A Perfect Leader.
The Stormcloak Rebellion. The crumbling empire. The Aldemeri dominion. The Dragons. Alduin. The Blades. Dovahkiin. Ulfric Stormcloak. Talos.
How do you know who can lead your people to greatness? I've watched the many people rise around me, and then have a great fall. I've seen the body of King Torygg destroyed by a Shout. I've seen the Elves try and take what is rightfully the Nords'. But how do you know what will happen in the end? Ulfric's pride for the Nords, as well as the Empire's crumbling state both leave a person in a state of wonder.
How do I know who is the best leader?
How do you?
Well, let me narrow it down for you.
Ulfric Stormcloak
The man killed a boy-king. He did challenge him and Torygg accepted-as is Nord tradition. Torygg lost. So by right, Ulfric should be High King.
However, was Torygg the test Ulfric needed to pass to become a king? No. He then had to escape after killing the High King instead of fighting for his right as monarch.
This shows he has no sight for the future.
Stormcloaks are usually Nords. They're a proud and strong people, but what about the Dunmer that live in Windhelm? Oh yes, the Dunmer are citizens, but are stuck in the Gray Quarter. They live in poverty as Ulfric plans his rebellion. Not to mention the action of the Black Sacrament and the string of murders. So a man too busy fighting a war can't look after his own people while he's in his own town walls.
A man that couldn't see that his court wizard was murdering innocent women. A man that can't see the Dunmer clinging to their impoverished lives in the gutters, a man that can't take in a young boy after he loses his mother, a man that couldn't stay in Solitude to lay claim on his right as High King. That is Ulfric Stormcloak.
Nordic pride may be something to be commended, but Pride is still a sin.
The Empire
The Imperial Legion. The Septim Bloodline. Tiber Septim-Talos.
This once legendary unity of Tamriel is now failing and falling. They signed away their National legend to save themselves from the Aldemeri Dominion. They fail to protect their Emperor. They're losing ground fast. Eleswyr, Hammerfell, Valenwood, Skyrim, Cyrodiil, Morrowind... This Empire used to own Tamriel. Then came the Oblivion Crisis. The crown lost favor and after the Great War, pretty much just completely said "We give up! Do anything you want, just leave us alive!". Through this cowardly treaty, the worship of Talos was banned.
Why ban the worship of a God?
Not only will this rise tension in later generations, but it will have a lasting effect on the entire Empire! Most likely more Gods are going to be added. Hell, people might think the Dwarves were Gods (even though they created one)!
They can't hold their borders, their provinces are wartorn and recovering from a war thirty years ago, and to top it all off a bunch of psycho Elves are slowly snatching away their power.
The Aldemeri
Through the Oblivion Crisis, the Aldemeri gained power. In essence they said "we killed the dragon!" when another man killed a dragon. They took the success of the Champion of Cyrodiil and used it for themselves. Now they're an Elven bunch of fools prancing about trying to "reclaim" Tamriel. Sure it might work until they realize there's less Elves than humans for a reason.
Think about it. Elves live longer, so why have children in a rush? Humans on the other hand-oh dear god, we fuckin' reproduce! By the time our dear Altmer and Bosmer friends have had two children, we'll have a family of TEN.
Not to mention the fact that many people are very superstitious of magicks. And what're elves known for? Oh well their shiny armor and weapons and THEIR MAGIC.
So let's run a scenario, hm? Let's say that Skyrim was taken over by the Aldemeri Dominion. If you take ALL the humans and kick them out, then what then? Elves won't degrade themselves to work the lumber mills, the blacksmiths' forges, or in the sewers. They may turn to raiding, but that's certainly a step higher than chopping wood all day, wouldn't you agree?
So the Elves have long lifespans-that'll be cut short in war-, lack of numbers, and will most likely will be hated for their magicks and their banning of Talos worship. Not to mention the fact that they based their entire existance on a lie.
The old empire that used to rule Tamriel was run by Elves, right? So why wouldn't the Aldemeri work? Well for starters, that's because there were a LOT of Elves. A. Lot. We're talking about a few millenia of unscathed pointy eared people here! We even had the Falmer (which weren't that ugly back then) and all these other races that're now extinct! But there was a majority of Elves. The Chimer, the Dwemer, the Bosmer, the Altmer, the Falmer, the Orsimer and the big bosses-the Ayleid. Now. Let's just think for a moment here.
All of these races are variations of Elves.
Now-not to say they weren't having any wars-but they were all distanced, because of an Elves' long lifespan. However, we had humans in the picture as slaves as well. Not to mention the Nords' ancestors coming in from the North.
So all the humans (eventually) had a Slaves' Rebellion. Now all of the pent up anger and numbers greatly gave the Humans an edge over the Ayleids. So the Ayleids- great as they were-fell.
So what do we learn, class? The Aldemeri will fall faster-and a lot harder-than the Empire, because the human race is not just an enslaved race anymore. They have Gods, and lore, and tales, and morals, including all of their ancestors' stories. Not just from a logical standpoint would they defeat the Aldemeri, but from an empathetic standpoint as well.
Over time, the High Elves would fall again from the humans. If they recruited humans as well as elves into their armies, then they would completely succeed. No doubt. Unfortunately for them, High Elves are stuck on their High Horse and won't get down. When the Empire falls and Ulfric Stormcloak's bones turn to dust, and the Aldemeri fall, there'll either be a strong united Tamriel, or there won't be any unity at all. There'll just be an every-province-for-itself kind of deal, following a military conflict until they try to figure out who'll be the next Top Dog.
SO! Who is the best leader? The scheming Aldemeri? The proud Stormcloaks? Or maybe the crumbling empire? Or is there some other type of unity rising from the ashes of the fires of war? Is there something in the making that no one has forseen yet?
Only Time Will Tell