I think Jarl Balgruuf is a douche.

[Pretty Vampires]

Somehow I do agree with the OP but beside all of the above, the Jarl who really reward the dragonborn for helping him, is the one in Raven Rock. He gives you a house for free and 10k on the top of that for helping to avoid his assassination.
We helped Balgruf with the Dragon attacking but still he only grants us to buy a house and to become a thane ... but he does continue treating the dragonborn kind of bad. The best Jarl after the one in Raven Rock in my opinion, is the lady in Solitude. She is kind of sweet and ask you nicely whatever she needs from you.

The guy in Raven Rock gave me 20 k and a house.

Balgruuf is an example of a guy that was born into his role. The Dragonborn? Sure, but he/she was picked because the potential greatness they had.

I don't like Ulfric, but I always got the feeling that Balgruuf was jealous of him. From what I hear, Balgruuf wasn't able to learn to shout, while Ulfric knows 4- of them.

Balgruuf is not a great jarl. He can't even raise his kids right, even though he sits on his ass all day.

 

[RY14NCE]

Don't be dissin' the 'gruffmeister. In terms of doucheness, there are people who score waaay higher;

Delphine for refusing to talk to you because you won't kill the dragon that everyone basically owes their existance to.
Nazeem for reasons I need not explain.
That elf in riften who assumes you want a handout, despite walking around wearing over 10,000 septims worth of equipment.
Siddgier for being a corrupt dingleberry who thinks he can send the dragonborn to fetch mead.
The entire black briar family ( minus the alchemist )
The son of the Jarl of Riften, the mighty wall slayer.
There are many others, but these are, in my opinion the worst. (Nazeem being king douchetits)

 

[Pretty Vampires]

Don't be dissin' the 'gruffmeister. In terms of doucheness, there are people who score waaay higher;

Delphine for refusing to talk to you because you won't kill the dragon that everyone basically owes their existance to.
Nazeem for reasons I need not explain.
That elf in riften who assumes you want a handout, despite walking around wearing over 10,000 septims worth of equipment.
Siddgier for being a corrupt dingleberry who thinks he can send the dragonborn to fetch mead.
The entire black briar family ( minus the alchemist )
The son of the Jarl of Riften, the mighty wall slayer.
There are many others, but these are, in my opinion the worst. (Nazeem being king douchetits)

A thousand douches in a room doesn't make them any less of a douche.

A bunch of douches in Skyrim, but I can't stand people like Balgruuf.

 

[Janus3003]

Well, Jarl Balgruuf thinks you're a douche! So what now, son!?

 

[The Phoenician]

Balgruuf is the man. He is the only Jarl that isn't delusional and actually seems to care for his people. Why wouldn't he send an ex prisoner who has knack for survival into harms way instead of his guards.

 

[CaptainPollux]

The thing I have to say to the people who think that Balgruff shows little regard for your safety, is that it's apparent from the dialogue around dragonsreach that this sort of thing happens all the time. The next big hero waltzes in asking Balgruff for a mission, and next thing they know, s/he's dead. It's not that He cares little for your safety, it's just that there have been so many people with so little regard for their own safety that he's used to it.

Skyrim is a land of sellswords. It's not Balgruff that got lucky you're the Dragonborn, it's you.

Additionally, I argue that while he is one of the less douchey people in the mead hall of douchey people from Skyrim, the comparison at least makes him seem nice.

They could do with some nice Jarls in Skyrim.

Now, about his kids... Where is their mother?

That answers that question. There's bound to be an entire sob backstory there that will ensue in many shouting matches.

 

[Raijin]

You can get Breezehome for free if you join the Legion.
and you fault him for having a grudge against Ulfric? Galmar wanted Ulfric to just kill him.
And Ulfric had no need to Attack Whiterun he just wanted to show off his "army".

What is more important? Saving the world from a menacing black dragon or deal with the Civil war? If you want to follow the logic it's nearly impossible to get Breezehome for free, not when your inventory is packing on the pounds as you finish quests.

And yes Galmar is in war mode. Can you fault him for that? He is not a leader but a General. Ulfric is the leader of the Stormcloaks, and future King therefor he takes more passionate approach on things. Instead of wanting Balgruuf to die he wants to embarrass him by exiling him from his hold and revoking his authority.

 

[Gearuvagen]

What is more important? Saving the world from a menacing black dragon or deal with the Civil war? If you want to follow the logic it's nearly impossible to get Breezehome for free, not when your inventory is packing on the pounds as you finish quests.

And yes Galmar is in war mode. Can you fault him for that? He is not a leader but a General. Ulfric is the leader of the Stormcloaks, and future King therefor he takes more passionate approach on things. Instead of wanting Balgruuf to die he wants to embarrass him by exiling him from his hold and revoking his authority.

