User blog comment:JoshofBlades/Why the Empire Should Prevail Over the Stormcloaks! (part 2)/@comment-184.61.251.253-20150130071315

I honestly think it really doesn't matter who gets Skyrim. The outcome will be the same. If you look at a map of Tamriel and the provinces controlled by the Thalmor, it's Alinor (the Summerset Isles), Valenwood, and Anequina and Pelletine (the two kingdoms that Elsweyr comprises). The Empire still has High Rock, half of Skyrim, Morrowind and Cyrodiil. That's a lot more land which is a lot more unforgiving and requires a lot more effort by the Thalmor than it would for Cyrodiil and High Rock, Hammerfell, and Skyrim as independent countries in a collective effort against the Thalmor. We all know that the moment the Civil War ends, the Empire will go to war with the Dominion ANYWAYS. It was simply a contingency by Titus Mede II to buy a litle bit of time in hopes of regaining strength. Still,a weakened Cyrodiil, a halfway-weakened Skyrim, an indifferent High Rock and a thriving Hammerfell will be fine. If they're smart. Not to mention the efforts of the Dovahkiin. It is mentioned in the main story (if you don't kill Paarthurnax like a barbaric douche... I'm looking at you Blades!) that when you defeat Alduin, YOU are the rightful ruler of the Dovah, having the strongest Thu'um. That means those dragons that sided with Parthurnaax are really yours to command. I'd like to see the Thalmor try and take one province with swarms of element-breathing, fast-flying, heavily-armored lizards at their doorstep.

Now, all this said, I much prefer the corruption of the Empire to the racism and illogic of the Ku Klux Stormcloaks to the genocide and occult nonsense of the Thalmor-Nazis. Just saying, we have a pretty damn good chance of winning either way.

Imperator Phil