Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-209.7.3.188-20160303204000/@comment-26693897-20160323003221

The Empire is the best choice because like it or not, the Empire is the only force in Tamriel that can resist the Thalmor.

Now I know what the Stormcloaks supporters might say: "Once we free Skyrim, we are going to be the real Anti-Thalmor. We are Nords, we are warriors, etc etc". Galmar even says that to the player if you are Stormcloak.

But history shows us that separatism is not a solution to a common threat. Those who think the Stormcloaks are "liberating" Skyrim just don't see the bigger picture. The Thalmor do, however. The Thalmor simply play an individual lute on each province controlled by the Empire to make them break off. This is called "Salami Tactics", a.k.a "Divide and Conquer". Wanna examples? Alright! Summerset Isle? Take credits for what Martin Septim did. Valenwood? Organize a coup and take the Imperials supporters by surprise. Elsweyr? Use "dawn magic" to "restore" the moons and impress the Khajiits in the process (we all know the moons are gripped to their religion). Hammerfell? Demands the Empire to cede sections of southern Hammerfell to the Thalmor as a condition of the peace treaty, so the Emperor had to betray the Redguards - they'll never trust the Empire again. Skyrim? Use the Nords' religion (reverence to Talos in particular) to make them hate the Empire and rise up against it.

So instead of "fighting the damn elves", Ulfric and Co. are simply dancing to their tune.