Imperials vs Stormcloaks - Skyrim's Civil War | The Elder Scrolls Podcast #65

“They built roads, they tried to establish trade routes, but in the end it all failed. The argonians didn’t want it in the first place, and then it just became a prison state” I never realized Black Marsh was supposed to be an analogue of Australia.

Argonians living in Morthal makes more sense to me. Since Hjaalmarch is mostly marshland it seems like a better place for them to live as it's the closest environment in Skyrim to Black Marsh

Over a decade later and we're still debating this question. God I love this game.

I like how the Skyrim civil war reflects wars in the real world. We all see wars from a biased perspective, enforcing a "we are the good guys, and they are the bad guys" perspective. In Skyrim you learn of the war from a perspective that lies somewhere in the middle. That's why it's so easy to make an argument for either side.

plays argonian “I have no horse in this race”

I think it often gets swept aside due to the oversimplification of the civil war in the fandom, but BSG did a really incredible job building a complex conflict that had no truly “correct” winner. A really solid argument could be made for either side and they don’t get enough credit for the amount of layers there are to consider in your decision

Don’t let this distract you from the true threat: the Thalmor.

Parthurnax should be emperor. He just seems so nice.

If they had kept more of the old Nord religion intact, at least in eastern Skyrim, the Stormcloak cause would be more compelling.

FudgeMuppet: brings up imperial vs stormcloak debate Me: Ahhh shit here we go again

I find it funny that you can side with the Empire and still kill the Emperor as the Listener for the Dark Brotherhood.

One thing I've never heard mentioned about the civil war is that all of the Stormcloak holds are pretty economically run down or "shadows of their former selves" in some way. We have Windhelm which despite being a major port city akin to Solitude, isn't economically booming nearly as much and the place just seems run down and has more poverty in general. Riften used to be a lot more massive prior to it burning down around a century earlier and we all know what happened to Winterhold. Dawnstar seems to be the only stormcloak hold that's stable but it's only a minor hold. Realizing this made me think that one of the reasons those particular holds joined Ulfric is maybe due to economic reasons, if the capital is brought back to Windhelm than maybe Ulfric would benefit the eastern holds in the same way that the Empire benefits the western holds.

Someone actually understands the word asset. Nice.

I like how you guys stay on topic, and never stray to far, and when you do get off topic, you easily get back on track.

Wow.. last time i was in this early Torygg was still alive

I enjoyed the idea of red guards teaming with a fractured nord populace. Would love to hear this expanded upon in the next episode! Cheers love the content as always.

I wish more people would entertain the idea of the dragonborn making a grab for the ruby throne. The thing that kept the septim dynasty going was the boon of akatosh, from the amulet of kings and the dragonblood. My headcanon has always been the stormcloaks winning, ulfric becoming high king, the emperor being assassinated, and the dovahkiin marching on cyrodiil and claiming the protection of akatosh, and going on to drive the thalmor back

People wanting to rule their own land and defend their home against foreign forces that have outlawed their primary deity... It's hard to not empathize with the Stormcloaks. Ulfric: "I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil. I fight for their wives and children, who's names I heard whispered in their last breaths. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces. I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing. I fight... because I must." Galmar: "Your words give voice to what we all feel, Ulfric. And that's why you will be High King. But the day words are enough, will be the day when soldiers like us are no longer needed." Ulfric: "I would gladly retire from the world were such a day to dawn." Ulfric is one big dick dude.

Funny how although fictional all these dilemmas are still present in the real world at this time People's opinions are greatly influenced by who delivers the news even if otherwise they wouldn't agree of who is the bad or good

Michael is slowly achieving Chim by shedding his hair which confines him while the rest continue to live in the dream.