History Skyrim / TropesUToZ

* UpdatedRerelease: The game received a ''Legendary Edition'' in 2013 that bundles the game with all three major DownloadableContent packs, and for Xbox 360 owners, added new voice-recognition features through Kinect. Another re-release for [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, and PC was released in 2016 as ''Special Edition'', which bundles all of the [=DLCs=] and uses an updated engine seen in ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' to remaster the game's visuals with enhanced effects, higher resolution textures, dynamic depth of field, volumetric lighting, and allows console players access to PC mods similar to ''Fallout 4''. In 2017, the game was rereleased ''yet again'' in two new forms: one for Nintendo Switch, adding Amiibo functionality and a few items hailing from ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', and one for VR ([=PS4=] in 2017, PC/Mac in 2018). Then, in 2021, for the game's 10th anniversary it was rereleased [[RunningGag once again]] as the ''Anniversary Edition'', which bundles all of the Creation Club content and integrates it seamlessly into the game world.

* {{Uberwald}}: Hjaalmarch. The entire hold contains a single quaint, rustic town surrounded by dismal foggy swamps and ruled by an old crone with mystical fortune-telling powers; nearby is a large vampire lair with a scheming master vampire; there are no roads, and the overall atmosphere is dark, mysterious and creepy. With ''Hearthfire'' you can also build and own an estate there, but your adopted children are afraid to live in this estate, claiming there are monsters in the swamp... and they're ''right!'' The random encounters that threaten the estate often include Trolls, Giants or Draugr from the nearby Nordic Ruin!

* UndergroundCity: Blackreach, a Dwemer ruin so massive it has four separate surface entrances, its own BonusBoss, and an entire castle.

* UnfinishedBusiness: Skyrim is full of souls that can't move on to the afterlife because there's something left for them to do on Mundus. The two long-dead lovers from the "Book of Love" quest come to mind, or [[spoiler:Gallus]] from the Thieves' Guild quest line. The most detailed example, however, is certainly Katria, a seasoned adventurer who died during her search for the legendary Aetherium Forge. Her apprentice promptly stole all of her research and published it as his own. Katria's ghost has been bound to Nirn ever since, unable to move on until she can track down the Forge and complete her life's work by proving its existence. Only when she and the Dragonborn finally forge the last Aetherium artifact ever can she let go to take her place among the honored dead of Sovngarde.

*** Conversely, the PlayerCharacter is this, should you choose to go along with the Blades' plan after Paarthurnax has helped you [[spoiler:learn Dragonrend and fight Alduin, both saving your life and giving you the means to save the world]]. Repaying that with [[spoiler: death so that you can command a squad of warriors bent on exterminating his species]] is pretty harsh. The Greybeards will even call you out on it and prevent you from ever returning to High Hrothgar. It's made even worse by the fact that Paarthurnax won't turn hostile until you actually attack him, meaning you can both literally and metaphorically BackStab him.

* UnspecifiedApocalypse: Both examples are centered in Winterhold. The first is Arniel Gane of the College of Winterhold, trying to figure out what happened to the Dwemmer and succeeding, as he uses the Dwemer dagger Keening (the same used on the Heart of Lorkhan by the Dwemer Tonal Architect Lord Kagrenac) and a warped soul gem to act as the Heart on a smaller scale. He disappears in a flash of light, and the Dragonborn gains the ability to summon his shade from wherever he is now. The second is the Great Collapse; in 4E 122, the Sea of Ghosts smashed against the cliffs of Winterhold and plunged most of the city into the depths below, save for the College, the Jarl's longhouse, and some surrounding buildings. Most of the remaining citizens believe that the College caused it or at least could have prevented it, while the College believe it was caused by the [[spoiler:destruction of Vivec]] and the eruption of Red Mountain causing tsunamis that destroyed the surrounding areas.
* {{Unobtainium}}: Among the minerals, there are {{Orichalcum}}, Moonstone, and Quicksilver.
** However, the one that takes the cake is Aetherium, introduced in the "Lost to the Ages" quest chain in ''Dawnguard''. This magic-imbued substance was apparently used by the Dwemer to make some of their most powerful weapons ever, and supposedly the small crest you assemble during the quest is all that's left of the stuff.
** Speaking of Dwemer, Dwemer metal can't be made in modern times, because the knowledge to do so has been lost. The only way to get Dwemer Metal Ingots to make Dwarven weapons and armor is to break down chunks of Dwemer scrap metal (usually obtained from killing Dwemer constructs.)

