User blog comment:IGotsAName/Empire vs Stormcloaks... Gray & Grey Morality? Really?/@comment-108.236.56.194-20130918185457

A quote from tvtropes: "The civil war subplot in Skyrim is all over this: The Stormcloaks are correct in that their traditional religion is being unjustly oppressed (more or less — they phrase it as being a tad more traditional for Nords than is actually the case, but it is still both centuries old and unjustly oppressed), that Ulfric is a man of great courage and loyalty to his allies (which his enemies acknowledge) and is a paragon of traditional Nord values, the Empire caved in in order to end the Great War (in which thousands of Nords gave their lives fighting for the Empire), and that it's become a decrepit, corrupt entity that has given their enemies huge amounts of power in Skyrim without the Nords' consent. Also, a few characters mention that the Empire has been putting high taxes on Skyrim after the war, limiting the citizens' well-being. The Imperials are correct in that the Stormcloaks are full of xenophobic assholes, Ulfric used a traditional challenge as an excuse to effortlessly kill the previous king (albeit with the victim accepting his challenge,) and his attempt to seize power may well be that of a power-hungry tyrant, the Empire's capitulation was the only way to prevent even more death and destruction for every race and culture, and that if the Empire starts to come apart it will be easy pickings for their enemies, who both sides agree are evil, and openly have the intention of dominating and oppressing the world in any way they can. Also, some characters reveal that the unity of the Empire allows for prosperous trade and surplus of food, and Skyrim's independence will damage this trade."

General Tullius: "We aren't the bad guys, you know." Ulfric Stormcloak: "Maybe not, but you certainly aren't the good guys." Tullius: "Perhaps you're right. But then what does that make you?" Ulfric: "You just said it yourself." — The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim