The Elder Scrollshas five mainline games and an MMO,Elder Scrolls Online.The Elder Scrollshas accumulated a large list of named threats to Nirn. These villains range from more deeply personal and tragic, to posing world-ending threats.
Some of the antagonists inThe Elder Scrollsare ordinary people, while others are literal gods, or powerful mages attempting to achieve godhood. Most of them have a significant impact onThe Elder Scrolls' lore, and take their place in the halls of iconic video game characters. As such, it’s worth looking at which of these antagonists are the most fleshed out, both from a narrative and gameplay standpoint.
S-Tier: Iconic and Beloved The Elder Scrolls Villains
Dagoth Ur appeared inThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, and comes out on top thanks to the threat he poses, his significance inThe Elder Scrolls' lore, and his deeply personal connection with the player character. He was the closest friend of Nerevar, and is unable to let go of that connection as he faces the Nerevarine thousands of years later. Dagoth Ur’s appearance marks the beginning of upheaval in Morrowind, and his influence cannot be understated.
Sheogorath is one of the most popular Daedric Princes. As theDaedric Prince of Madness, he’s largely a chaotic neutral figure, appearing as either ally or antagonist. InESO, he serves the role of villain in the Mages Guild, and he’s considered one of the four corners of the House of Troubles to the Dunmer.
Molag Bal is another Daedric Prince. As the Daedric Prince of Domination, he’s the primary antagonist ofESOand features in some of Tamriel’s darkest moments across its history.
A-Tier: Strong and Impactful Characters
Almalexia is the antagonist ofMorrowind’sTribunalexpansion pack. One of the three members of the Tribunal, Almalexia was once Nerevar’s wife and proves to be an intriguing enemy of the Nerevarine. Mankar Camoran is the secondary antagonist ofOblivion, but is the “face” of the Oblivion Crisis for much of the game. Voiced by Terence Stamp, Mankar Camoran is a charismatic enemy with a fascinating philosophy that pushes the boundaries of Nirn and Oblivion.
Mehrunes Dagon is the main antagonist ofOblivion, but has also appeared inESO. His cult, the Mythic Dawn, are responsible for ending the Septim line of Emperors. Jyggalag has a very brief appearance inOblivion’sShivering Islesexpansion pack, but his importance in terms of lore cannot be understated. Hermaeus Mora is similar to Sheogorath in that his goals shift in favor of or against mortals, but many of his actions have worked against the mortals of Nirn in the past.
Jagar Tharn is the antagonist ofArena, thefirst game inThe Elder Scrolls, and is renowned for overthrowing Uriel Septim VII and ruling Tamriel for an entire decade. While his personality may be flat, his actions and his role asThe Elder Scrolls' first ever villain places him in A-Tier.
B-Tier: Good Ideas, But Weak Execution
Alduin had a lot of potential as the World-Eater. Unfortunately, he doesn’t do much outside of a few scenes, and his final battle is underwhelming. Miraak, who is the antagonist ofSkyrim’sDragonbornDLC, fares similarly, in that he had a great introduction through possessing the minds of Solstheim’s residents, but his encounters carry little threat of danger.
Mannimarco appears in several games inThe Elder Scrolls, and is one of the series' most prolific villains. Thanks to the Warp in the West inDaggerfall, he’s both a god and a mortal inOblivion. It’s his mortalOblivionappearance that brings down his ranking, where he appears as a mortal necromancer and is swiftly defeated.
C-Tier: Generic and Forgettable Antagonists
Harkon and Umaril serve as the main antagonists for their respective DLCs inSkyrimandOblivion. Harkon is an incredibly generic evil vampire lord, while Umaril doesn’t have much of a personality beyond posing a threat to Cyrodiil, and serves as more of a nod to Cyrodiil’s founding story.
