Amicus
Lizard Wizard
Personally, I didn't side with either my first time. I was playing as a wood elf who came to Skyrim from Valenwood because- consistent with the lore- her family had been purged by the Dominion. She saw that the Empire was being puppeted by the Dominion and was hoping to curb that from within the Imperial ranks in Skyrim. She was more than happy to join the empire and fight alongside humans to undermine the overarching goal of the Dominion, but once she arrived in Skyrim she saw it wasn't so black and white. Mind you she was young and didn't fully understand the relationship between the Dominion and the Empire at the time. She wanted to undermine the Dominion by joining the Empire, but she didn't agree with the fact that the Empire was arresting people for practicing their beliefs and following their traditions. It was too similar to what she had encountered with the High Elves. She looked to the Stormcloaks in the hopes that the rebellion would be a clean cut answer, but all she found was racist attitudes and people who didn't see the bigger picture of their actions. So instead, she assisted in brokering the peace talks in hopes that the Empire would lose power but still be able to keep the Stormcloaks in check, and the people of Skyrim could practice their beliefs but still have to co-exist with other races. It was boring as all hell, but in line with my character.
In my own opinion, however, I hate the gray morality of the Stormcloaks vs Imperials story arc. You either pick the problematic imperialists who are useful in the sense that many societies in Tamriel have become co-dependent on the empire or the problematic rebels who have a not-so-subtle tinge of racism in their core message but deserve freedom. If I had to choose I would have to pick the empire. They provide stability and resources to areas in need and benefit more people than would be helped by a coup on behalf of the Stormcloaks. My mentality is that, if there is any rebellion that massively affronts the Empire and causes such significant shifts in the political/government structures of the continent it should not start with the Stormcloaks. I know, I know, the whole if not me, who? If not now, when? mentality is compelling, but altogether doesn't consider the larger implications of the Stormcloaks winning against the Empire. If the first major rebellion against the Empire is chock full of nationalist and racist undertones that kind of mentality would definitely spread to others trying to free themselves from the grasp of the Empire (like a "follow the leader" chain of events). That's just my opinion, though! The great thing about video games is people get to approach them from so many different perspectives and take things away from them or notice things I may have never considered!
This was brief, but now I have to go read about the African presence in Iran for class :')
Thanks for the engaging question! It's a discussion that never really gets old, I think.
Best,
Amicus
In my own opinion, however, I hate the gray morality of the Stormcloaks vs Imperials story arc. You either pick the problematic imperialists who are useful in the sense that many societies in Tamriel have become co-dependent on the empire or the problematic rebels who have a not-so-subtle tinge of racism in their core message but deserve freedom. If I had to choose I would have to pick the empire. They provide stability and resources to areas in need and benefit more people than would be helped by a coup on behalf of the Stormcloaks. My mentality is that, if there is any rebellion that massively affronts the Empire and causes such significant shifts in the political/government structures of the continent it should not start with the Stormcloaks. I know, I know, the whole if not me, who? If not now, when? mentality is compelling, but altogether doesn't consider the larger implications of the Stormcloaks winning against the Empire. If the first major rebellion against the Empire is chock full of nationalist and racist undertones that kind of mentality would definitely spread to others trying to free themselves from the grasp of the Empire (like a "follow the leader" chain of events). That's just my opinion, though! The great thing about video games is people get to approach them from so many different perspectives and take things away from them or notice things I may have never considered!
This was brief, but now I have to go read about the African presence in Iran for class :')
Thanks for the engaging question! It's a discussion that never really gets old, I think.
Best,
Amicus