Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-24267938-20130323172448/@comment-68.189.205.174-20160930150314

118.92.122.155 wrote: Guys, even better idea. Everyone seems to disregard a major powerhouse of a faction; the Dragons....

Allow me to add to that train of thought.

Whats to say the Dragonborn doesn't hold enough credit to end the civil war peacefully? I mean even Tulius admits that the Thalmor are the perpetrators of the civil war and only they are the ones to profit from it, and he even admits that the empire is not what it once was even going so far as to slightly agree that the empire is no longer in the right. Now I understand the the civil war quest line is a heads or tails event, but if you pay attention to the dialog no matter who dies (Tullius or Ulfric) there is still shared admiration and understanding over the state of the empire.

One of the things I hated a lot about skyrim was the lack of obvious choice despite the game giving you "choice" over events. It was more of an option between do or dont, instead of an a, b, or c. The Blades serve the Dragonborn, why can't you tell them to eat their pride and allow parthanax to survive while they remain loyal to you? Its not as if allowing parthanax to live means the blades cannot kill dragons, Odahviing basically called Parthanax a hippy and said he wouldn't follow him willingly. I'd say consider Odahviing was the right hand of Alduin he wouldn't serve Parthanax and instead would probably directly compete with him for power since... yea know... Thats what Dragons do. Bingo! The Blades have a purpose still even with Parthanax alive. There should be more obvious choice in events.

Why can't the Dragonborn gain the confidence of both the Stormcloaks and General Tullius' Legion? Why can't the conflict either come to a peaceful end or, considering the Thalmor would become very suspicious if the Legion just stopped, could the conflict not be in some way fabricated or stalled under mutual understanding by the war's leaders? Why can't you achieve a Empire reborn via diplomacy, or Conquest, or even a bit of both?

Screw the bloodline crap, Martin sacrificed himself and ended the need. However the Throne can still be taken by right of conquest and conquest doesn't always have to be done against the Empire as a whole. What would make more sense is that the Great War re-sparks after a 30-50 year cold period (during which the events of skyrim happen) and the Empire has not recouped like that of the Thalmor, and this is the event that gives you the option to intervene. You're the damn dragonborn the Thalmor are going to more than likely have assassinated for being a potential threat and others will seek you out as means to defend against the Thalmor. Realistically it makes no sense at all that the dragonborn would be able to stay out of the affairs of the war between the Thalmor and the Empire.

You could even go with the civil war quest line outcome and still give credence to the dragonborn becomes emperor. Side with the Stormcloaks you gain Independence, Thalmor use the situation to restart the war. You and the High King side with Hammerfell due to mutual Independence and disdain for both the legion and the Thalmor and appose the Thalmor. OR you side with the legion stormcloaks routed, skyrim divided, the Thalmor use the situation to restart the war against a weak empire, Tullius calls on you to help defend the empire. Either way... it would be impossible for the story to continue where the dragonborn realistically didn't get involved in the impending war against the Thalmor and didn't come across as a potential Emperor or at least world figure rather than "That dude who did something about a dragon who wanted to eat something? someone? I don't remember." - said Bartender in Highrock who is a bit fuzzy on the details.