Summary
Despite the opportunity players have to shape their own character in each game, Bethesda’sElder Scrollsseries has featured a few notable protagonists since the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindin 2002. Prior toMorrowind’s release, the first twoElder Scrollsgames put players in the shoes of anonymous protagonists who were designed to be blank slates for players to customize. After that cameMorrowind, which introduced the series' first distinctive protagonist, the Nerevarine. After that,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionand its successor,The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, continued that trend with two brand-new protagonists, the Hero of Kvatch and the Dragonborn, respectively.
Given the recent rumors and leaks surrounding apotential remake ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, it’s worth looking at how the original game’s protagonist, the Hero of Kvatch, compares to the Dragonborn protagonist of what is largely considered the bestElder Scrollsgame ever made,Skyrim. As it turns out, the two protagonists differ from one another in some rather drastic ways, from their identity and role in the world to their inherent skills, showcasingThe Elder Scrolls' refusal to settle with static protagonist archetypes.
The Main Differences Between Skyrim’s Dragonborn and Oblivion’s Hero of Kvatch
Skyrim’s Dragonborn and Oblivion’s Hero of Kvatch Differ in Their Identity and Role
In a time when most fantasy stories feature a protagonist with some divine calling to save the world,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s Hero of Kvatch remains distinguished as an ordinary individual with no predetermined destiny or unique, supernatural abilities. This is the most distinctive difference betweenSkyrim’s DragonbornandOblivion’s Hero of Kvatch, which ultimately comes down to each protagonist’s identity and their roles in the world ofThe Elder Scrolls. In the end, this alone makes the two more different than they are similar, ensuring players' experiences with the two games are also unique.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblvion’s Hero of Kvatch doesn’t begin as a powerful force to be reckoned with and instead rises to greatness through their deeds.Skyrim’s Dragonborn, on the other hand, is directly tied to the fate of the world as a predestined figure chosen by Akatosh to wield the Thu’um and combat Alduin, the World-Eater. UnlikeOblivion’s Hero of Kvatch, whose mortality and ordinariness grant players more freedom to shape their character, the Dragonborn is directly tied toSkyrim’s narrative, which is driven by prophecy and therefore follows a fixed heroic archetype — for the most part.
Skyrim’s Dragonborn and Oblivion’s Hero of Kvatch Differ in Their Abilities
As was previously intimated,The Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrim’s Dragonborn andOblivion’s Hero of Kvatch also differ greatly in their abilities, given the opposite approaches each game takes to its hero. Being a prophesied and therefore predestined hero directly tied to the fate of the world,Skyrim’s Dragonborn has unique supernatural abilities, as many high fantasy heroes have been known to possess. The Dragonborn’s most defining ability allows them to absorb dragon souls and use Shouts — powerful abilities tied to the ancient language of the dragons.
This unique calling also empowers the Dragonborn to find and slay dragons, which enhancesSkyrim’s open-world exploration and combat.
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblviion’s Hero of Kvatch, on the other hand, is a normal individual and therefore possesses the same abilities that any other ordinary mortal character might. Rather than allowing players to utilize special abilities as the Hero of Kvatch,Oblivionlets them shape the protagonist through natural skill progression and according to the playstyle of their choice. Without a unique mechanic likeSkyrim’s Shouts,Oblivion’s gameplay and the Hero of Kvatch are thereby focused more on the character’s growth through choice and effort, rather than destiny.
All things considered,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s Hero of Kvatch andSkyrim’s Dragonborn are both two vastly different protagonists, with the former being an ordinary individual who achieves greatness through experience and the latter being a divine hero who has been predestined for greatness. It’s currently unclear whatThe Elder Scrolls 6’s protagonistwill be like, but perhaps Bethesda will take things back toOblivion’s square one and give players another character who is not destined to be a hero but becomes one willingly instead.
