The Great 'Which Universe Would I Rather Inhabit' Tournament Round 2 Match 2

The Great 'Which Universe Would I Rather Inhabit' Tournament Round 2 Match 2

Star Wars vs Elder Scrolls

Universe of light sabers, droids and jedi vs Universe of dragons, magic and dungeons

When I set about undertaking the challenge of deciding this tournament, I didn’t envisage a point where my conscience would genuinely be torn about picking a winner. This is, after all, not the most important thing in the universe (or any of these universes), so surely it shouldn’t matter that much. But, as we all know, to anyone with an ounce of geekdom about their person this sort of question matters immensely because it shows how much they care about one of the most important parts of their lives – essentially, to a geek, their favourite tv shows, films, games, fictional universes etc. make up a part of who they are. So playing one off against the other when you care deeply about both is kind of like picking between your favourite children. Sure, you KNOW there’s one you prefer, but it isn't the done thing to say It out loud.

I’m kidding of course. I only have one child and even if I have a second I’ll love it equally, although I’ll be hugely disappointed in any of them if they so much as hint to liking dubstep. But it’s true when I say that a simple decision like this tugs strangely hard on my conscience.

You didn’t open this page to hear me waffle though. On with the match.

The Star Wars universe will always be one of the coolest ever created. It has lightsabers, Han Solo, and Death Stars, even if, goddammit, it has Jar-Jar Binks. There is not a geek alive who doesn’t wish they could handle a real lightsaber, even if most of us would probably end up severing at least one limb within the first few minutes of practice. Now, granted, there’s no guarantee that I’d get to control a lightsaber, as I don’t know my midi-chlorian count, but I’d like to think that I could ‘borrow’ one for parties at the very least. Surely learning how to use the Force can’t be THAT difficult, and surely with all their advanced futuristic technology they must have television. Flying in spaceships, visiting distant planets, helping to bring down the Empire…oh, what I wouldn’t give to live that just for five minutes.

Now, for those of you in the know, it’s pretty obvious that Tamriel is as opposite to the Star Wars universe as it’s possible to get. It’s Sci-Fi vs Fantasy, Laser Guns vs Swords, the Force vs…well, you could do a Telekinesis spell  in Tamriel I suppose, but essentially it’s a fair comparison. And I suppose you could argue there’s a fair bit of lightsaber-ing, to match Tamriel’s sword fighting. But anyway, essentially, the two universes are pretty different. Now to me, adventuring in foreign lands, completing quests and generally becoming a hero are what entertainment should be all about, and there’s no better place to do this than Tamriel. It’s such a fully realised world (no matter which game you play), crafted in an incredible level of detail, with numerous unforgettable cities and landscapes. I said in the previous round that I’d happily inhabit any period seen in any Elder Scrolls game, but really I think the most memorable of these is the time frame seen in Skyrim – I know that the rest of Tamriel will be there, it just won’t be quite as I remember it from any other of the games.

What this match really boils down to I suppose, is whether I’d prefer to be in a universe fighting the oppressive Empire and learning the ways of the Jedi (because I would HAVE to be coming into my adult years around the time the Rebellion was defeating the Empire, if only to avoid being sentenced for the murder of Jar-Jar Binks), or playing the role of a sword-wielding adventurer, completing quest after quest in the hope of making a name for himself as a hero of all the lands. It’s a pretty impossible choice right?

Well, ‘PRETTY’ impossible isn’t ‘ACTUALLY’ impossible, so gosh darn it I’ll have to make a choice. Either way, a big player is heading out of the tournament.

I think there’s one answer that is more obvious than the other. One that more people would plump for, and in an opinion poll online would come up the winner more often than not.

I’m not voting for the obvious one though. I’m going the other way. Stand up please…

Tamriel.

Yep, I’m afraid the Star Wars universe has been defeated. No matter the fact it has Jedi and The Force, I just can’t shake the fact that I’m an explorer at heart, and the chance to become a hero through questing and exploration is too good to pass up. Plus, if I’m honest, the Elder Scrolls’ designers create more exciting lands for me than George Lucas could. Whilst there are towns aplenty that I would give anything to visit in Tamriel, I can’t say the same about Star Wars – iconic as Tatooine is, it’s basically just a desert, Hoth is just an icy tundra, and Endor is a Center Parcs village with hairier staff.

Congrats Tamriel and the Elder Scrolls series, you’re through to the semi-finals!

Winner: Elder Scrolls

Red Dwarf	Heroes	Buffy
Heroes
Buffy	Buffy
Battlestar Galactica
Star Wars	Star Wars	Elder Scrolls
Aliens
Elder Scrolls	Elder Scrolls
Terminator
Narnia	Ultima
Ultima
Star Trek	Star Trek
Middle Earth
Firefly	Marvel
Marvel
DC	DC
Doctor Who