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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimhas gone down in video game history as one of the best open-world and lore-rich games ever created. Although your primary task asthe Last Dragonbornis to defeatAlduin, another villain arises, one more compelling than the World-Eater himself.
As the primary antagonist of the Dragonborn DLC, Miraak makes his presence known after his cultists attempt to kill you early on in your journey. The First Dragonborn in existence, Miraak establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. But how did one of the most powerful individuals in the game end up as a prisoner of Hermaeus Mora? If you’re keen on discovering Miraak’s history and lore, you’ve come to the right place.
Who Is Miraak?
Merethic Era
Born during the Merethic Era,Miraak was alive during a time when dragons ruled Skyrimand were worshipped as gods. Miraak’s name means ‘Allegiance Guide’ in the Dragon Language, and although he is the first-ever Dragonborn,Saint Alessia was accorded that title due to being the first recorded in history.
Eventually, Miraak rises high in the dragon’s esteem andbecomes a Dragon Priest,leading the Dragon Cult stationed in Solstheim,charged with attracting more followers for the dragons.
However, Miraak is shown to be ambitious,with his loyalty to the dragons not as firm as once assumed. Although it’s unknown when in the timeline he began actively seeking other means of power, Miraak got his hands on one ofHermaeus Mora’s Black Books. Possibly in exchange for esoteric knowledge,Miraak swore himself into service tothe Daedric Prince of Knowledgeand became his champion, eventuallylearningthe Bend Will Shoutto tame humansanddragons.
With the Bend Will Shout in his arsenal,Miraak rose in rebellion against the dragonsand was able to draw other Dragon Priests, Ahzidal, Zakhriisos, and Dukaan, to his cause.
At some point, Miraak built his own temple on Solstheim and grew his own following. He amassed a great amount of power as the Dragonborn and although each Dragonborn must defeat Alduin as part of their duty,Miraak turned his back on this, rejecting Hakon One-Eye and the other Ancient Nordic heroes' plea for help against Alduin. As a result,he is dubbed in Skaal lore as ‘The Traitor’.
Imprisoned By The Demon Of Knowledge
Naturally, going against the dragons doesn’t come without consequences. At some point, a loyalDragon Priest named Vahlok clashed against Miraak, and proved more powerful than the First Dragonborn, he was able to defeat him. According to Skaal legend, Vahlok was about to kill off Miraak whenHermaeus Mora intervened and brought the injured Miraak to his realm of Apocrypha.
With Miraak gone, the dragons burned his temple to the ground in retaliation andtasked Vahlok with keeping Miraak contained. In alternate versions of the tale,the dragons made Vahlok ruler of Solstheim as a rewardbut made him swear an oath to keep watch over the island should Miraak ever return.
Meanwhile, Miraak’s decision to become Hermaeus Mora’s champion has backfired tremendously on him. After being saved by the Daedric Prince,Miraak has remained in Apocrypha ever since, unable to leave and return to Tamriel. However, that didn’t stop Miraak from recovering and using the knowledge at his disposal tofind a way out of Apocrypha and Hermaeus Mora’s clutches.
Miraak In The Fourth Era
Now we come to the timeline in the Dragonborn DLC,where Miraak has finally begun to stir.He has since rebuilt his cult, causing chaos in Solstheim and drawing the attention of the Last Dragonborn.
By the time our Dragonborn reaches Solstheim,Miraak has been corrupting the All-Maker stones and channelling his powerto take over the mindsof any who come into contact with it. As a result,the denizens of Solstheim have been rebuilding Miraak’s temples in their sleep, although some have deliberately sided with Miraak when conscious.
Despite being Hermaeus Mora’s champion,the Daedric Prince has been assisting the Last Dragonborn, even helping them master the Bend Will Shout as he’d taught Miraak all those years ago. Once again, choosing to serve Hermaeus Mora has proven to be a mistake.
During the finalbattle, Miraak himself acknowledged the fact that the Daedric Prince must have allowed things with the Last Dragonborn to end up the way they did,and was proven right when Hermaeus Mora killed Miraak by stabbing him through the chest with a tentacle.
Aside from getting a front-seat view of Miraak’s tragic fate,we also get a show of the duplicitous way Hermaeus Mora operates. When the Last Dragonborn strolls into the scene,we’re essentially offering the Daedric Prince a new, shinier replacement to Miraak, who has already been rebelling as he did with the dragons.The deciding factor was when the Last Dragonborn effectively defeated Miraak, proving that they were a better candidate to be Hermaeus Mora’s champion.
Ultimately, despite his power as the First Dragonborn, Miraak’s repeated falls from graceare the result of his greed for more and his inability to keep to the vows he madeto both the dragons and Hermaeus Mora.