** Your initiation into the Dark Brotherhood consists of you being presented with three hooded figures; you're told one of them has a contract for their death and you must carry it out, deciding which one you think is the one with the contract. However, you're never told who it actually was and you succeed regardless of who you kill, as the test was about your willingness to carry out the order rather than about your actual choice of target. Given that you're allowed to kill all three and they all have reasons for others to want them dead, it's entirely possible all three had contracts, or even none of them. This ''is'' the Dark Brotherhood, after all.
*** The official strategy guide does provide TheReveal, though. [[spoiler:[[YouBastard None of them actually had contracts]].]]
*** If you're over level 5, ''you'' have a contract on your head and can be met at any time in a random encounter after that of a Brotherhood Assassin attempting to kill you with a letter from Astrid on them. It's speculated that Astrid's transferring your contract to one of the others.

** It should also be noted that people react early in the game to your Thu'uming. After you meet the Greybeards, though, word has gotten around; by the end of the main quest, [[ButForMeItWasTuesday people are pretty much numb to it.]]

* UselessUsefulSpell: Averted in general. Just about every perk, spell, and shout has its uses, including seemingly useless ones. Deadly Shield Bash, for example, is not very useful compared to killing things with your dedicated weapons; but for mages who use shields, it turns them into an effective backup weapon if magicka runs out, and can serve as a workable backup for fighters who find themselves on the wrong side of a Disarm shout. Similarly, Elemental Fury is not terribly useful for someone with an enchanted weapon, but some particularly nasty weapons (i.e. Valdr's Lucky Dagger) don't count as enchanted.

** According to flavor text, the [[KnightTemplar Vigil of Stendarr]] has a "kill first, ask questions later" policy regarding vampires, werewolves, Daedra, and anyone suspected of associating with them. In-game, however, they don't appear to do this as much, and don't even care if you prance around them in full Daedric gear. Additionally, the game files have a DummiedOut interaction where they demand that you hand over a Daedric Artifact if they see you with one.

* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: Oh my, yes. Paarthurnax even [[InvokedTrope invokes]] and [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] this: the will to dominate and gain power at any price is intrinsic to dragons, and as someone with a dragon soul, the Dovahkiin feels the same pull as well. Now whether you choose to resist it, like Paarthurnax himself, or give into it is a different story...

*** Alternatively, adopt her afterwards, and treat her awfully.
** Though he was DummiedOut, the game originally included a [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Unused_NPCs random drunk NPC named Tarek]] who you'd find squatting in Breezehome. He's little more than a rude jerk who would refuse to leave the house and make snide remarks whenever you came and left. His [[VeryPunchableMan sole purpose was to annoy the player until they got fed up and disposed of him in various creative ways.]]

** In addition to having realistic nude mods, the Skyrim nexus mod page has a large portion of adult-themed mods, including one that can enlarge female characters' breasts and [[SupermodelStrut give them a more hip-swinging walk]] (as well as throw in a GirlyRun animation for added fun). And to top it all off, a group of ''Skyrim'' modders collaborated and created the [[http://www.loverslab.com/forum/49-sexlab-framework/ Sexlab mod]], which is a large and robust library of animation scripts for all sorts of acts of sex, along with some [[ImmodestOrgasm voice files]], and it even includes a configuration menu. This would allow modders making sex-related mods to focus on their mod's themes (which could range from combat sex and assault, to slavery and slave trade, to mere consensual sex between lovers) without having to create their own animated sex scenes, instead referring to the library for all that. For all its intents and purposes, one can't help but hand it to these guys for this level of SugarWiki/GeniusProgramming.

* VillainSong: Revealed at the end of the ''Dragonborn'' trailer, there's a second version of "The Song Of The Dragonborn," dedicated to the First Dragonborn. It sounds much darker and more terrifying than the one dedicated to you. And it should, since they're actually the ''[[DarkReprise same lyrics]],'' twisted and warped to reflect his menace instead of your heroism.

* WaterfallIntoTheAbyss: In Sovngarde.
* WaxOnWaxOff: ''The Axe Man'', originally appearing in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', describes Torik's menial tasks which then are used to kill his abusive uncle. Unlike in ''Morrowind'', it is not a skill book.

