Skyrim V: Skyrim

[bluntpencil]

The Empire could, and should, have let Skyrim go the same way as Hammerfell. They could pull their legions back, let the ones loyal to Ulfric defect, and watch them hop onto longships and go all Viking on the Summerset Isles. It's not like the Nords don't have a history of kicking the hell out of Elves

Also, if the Empire was attempting to be subtle and make themselves look weaker than they actually were to the Thalmor, they had to expect that they'd look weak to their own people too. If you look weak politically, you are weak.