I LOVE how Morrowind and Oblivion offer unique twists in the ‘fantasy game protagonist’ archetype. A chosen one who isn’t wanted, in an alien and hostile place! A player character who is the supporting character for the actual chosen one! God, that’s genuinely so much fun.
Not only is the Dragonborn a boring Chosen One protag the game is so dry and the people are so static you’re…just fucking boring. No one really reacts to you anymore. And what kind of growth does the Dragonborn experience? Gramps talks about Dragonborns being inherently selfish and having to struggle to overcome those instincts but like everything else in the game it goes absolutely nowhere. You don’t have any real choices or character moments.
The Nerevarrine treks through ash choked deserts while being haunted and hunted by their various enemies and their victory is ultimately tragic and manipulated by other forces, designed to destabilize and destroy what they were trying to save. While their ultimate fate is a mystery.
The Hero of Kvatch is defined by their subservient position to the rest of the cast- literally introduced kneeling in the cinematic trailer- and ascends into a lonely godhood while their mortal deeds are dwarfed and forgotten by history.
In both games you have to fight for Chosen One status. The Nerevarrine is one of many incarnation attempts and could easily fail again.
I think it can even be argued that the HoK isn’t even properly Shezarrine until they mantle Pelinal during KotN- there’s nothing particularly miraculous about what they achieve in the main quest. It’s impressive but folks all over Tamriel went into and shut Oblivion gates. And that makes their ascension into godhood all the more compelling.
In Skyrim you’re The Chosen One as soon as you wake up in the cart.
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