As for Hammerfell, Titus Mede II and the Empire turning their backs on them created a huge rift between the provinces...Relations will be almost impossible to repair anytime soon. especially since this only happened about 26 years ago. Hammerfell holds a deep grudge against them.

Then I fail to see how Stormcloak victory would be a better outcome in this case. With Empire unification however, there is still a chance of having the odds, but with a single nation that just got out of a civil war? Not so likely. Your story about a "new leader" sounds interesting, however *that* seems more like a wishful thinking to me even more.

Don't get me wrong...this is a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils. However, the only reason I say the Stormcloaks would be a better choice is because they have yet to gain the hatred and/or disapproval of the other nations as the Empire has over the years. Even with a new leader, Hammerfell and the rest of Tamriel would still be iffy about rejoining them...Betrayal from allies is something no nation wants to deal with.

Perhaps my "new leader" theory is just wishful thinking...but I do know that Ulfric is too stubborn to change his racist ideologies and needs to be assasinated and replaced with a more accepting leader if Skyrim wishes to be taken serioously by the other nations.

"Literally translated as "Home of the Elves", the Aldmeri Dominion was an empire that as of http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Second_Era#2E_830 made up the realms of http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Summerset_Isle and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Valenwood. It was formed when the heirs of the Camoran Dynasty began to fight over the Valenwood throne. A faction of http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bosmer attempted to make peace with their enemies in the Colovian Estates by offering part of the Valenwood territory in exchange for the faction's claimant. The http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Altmer, upon hearing of this, invaded Valenwood, citing a stewardship clause in a thousand year old treaty ^{http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Aldmeri_Dominion#cite_note-PGE1AD-0}. The Altmer established the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Thalmor as the government in Valenwood on behalf of their claimant http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:People_C#Camoran_Anaxemes (whose ascendants made the original treaty a thousand years before). As the Empire was still recovering from the Interregnum, the Colovian armies were easily forced back by the Elves and the Aldmeri Dominion was born. The Thalmor strengthened its hold on Valenwood province during the foundations of the Third Empire and Bosmer tribes continued to skirmish with the Colovian Estates under the rule of the High Elves. With the Empire reunited under Tiber Septim the attacks subsided although each side remained encamped on the border waiting for a decisive battle. At sea, the Elven forces were considerably more powerful and the Dominion was able to hold the southern waters from the Cape of the Blue Divide to the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Topal_Bay. The Elves made allies with some Reachmen, the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Maormer of http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Pyandonea, and the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Elsweyr Confederacy. Although there was no formal declaration of war, Tamriel was divided between the Empire and the Dominion in an unfolding clash of civilizations. The catastrophic use of the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Numidium ended the long confrontation, resulting in the surrender of the Summerset Isles and the human conquest of Tamriel. The Dominion would represent the last time the elves of Tamriel ruled sovereign kingdoms on the continent, the final legacy of the Direnni and Aldmer holdings."

Ulfric Stormcloak isnt the one that officially destroyed the alliance between the nations. Even if Ulfric needs to be assassinated...Skyrim still has a better chance of gaining the favor of Hammerfell and the other nations than the Empire does.

Evidence for this? There's nothing on UESP's articles on either the Aldmeri Dominion or Pyandonea to support you claims.

Even though the relations may be sour after the whole Concordat fiasco, I don't think that for example Hammerfell wouldn't join up with the Unified Empire again if the main goal would be driving out the Dominion once and for all.

I do agree that Ulfric is just too stupid, short-sighted and impulsive for the whole cause and should be replaced in the speculative Stormcloak victory. Sadly, I don't think Bethesda takes any of our fan-fiction as serious

So what do you suggest should be done? Which of the two factions are more suitable to overthrow the Thalmor? From what I see, both sides have a huge obstacle to overcome if they want the cooperation of the other nations.

But... that was the Old Dominion. I dont think they have joined the new one yet.

-Snip-

IMHO, in our both optimal outcomes, I think *either* faction would suffice. My unified Empire or your Stormcloaks with the new leader unifying others.

