Board Thread:Off Topic/@comment-15330060-20140202214212/@comment-6518657-20141201182308

I'd venture the fatal flaw of Mercer's character is his lack of integrity, more than specifically 'honor'.

The thieves' guild profits as, in spite of all their self-serving tendencies, they still respect and care for fellow guild members. I suppose the narrative lesson of the thieves' guild questline is that one can't simply turn their back on the world and take it all for themself.

In regards to the discourse about extended alternative endings for storylines, I sometimes wonder lore-wise what would happen if there were an option during The Wolf Queen Awakened to join Potema and help her re-take Skyrim at the crest of an undead horde. It was especially sorrowful hearing her whispering to my vampire character about her plans to "raise him as a champion at her side" - he'd have made one hell of an undead Housecarl, I'd say that.

Back to the topic of the Thieves' Guild, I find it regrettable that Mercer chooses to betray the guild - but unfortunately, the Dragonborn has to have some way of replacing the head of each posthumous guildmaster (with the singular exception being Isran from the Dawnguard,) and Mercer just so happens to not-be-dragonborn - a poor stroke of luck for him, if ever there was.