Back in Daggerfall we had a choice of several endings, depending on our choices during the course of the game. All of the endings had been pretty different with the the cannon ending being a mixture of all 6(?) endings. Since then, we have followed pretty liner quests with everyone getting the same outcome. However with the civil war we are given two very different outcomes, one Imperial victory and one Stormcloak victory.


I think the cannon history will be an Imperial victory with both Tallus and Ulfric dying in the war, but to calm agitation in Skyrim it is granted a special semi autonomous status in the Empire.

Canon will probably be either or, not an alteration of both. That of which will probably be Imperial as the victor.

I expect canon would be the Dragonborn sided with the Stormcloaks for a Stormcloak victory. There's no way he would have sided with Imperials after they tried to execute him for no reason.

Probably won't even mention that he joined the war.

I expect the canon result to be that something makes the civil war irrelevant.

Thats not a cannon debate, it's just anti-Imperial propaganda and is a sentiment easily countered by how many people sided with the Empire.

Why would he side with the Stormcloaks, If not for Ulfric you'd never have been arrested to begin with. If you were arrested along side some criminals would you cooperate with the authorities so you can clear your name or side with the criminals.

I have a feeling that the next game will set iit up in a way it doesn't matter.
F.ex.
The Empire falls shortly after the defeat of the Dominion and the provinces becoem independent. Ulfric/Elisifis killed by a new ruler who takes control over Skyrim and it is only referenced through rumors in whatever province we are in next.

Thalmor win, whoever wins the civil war is irrelevant. Or, after both Tullius and Ulfric have been killed, the empire sends over more soldiers who end the civil war, bringing the province back into the empire.

Hard to say really. Culverin? Saker? Howitzer?

Probably one of these...

Something will happen in either DLC or the time period between Skyrim and TESVI to make the outcome of the Civil War irrelevant. Hmm... perhaps Dawnguard will provide more lasting consequences that is usual of DLC....

Edit: By the way, I'll admit to feeling slightly cheated by this inevitability. Mass Effect spoiled me, but even so I understand that not every studio is willing to devote so many resources to something immaterial as the impact of the player's actions on the story.

If they decide to gloss over the Dragonborn's involvement (which is the most likely thing), then the only logical way for the CW to end is with Imperial victory. Ulfric and his leaders (as are most of his followers) are brash, foolhardy idiots facing a trained and experienced General and professional soldiers - it can only end badly for the Stormcloaks. It might not be as easy a victory for the Empire, but the Empire would win.

If they do decide the Dragonborn is involved heavily then whichever side he joins will win, though they might choose the "Made a Truce" option present - but likely they will instead choose to make the Dragonborn join the Imperials, since the Stormcloaks are made out pretty much to be the bad guys.

They are going to find a way to make our choices irrelevant.


BiowEAr....?

The problem with TES games over Mass Effect is that every player will play the game slightly differently. Many may never do the dragonborn quests. Some might never do the civil war, or the Thieves' guild, or the Dark Brotherhood or any of the quests. The ending that is chosen to be cannon in the future games has to incorporate this. In Daggerfall it was done with dragon breaks, in Oblivion the main character's involvement was glossed over. Morrowind was destroyed. While I doubt they'll be destroying Skyrim, it would be impossible to cater the next game's lore to how every different player played the game.

A thalmor invasion that renders the civil war moot perhaps. IMO the Septim empire will have collapsed and been replaced by the next game.

I think that we'll get both outcomes referred to in future lore - I suspect the only references will come in the form of books - the stomcloaks will claim their victory, the imperials will claim theirs. I'm sure that this "civil war" is just a footnote in the overall story, and both sides will have supporters that will continue to fight for their cause after the events of the game.

The Septim Empire already fell with the death of Martin. This is a different, Mede empire.

Imperial, bethesda have always favored imperials.

Aye, good point.

As many have said here, I doubt the canon will be that specific about what happens. Remember how the Nevarine was talked about in Oblivion? Very vaguely.

I am not so sure. The Empire(s) we have interacted with in the games have been in varying degrees of trouble and instability.

Which is why they're portrayed as being militaristic arseholes with crazy emperors desperately trying to hold onto their land 90% of the time? (Oblivion excluded. But then, Oblivion should be excluded from everything)

True but they have always survived, one imperial faction falls and another rises and i do think we'll get to bring down Thalmor sometimes in the future but yeah i hope it wouldn't be like that since i don't like neither Imperials or the empire that much.

Hmm but they have always had the power in their grasp until Skyrim came along. emperors all imperial and most of the noticeble/influential people have been imperials.

Stormcloaks.

Why? Quite personally, I don't see Bethesda making Ulfric and his Stormcloaks, just to kill them off in the end.

To me, it makes more sense for Bethesda to make the Stormcloaks win. The Empire would still be around of course. But the way I see it, the Empire is losing lands, and having Ulfric win the war will follow suit.