This will be my first post on the forum and I am more than willing to admit that I am a novice at best when it comes to TES lore (though I am trying to devour as much as my schedule allows), but I thought there might be an interesting angle for discussion that has yet to be brought up in the Stormcloaks and Imperials debate. So far, most of the discussion I have seen has centered on what races would align with which side on ideological grounds, but I am curious to know what ramifications each sides victory might have on the geopolitical situation in respect to the Thalmor. As far as I understand, the White-Gold Concordant's provision banning the worship of Talos in the Empire is meant to be a way to chop of the God and in the larger sense Man at the mythic shins. By removing faith in the deity, they can eventually effectively remove the God, dealing a major blow to man and advancing upon their path to Pre-Dawn transcendence. So in that sense, it seems siding with the Stormcloaks could help counter the Aldmeri Domionion's nefarious schemes. However, the Empire is currently the only counter balance standing between the Thalmor and Tamrielic hegemony. Already the land's of men have been split at Hammerfall, and the loss of Skyrim would make a victory against another Aldmeri invasion seem highly unlikely (especially given the key role the North and Northerners played in the conflict ala The Great War). So oh Grand and Wise Elder Scroll Lore Masters, do you think a Stormcloak or an Imperial victory in Skyrim would do more to subvert and stop the plans of the Thalmor and the relentless advance of the Almeri Dominion?

First of, welcome to this forum! You seem to be off to a great start when it comes to lore understanding!

Now, on the topic at hand, I think of Talos as being sort of like nuclear weapons (he can be just as destructive). The empire has given up on its special weapons projects in favor of focusing on conventional warfare, while the Stormcloaks are fully dedicated to their special weapons. If the Stormcloaks win, then man will be in a weaker conventional warfare position, but will have a better chance of harnessing a huge destructive force against the Thalmor.

hmm... There's another thread in which this was discussed, but I can't recall which one.

Seems like the Thalmor come out on top no matter who wins, but in my opinion, mankind and Tamriel would have a better position if the Empire wins. Their rejection of Talos/Shor/Lorkhan is damning, but He is a powerful force even when ignored, and a victory for an empire would allow man to put a less divided front up against the Thalmor in military and political terms.

And thus we have the two positions presented in the first two responses, good start. I guess the issue for me turns on how much of a pause can we expect before a major engagement between the Dominion and the Empire. If we are looking at the long run, with a break measured in centuries I would agree that a dedicated Talosian cult would likely be more beneficial than a united Empire. However, in the short term a Skyrim break from Cyrodil could be disastrous. The Empire is already severely weakened and in chaos, and if another war is only a decade or two away (as I suspect) then Skyrim's manpower and resources are pivotal.

Of course what is missing from this discussion is reliable sources regarding the status of the Thalmor and the composition of their armies. The scenario could play out in dramatically different ways if the army consists predominantly of Altmer or if the regulars are Goblins, Bosmir, and allied Khajit while the Altmer make up a command staff.