Unlike most RPGs, where the playable character is the main focal point of the story, this journey in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Microsoft, developed by Bethesda) is not your story. It belongs to Martin Septim with you, as a supporting character, making his story come to life. At least you get to be the Hero of Kvatch.
The Crisis that sets it off
- Emperor Uriel Septim VII and his heirs, except for one, are assassinated.
- The Dragonfires are extinguished.
- Mehrunes Dagon begins his invasion.
The Emperor has an amulet that keeps the dragonfires ignited, thus protecting the realm from Dagon. Only an heir of the Emperor can wear the amulet. The Hero of Kvatch is sent to find the Emperor’s illegitimate son.
The Hidden Heir- Martin Septim
- Receding as a priest in Kvatch, unaware of his royalty.
- Kept under the protection of the Blades for all his life. The Emperor appears to love his son still.
- Without Martin, there is nothing the Hero of Kvatch can do that will stop the invasion from taking place.
The Hero of Kvatch: Catalyst, not Protagonist
The Hero travels across the lands to gather all that Martin needs to fulfil his destiny. The Hero:
- Recues Martin
- Guides Martin
- Recruit allies from Martin’s army
- Retrieve artifacts to allow Martin to understand the crisis taking place
Martin Steps Forward
At the start, Martin doesn’t believe the Hero in his significance or who his father really was. After some convincing, Martin accepts his role to be played out.
- At the Cloud Temple, he exercises his newfound leadership over the Blades.
- He takes full responsibility for his decision-making at the Temple of the One.
- He becomes the moral and spiritual center for the resistance. Relying on his experience as a priest.
The Final Sacrifice
- Martin becomes the Avatar of Akatosh to defeat Mehrunes Dagon. This consumes his mortal self.
- He defeats Mehrunes Dagon, sending him back into Oblivion.
- Martin’s sacrifice effectively ends the Oblivion crisis.
Everywhere the Hero of Kvatch goes, they are seen as such. Martin, however, is forever recorded as the Hero of the Oblivion crisis.
Conclusion
You get to play an important role in stopping the crisis, but it is the reluctant leader, the last heir, Martin, who is needed, through your actions, in saving and changing the world. His sacrifice saves Tamriel in the end.
My Thoughts
This was a fun game to play. I played the original version for a little bit, but never finished it. I did play and finish the remake version, however. You may not be the hero of the Oblivion crisis, but you do get cool armor at the end.
The game was fun and immersive, but my only complaint is the repetitiveness of entering the Oblivion gates.
It was from listening to the Robots Radio Podcast Network, specifically The Elder Scrolls Lorecast, that I came to realize that Martin is the true hero of the game.
My favorite Elder Scrolls game is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Microsoft, developed by Bethesda), probably because it was my entry into the series.
Closing
What version of the game is your favorite? The original or the remake? Do you like this game better than Skyrim?
Stay tuned for:
- Star Wars: Knight Errant- The Dyarchy (Thursday)
- Halo Wars: The Unknown Conflict that Could’ve Meant the Premature End of the War (Sunday)
Digital Archiver signing off.
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