The Thalmor: Unveiling the Dark Secrets Behind The Elder Scrolls 6

Highlights

The Elder Scrolls 6 is finally in full production after eight years of development and will likely be released in 2026 or later.

The Thalmor, the biggest threat in Tamriel, must be effectively addressed in The Elder Scrolls 6 in order to deliver a gratifying resolution for the plot developments in Skyrim. The current gap between TES games is too extensive to further postpone the confrontation with the Thalmor.

Following the completion of Starfield's eight-year development, Bethesda recently announced that The Elder Scrolls 6 is now in full production. However, fans may have to wait until 2026 or even later for its release, and it will be exclusively available on Xbox and PC, disappointing many. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that The Elder Scrolls 6, being the first new AAA single-player experience for the franchise since 2021, will generate excitement among certain fans.

The gap of 15 or more years between games is quite substantial, particularly considering that certain elements introduced in 2011 were left unresolved. One significant example is the Thalmor, a faction comprised of High Elf supremacists, who govern the Third Aldmeri Dominion, a fascistic and totalitarian state. Given that the Thalmor can be considered one of the most significant threats in the land of Tamriel, it is imperative that The Elder Scrolls 6 provides players with the opportunity to confront them in a meaningful manner.

The Next Elder Scrolls Should be About the Thalmor

Thalmor influence permeates every corner of Skyrim, with Dominion agents freely moving throughout the Empire to apprehend those suspected of worshiping Talos. The Thalmor's prohibition of Talos worship ultimately sparked the Civil War in Skyrim, a conflict that the Dominion aims to prolong for as long as possible. Some may even argue that the Thalmor played a pivotal role in initiating Skyrim's main questline by instigating the Civil War and bringing about the prophecy of Alduin's return.

While players in Skyrim may encounter and battle individual members of the Thalmor, they never have the opportunity to confront the organization as a whole. This was acceptable because the focus of Skyrim was on the Civil War and the resurgence of Dragons. Additionally, Skyrim's position in the Province and its distance from the Dominion's central power hubs justified the Thalmor's lack of prominence in the game. However, after waiting for a considerable amount of time, devoted fans of The Elder Scrolls franchise eagerly anticipate a proper showdown with the Thalmor.

Indications found in the documents at the Thalmor Embassy, as well as General Tullius' remarks in the event of the Empire prevailing in the Civil War, suggest the likelihood of an impending new Great War. Consequently, there is a possibility that fans may speculate the Thalmor to be the primary antagonists in The Elder Scrolls 6. This speculation aligns with the widespread belief that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be situated in Hammerfell, as the Dominion had previously attempted to conquer the province.

However, a flaw in this theory arises from the fact that the Thalmor do not conform to the archetype of typical main villains in the Elder Scrolls series. Most games within the franchise center around the resurgence of ancient and formidable malevolence. The only instance of political conflict in the main series can be found in The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall, where various factions engaged in a power struggle over the control of a revered and reality-altering entity known as the Numidium.

Elder Scrolls' antagonists typically have strong ties to the game's lore and setting. While the Thalmor invasion in Hammerfell is a recent event, it hasn't had as significant of an impact on the territory's history compared to the Dragons in Skyrim or the Heart of Lorkhan in Morrowind. Given this, Bethesda may choose to focus on a more Hammerfell-specific storyline for The Elder Scrolls 6.

However, it would be a mistake for Bethesda to not give the Thalmor a prominent role in TES 6. It has been 12 years since Skyrim, and if the next game launches in 2026, it will be 15 years or even longer until the release of The Elder Scrolls 6. Considering that a hypothetical Elder Scrolls 7 might be decades away, having a gap of 15+ years between games makes it unsustainable for an ongoing storyline.

Hence, it is crucial for The Elder Scrolls 6 to effectively resolve the plotlines concerning the Thalmor that were introduced in Skyrim. This does not necessarily imply the complete eradication of the Thalmor, but TES6 should present the Aldmeri Dominion as the central antagonistic force for players to confront. The development of The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently underway.