Akatosh is Evil

[gamecreatorjj]

I have formulated a theory concerning Akatosh, and his role in The Elder Scrolls series. I have created this idea, of an above average understanding of the lore, but I am no expert. This theory is also based on the idea that "In the Elder Scrolls series, we have of arcs over multiple games, Oblivion ended the first major arc, and Skyrim began the second."

Let's look at the beginning, there are a couple of creation myths, but I will be settling with the one where the Aurbis created the et'Ada, which after Lorkhan's deal became the Aedra and Daedra. Lorkhan tricked a few of the et'Ada into helping him build Mundus, for this they gave up their complete immortality, those who helped build Mundus became the Aedra, those who refused became the Daedra. So that being said, Akatosh (and the other aedra) are bound to be upset with Mundus existing, seeing as that its holding them back. Akatosh is the only one openly doing anything about it though, he created the Alduin to consume the world, and created the Aldmer to rule it. He gave the men, a hero, who could force their worship to dragons, he gave them Miraak, and the ability to bend the will of mortals. But it was Hermaeus Mora who gifted Miraak the ability to rebel, and the men followed this example and they also rebelled, sending Akatosh's dream child into the future. After Mora's interruption with the mortal world, which lead to Akatosh's first downfall, Akatosh gave men the dragonfires, to keep the Daedra out of meddling in such ways. Akatosh was worshiped by all for his generosity. Then the Oblivion crisis came, and Akatosh had time to make his move, upon destruction of the Amulet of Kings, Akatosh ended Septim bloodline, allowing the elves to go forth with his plan. The empire broke, and the tower fell, during the great war, tower after tower would fall, with the most recent being the snow tower, via time wound. Upon alduin returning to time, Akatosh bestowed the Dragon Blood, one final time. Why only one more time? Because that's all it takes, if the current Kalpa had ended, Akatosh would have had to start fresh.

What does Akatosh plan to do, its simple, he is sending the Elves to destroy all the towers holding Mundus together. The Thalmor are doing this and masking it as a holy war. Akatosh wishes to unravel Mundus, and unbind himself from his deal with Lorkhan, he wishes to do this now, because he has lost all faith in the men. Essentially Akatosh wishes to become a Daedra (and possibly force the other Aedra into becming Daedra).

I guarantee I got some of this wrong, and there are conflicting myths, and stories.

[_echo]

Question though... If Miraak was part of his plan, but he failed, why would Akatosh give his gift once again to someone who wasn't set on following his plan? In fact that recipient of the gift even foiled it more by killing Alduin (supposedly) and setting Akatosh back even more. What kind of omnipotent being would grant his gift so carelessly if his end goal was the destruction of Mundas?

And why would Akatosh grant blessings to the mortals he doesn't want?

Albiet I dont have that strong a grasp on lore, it does sound like an entertaining Idea, but doesn't hold up, IMO.

[gamecreatorjj]

Question though... If Miraak was part of his plan, but he failed, why would Akatosh give his gift once again to someone who wasn't set on following his plan? In fact that recipient of the gift even foiled it more by killing Alduin (supposedly) and setting Akatosh back even more. What kind of omnipotent being would grant his gift so carelessly if his end goal was the destruction of Mundas?

And why would Akatosh grant blessings to the mortals he doesn't want?

Albiet I dont have that strong a grasp on lore, it does sound like an entertaining Idea, but doesn't hold up, IMO.

I don't understand, who you are referring to, if you are refering to the DragonBorn in Skyrim, then he gave that mortal the gift, so he would kill Alduin and prevent the next Kalpa.

[_echo]

But I thought you said he gave it to Miraak to help usher in the next age along with Alduin.

[gamecreatorjj]

He did, during that era, the Dawn Era, but by when the 4th Era rolls around, Akatosh's motives change, and his plan changes.

[gamecreatorjj]

But I thought you said he gave it to Miraak to help usher in the next age along with Alduin.

He did, during that era, the Dawn Era, but by when the 4th Era rolls around, Akatosh's motives change, and his plan changes.

[_echo]

Ok, so he doesnt want mundas destroyed, so he gifts the last dragonborn with the said gift to vanquish alduin and miraak. So how is he evil now? Im confused.

[WillieSea]

Evil. What is evil? The definition changes with the era's, with time.

Are not all men and mer evil to some extent? Selfish, coniving beings looking out for themselves first? Looking to downtrodden others, even their own family members to further themselves? (A certain Jarl comes to mind)

The world is evil, but it will never end because that would be the end of the money steam at bethesda, so the lore must change to ensure it remains going.

I try not to dwell much on it because ultimately, money is the lore IMHO.

[gamecreatorjj]

Evil. What is evil? The definition changes with the era's, with time.

Are not all men and mer evil to some extent? Selfish, coniving beings looking out for themselves first? Looking to downtrodden others, even their own family members to further themselves? (A certain Jarl comes to mind)

The world is evil, but it will never end because that would be the end of the money steam at bethesda, so the lore must change to ensure it remains going.

I try not to dwell much on it because ultimately, money is the lore IMHO.

Thats the point, I'm guessing a future game would task the Player with murdering Akatosh, and gaining the power upon death

[gamecreatorjj]

Ok, so he doesnt want mundas destroyed, so he gifts the last dragonborn with the said gift to vanquish alduin and miraak. So how is he evil now? Im confused.

Alduin wouldn't have destroyed Mundus, he would have restarted everything, he wants Mundus destroyed forever.

[Tdroid]

As I have understood it, both Akatosh and Alduin are parts of the same oversoul which is the God of Time. The same is true for Auriel and Auri-El. And these parts are affected by belief, which is why some of them even work against each other, like the anti-Human Auriel and the pro-human Akatosh. So Akatosh didn't create Alduin, that falls to mortals having a pantheon that portrays him as the one who will end the world: The Nords. Ironic, if you ask me.

[Celan]

I think you aren't far wrong, except if anyone is trying to break free it is the Auriel aspect of Aka.  Also none of the gods are good or evil as far as I'm concerned, I find the terms problematic for Elder Scrolls- which to me is one of its attractive aspects.

 

As it happens, we may have helped Auriel in his quest by uncovering his shrines and ridding his avatar of a troublesome rival, and by undermining Alduin both in the main game and by giving over some of his (the All-Maker's) power to Hermaeus Mora in Dragonborn.  Knowledge is power, after all.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Celan

[gamecreatorjj]

I'm pretty sure, the time dragon/god of time is just a theory by scholars, it really isn't mentioned a lot but in obscure texts, and it retcons canon et'Ada as a whole along with aedra. As far as aspects go, i am fairly certain that an aspect is just how that god is perceived, the Nords see Lorkahn as Shor, and thus interpret sovngarde differently than those who see him as lorkhan. An elf may see Auriel, and a man sees Akatosh, but they are one in the same. The idea that different aspects are different beings, comes from the book "Alduin is Real" and much like "The Talos Mistake" it is a text that is just wrong.

[Celan]

How does it retcon et'ada and aedra?  Not following.

 

The idea of subgradience and of worship actually changing deities, rather than all of them just being illusions about the same thing, is in multiple game texts.  Apart from that I am not very fond of the idea that because something is not explained in detail that it isn't there.  That begs a lot of forest and trees problems.  And we'll of course never get an entire picture from in-world sources, because they're each limited to their own perspective.