I don't like the racism of the Stormcloaks but the Imperials being [censored] whipped by the Thalmor annoy me and the fact the imperials are a bunch of conquering bastards puts me against them too. The Thalmor are as bad as the Stormcloaks but the Stormcloak treatmen of non Nord races in Windhelm is appauling. That is why i have yet to do anything in relation the the Civil war quest. For me, both sides are as bad as each other.

To all Empire supporters:

When you claim the Empire will fight the Thalmor eventually, how long do you expect it? 5 years? 10 years? 25 years? The longer the peace goes on, the more the Thalmor can inspect Imperial strengths and weaknesses since they are able to. And do you think the Thalmor will only kidnap people just for Talos worship? If you play the Gray-Mane mission, you see they kidnap a member of the family to have a bargaining chip. If they have the child of the best blacksmith in Skyrim, don't you think they could use that as a blackmailing tool to get him to do things like intentionally give shoddy weapons or not work as good as he should. Not only that, they can torture the man until he gives out names even if they are false. With that, they could claim they "discovered" these people are Talos worshippers and eliminate them. What is the Empire going to do? Fight these accusations and have another war? If you say "send someone outside the Empire's influence," that would mean they would have to rely on either the Dunmer to help since most other provinces don't want anything to do with the Empire. Does it sound like an appealing deal if the Empire said you had to rescue someone without any help from them and no rescue if you captured and tortured/killed? The Dovahkiin can't help since if you help the Empire, you are part of the Legion and working against the Thalmor could be seen as an act of war. The Thalmor are masters of bribery and espionage since the Jarl of Morthal and Empire Jarl of Riften Maven Black-Briar are in the party since they like the Thalmor. Even a thane of Solitude says the Thalmor's gold is good for business. Even the Skyrim jarls were bribed with gold into accepting the Concordant based on what Balgruff says. If the Thalmor want an assured victory, why does the dossier on Ulfric EXPLICITLY state that they don't want the Stormcloaks to win?

Im really scratching my head over this one, im usually pro-stormcloak, even when i play as a khajiit but after being to the windhelm docks, after seeing the conditions of my fellow beast-men, im having serious doubts about Ulfric now.

( Or does he keep the Argonian's out of windhelm to stop riots between the Dunmer and Argonians? )

I juss need some more thoughts on it from others lol

You're forgetting the fact that the Stormcloaks have no real power. They aren't well equipped enough to truly take on the Thalmor in war. The best they can hope for is to fight inside Skyrim and hope the Thalmor get fed up and let the Stormcloaks keep Skyrim.

I don't believe that would happen. The Thalmor might ignore Skyrim for a while, but once they have taken everywhere else then Skyrim would stand no chance against a full invading force.

The Empire is the only real chance Tamriel has in order to stop the Thalmor.

I believe the Stormcloaks are acting shortsightedly. They are basing their actions off emotion and the short term goal. What about the rest of Tamriel? Well they don't care. What about other races? They don't care. All they want is the Thalmor to leave Skyrim - but the irony is they aren't strong enough to truly defeat the Thalmor in war.

If you want the Thalmor out - you have to back the Empire. They are the only ones with enough influence and enough power to do so.

Whilst it svcks to let the Thalmor in it was the only option the Empire had. It's a waiting game. The Stormcloaks are only making everything worse.

Talos started the very Empire that you dislike.

The Empire today is nothing like the Empire Taos started.

If Ulfric is so shortsighted, why is he preparing Skyrim's defenses for the inevitable Thalmor attack and training new soldiers. If you listen to him, he knows the Thalmor are going to attack and is preparing Skyrim for that.

The Empire today is nothing like the Empire Talos started.

That's Ulfric's problem, he's too much of an isolationist. I have no doubt that if the Thalmor attacked Skyrim, he'd fight tooth and nail to defeat them. However, the Thalmor aren't just a threat to Skyrim, they're a threat to mankind as a whole, and the only way of defeating them is standing as a united force against the Thalmor.