* WeAreEverywhere: What the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves' Guild end up becoming, if you join them and complete their questlines. The Thieves' Guild will gain agents, fences and allies in every major hold, and part of your job throughout the questline is to put the fear of the Nine into people by breaking into their houses, framing them, or destroying their assets. And in the Dark Brotherhood, you single-handedly prove that ''no one'', [[spoiler:not even the Emperor himself]], is safe from them, and to drive the trope home, random guards will whisper "Hail Sithis" as you pass them.

* WelcomeToCorneria: The game goes out of its way to give guards massive repertoires of random dialogue, but it still gets repetitive after you've played the game for a while. The other citizens have a much more limited set of greetings. However, even the limited dialogue is given variety, since while characters may cycle through the same sets of lines, different voice actors give different intonations to the lines. For instance, when you ask to see a wizard's wares, they may say, "So, you wish to master the arcane arts?" Some say it with a sense of approval of your choice of craft; others sneer the line at you as if they don't think you have what it takes.
** Tilma the Haggard, in Jorrvaskr, is probably the best example of the trope for named characters. You can't have ''any'' meaningful dialogue with her; she cycles through four or five lines of this sort, and never says anything else.

** The tone with which he delivers the line, coupled with the fact that the dark elf in question is female, may also veer it into RapeAsDrama territory.
* WhamLine: Delphine drops one at the end of "Season Unending". [[spoiler:You're all done with the treaty, at least one side is satisfied, you know how to trap a dragon, and you're good to go... when Delphine walks up to you and drops this line.]]
-->'''Delphine:''' There's one more thing. ''[[spoiler:We know about Paarthurnax.]]''

-->'''Thalmor Dossier: Ulfric Stormcloak''': Status: Asset (uncooperative), Dormant, Emissary level approval.

-->''You didn't think you were the only one? [[ThereIsAnother He was the first]] Dragonborn!''

*** This is immediately interrupted by:
---->'''Stormcloak Soldier:''' For the love of Talos, shut up and let's get this over with!

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Sentient beings have [[OurSoulsAreDifferent a different kind of soul]] that needs special soul gems to capture, and basically comprise the player races. It can be very odd to discover that that Falmer who was just attacking you with a bow or even magic is basically considered a "creature" for the purposes of Soul Trap. Giants are also considered "creatures" in this regard, despite displaying sufficient intelligence to build fires, use weapons, farm mammoths for their milk and, if Sanguine's daedric quest is anything to go by, to understand the concept of a trade.

* WhatTheHellPlayer: The Greybeards will call the player out on [[spoiler:killing Paarthurnax]], especially after all the help he gave. The Greybeards will also refuse to help the player any further, seal the entrance to their fortress with an unpickable lock, and if you manage to get out onto the courtyard while one of them is meditating, they might hit you with a Thu'um shout and throw you off the side of the mountain.

** Jarl Balgruuf will deliver this if you side with the Stormcloaks and sack Whiterun. And if Lydia is your follower, he gives one to ''her'' too!
*** ''All'' of the Jarls you overthrow in the war will give you this treatment if you visit them in exile. Their kids and housecarls are all there too. This does get noticeably weird when you drop off bounties for which they hired you. You are a good-for-nothing traitor one line and then suddenly it's a pleasure doing business with you the next.

* WhatsUpKingDude: Played with. Ulfric Stormcloak says that "only the foolish or the courageous approach a Jarl without summons" after you do just that, and Irileth is none too happy when you barge into Dragonsreach to speak to Balgruuf early in the game. You can simply walk up to many of the other Jarls without any repercussions. However, in the cases of Ulfric and Balgruuf, the extra caution is probably justified - Ulfric is a wanted man who has already had one close encounter with the headsman, while Balgruuf is attempting to stay neutral in the civil war while ruling the most strategically important city in Skyrim. It's not inconceivable that someone would try to assassinate either of them.

* WhosLaughingNow: The situation between Morrowind and Black Marsh. The former has been raiding the latter for slaves for centuries, but now that Red Mountain has erupted, devastating a large portion of Morrowind, Black Marsh has turned the tables and is invading ''them''.

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: [[GiantSpider Frostbite Spiders]] for Farkas in the final Companions story quest. He points out that this is due to a close encounter with them in an earlier quest.

