As far as I recall, the Stomcloaks are the Cannon winners of the Civil War

 

The next game hasn't been written yet, there is no Canon winner. And there likely will not be. Considering Bethesda's track record, it's far more likely that both Ulfric and Tullius will die during the fighting, and Skyrim will be unstable for years to come.

[Georgiegril]

. Another point is that when you Kill Ulfric you can find him and Galmar Stone-fist on Sovngarde, proving that they are true nords of honor.

 

1. As I understand it, the requirement of Sovngarde is that you are a Nord who dies honorably (fighting bravely) rather than how honorably you lived.

2. Even if it were, honor is hardly a requirement for winning wars...

 

More telling, I think, is that regardless who "wins" in the game (which side you choose), the fighting continues. I agree that the canon will probably just refer to a long civil war with no real outcome, until some other incident occurs to redirect the attention of Skyrim's inhabitants.

[dubbad29]

Morrowind isn't even a country anymore is it? The Khajiit are allied to the Thalmor and the Argonians would probably only fight if they were attacked first.

Hammerfell would fall eventually too.

 

 

I think the Khajit are allied to Aldmeris in the Elder Scrolls Online, but that was 200 years before the events of Skyrim. I'd also contend that Hammerfell wouldn't fall. They staved off the Thalmor in the first Great War, and in the second Great War (under the pretenses we're discussing where the Empire attacks suddenly with shock and awe), they could certainly do so again.

 

You know, this could make an excellent TESVI.

[MidbossVyers]

 

RightHandofSithis said:

 

 

 

Bethesda never makes such critial game choices cannon, and they never

name the player as being involved in anything other than the main

quest.

 

They will probably not mention the victor of

the civil war. I can see them saying that eventually Skyrim remained in

the empire, but (like morrowind) retained near completle autonomy.

If Skyrim retained autonomy, then it is clear that Ulfric Stormcloak failed. See I don't get why you even argued in the first place. You say, Bethesda would never tell you who won, but then you conceded that Skyrim would ultimately remain a part of the Empire, which tells us you believe Ulfric would fail, since his whole entire cause was to insure Skyrim's independence, not its already established autonomy.

 

BrettM, on 15 Feb 2013 - 07:21, said:

 

The Thalmor win if the civil war continues. The last thing they want is a win by either side. The Thalmor are as much afraid of a Stormcloak win as they are of an Empire win. It's right there in Ulfric's dossier: "Ulfric's death would have dramatically increased the chance of an Imperial victory and thus harmed our overall position in Skyrim" and "A Stormcloak victory is also to be avoided, however ..."

Not if something else happens like the Akavir invade. If the Akavir invade Tamriel just as the Thalmor are about to win, then the Thalmor are going to have to re-conciliate with the Nords, Bretons, Imperials, Dunmer, Orsimir, Redguards, and Argonians to form a new alliance in order to fend off the Akaviri invaders.

 

Currently, Skyrim has no autonomy within the Empire. The Empire under the Thalmor sword banned Talos worship, and Talos worship was banned in Skyrim. Compare that to Morrowind where slavery was banned in name only by Tiber Septim but was still openly practiced in Morrowind, until it was officially abolished by King Helseth of House Hlaalu.

[mudcrabpiratelord]

Considering the fact that the Empire has been in decline since TES: Arena, a Stormcloak victory would be the more consistent outcome.

 

Though I doubt that Bethesda would want to upset a large chunk of the people who played Skyrim. Thus, they would create another canon ending.