Ulfric is a traitor and future wall ornament.
Exactly the feud between the two is childish Ulfric wanted to embarrass Balgruuf and Balgruuf is jealous of Ulfric's ability to shout. Neither of them would have made a good greybeard though.
And as you're slaying quests and "packing on pounds" Breezehome become chump change at a mere 5k. and the point was you can get it for free.
Albeit you would not be able to get it for free if Ulfric wasn't such a belligerent, bloodthirsty, warmongering, oath-breaker.

 

[Pretty Vampires]

Balgruuf is the man. He is the only Jarl that isn't delusional and actually seems to care for his people. Why wouldn't he send an ex prisoner who has knack for survival into harms way instead of his guards.

Thing is, he doesn't know you're an ex-prisoner unless you pick 1 of the 3 dialogue choices presented to you. Surviving Helgen doesn't mean one can go into a dungeon and fight a bunch of draugr.

The thing I have to say to the people who think that Balgruff shows little regard for your safety, is that it's apparent from the dialogue around dragonsreach that this sort of thing happens all the time. The next big hero waltzes in asking Balgruff for a mission, and next thing they know, s/he's dead. It's not that He cares little for your safety, it's just that there have been so many people with so little regard for their own safety that he's used to it.

Skyrim is a land of sellswords. It's not Balgruff that got lucky you're the Dragonborn, it's you.

That's the thing. The Dragonborn didn't ask him for a mission. He's the one that asked the Dragonborn. Let's be honest. At that point in the game, most people have the sh1ttiest armor in the game. I doubt he expected your survival.

I wouldn't care much if the Dragonborn actually looked like a sellsword, but most people weren't even wearing armor when they warned him about the Dragon.

 

[Gearuvagen]

Thing is, he doesn't know you're an ex-prisoner unless you pick 1 of the 3 dialogue choices presented to you. Surviving Helgen doesn't mean one can go into a dungeon and fight a bunch of draugr.



That's the thing. The Dragonborn didn't ask him for a mission. He's the one that asked the Dragonborn. Let's be honest. At that point in the game, most people have the sh1ttiest armor in the game. I doubt he expected your survival.

I wouldn't care much if the Dragonborn actually looked like a sellsword, but most people weren't even wearing armor when they warned him about the Dragon.

He didn't put a dagger to your throat though,you could have went to Windhelm and became a fisherman if you don't like adventure. If you went in to Bleak Falls ill prepared it's no ones fault but yours.

I'm typically wearing Iron/Banded Iron armor and equipped with a Steel or better sword by the time I get to whiterun so I at least do look like a merc.

 

[The Phoenician]

Thing is, he doesn't know you're an ex-prisoner unless you pick 1 of the 3 dialogue choices presented to you. Surviving Helgen doesn't mean one can go into a dungeon and fight a bunch of draugr.



That's the thing. The Dragonborn didn't ask him for a mission. He's the one that asked the Dragonborn. Let's be honest. At that point in the game, most people have the sh1ttiest armor in the game. I doubt he expected your survival.

I wouldn't care much if the Dragonborn actually looked like a sellsword, but most people weren't even wearing armor when they warned him about the Dragon.

Whats the big deal almost everybody in Skyrim asks you to do something extremely dangerous no matter if your wearing any armor or not.

 

[Pretty Vampires]

He didn't put a dagger to your throat though,you could have went to Windhelm and became a fisherman if you don't like adventure. If you went in to Bleak Falls ill prepared it's no ones fault but yours.

I'm typically wearing Iron/Banded Iron armor and equipped with a Steel or better sword by the time I get to whiterun so I at least do look like a merc.

Of course the player doesn't have to. That isn't the point. The point is that he sent you on the mission.

It's easy to look at now that we know the PC is the Dragonborn, but the person warning Balgruuf could've easily been one of the farmers that survived.

I don't like exaggerated arrogance.

Go throughout all the guilds: Thieves Guild, College of Winterhold, Greybeards, Blades, Dark Brotherhood, etc.

They all have arrogant members, but Delphine is the only one that shows arrogance in the same manner that the jarls in Skyrim do.

It's the way he was supposed to be portrayed.

 

[Raijin]

Ulfric is a traitor and future wall ornament.
Exactly the feud between the two is childish Ulfric wanted to embarrass Balgruuf and Balgruuf is jealous of Ulfric's ability to shout. Neither of them would have made a good greybeard though.
And as you're slaying quests and "packing on pounds" Breezehome become chump change at a mere 5k. and the point was you can get it for free.
Albeit you would not be able to get it for free if Ulfric wasn't such a belligerent, bloodthirsty, warmongering, oath-breaker.

Ulfric is a traitor for all the good reasons. Just because the Empire surrendered to the Aldmeri Dominion doesn't mean that the entire human population has to suffer from the wrath of the Thalmor, and their ridiculous demands.