* WickedWitch: Witches appear as enemies, but Hagravens fit the typical description a bit better. The Glenmoril witches arguably count when you learn what they did.
* WideOpenSandbox

* WithLyrics: The [[http://youtu.be/fLlRaJkMNlE theme tune]] of ''Skyrim'' is essentially ([[WordOfGod in the words of the creators]]) a "barbarian choir singing to the Elder Scrolls theme in the draconic language" (with an English version of the song also written for the audience's benefit), supposedly the prophecy of the Dragonborn:

* WizardDuel: If your skill with magic gets high enough, a "challenger" will appear at some point in a civilized area and challenge you to a DuelToTheDeath with magic. [[TheCombatPragmatist But there's nothing to stop you from]] simply '''FUS RO DAH''''ing him over Castle Dour or drawing a warhammer and crushing his skull the instant the duel begins. Or even better, just [[WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing running away and letting the guards deal with him.]] Apparently no one warned the challenger that [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome Nords take a dim view of someone tossing fireballs inside the hold walls]]....
** It becomes downright hilarious should this happen just after you've become the ''TheArchmage'' of the [[WizardingSchool College of Winterhold]], a position you did not earn for having any [[BadassBookworm lack of skill]] on your part!
** It's likewise funny if you favor lightning magic, thus draining him of his magicka. He proceeds to whip out a dagger and start hacking away at you. If you pull out a sword and start railing away at him, he bitches that it's a magic duel and only supposed to be fought with magic.
*** If you happen to have raised your Conjuration solely for Bound Weapons, the Challenger will not acknowledge your Bound Weapon as a spell.
** Having a follower also causes the Challenger to bicker about him/her helping you.
* WizardingSchool: The College of Winterhold.

* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: When Paarthurnax asks you why you want to [[spoiler:stop Alduin from destroying the world]], one of the dialogue options is "I like this world. I don't want it to end." It's quite telling that this conversation takes place at the Throat of the World, which offers [[SceneryPorn the best view in all of Skyrim]], with an aurora thrown in if it's nighttime.
* TheWorldIsNotReady: What the Monk from the Psijic Order says about [[spoiler: the Eye of Magnus at the end of the College of Winterhold questline.]] Apparently the Psijics are keepers of such things.
* WorldOfBadass: Every race in Tamriel qualifies as badass in some way or another, but Nords are strong contenders for the most badass race on the continent. Skyrim is a land where deadly predators prowl the wilderness and warfare is a near-constant and accepted part of life. Nords are (aside from Orcs) the least magically inclined race on the continent and lack the martial skill and sophistication of the Imperials and Redguards, but they regularly contend with bears, sabre-toothed cats, giant spiders, werebeasts, vampires, trolls, giants... in the past they also had to fight genocidal elves and ''dragons'' as well. Not to mention how ''freezing'' it is. Tamriel is a really dangerous place by any measure, and yet Skyrim makes the rest of it look like a beach resort. No wonder the Nords that aren't dead are so hardy.

* WreakingHavok: Use the Unrelenting Force shout in a room full of loose items (tankards, food, etc.). Go on, it'll be fun!
** Extra fun if you shout all three words, as you can include people and creatures in that list!

* WrestlerInAllOfUs: The unarmed combat finishing moves include a chokeslam, a suplex, a three-quarter nelson choke, and what appears to be a powerbomb. Apparently the Dovahkiin has been watching ''Wrestling/MondayNightRaw.''

** Markarth, a mining town run by the corrupt [[IOwnThisTown Silver-Blood family]] and former site of a native rebellion [[BoxedCrook whose surviving members are imprisoned in the mine]] [[BlatantLies and totally aren't murdering people in the street in broad daylight]]. Not to mention, it's home to a cult of [[ImAHumanitarian cannibals]] ''and'' a shrine to the [[GodOfEvil Daedric Prince of Domination, Molag Bal]]. What's more, Riften at least has a few friendly faces to greet; with very few exceptions, just about everyone in Markarth who isn't a cannibal or crook is a jerk.

* WrongGenreSavvy: The Stormcloaks initially believe that the dragon at Helgen is controlled by the Legion, while the Legion believe that the Stormcloaks woke up a dragon to aid them in the war. Both believe it's far too much of a coincidence that it showed up right as Ulfric was about to be executed. The Blades think the dragon was awakened by the Thalmor and meant to prolong the civil war by saving Ulfric's life, and the Thalmor believe it's the Blades stirring up the Dragons too. All of them are wrong. It showed up because of ''you''.

