5 Most Badass Characters in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [SPOILERS]

Alright, people, before I even attempt to sift through our vast backlog of candidates, I've got to define what a badass actually is. Which is funny because the term's flexibility is such that, normally, you'd get away with not defining it at all. Because we all know a badass when we see one, don't we. You might disagree all the same when I name names, and say 'WHAT?! HOW?' a bunch.

A quick Google search yields words like tough, uncompromising, intimidating, and I'm pretty happy with those. I think most of us are. Then comes that something more, which seems to be personal – each of us has our own additional criteria by which we are impressed, our way of ultimately deciding whether a person fits the bill or not. Of Google's three words, I'm particularly drawn to uncompromising. My idea of a badass is a person with an agenda who sticks to it. And more importantly, lacks subtlety. A masterful manipulator with a hand in every pie, however tough, can't be a badass in my eyes. Too clever, too careful. My ideal badass must shamelessly and unapologetically display his motives and act bluntly, without half measures. That's what sells it. I hear voices of impassioned dissent already.

Then the circumstances in which this uncompromising, unsubtle somebody finds himself must provide a route to the deeds a badass must perform. So, we're in luck with Skyrim, aren't we, and I need hardly elaborate. That being said, it's now a whole lot harder to name characters I might have named had I not just restricted the term. The vast backlog of candidates just shrank dramatically. Nevertheless, there are those who meet the criteria and well. And that's how I've engineered my initially formidable task into one that seems laughably achievable. Thinking is good sometimes.

---

BADASS #1

Rikke

Bringing up the rear, we've got Legate Rikke, whose fierce loyalty to Skyrim but also the Empire instantly ticks the right boxes. It's tough being a soldier, even tougher when you're General Tullius' right hand in the middle of a civil war. There are many 'badass' women in Skyrim, but Rikke is the genuine article because she loves her birthplace and fights for it with no pretensions or qualms about what people think (particularly ballsy, as the Stormcloaks hold the hearts of half of Skyrim's Nords). We get to see first-hand what Rikke is made of in The Jagged Crown, during which she leads single-handedly a small group of Legionnaires – despite being outnumbered by Stormcloaks and Draugr – into the Nordic ruin Korvanjund to retrieve the artefact. Her unflappable command and earnest care for the Legion's soldiers inspire both loyalty and courage, and with her personal bravery beyond question, there's no doubt.

BADASS #2

Nazir

Although there are other Family members to whom I could apply the term, the Dark Brotherhood's truest candidate must always be Nazir. His scathing, mocking tone glazes every interaction once you've heard it, and he isn't afraid to speak his mind. If Nazir doesn't like you, he lets you know to your face. Couple this with a profession to turn the stomach and you have the ruthlessly charming assassin we know and love. Loyal to Astrid, his reaction to her betrayal and the events surrounding it epitomises the type of man he is: one capable of witnessing the darkest deeds and moving on nonetheless, without losing himself.

BADASS #3

Neloth

It's almost as if I'm breaking my own rule, but Neloth prevents this simply because he's so delightfully, carelessly rude. He says what he says when he says it without a thought for the feelings of anyone concerned. Effortlessly superior, it's hysterical just to sit and listen to some of the stuff he comes out with. It helps (a lot) that he's a genius, a master wizard of House Telvanni, but one so hilariously focused on himself and his own whims that he breaks a cliche or two. The real cement comes in Old Friends, when he displays the uncompromising ruthlessness I associate with badassery. He remorselessly sticks to his guns as you uncover and slay an ex-apprentice of his whose antagonism was born of Neloth's unethical experiments. Don't forget he can reduce enemies to ash piles or enchant something to do so instead should the mood take him.

BADASS #4

Balgruuf

Balgruuf the Greater, Jarl of Whiterun, is a hard man, and we're sufficiently well-acquainted with him to have witnessed a heap of big deeds that merit the title. When he isn't helping the Dovahkiin take down a dragon, he's doing all he can to keep the citizens of Whiterun safe. That includes fighting, planning and making bold political decisions, and he isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty when the situation calls for it. Brave and level-headed, Balgruuf commands great respect but remains an endearing figure and can be trusted to protect his hold and its people until his dying breath.

BADASS #5

Isran

Though this list is in no particular order, if there was a top spot, Isran's in it. I talked about circumstances, and which could be better than reestablishing and leading an ancient order of vampire hunters? Seriously, the whole Dawnguard are badasses, all of them. Even Agmaer. Especially Agmaer, who starts out as a farm boy eager to make a difference and ends up a hero. But Isran is a cut above the rest. Agenda? Check. Uncompromising? Understatement. Hard as nails? You guessed it, and his stoic bluntness wraps it up. The man hates vampires, he lets everyone know he hates vampires, and he's so committed to wiping them out that even the Vigilants of Stendarr, who exist for almost the same reasons, can't handle him. His armour is sick, his weapons and spells are sick, and his voice... I think we have a winner.