One of the biggest questlines in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the Civil War, which sees players side with either the Imperials or Stormcloaks, but given both sides have their drawbacks it's only natural to wonder if it can be completed while remaining neutral. Just like every other Elder Scrolls game, each quest taken by the player has its own story, and some even allow player-choice to determine the outcome. The Civil War storyline is one of the most important in Skyrim, where the very future of the Kingdom is in the player's hands. Both sides are far from perfect though, meaning that it makes sense to explore the possibility of resolving the conflict without siding with either one.

The Civil War has a complicated and deeply political origin, but most agree that it started after Ulfric Stormcloak killed Torygg, Skyrim's High King. Ulfric, Jarl of Windhelm, challenged Torygg to a duel, and thus his leadership of Skyrim. Ulfric disagreed with Torygg's rule and his perceived inaction over the White-Gold Concordat, a treaty between the Empire and the Thalmor that banned the worship of Talos, Skyrim's most sacred deity. Honor-bound to accept, Torygg faced Ulfric in the duel, but many people in Skyrim disagreed with what happened next, some going so far as to say Ulfric murdered Torygg with the use of his thu'um.

Related: Skyrim: Why The Thalmor Banned Talos Worship

The morally grey nature of both sides of the Civil War can make choosing a side a difficult task for players. While the Stormcloaks claim that the Empire doesn't belong in Skyrim and that Imperial rule only enslaves them, the Imperials are quick to label Ulfric as a racist and an extremist, and the game does a good job of keeping the truth on either side relatively obscured. With it being such an important part of the game's world, and with neither side being perfect, it would be easy for players to assume that the option of resolving Skyrim's Civil War without choosing either the Imperials or Stormcloaks would be on the table.

Players Must Choose A Side To Complete Skyrim's Civil War

Skyrim - Victory for the Imperial Legion

Unfortunately, this isn't possible. In the main story quest "Season Unending," the player holds a meeting between the Stormcloaks, the Legion, the Blades, the Thalmor, and the Greybeards to negotiate a truce, which temporarily pauses the Civil War, but this is the closest thing to a neutral ending players can get for the Civil War questline. The truce is only temporary, and the fighting picks back up as soon as Alduin is defeated.

The war won't resolve itself without player involvement, either. The Dragonborn actually plays an important part in the questline, making decisions that advance the war in the favor of whichever side they enlist in, and without their involvement, it's hard to know how long the war would be in a standstill. This means that, inevitably, players who want to see the war conclude will have to pick a side and determine the fate of Skyrim themselves.

Luckily, players who wish to ignore Skyrim's Civil War without choosing the Stormcloaks or Imperials can do so without affecting the main story. Outside of the truce negotiated in "Season Unending", the actual state of the war has no bearing on the Dragonborn's quest to defeat Alduin. This means that winning the war for either side doesn't affect the story either, so players can engage in the Civil War before finishing the main quest without any problems. However, if the Civil War questline isn't finished by the time the player gets to "Season Unending", the truce will still pause the war and the questline cannot be finished until the Dragonborn defeats Alduin.

The Civil War questline is a great example of player choice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The player is presented with two sides, and presented each one's opposing view of each other from basically the start of the game. Neutrality isn't an option; the player will have to make a decision on whether the Imperials or Stormcloaks rule Skyrim if they wish to engage in the questline, meaning that players who don't agree with either side will find themselves putting the kingdom's future in the hands of the lesser of two evils.

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