No. I do, as well.

The Stormcloaks aren't all racist, though. Ralof? The fella at the beginning that you have the option of escaping with. My girlfriend went Stormcloak because I went Empire, and she told me he actually leaves Ulfric's forces. He agrees with the ideals of the Stormcloaks as a whole - freedom for Skyrim, and Nords, worship of Talos - but he hates Ulfric's bigotry and racism.

I'm quite sure there are more than a few young people in the Stormcloak Army that joined up to be freedom-fighters, or were drawn in by Ulfric's propaganda, that don't agree with him, either.

However, if the Stormcloaks win? Ulfric continues to be an asshat. And his Generals are in on the game with him. On the other hand, the Jarl of Widnhelm the Imperials replace him with actually deigns to do something for someone other than Nords - the Dunmer that are refugees in his city.

So, I think the Imperials have, on the whole - More "Good" personalities per capita. Having played through the Imperial questline twice, and seen the Stormcloak one played through once, it seems to be the case.

I came to the game determined to have an open mind. Rapidly though, i came to realise that supporting the Empire is the only logical option. There are huge emotional draws behind the idea of the Stormcloaks. Most western liberal democracies celebrate the ideals of self determination against evil Empires and every kid grows up with Braveheart, Start Wars, the Patriot etc on their watch list.

Fact here is though, that the Empire is the logical choice no matter your critera. Whether you care about the people of Skyrim, the worship of Talos, Humanity as a whole or simply the rule of law...all these points are better served in the longer run by a strong, united Empire (which, despite the negative modern connotations of the term, is a cosmopolitan institution from which (especially during the great war) provinces like Skyrim have benifited greatly from).

I've produced pages of arguments on varoius other threads but to save space i won't repost them here.

Suffice to say my anti-thalmor Altmer (seriously, he's not cool with the whole exterminate humanity, the gods of humanity and then unravel the fabric of time itself plan) stands with the Empire (though he may hold ambitions of ruling it and waging war against the Aldmeri Dominion in the future )

Really, I just want to help the Dark Brotherhood. So I help the Stormcloaks because they help the Brotherhood in the long run. Most likely, the Stormcloaks might even employ the Dark Brotherhood in the future to kill key targets of the Empire. Not to mention it gets vengeance on the Empire for killing my family.

I seem to have a similar dillema. I just cant decide who to fight for because i agree with both sides in a small way. The Empire seem like the good guys to me, keeping out the Altmeri Dominion and apart from a rebellion have things fairly stable. The only thing stopping me from visiting my local Imperial Legion recruitment office is that they have had to enforce a Talos ban because of the Thalmor and also because i dont want to betray Ralof after he and his family took me in (couldn't stand Hadvar, personality was dull and boring). I dont want to join the Rebellion though because Ulfric and his higher up buddies seem like theyre a bunch of racists and using the rebellion for their own gain.

I find myself siding along with the Stormcloaks, mainly because of Ralof and his family and a little bit of the ideals they're fighting for.

I don't fight for the Empire because I can't find a way for my characters to go fight for the very people that were seconds away from beheading them. It's more role-play issues than anything else. I sympathize with the Empire and the bad situation they're in.

Nope. My character has been pretty much unchanged since Morrowind (of course within the boundaries of each game) and she's a staunch supporter of a unified empire. She's not too happy with the Thalmor, however, and is waiting for a DLC to either kick 'em out for good or reunite the rebellious scum with the mighty Empire

Correct me if i'm wrong, since i could never go through the Stormcloak line, but doesn't Ralof and a few others eventually get severely disquieted by the way the rebellion is going and walk when they realise it doesn't represent what they were fighting for?

As for the beheading, i blame that Captain, that's all. Stormcloaks are equally capable of arbitrary violence and are home to quite a few bad apples (racists, ultranationalists etc).

I'll wait for the DLC when and if we are asked to drive/destroy the Thalmor in Skyrim.

Which is why my character will go wherever Ralof will go. =D

TBH both sides are douchebags.Both are outcasts.Both are bad.Both are the legacies of Talos.

They had that anyway, they were just part of a larger Empire - hell a pretty big part of one given that the whole Third Era had the Nordic Septims as Emperors.

I sided with the Empire because I figured out that they aren't a puppet government (both imperials and thalmor say their will be a major conflict in the future, btw hope its a dlc) all that happened was a huge war that the empire lost and instead of being destroyed they sacrificed talos, now they are trying to keep their provinces together so that they can go into another conflict a united and strong Empire. Ulfric on the other hand was influenced to start a rebellion BY THE THALMOR, the thalmor want the stormcloaks to win, they just want it to take a while. Also Ulfric is really racist and wants Skyrim for only the nords, not so they can start a great nation for all people of tamriel (like the empire)

I wanted to help the Stormcloaks for many reasons: first because I don't like people invading other people's places, second because I grew attached to my Whiterun home and I hated the idea that some civil war would destroy it and for the last, when I went to Solitude, the Jarl made me regret my decision. She looked so sad. I went to Windhelm and saw so many racists in that town. Made me feel rotten to have considered siding them. Not all the Stormcloak idealists are rude though, but it makes me wonder if the Imperials are the real good guys and if the Stormcloaks are THAT evil.

Edit: Kudos to Ulfric for being so charismatic though.

For me the Imperials are just Thalmor puppets that need to be removed from Skyrim. Then the Nords can concentrate on kicking the Thalmor back to the Summerset Isles. So for me its the Stormcloaks all the way even if I am playing a Breton.

I prefer the stormcloaks, but only so Skyrim can be independent. I don't really like Ulfric and I hate his racist views, but the empire is weak and dying and another war with the thalmor is impossible to avoid.

The redguards were able to handle the thalmor by themselves, why can't Skyrim?
Either way, we won't know who's "right" until the next war happens with the thalmor. Can Skyrim defend itself without the empire? If yes, then there's no reason why they should be with the empire. If they can't, it's best for their own survival to be with the empire so they stand a chance.

Yeah the Nords after a Civil War versus an organisation stronger now when it pretty much defeated the entire Empire w/ Nord help... I bet that goes well.

Didn't the redguards already do that? They kicked the Aldmeri out of Hammerfell by themselves? The Empire has to realize that it's glory days are over, they can continue to fight against it, or acknowledge it, and move on. Besides there's nothing stopping the Nords, High Rock, Redguards, and the remnants of the Empire from allying to suppress the Thalmor. From a historical perspective it happened all the time, nations going from bitter enemies one day, to allies the next.

I thought the Redguards are merely holding off against the Aldmeri Dominion and have not gotten them out of their lands? I've heard that "the resistance is still strong" in Hammerfell, which suggests that they are still under attack.

This.There is no clear cut right on either side for me so far,both are as bad as each other.Makes multiple plays a good role play option though,neutral,storm cloak,Imperial,valid options for three characters.

The Redguards are both superior warriors to the Nords, their terrain is harder to master - i.e. major homefield advantage - and they haven't been through a civil war.

Is it possible to finish the main quest and be an enemy to everyone?

I loathe both. I love that I do though, makes the war seem more realistic.

Imperial are asses they not only tried to cut my head in the beginning, but the dam imperials soldiers tried to bride me in the street.

That's my stance too.
But it would be nice if we could 'help along' Ulfircs departure and replace him with someone who isn't a racist powermonger.

problem is, a large part of the driving force being the cause IS infact racism, it's all about kicking everybody else out or atleast forcing to lick the boots of the nords, it's a disgusting way of thinking.