You know in Star Wars the whole film would never had happened if the soldiers in the Star Destroyer had shot the "empty" escape pod killing R2-D2 and C-3PO meaning that Luke would never had brought the droids and thus never seeing Leia's message and so on and so forth. Well I think I just found something similar in Skyrim.

So your character is arrested in an Imperial ambush and then is taken prisoner to Helgen and just so happens to be with Ulfric Stormcloaks, the leader of the whole rebellion. You're then sentenced to death along with the rest of the Stormcloacks including Ulfric. General Tullius is there, he's effectively won the battle. Tullius is portrayed and this amazing general, the best in the Legion. All Tullius had to do was execute Ulfric first ending the war, and I can't see why he didn't. He's the leader and the most dangerous threat to the Empire. The longer he's alive, the more danger the Legion is in. Killing him first would not only effectively end the rebellion but all his soldiers would have known they had lost just before they died. Also then who would lead the rebellion? the Stormcloacks would no doubt be arguing who would lead Skyrim to freedom. Then the Legion striking the Stormcloaks when they're in disarray would be almost guaranteed an Empire victory. Once again uniting the Empire then down the Winchester for a pint until the whole thing blows over.

Just saying is all.

Y'know I found myself thinking this same thing at one point. Like... Why did they have Ulfric constrained? he was just kind of standing there at the edge of the crowd and they don't even bother to kill him off first? The Legion takes out a Stormcloak and some petty thief and they plan on killing your character right after. I would imagine, that by killing the so highly regarded leader infront of a handful of his own men, it'd demoralize them for the last time. I found it pretty strange. I also found it strange that Ulfric was practically defeated by a rag tied over his mouth. I understand they had him gagged, but to me it always just seems like they kind of muffled him, more than actually stopped his voice. Even with the rag around his mouth, he should be able to shout it right off if he can blow up the High King with his Voice.

I'm glad you wrote this. I've thought the same thing, minus the star wars parallel. Nice work though.

I always though that the Imperials wanted Ulfrics men to die before his very eyes, before they killed him. You know, as a last [censored] you.

Good point, but still Tulius is an Idiot for letting his chance slip away.

But if they killed Urfric first, we wouldn't have much of a game?

(( There was way too much monolgue and not enough chopping of heads, it's the ultimate mistake, made so often by so many. ))

Alduin turns up, and it just happens to be in time to save the (as yet ignorant of the fact) Dovahkiin, the only one capable of defeating him. "No, Meester Bond, I expect you to die escape and spoil my plans for world domination."

I guess. I would've done it. Any IRL Evil Overlord should always execute the arch nemesis first and some random men only after that, it says so on the list. But, it seems there was no fear of losing Ulfric, no threat at all that they could think of. The first dragon awake in centuries landing on top of the tower in the middle of the butcher wasn't really a thing they could've thought of beforehand. So maybe they wanted to spare Ulfric for the last, to make HIM see his rebellion and men die before he did. So it's your own logic but the other way round: they wanted Ulfric to know that they've lost, not the soldiers; the whole rebellion personalized so much around Ulfric that making him feel desperate at the scene was the only thing that mattered to the Imperials.

Also, it might've been that the Captain, who clearly was in charge of the situation, was in tremendous pressure, and she didn't think clearly (i.e. sending unwanted men to the block, making not much sense in the order of executing people, etc.) This could've been because the war takes toll on you, or just because Tullius was there yet still she was in charge, or a little bit of these and other factors not mentioned here but possibly present.

Alduin turns up, and it just happens to be in time to save the (as yet ignorant of the fact) Dovahkiin, the only one capable of defeating him. "No, Meester Bond, I expect you to die escape and spoil my plans for world domination."

Alduin had no way of knowing at that point that one person down there was to become his slayer. He was just casually wreaking havoc near the place he awoke; any place could have done. He was heading there, northeast, for a reason though, to wake up some more dragons on his way.

Also, I don't believe this is a matter of chance. I think the Time-God Akatosh just had pretty good irony going on here with his first-born (Alduin). "Heh, I make sure Alduin flies there just in time to actually save the Dragonborn! :trollface:" Or maybe, just maybe, the player character only "was made" Dragonborn that instant Alduin "saved" him from decapitation, just because he was the closest one to die next. Anyways, the Divines know their irony.

Well a great general should have contingency plans, yes a dragon would have been near impossible to predict. But a great general would have come up with a plan deal with an onslauhgt on the fort. So in that eventuality he should have killed Ulfric first.



Same augment, a great general would have taken over and got Ulfric to the block first.

(( Maybe she was bribed to save him til last? ))

You are right of course, but I repeat: there shouldn't have been any need for it. It was supposed to be safe to spare Ulfric for the last.

This only boils down to being a classic storytelling cliche where a guy wastes his time killing his arch nemesis, and the latter miraculously is rescued because of this delaying. Game mechanic, period. (Also kinda tells about bad writing! I just tried to make possible reasoning behind that bad writing. )

There is no excuse for bad writing, they could have been more creative. Killing Ulfric thus the Stormcloaks go into disarray, sparking an insurrection within a rebellion would have made it all the more interesting.

Because the writers of this game are THAT bad at constructing a good story line.
There's no way around it, it was a silly way to start the story and really really unbelievable.

If Skyrim were a movie, I'd be pissed.

They could have killed UIfric and written it in, that the PC could become the leader of the rebellion. It wouldn't have been difficult.

Yeah maybe they were bribed to take Ulfric last... giving stormcloaks chance to counter and free him?

Tullius, bribed to kill Ulfric last...?

O_o

Nope the quest would mean that you were in charge of the stormcloaks, the jarl of windhelm, leader of the companion, dark brotherhood, mages guild, thieves guild and what ever else there is to lead

that and if we rememeber, tulius never said who goes first, when they were "condeming their souls to apherius" the one solider was all like "get outa my way i'm going first!" so there was really no say in the matter.

But even if the soldiers we bribed, which I some how doubt. Tullius should have taken control and made sure Ulfric died first, there is no excuse. He could have ended any chance of an uprising there and then, but his ineptitude got in the way and blew it. His head should be on the block.

Lol, the day TES become a movie, may be the day I stop being a fan. Video games turned movies, never tutu out good.

That wasn't my point at all.

If the story used in Skyrim was used in a movie - I'd walk out. It makes no sense, and is extremely predictable. Its clear they've designed it to setup action sequences rather then tell a story.

Part of Ulfric's punishment could be watching those who stood with him die because of him.

that worked well

It is a cruel plan, but a sensible one. If the dragon hadn't attacked, if Ulfric had been executed first, then Tullius would have lost his chance to show Ulfric what his schemes bought for him and his people.

I know it wasn't what you meant. that post was a failed attempt at humor on my part. My deepest apologies.

we all knew the story was gonna be predictable the day todd told us we were dragonborn and the world eater Alduin returned.