User blog comment:Hippogriff12/The Scarcity of Racists in Skyrim/@comment-5302371-20120728161339/@comment-5135631-20120728192904

If Torygg did like Ulfric, then Ulfric didn't know. Let's not forget Ulfric's father had recently died and he felt he had just been betrayed by his Empire for letting the Thalmor impose such unfair terms, when, considering that the Thalmor weren't in a great state themselves, could have settled for less. I'm not saying the death of Papa Stormcloak was justification for his son killing Torygg (though that act in itself is justifiable as I will soon explain), but it is definetly part of a argument for justification.

No, Tullius does give the order to execute you, as Tullius told the captain to execute the prisoners. At the start of the game, you are one of the prisoners, meaning Tullius orders your execution, for a crime which shouldn't even be a crime which you didn't even commit simply because they suspect you as a Stormcloak despite not wearing the blue cuirass.

The reason people consider Ulfric power-hungry is because he wants to be High King. He wants to be High King because he believes that Skyrim would do better on it's own, and to make Skyrim independent, it needs a strong leader. Ulfric wouldn't have been able to pursue a claim to the throne without killing Torygg, so Toryyg unfortunately had to die. The two fought, Torygg lost, died, and went to Sovngarde, a series of events he seems pretty cool with. Ulfric could be considered power-hungry, but no one else is stepping up to the plate, and in all honesty, he is the most powerful of all the 9 Jarls, and he is able to persuade half of the remaining ones to join him. The only other Jarl who could challenge him in terms of being a great High King would be Balgruuf, but in my eyes Ulfric would be better. Some people may not like Ulfric, but there is no denying his sense of honour, because even if Ulfric is fighting for Ulfric, he is also fighting for his country, where is Elisif is happy to just sit by and let the Empire invade.

Ulfric isn't one for talk, it's not part of his nature. He forgot to reason with Torygg, but he did remember to reason with Balgruuf, sending out an offer of alliance. When Balgruuf rejected this and joined the Reds, Ulfric took his city and left him in disgrace. That's just the course of warfare. Why is everyone so confident Torygg would have considered making Skyrim free? We only have the word of Sybille Stentor confirming that as far as I know, and she might only be saying that because she was Torygg's great friend.

Ulfric is the only one who is making sure Skyrim doesn't become the Thalmor's bitch like the rest of the Empire has become. Love him or hate him, he is putting his people first.