User blog comment:Fimmion/Why Skyrim was rigged from the start/@comment-1992639-20120701191739

I don't agree at all. Many people don't think with their temper and do not act on basic revenge instinct. One can just as well follow Hadvar, because:

[list][*]He was courteous and tried to argue you were not on the list, he probably is genuine about coming with him if you want to live.

[*]You may think of stabbing him in the back the moment you're free, he obviously has better things to do than to continue your execution indoors. They will need every hand and he won't have his guard up. Besides, the more people run around Helgen alive, the more chance that one of the people eaten by a dragon isn't one of your people.

[*]You expect it won't matter, with a dragon swooping over it's silly that the Stormcloaks and Imperials still fight and do not postpone their struggle. They could have played the blaim game of "who invited the dragon" later.

[*]For political reasons you don't want to side with a rebel faction yet. The 'policing' force in a country is usually far more active in hunting down dissidents than a rebel faction would.[/list]

I think "basic revenge instinct" is nonsense, in fact I'd call it "hotheaded ego issues" if I encounter it in day-to-day life. Someone is pissed off and that someone is outside of reason to have the capacity to negotiate and contain damage done. We're in the dark about why we are slated for execution, it might be a misunderstanding, lets not let things escalate without observing first. Our execution is postponed and we surely get plenty of opportunities to flee. My thoughts were not further angering the faction that occupies the land allows for the best chance for freedom.

As for the Thalmor, there's plenty of hints that the 'peace' is more of a 'truce' until one side is strong enough to properly attack the other. There's dozens of hints in the game for that. The whole white-gold concordat was proposed as the Thalmor lost many forces and was worried that while they still had the upperhand, a single stroke of luck could turn the tides. They made a good deal for themselves.