Summary
The Elder Scrolls 6continues to be one of the most highly anticipated games. Bethesda’s massively popular fantasy RPG series has an army of fans hungrier than ever for the next mainline entry. This is understandable, with it being well over a decade since 2011’sSkyrimwas released and left an indelible mark on the industry. Though the studio confirmed back in 2018 thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is indeed coming, its focus on its latest sci-fi IP,Starfield, has seemingly leftTESon the back burner, at least for the time being.
That hasn’t stopped speculation andrumors aboutThe Elder Scrolls 6from circulating, though, with the upcoming entry’s setting and other potential aspects often being the source of discussion. One element that the previous main titles have shared is the nature of their antagonists. FromMorrowindthroughSkyrim,TES' major villains threatening Tamriel have all been some type of incredibly powerful, ancient, and inhuman godlike entity. Given this has been the case,TES6has the chance to distinguish itself by moving away from this narrative staple and presenting players with an overarching foe that is more down to earth compared to previous depictions, but no less ambitious and dangerous.
This September marked oversix years sinceThe Elder Scrolls 6was announcedin the form of a 30-second trailer, which remains the only official piece of information about it as of now.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Could Break a Big Narrative Tradition By Featuring a More Humanoid Antagonist
The Elder Scrolls' Previous Antagonists Were All Otherworldly Threats
The last three numbered entries in the series have all seen players uncover the existence of and eventually face off against a foe that is well beyond the mortalraces of Tamriel. Each of them was something more akin to primal force and/or one of the Daedric entities that reside in their unearthly realm, that emerged with the intent to destroy or enslave the world. These include:
While each was undoubtedly a terrifying and effective enemy in their own right, the fact that this setup has been used consecutively may be something that works againstThe Elder Scrolls 6. Many fans are probably already expecting yet anotherDaedric princeor similar figure to arise or be pulling the strings from the shadows in the sixth entry. However, Bethesda could give fans a big surprise by bucking this trend and having a more humanoid villain to menace fans this time around.
Why The Elder Scrolls 6 Might Want to Feature a Humanoid as Its Big Bad
Though monstrous and godlike antagonists can be memorable, fitting well withinThe Elder Scrolls' style of epic fantasy conflicts, having this be the case inTES6runs the risk of repeating it one too many times. To avoid that, the next title could instead focus on a firmly humanoid villainous character. Depending on when andwhereThe Elder Scrolls 6is set, this could inform their origin and ambitions as well, perhaps via their political and military machinations, showcasing their attempts to rise to power in a more grounded way.
TES6could still invoke the otherworldly angle to a degree without relying on it exactly. A possibility would be that this new figure intends to become something like Dagon Ur, but is in the early stages of accomplishing it, and thus remains heavily anchored to their mortality and material reality. The player character might be tasked with stopping the villain’s full transition to godlike form before it occurs.
This might also allow it to play with theChosen Hero tropethat the series often also employs. By subverting traditional expectations,The Elder Scrolls 6could put the player character and the villain on a more equal footing, which might make for more interesting charaterizations and a nuanced plot, truly marking a new direction for the future of the franchise.
