User blog comment:Sgt. S.S./Why I support the Empire/@comment-2172565-20120321182901/@comment-216.14.13.114-20120322221641

vojtagreger, when the emperor signed the treaty, it was at a point in the war when the fight with the thalmor had drained most of the empire's strength, and was inches from falling to the elves. he had waited until that point to consider ending the war.he put most of the empire's strength into defeating the Thalmor, but it wasn't enough. by most accounts, and i have actually read several of the in-game books on the subject (wow, i sound like a tool saying that), he took the treaty with the thalmor as a last resort for the entire empire, nords and imperials and all the other members included, with the only option being the annialation of the empire's citizens, and the total end of any chance of talos worship at all(i realize that is not hugely worse than what currently exists, but at least now the people have the chance to worship in secret). i really can see why many people would think that the second option is better, but i don't. why not live to fight the thalmor another day, with a dovahkiin at the head of your army, perhaps?

as for how the emperor acts when the assassin (dragonborn) reaches him, i thought it was a rather dignified approach he took. he had realized that his death was going to occur whatever he did, and instead of trying to weasel his way out like a coward or fight a completely pointless fight with his assassin, he decided to accept it like a man.

when legate rikke says "talos guide you", it is not in a way to say"i hate the thalmor and the emperor, we should fight". she respected Ulfric as a man and a fighter, but she still fought him because she put her faith in the empire she also respected, a faith that Ulfric no longer had. perhaps Rikke did think that the war with the Thalmor should continue, but unlike Ulfric, she was not willing to abandon those she served with and led and to also abandon the empire she represented.

plus, i don't like how Ulfric seems to claim HE and he alone knows what is best for the people of skyrim. when he talks like that, he just sounds like another guy who wants to be in charge because he thinks he is best. who knows, maybe he would be a good leader for skyrim. but it is up to the rest of skyrim, not Ulfric himself, to decide that.