* YouAllMeetInACell: As per ''Elder Scrolls'' tradition, but this time you actually ''do'' learn why you're imprisoned. You accidentally stumbled into an Imperial ambush while crossing the border, being mistaken for a rebel Stormcloak.
** Of course, now the NoodleIncident becomes "why were you crossing the border?" instead of "why were you thrown in jail?" Also, both Imperials ''and Stormcloaks'' will assume you were a criminal before then, but both sides will pardon it. General Tullius will mockingly say he's sure it was a misunderstanding. Ulfric, on the other hand, is more cautious and impresses upon you to leave any possible criminality behind, if it was ever there.

** That might also be a case of DeathByIrony.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Standard operating procedure among most of the Daedric Princes. In several of their quests, you're expected to kill some of their followers because they decided you're more worthy of their attention. A few of them also make no attempt at hiding the fact that you will be replaced if someone else ''more'' worthy comes along (most notable with Hermaeus Mora). One of them has you do this, then sics some enemies on you as a parting gift.

* YourHeadAsplode: Among the more brutal finishers in the game is the werewolf's double-claw power attack, where they lift the poor target off the ground and pop their head like a grape.
* YouKnowImBlackRight: Some people in Windhelm tend to talk vaguely about "damn Dark Elves and Argonians"... even if your character ''is'' a Dark Elf or an Argonian. And bordering on TooDumbToLive when playing as an orc specializing in heavy armor:

* YouShallNotPass: Invoked, appropriately enough, by a mage standing guard outside the College of Winterhold.
-->'''Faralda''': The way forward is treacherous, and the gate is closed. You shall not gain entry!
* YouShouldntKnowThisAlready: The game contains twelve Treasure Maps, which are readable notes feature a crude map showing the way to a treasure. A treasure only spawns if you pick up its related Treasure Map once.[[note]]The game only checks possession, actually ''reading'' the map isn't required[[/note]]

[[/folder]]

** In addition to having realistic nude mods, the Skyrim nexus mod page has a large portion of adult-themed mods, including one that can enlarge female characters' breasts and [[SexyWalk give them a more hip-swinging walk]] (as well as throw in a GirlyRun animation for added fun). And to top it all off, a group of ''Skyrim'' modders [[IncrediblyLamePun came together]] and created the [[http://www.loverslab.com/forum/49-sexlab-framework/ Sexlab mod]], which is in fact a large and robust library of animation scripts for all sorts of acts of sex, along with some [[ImmodestOrgasm voice files]], and it even includes a configuration menu. This would allow modders making sex-related mods to focus on their mod's themes (which could range from combat sex and assault, to slavery and slave trade, to mere consensual sex between lovers) without having to create their own animated sex scenes, instead referring to the library for all that. For all its intents and purposes, one can't help but hand it to these guys for this level of SugarWiki/GeniusProgramming.

** [[{{Determinator}} With enough lockpicks]], any lock the game lets you try to pick ''will'' be picked even if you're a novice lockpicker and it's a "very hard" lock.

*** The most cruel of all, unshockingly, comes from Molag Bal; first, he forces you to kill a Vigilant of Stendarr for no reason other than he wants it done. (You have no choice in the matter -- even if you refuse to kill him, he will attack you and you'll have to kill him in self-defense.) Next, he has you collect a priest of Boethiah who corrupted his shrine, bring the priest before him, and beat him to death with Molag Bal's mace. Then he revives him and orders you to do it again until the priest renounces Boethiah and submits to Molag Bal. Then, of course, he has you kill him again anyway. And if you want to make it ''[[UpToEleven even worse]]'', bring along Serana if you have ''Dawnguard'' installed. As a pureblood vampire, she gained her powers [[RapeAsBackstory directly from him]]. You can witness her cowering in fear near the altar.

** It's possible when fighting Briarhearts to [[AndShowItToYou steal the Briar Heart with which they replaced their human heart.]] Doing so kills them instantly and leaves a gaping hole in their chest. That's right - not only can you steal the clothes off their backs and the weapons in their hands, [[UpToEleven you can steal the hearts from their very chests.]]

* YouShouldntKnowThisAlready: The game contains twelve Treasure Maps, which are readable notes feature a crude map showing the way to a treasure. A treasure only spawns once you pick up its related Treasure Map once.[[note]]The game only checks possession, actually ''reading'' the map isn't required[[/note]]