Skyrim: The Argument for and Against the ‘Dragonborn’ Trope to Be Put to Bed

Highlights

• TES 6 should break free from the chosen one narrative to offer players the chance to truly define their character’s journey.
• Open world RPGs thrive on player freedom and the sense of accomplishment that comes from starting as a nobody.
• While Skyrim’s Dragonborn story is impressive, TES 6 could benefit from a more hands-off approach to the main quest.

The memorable structure of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim‘s story of the player as the chosen one destined to save the world has remained a notable pillar of RPGs in recent years, but that doesn’t mean the next entry in the series needs to follow this formula. While many have found playing as the Dragonborn and setting out to stop Alduin to be a satisfying experience, there’s always been an argument to made regarding whether railroading the player into a particular role is even in line with open-world RPG gameplay in the first place. Bethesda is sure to be influenced by The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim as it works on TES6, but subverting what has since become a predictable trend in the franchise could provide a fresher experience.

The Elder Scrolls is known for having the player begin as a prisoner before being released out into the worlds of each respective game, but this lowly start hasn’t always been honored by the protagonist’s pre-determined role in the story. An unexpected event usually frees the player up to face things on their own terms, and much of the gameplay that defines memorable TES moments for many comes as a result of emergent events while exploring. It’s true that the compelling story crafted around the Dragonborn in Skyrim is an impressive feat for the genre, but it could also just as easily be said that its follow-up could benefit from abandoning this style in favor of the fulfillment of defining one’s own character.

How Morrowind is Echoed by Skyrim’s Protagonist

It was a bold choice to make the player character have a place within a prophecy with major plot significance in Skyrim, but this isn’t the first time Bethesda has pulled this off. Also beginning as a simple prisoner in Morrowind, the player is eventually said to be the Nerevarine, the reincarnation of an ancient Chimer hero destined to slay an evil god. Morrowind‘s Dagoth Ur and Skyrim‘s Alduin fill much of the same role, godly forces of destruction who can only be stopped by the player due to outside powers.

The respective narratives of TES titles which see the player as a chosen one figure have merits in their wonderful representations of series lore, but this structure has always inevitably caused a sense of cognitive dissonance. While there’s a world-threatening matter at hand, the player, with the weight of the world on their shoulders, can instead choose to enjoy meandering about for countless hours while exploring unrelated faction questlines.

The Elder Scrolls 6 Should Let Players Truly Begin as a Nobody

Open World RPGs Thrive Off Freedom

There’s an inherent sense of accomplishment associated with starting at the bottom and then building a character up within an RPG, and there’s arguably no better way to encourage this scenario than having players begin as a prisoner in TES. Having a linear main quest available is always a plus given its potential for high-quality storytelling, but presenting it in a fashion similar to Oblivion‘s more hands-off plot that sees another character as the chosen one could strike a fitting balance within The Elder Scrolls 6.

It’s no secret that the main appeal of the franchise lies in the sheer number of options someone has in terms of questing. Not being tied down as a key force in a completely pre-written prophecy next time around may end up being a direct improvement over the way Skyrim handles it Dragonborn.