[Crystal Clear]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YPwFuCL33I8

[Multi Multi]

The very first time I played as a Stormcloak, I was so pissed when I found out you had to overthrow Balgruuf. He's my favorite Jarl.

[Mylizards Dot com]

i hate balgruuf

[Beat freak]

Balgruuf is okay. I find it hilarious when you overthrow the imperials and go to Solitude to find all the imperial jarls and stewards and whoever else sitting in that room to the left all extremely pissed off at you lol. And you're just like, well...seeya later!

[Scarlet Devil]

This.

[Devils Cheek]

He made his choice, he was a good enough Jarl but he could have sided with the Cloaks and chose not to.

[Chad Holloway]

A true Nord should also be judged by the way he raises his children which sad to say Balgruuf fails miserably at.

[Angelina Mayo]

He's just talking about how it was written. I personally would of preferred it if Beth made him go to whichever side you chose due to the fact he was undecided and the first Jarl you meet. He's also Jarl Ballin'.

[Kristian Perez]

I really don't see what his children have to do with anything. They're like, 10 years old. They don't have to inherit the throne if Balgruuf decides against it.

Besides him, how many other Jarls have children. Only Igrod, Laila, and Korir.

Korir paints a bad picture for mages in Winterhold for his son.

Laila's son wants to kill his brother just because he speaks out against Ulfric.

[STEVI INQUE]

I wish this was the case as well - I was annoyed that, as Dragonborn and Thane, I had no ability to try and influence him to yield to the Stormcloaks, for the sake of Whiterun.

[Marie Maillos]

Ballin'

[steve brewin]

I totally agree, they're a menace. balgruuf doesnt seem to have much to do anyway except sitting there. call social service. he also shouldnt leave the ebony blade within grasp..

[Sunny Under]

Ulfric has a few speeches but Balgruuf does as well and IMO he's the most complete of the Jarls as far as characterization from an in game perspective, I gained a lot of respect for him early on. First jarl to make my original character Thane, declared him dragonborn and urged him to go to the Greybeards. Thanked him publicly for saving Whiterun, and trusted him enough to trap Odahviing. On my Imperial play through he inspired my loyalty.

Tried to make a Stormcloak play through with my Nord and can't do it. Idiotic I know but it is what it is,, to have respect for a pixilated character.

[Yung Prince]

I disagree on the Ebony Blade. It can't be destroyed and should be kept somewhere safe.

I just put it in a display case at Hjerim, but in the wrong hands....

And Idgrod's kids see things, although it's not her fault I guess.

I wish there was someone better to replace Idgrod than some random mine boss. Why not her housecarl?

[josie treuberg]

Makes sense since you have the Housecarl give you a message to send to Captain Aldis. Instead, the SC ask a woman who odds are we never see in any playthrough get put in power.

[Greg Swan]

Same here, i hated kicking him out on my Stormcloak character. Hes one of the only two Jarls that truly seem just and it would be a shame to lose him.

[Tarka]

I assume the other is Igrod?

[Claire]

Exactly!

My Stormcloak playthrough was pretty forced in that regard, but I forced myself because I wanted to see both sides.

Deleted that save and never again.

Balgruuf has to be a pixilated character that has earned way more than just my respect. The man's pretty awesome. And compared to other Jarls... He seems one of the few that's actually just.

[!beef]

Not at all It isn't any different from a charcter from a book or movie.

People are often quick to judge you for things like that, but then they'll cry when Mufasa dies, or when they finish Harry Potter. It reeks of hypocrisy.

[Suzie Dalziel]

I never understood what's so special about Balgruuf and how can he usually win popularity polls and et cetera.Maybe because he is usually the first jarl every newbie sees in the game,so they are impressed.Not to mention that his voice is a generic nord,that you hear a thousand times in the game.

I was much more impressed by Ulfric Stormcloak when i saw him for the first time in Windhelm,than Balgruuf.

On top of everything else,i think he would have rather be on the side of the Stormcloaks if he did not have personal problems and animosity with Ulfric.

Too bad Vignar is kinda an old fart.If he was a few decades younger he would be awesomeness incarnate compared to Balgruuf the Gaunt.

[KRistina Karlsson]

I doubt Balgruuf would be as popular if he acted like Siddgeir. I also find it funny that Vignar is just as good a Jarl as Balgruuf yet people hate him because of things like "he's an oathbreaker" and other similar things.

[Vickey Martinez]

He certainly is galvanizing, had I talked with him first just maybe I would take the SC side, not to be though. Haven't done Season Unending yet which I plan on for this pay through. So far the only times I have seen him in any context has been at Helgen, the time of his speech in Windhelm and at the end of my blade. Saw the you tube video but want to experience it for myself. We'll see if it changes anything.

[ZzZz]

Siddgeir is a buffoon, Balgruuf is not.

[Lizzie]

I don't hate Vignar. I'm sure he's probably a decent Jarl. He's just a grumpy old man who can't even take care of himself anymore. He gets assistance from Brill.

[Rebekah Rebekah Nicole]

No, Free-Winter. Idgrod is too busy with her head in the clouds to pay any real attention to the problems of Morthal. Or so some of the townsfolk say.