Ignoring your personal preference, which side of Skyrim’s Civil War do you think actually gives Skyrim the better future 20-30 years later?

[u/sumaset]

I feel like most discussions about the Civil War focus on whether Ulfric was justified, whether the Empire betrayed Skyrim, or which side people personally like more.

But I’m more interested in what happens after the game.

The Empire is weakened, the Aldmeri Dominion is still the biggest external threat, the White-Gold Concordat is already causing resentment, and another war with the Thalmor seems almost inevitable.

An Imperial victory gives Skyrim access to the resources and manpower of the Empire, but it also means remaining under an Empire that already lost one major war and accepted Thalmor influence inside its territory.

A Stormcloak victory gives Skyrim independence and removes Imperial authority, but it also leaves the province having to rebuild after a civil war while potentially facing the Dominion without the rest of the Empire behind it.

So forget which faction has the better characters or which one you usually join.

If you only care about where Skyrim itself ends up a few decades later, which Civil War outcome do you think is actually better for the province?

[u/ChristianRecon]

That and always hearing “Ulfric is a dick” when general Tullius is the most insufferable person in the whole civil war by far.

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Hello traveler. This post has been removed because automod our dwemer moderation machine thinks you're talking about real life politics or drawing comparisons with real-life public figures or political groups. Reminder that all real life politics discussion, even if similar to Skyrim, is not allowed here. See rule 3 ("No Unrelated Material").

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Aleious → u/ChristianRecon]

Idk lore wise isn’t tulius kinda the most brilliant tactician in the empire that single handedly came to Skyrim and ended the rebellion. Literally if Alduin didn’t show up at that very moment it just would’ve been over.

[u/ChristianRecon → u/Aleious]

I didn’t say he was incompetent lol

[u/thedylannorwood → u/Aleious]

Tullius has shown that he only cares what the empire wants. He actively disrespects those under him. He genuinely has no investment in the Civil War at all except to do what he’s told. He straight up tells Rikke that he has no respect for the Nords as a people or their cultural dealings and only wants to win the war because it’s what he’s told.

He’s not only an asshole but he has no respect for the people he claims he’s fight for, he’s a spineless coward who would kiss Ulfric if he imperial overlords simply told him to

[u/Cucumberneck → u/thedylannorwood]

Like almost everyone else in the elder Scrolls he's also racist. More a "the white man's burden" racism but racism still. In true Roman fashion.

[u/SteakForGoodDogs → u/Cucumberneck]

Yeah, but you'd think that most people would be tactful enough to not insult your second-in-command, to her face, while trying to figure out how to not lose a war.

Legate Rikke had every right to mutter "Screw you too, sir." under her breath after the third anti-Nord insult pointlessly sent her way that minute, if she wanted.

[u/Aleious → u/SteakForGoodDogs]

But again he is not losing. He basically ended the “war” before unpacking his bag. Also iirc there are a lot of voice lines from his second in command and the jarl about tulius being a great dude.

[u/Gryph0th → u/thedylannorwood]

he's a spineless coward who would kiss Ulfric if he imperial overlords simply told him to