Skyrim Theory: How Ulfric Stormcloak Could Be Working With The Thalmor

Ulfric Stormcloak is one of The Elder Scroll’s most notable NPCs for his role in Skyrim‘s infamous Civil War, but some theorize that he is secretly working for the Thalmor. The nature of his allegiance to the Thalmor is unknown, as the organization frequently uses torture and manipulation to accomplish its goals for the Aldmeri Dominion. Likely, Ulfric isn’t aware his actions are playing directly into the Thalmor’s (and Aldmeri Dominion’s) hands. Still, many of his actions point toward underlying support for the Thalmor’s interests in Skyrim.

The Aldmeri Dominion is the darkest faction in The Elder Scrolls franchise, set on world domination and elven control. Since the Tamrielic Empire’s beginnings, the two factions have harbored a fierce rivalry toward one another. The Thalmor is the Almderi Dominion’s ruling council and sends agents into foreign lands to enforce the elves’ will and spy on potential threats. A Thalmor Agent is responsible for starting the Great War by delivering a cart full of Blade agents’ heads to the Emperor in Cyrodiil. With these truths of the Aldermi Dominion and Thalmor established, it isn’t easy to imagine Ulfric supporting this faction.

The origin of Ulfric’s Thalmor allegiance conspiracy comes from a document located within the Thalmor Embassy. The dossier highlights Ulfric’s first encounters with the Thalmor and his value as an asset for the Dominion in Skyrim. However, Ulfric despises the Thalmor and harbors hatred for the Aldmeri Dominion’s native races, exiling the Argonians from Windhelm, expressing hostility toward Elves, and refusing to allow Elder Scrolls’ many Khajiit merchants into his city. These tendencies may stem from trauma, but Ulfric’s actions may also be motivated by a (potentially manipulative) service to the Thalmor.

Ulfric Was Captured By The Thalmor Before Skyrim

This theory begins during the Great War between the Tamrielic Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion. Emperor Titus Mede II entertained an audience with the Thalmor, who presented a list of demands, including the banning of Talos worship (enforced by the Thalmor), a sizable monetary tribute, and the secession of various Imperial territories to Dominion control. The Emperor refused and received a cart filled with the heads of Blades Agents. Ulfric Stormcloak, like many, was sent to the frontlines to fight against the Aldmeri Dominion’s forces. Unfortunately, he was captured during the war and exposed as the son of the Jarl of Windhelm.

Due to his high birth, the Thalmor took Ulfric in for interrogation and manipulation. Given the treatment of prisoners beneath the Thalmor Embassy, it can be assumed Ulfric was tortured and perhaps even brainwashed by his interrogators. The Thalmor led him to believe that information he’d given up during his interrogation allowed the Dominion’s armies to breach the Empire’s capital city and win the war. However, this was merely a deception to shatter Ulfric’s resistance and encourage him to reclaim lost honor. The Thalmor’s manipulation may have enabled Ulfric to initiate Skyrim’s Civil War rather than negotiating with High King Torygg over the issue of Talos worship and the Empire’s inaction.

Skyrim: The Thalmor Manipulated And Brainwashed Ulfric

After the Empire signed the White-Gold Concordat, the Aldmeri Dominion banned Talos worship throughout Imperial territories, including Skyrim. Due to this (and injustices throughout the Great War), Ulfric began a rebellion movement called the Stormcloaks to secede from the Empire and restore the rights of the Nordic people. By rebelling against the Empire, Ulfric worked toward the Aldmeri Dominion’s plots and weakened their biggest rival. Though Ulfric believes he is working toward a free and independent Skyrim, he is inadvertently furthering the Dominion’s plans for Tamriel.

The Aldmeri Dominion is one of the evilest factions in The Elder Scrolls, plotting a takeover of the world while instilling a supremacist mindset in all High Elves. Their most significant obstacle to this goal is the Empire and their Imperial Legion, which controls vital territories (like Skyrim). Though the Great War weakened the Empire, it still maintained control of its lands and held independence from the Dominion. Ulfric’s acknowledged usefulness during his torture and imprisonment encouraged further exploitation of the Jarl through his religious beliefs and honor. The Markarth Incident, which also appeared within the Thalmor’s Dossier on Ulfric, accelerated this, as Ulfric was promised reinstatement of Talos’ divinity in the region. After a lengthy conflict, Ulfric was denied his terms, further pitting him against the Empire and urging him to form the Stormcloaks, the rebels of Skyrim’s Civil War.

Skyrim’s Civil War Benefits The Aldmeri Dominion And The Thalmor

The conspiracy theory connecting Ulfric to the Thalmor appears in Skyrim’s iconic opening scene, where players are wheeled into Helgen to be executed alongside several high-profile Stormcloaks. This serves as an introduction to Skyrim’s Civil War, Alduin’s return, and to meet the various factions present in-game. One of these factions is the Thalmor, whose agents argue with General Tullius to try and take Ulfric into their custody instead. Tullius adamantly refuses, leaving Ulfric, the Stormcloaks, and the Dragonborn to be saved by Alduin’s intervention. However, this interaction has a much darker intent than control and torture.

During Skyrim’s later quests, players sneak into the Thalmor Embassy and recover a dossier discussing Skyrim’s Blades, a faction in The Elder Scrolls. This is where players can obtain the Thalmor Dossier on Ulfric Stormcloak and determine for themselves what his motivations are in the war. The Thalmor in charge of writing the profile describes Ulfric as being generally uncooperative to direct contact, but that Ulfric continues to fulfill the directives of the Aldmeri Dominion by initiating the Skyrim Civil War. Aside from attempting to halt his execution, the Thalmor have been relatively hands-off with Ulfric and his war, though they are interested in continuing it.

From the contents of the Thalmor Dossier on Ulfric Stormcloak, it appears the Jarl of Windhelm may have once been willingly working alongside the Thalmor but abandoned allegiance rather quickly. Instead, manipulation tactics and brainwashing turned Ulfric Stormcloak into the Thalmor’s unwitting attack dog. In victory, Ulfric successfully weakens the Empire and severs another significant territory from its clutches, and his defeat still drains resources from the Empire’s military. Both outcomes work in the Aldmeri Dominion’s favor, though the continuation of Skyrim‘s Civil War benefits the Dominion the most.

About The Author

Natalie Lindner
(499 Articles Published)

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Natalie Lindner is a Game Features Writer for Screen Rant, creating content on the past, present, and future of games in the industry. Prior to this, she worked out of a writing consultancy in Rhode Island from 2018 to 2021, where she helped college students improve their writing abilities. Natalie has contributed her video game writing to several smaller websites and projects since 2018 and is eager to continue that journey with Screen Rant.

Working out of New Hampshire, Natalie spends the time she isn’t writing about games outside; hiking or biking. On those rainy days, she can be found striving for action on the latest FPS or perusing the latest comic books.

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