Stormcloak or Imperial: Who do you support?

[YuritZen]

Are you faithful towards the Cyrodiilic Empire or are you loyal to the High King and all the Jarls?

[Sparhawk122]

Imperial. The Stormcloaks were blinded by religion. If the Stormcloaks were to win their independence then they would no longer be under the peace treaty between the Empire and Aldmeri Dominion. Thus they would be open to attack from the Aldmeri with no risk from retaliation from the Empire as the Nords would no longer be classified as part of the Empire. The Nords would get decimated and the Aldmeri would get a foothold in Skyrim to better thwart the Empire's regrouth. And that would be very very bad for all of Tamriel as the Aldmeri are not the most wisest or compassionate people. The Nords need to team up with the imperials to have a fighting chance later in the future whenever the Aldmeri Dominion decide to cease the peace and reopen hostilities. Ulfric was an excellent fighter but as usual had a low intellect and didn't foresee the inevitable consequences if he where to accomplish his said goal of independence.

If you think about it the Empire is the United Nations and the Stormcloaks are the terrorists. In simpler terms kind of like the present crisis. The Empire have law, kind of a Roman like law and welcome all races where as the Stormcloaks have a law to their own persona and are racist towards other races, just like how they suppressed the Argonians, Elves and so forth in cities such as Windhelm. They're religious zealots which is all too similar to terrorists. And the Empire had to retaliate to impede the Stormcloaks in the killing of Empire citizens and thus when fighting their terrorism had to get a bit more aggressive in their war like stance on the matter. That's why they nearly killed your character when you start off, but you can't blame them. It's not like they have CSI investigation methods and equipment to think anything else but the fact that you were callaborating with Ulfric. After all you were with him and who the heck in Skyrim doesn't know what Ulfric looks like.

Actually Stormcloaks are more like Saxons and the Imperials are alike to Romans. Go Romans :)

[YuritZen]

True. I also believe Tullius' words before he died.
If you do the Dark Brotherhood Quest, Cyrodiil would have a lot on their plate:
A humiliating defeat by rebels and no emperor to rule High Rock and Cyrodiil and the throne would be up for grabs.
So its really a matter of opinion and how you see the entire Civil War in a general perspective.

[|OMEGA|]

Stormcloak. Because I'm not stupid.

[ISpell2]

Imperial, because Ulfric wasn't making anything better. He's the guy at the company fundraiser that gets drunk and yells loud insults to the people who are giving money, all the more giving them reasons to cut off all funding, and reduce said company to rubble. I would've been a Stormcloak had they been better at planning attacks and such. Secrecy is the best way to gain control.

[Jogon]

Hard to say. Imperials have the dragon emblem. They pay good money for your discarded weapons too.

[NeS]

I thought we had this discussion before lol. But both sides do have their points. It's all a matter of opinion and perspective. Although to be honest the choice is obvious if you want to get technical about it: Imperial!

[Taggen]

I cant believe how hard you think this trough!
When the choice was up to me i choose the stormcloaks, for two reasons.
1. Ulfric is a badass
2. Imperials are not.
Hence a easy choice, but when i read what Sparhawk122 said i feel rather stupid....

[YuritZen]

Its not a matter of my choice, it is a matter of opinion. I just want to see what everyone would say.
My predictions in the aftermath of the Civil War is such:
The Nords, if they won, would secede from the Empire and only Cyrodiil and High Rock would remain, and Empre would be weaker and broken (plus, political turmoil because of Mede's assassination). Skyrim would be up for grabs in the eyes of the Dominion, and we already know they never stop until their mission is completed.
If the Empire won, then its back to normal since the Great War. There'll be rebuilding, of course.

[MAB]

Empire!! I havent saved it in oblivion just to get it split up and overrun by some overfaithful elves.... nothing against elves but u know...

[Obtuse]

I view the Stormcloaks as jihadists/terrorists, Ulfic is prejudice as ♥♥♥♥ and although he may be a charismatic individual that charisma will do him no good when he's a severed head on a thalmor pike. Long live the Empire!

[grishalit7]

It doesn't matter that much who you will join, in my opinion:

If you join the Stormclocks you are playing an imotional character who exacts his revenge on the impirials who captured and tried to behade him, and help the racist Nords to regain totall control(freedom) over Skyrim in ultimate goal of restoring Talos worship.

If you help the Impirials you forgive the Impirial captain who wanted you dead, and help kill the merdoras rebels who's leader is trying to force himself on Skyrim as a king, and stop racism and war in Skyrim.

But in the end the Thalmor will crash both sides no matter who wins the civil war:

If the Stormcloacks win then Skyrim stands alone and weak(half of the population died in the war on both sides). The other provineces fear the racist nords and the Empire do not consider them important to protect. So the Thalmore will eat Skyrim for lunch and finish the weak Empire off. So much for independance....

If the Empire wins than half of Skyrim still died in the civil war and the Empire grew weaker, leaving the Empire too weak to retaliat the Thalmor(2.5 provinces against 3+ if I remember correctly).

Also take this into consideration: Bethesda is in a trap becuse they can't write down the winner in this civil war becuse they left the players to help(and win) either side they want. The only historcl event which solves them the problem is that TES 6 will start in enother province(not yet told about in previous titles) with Skyrim and Empire under Thalmor rule...that is that the Thalmor defeated both the Empire and the Stormcloacks.
So in TES VI we will be playing undercover fighting the Thamor in a guriila methods.
That is my opinion anyway.

[Raines]

I stand by my fellow Nords to fight for our home land! To not be forced to live Imperial Rules and Laws. Skyrim is our land and I will see it wiped clean of this Imperial filth. Ulfric will lead us to victory and a glorious one at that. The Imperials can take their damn lists and Elven friends back to the capital!

[PerfectInsanity]

You have to look at both sides of the coin. Yes the imperials try to protect their people by making peace with the the thalmor and they stand by the empire and are trying to restore order. But they cover up the thalmor, capturing people and torturing them, some of whom would be innocent. The thalmor tell the people of skyrim what they cant do in their homeland because THEY dont see Talos as a Divine. is that worth peoples tortures and deaths. the stomcloaks aren't the bad guys but the Thalmor.

Ulfric did kill the high king but as he says, how can the high king protect the people if he cant protect himself. The stormcloaks are just trying to take back whats theirs!

[BatuuRebel]

Didn't the Empire try to kill me? Stormcloaks.

[KnorKater]

Since the Stormcloaks are just a bunch of manipulated racists in my eyes, I'm supporting the Imperial side. Spoiler: They're just a tool for the Thalmor as long as they don't get the upper hand (See mainquest). If there weren't the Stormcloaks, the empire could focus on more important things. Like pushing the Thalmor back... (And being able to allow the worshipping of Talos again, btw.) Stormcloaks are just a burden for the empire and the country, working against their own goals. Sparhawk said the rest.

And to the "They tried to kill me"-thing: When you had to tell them who you are, an Imperial said that you're not on the list and if the general was sure about killing you and she said "yes". So, in my eyes, it's this *someflowers* who gave the order at least, not the whole empire. So I don't have a problem in supporting them. (btw, blaming a whole bunch of people for the actions of a single/few is plain stupid)