Observations on the Skryim Main Quest : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:44 am

In preparation for Dragonborn, I decided to replay the Skryim MQ to brush up on my dragonlore. I noticed something which I personally haven't seen discussed here, when Esbern recites the prophesy of the Dragon, the subtitles expressly capitalized the word "Wheel"

This is also the case in the other main source of the prophesy, "The Book of the Dragonborn" as I found out

When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world
When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped
When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles
When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls
When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding
The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn.

Now for all this time I've assumed it simply meant the "wheel of fate" or something to that effect, but with the way it is worded and the capitalization I'm starting to get the feeling it could be predicting that the Dragonborn achieves Chim, whether during the game or later. This could tie in to the quite large list of similarities between the life of the Dragonborn and Talos. Has this already been noticed and discussed to death? Any other little interesting nuggets from the MQ that could be considered obscure/interesting?

PS. I honestly never noticed until this playthrough that the prophesy uses the word "Tower" each time, until today I was still iffy about the extent to which I could apply Nu-Mantia as pretty-much-canon.

» Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:30 pm

Now for all this time I've assumed it simply meant the "wheel of fate" or something to that effect, but with the way it is worded and the capitalization I'm starting to get the feeling it could be predicting that the Dragonborn achieves Chim, whether during the game or later.

I don't think think the mention of the Wheel connotes a prediction about the Dragonborn achieving CHIM. The Wheel is a fairly common metaphor for the structure of the Aurbis. The Wheel turning upon someone would simply mean it is their time to act, that the fate of the world will be decided by their victory or defeat.