Poll: Empire or Stormcloak?

[Draitheryn]

My gf went Imperial so I decided to go Stormcloaks. I think I would have preferred Imperial, if for no other reason than their leader is voiced by Michael Hogan

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

Stormcloaks, merely because, as an Irishman, I assume any rebellion against an Empire is justified.

 

[AMAZED]

(spoiler warning) I don't know enough about either side but I joined the empire because of that waring nation that wanted to weaken the empire and attack by letting the civil war continue.
EDIT: oh i also forgot the nords seem really xenophobic and the stormcloak capital has a bunch of racist pricks in it.

 

[jboking]

I haven't chosen yet, and I am a good way into the game. Thing is, most of the stormcloaks seem to be purist nords who really get off on the idea of having driven out all the dirty dark elves. The imperials tried to kill me and shouldn't be doing what they are to the people of skyrim. It's a rough choice: Racism or Totalitarianism

The age-old problem with interactive storytelling...

("No. I don't want to do either A or B, I want to do C, or possibly D or E.")

I'm through most of the story and I've not chosen either. Basically, I've done C.

 

[Foxpack1]

When you think about it, the Stormcloaks are definetly the bad guys as the parallels they have with the Nazi's is quite shocking.

Angry with a peace treaty they were forced to accept: Versailles/White-Gold

Hates minority groups: Jews,Slavs,etc/Non-Nords

Will make the nation great again.

Charismatic leader and ex-soldier who claims to be doing things for his ideal people: Hitler and Aryans/Ulfric and the Nords.

Attempted overthrow of elected government: Munich Putsch/Stormcloak rebellion.

The peace treaty that also removed the Imperials balls(disbanded the mages guild and removing battle mages from the Imperial Legion) thus leaving them an easier conquest for a rebellion against the Thalmor; Skyrim still has its college. The ban of Talos is because the Thalmor don't recognize him as THEIR ancestor and therefore cannot be a god(meaning only elves can be gods woah more racism) and while it is big issue i think having an independent college free to grow from possible intervention is a good thing. Dominion destroyed Imperial magic giving them the MAJOR uperhand so any hope of return to any civility is to fight them with magic.

No comment on the racial issue here; aside from the differences are one nation of this people is trying to put us under their boot. Its a human defense mechanism; we distrust different peoples especially when we don't know who we can trust. Not excusing it but its understood.

Charismatic? Good god have you met Ulfric? hes a dick.

Overthrows of the government happen in all rebellions; only thing here is that they were sold down the river for working to take a city back from the forsworn; so it could be a haven for talos worship. Last i checked the nazis had no noble reason for their insurrection.

Firstly I never said that the treaty was fair, nor that the Thalmor wern't a-holes.
Secondly there's a difference between mistrusting outsiders and treating them as lesser beings.
Thirdly I got the impression that Ulfric was meant to be this charismatic inspiration to the people.
Fourthly I never said the nazis had a noble reason for the putsch, they did it for their own self-interest, as the Stormcloaks are doing.

Considering most of them fight for the right to worship their own god it is a much more noble cause. With the Thalmor crusade they lost that right(it was motivated heavily by religion lets call it a crusade) and now want it back; its not exactly a negative self interest thing. Whereas the Imperials(being under the boot of the dominion) are fighting for the dominions interests; being the denial of Talos and subjugation of non-elves. Everyone is a bigot so deal with it.

Far as charismatic inspiration goes i can see the inspiration bit; and a born leader bit to but i still see about as much charisma as my ass has.

I know you never said the nazis had noble intentions i was drawing a difference between the two.

Both can be tied to negative traits and there is no clear good or evil in the situation. Imperials are pawns for an elven superiority faction; one that thinks humans cant be accepted into the pantheon. Stormcloaks are bigots that think the empire let everyone down(and they did) but your post looks like it ignores the damning traits for the other factions.

My OP was never about the other factions, just the stormcloaks.

Lets just agree that both sides are kind of d***s and that the only solution is for them to submit to the eternal rule of the Adoring Fan.

 

[kyogen]

I rolled up a character for each since it gives me an excuse to focus on different skills as well. I'm really loving how nuanced the civil war storyline is. Everyone has a reason behind their alignment.

