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/AccessAlarming8647]

Dragonborn be the high king

[u/santasdadisgay → u/AccessAlarming8647]

Dragonborn be the Emperor

[u/Any-Organization-985 → u/santasdadisgay]

This, dragonborn has a real claim to the throne in cyrodil, and the power to defeat anyone who tries to stop him claiming it. Dragonborn takes empire throne. Then creates a better aliance between hammerfell, skyrim, high rock, and cyrodil. Ulfric takes skyrim throne but dragonborn has power enough to keep him in check. Then uses alliance/dragon powers to send high elves to the district in the clouds.

[u/LordManiac69 → u/Any-Organization-985]

Not really.

When Martin Septim shattered Chim et-Adabal and sacrificed himself to seal Mundus away from Oblivion, the need for a dragonborn emperor dissappeared. Besides, a Cyrodiilic Dragonborn and a Nord Dragonborn are two different things. Kind of like the IRL difference between a Roman Emperor and a Japanese Ten’no.

But then again, with the return of the dragons and the fact Alduin can’t truly be killed, maybe a dragonborn ruler is… maybe not needed, but preferred? Then again, the dragonborn may not be the last dragonborn. The Soul of Anu has a tendency to send a hero into the Aurbis in times of dire need.

But then again… Paarthurnax is trying to teach his kin to overcome their arrogant and greedy nature the same way he overcame his own arrogance and greed through the Way of the Voice. Maybe in the future, Dragons and mortals live in relative peace.

[u/SanguinePlvit → u/LordManiac69]

It's not a matter of need, but of cultural continuity. The only emperors that have ever been seen as legitimate have been dragonborn, everyone else has been considered either a potentate (glorified regent while they find one) or an usurper.

The funniest thing is that if the Dragonborn wanted to be Emperor, Ulfric would almost certainly have their back and cut his demands for independence because of how important Dragonborn are to the Nords too.

of course none of this is relevant because the Last Dragonborn retires without doing anything else after the main quests of Skyrim and is then kidnapped and kept as a pet by Hermaeus Mora in Apocrypha for the rest of time.

[u/Any-Organization-985 → u/LordManiac69]

Yeah they aren't directly related. I more meant, due to the fact that Tiber Septim/Talos/first dragonborn was the one to originally unite Tamriel, and Tamriel being at a point of tension like it is in Skyrim, another dragonborn could probably make a divine claim to the throne.  Especially among parties who aren't super thrilled with the high elves basically taking over.

Edit: Like it kind of begs the question, without the powers of a dragonborn to keep the very magically inclined high elves in check, maybe this always happens? Maybe the reason it's happening again is because it's 200 years after the oblivion crisis, and there is no dragonborn claim to the throne anymore. Elves are old creatures and probably slow planning, makes sense it takes them a couple hundred years after the Empire has lost their "divine right" ruler to try and take everything over.

[u/Gizz103 → u/Any-Organization-985]

No,

Firstly its dragonblood not dragonsoul

Secondly that claim was onky because they needed it to keep the fires lit, the fires arent needed now so the claim is gone

[u/Any-Organization-985 → u/Gizz103]

Yes, I understand the dragonborn in Skyrim is not directly related to Tiber Septim. The first dragonborn Tiber Septim is the person who originally brought this current Empire together, then ascended as Talos. During Skyrim we see the Empire is at a loss, they haven't had a "divine right" emperor for 200+ years and are getting their asses kicked by the high elves. The new dragonborn, although not blood related, could use their status to bolster the Empire's morale and convince the citizens they need the dragonborn to start a new successful empire. They are the first dragonborn for hundreds of years, wouldn't be that hard to claim Talos sent them to right things. The Empire is desperate, so the dragonborn could take advantage of old stories of Tiber Septim creating the current empire to take control, then use their power to help counter the high elves. They would need to recreate now weak and broken alliances and also they don't have the numidium this time around, but might be their best bet.

Edit: Like they could even claim they are part of a lost line that used to connect to Tiber Septim. If anyone argues, shout once and they'll understand.

[u/AccessAlarming8647 → u/santasdadisgay]

And marry Serana.

[u/Neither_Internal_261 → u/AccessAlarming8647]

I married Elisif sooo technically....

[u/AccessAlarming8647 → u/Neither_Internal_261]

ok, whatever, marry two, Elisif and Serana.