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

For my next playthrough, I'm going to play an Altmer specifically to further the goals of the Dominion

 

[Riddle78]

Imperials. Why? An independant Skyrim will get MURDERED by the Thalmor Dominion,and there's the fact that Skyrim is fairly barren,as far as large-scale farming is concerned. Skyrim simply cannot survive on it's own,so,in this case,a united Empire is better for all.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

I'm on the fence right now. I can see the reason for joining the empire, seeing as only a revived empire could hold back the Thalmor (and yes, they're plotting to take over). On the other hand, the ineptitude of the empire cost them dearly in the war, and now Skyrim is suffering for it. The Stormcloaks have a valid point, but isn't it possible that the worship restrictions of the peace agreement would be nullified if the empire regains its strength. Plus they're dicks, though that describes the typical imperial as well. Dunno, I'll probably go with the empire, if only to punch a few high elves in their smug faces.

Yeah...Skyrim made me realize how horribly racist I am against the Altmer, even though I usually play as one. Fucking smug jaundiced bastards...

Wow, I better get out of this thread... that's the third unmarked spoiler already, and still the first page. Perhaps I should eschew Escapist Magazine altogether until I have seen 100% of Skyrim...

Not really spoilers, I'm afraid. You get the gist of the Empire vs Stormcloaks story approximately 1 min into the intro, and the Thalmor are part of the backstory of the game. the rest you learn as you make your way into the first major settlement, the first real quest of the game. Again, nothing to spoil here, except perhaps that the Thalmor really are the assholes your "wise guide" portrays them as.

 

[imnot]

I was going to remai nneutral, then I visited windhelm and saw that the stormcloaks where dicks.
So I joined the legion. But I prefer both over the Thalmor!

 

[Kyber]

i probably should go with the Imperials, Stormcloaks have this innoying thing being all "Skyrim for the Nords!" and i bet that doesent bode well in the end for my Argonian or my Redguard, if they win in the end Skyrim is going to be a really not-so-nice place for everyone who isnt a Nord, and i dont respect that.

 

[Elric Randall]

I figured the Empire is the only sane choice. Regardless of the injustices the Stormcloaks faced, a united Empire is the only defense against the Thalamor. We barely survived the last war, and the only thing stopping us from being crushed completely is the White-Gold Concordat.

Empire wins, heritage is violently suppressed...but we live.

Stormcloaks win, Talos worship breaks the treaty, further military conflict just out of a civil war will be too much to survive.

Of course, I sided with the Stormcloaks. A new, independent king might be easier to extort than an Imperial/Thalamor backed puppet. I'm no Nord anyway...

 

[Tamrin]

Stormcloak, if only because the Empire tried to murder me in the intro.

^THIS. I wont forget how they were seconds away from taking my head off FOR NO REASON other than just being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Mau95]

I'm an Imperial, wearing Imperial armor, and this guy asks me to come with him and rebel. So yeah, sure, why not.

 

[AgentLampshade]

Clan Battle-Born.

 

[Somebloke]

("No. I don't want to do either A or B, I want to do C, or possibly D or E.")

I'm through most of the story and I've not chosen either. Basically, I've done C.

Good to hear!

I haven't played the game for long, but the OP kind of made it sound like the choice would be forced at some point, which certainly wouldn't be a first.

 

[ResonanceSD]

("No. I don't want to do either A or B, I want to do C, or possibly D or E.")

I'm through most of the story and I've not chosen either. Basically, I've done C.

Good to hear!

I haven't played the game for long, but the OP kind of made it sound like the choice would be forced at some point, which certainly wouldn't be a first.

It's a central part of the game's storyline, so not choosing locks out quite a lot of content.

 

[xXBanisherXx]

Imperials:

Pros: Orderly, strong in both number and armor (compared to Stormcloaks), and ended the war against the Dominion (although banning the worship of Talos in the process).

Cons: Let the Thalmar walk all over them, banned the Worship of Talos (debatable, but who's decedent saved your sorry ass in the Oblivion Crisis), try to kill you because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time (which technically was only the Captain's call, not the Imperial as a whole), let random adventurers walk right up to General Tullius without as much as a second glance, and takes out anyone who has even the smallest ties to the Stormcloak rebellion.

Stormcloaks:

Pros: Very close knit family of warriors (metaphorically speaking), wishes to reinstate the worship of Talos (debatable), and lots of mead.

Cons: More racist than a KKK member in an NAACP meeting, blood-lusting (debatable), very good at causing trouble, and very 'Dark Ages' feel (plainly put, stupid and barbaric).

My opinion: Ignore the damn war and just be a Dragonborn. But if I had to pick one, and I was playing as anything but a Nord, Imperial.