I don't seem how Ulfric is acting all childish. Balgruuf, after being thrown out of Whiterun, starts pouting in the "jimmies rustle" headquarters down stairs in the Blue Palace in Solitude, and begins plops talking about how Ulfric will pay for his blood. Even Jarl Elisif the Fair (The jarl who these Jarls support as Next High queen of Skyrim) doesn't want to deal with their rustled jimmies, and so she tosses them down stairs where instead of beds, they sleep in a cox.

Balgruuf tend to say honest and cherish words like "We need the Empire, as much as it needs us. We Nords are the Empire! Our blood built it. Our blood sustains it!" yet when the Stormcloaks invaded Solitude you would think that this is the perfect time to show how much of a true Nord he is by fighting along with the Imperials; to fight to the death for what is right, but did he? No. He's too busy pouting in the Jimmies rustle Headquarters talking his gums out without actually doing a damn thing when he had the chance.

The big bad true Nord warrior Balgruuf did NOTHING. He is a TRUE bum of a Jarl, and to think that Siddgeir held the King position of being lazy. I think not.

 

[Pretty Vampires]

Whats the big deal almost everybody in Skyrim asks you to do something extremely dangerous no matter if your wearing any armor or not.

Most of the time, your character is the one suggests it.

The other times where NPC's expect you to do something for them, it's usually a fedex quest.

 

[Gearuvagen]

Ulfric is a traitor for all the good reasons. Just because the Empire surrendered to the Aldmeri Dominion doesn't mean that the entire human population has to suffer from the wrath of the Thalmor, and their ridiculous demands.

I don't seem how Ulfric is acting all childish. Balgruuf, after being thrown out of Whiterun, pouts in the "jimmies rustle" headquarters down stairs in the Blue Palace in Solitude, begins pl*** talking about how Ulfric will pay for his blood. Even Jarl Elisif the Fair (The jarl who these Jarls support as Next High queen of Skyrim) doesn't want to deal with their rustled jimmies, and so she tosses them down stairs where instead of beds, they sleep in a cox.

Balgruuf tend to say honest and cherish words like "We need the Empire, as much as it needs us. We Nords are the Empire! Our blood built it. Our blood sustains it!" yet when the Stormcloaks invaded Solitude you would think that this is the perfect time to show how much of a true Nord he is by fighting along with the Imperials; to fight to the death for what is right, but did he? No. He's too busy pouting in the Jimmies rustle Headquarters talking his gums out without actually doing a damn thing when he had the chance.

The big bad true Nord warrior Balgruuf did NOTHING. He is a TRUE bum of a Jarl, and to think that Siddgeir held the King position of being lazy. I think not.

Unlike Ulfric who only leaves Windhelm to take Solitude? A battle in which he got dropped to his knee like 10 times.
Ulfric acts childish when you give him Balgruuf's axe, he could have tried to negotiate with the Jarl waited, make Tullius a liar by not actually making a move, but what did he do? He attacked a city filled with innocent people with fire his supporters included, killed Servio Pelagia, all to prove the strength of his so called "army". Was he there at the battle of whiterun? No, he was safe back in Windhelm, making the DB do all the work.
You talk of the Thalmor yet Ulfric is "an asset" to them, a traitor who during the great war sold out the Empire, and Skyrim. He's an Elven Puppet and so is his army.

 

[The Phoenician]

Most of the time, your character is the one suggests it.

The other times where NPC's expect you to do something for them, it's usually a fedex quest.

And he ask you to go to Bleak Falls because at that moment you are the most qualified person available to go. When you return he rewards you again and then apologizes for asking you to fight the dragon after you have already done so much. And then when you do kill the dragon he makes you a thane without forcing you to buy a house. Thats not exactly D-bag material

 

[Raijin]

Unlike Ulfric who only leaves Windhelm to take Solitude? A battle in which he got dropped to his knee like 10 times.
Ulfric acts childish when you give him Balgruuf's axe, he could have tried to negotiate with the Jarl waited, make Tullius a liar by not actually making a move, but what did he do? He attacked a city filled with innocent people with fire his supporters included, killed Servio Pelagia, all to prove the strength of his so called "army". Was he there at the battle of whiterun? No, he was safe back in Windhelm, making the DB do all the work.
You talk of the Thalmor yet Ulfric is "an asset" to them, a traitor who during the great war sold out the Empire, and Skyrim. He's an Elven Puppet and so is his army.

Ulfric was highly disappointed in Balgruufs decision to side with the Imperials. How is that acting childish? The ax giving is a Nordic tradition. Are you telling me that the Nord heritage is childish? Ulfric had to do what was necessary. This is the civil war, and yes innocent people do unfortunately die... in the case of Servio Pelagia. This is NOT all Ulfrics fault. Ulfric wouldn't had invaded Whiterun had Balgruuf indicated that he was on his side. You don't necessarily have to be Ulfric's best buddy to become a Stormcloak supporting Jarl. Look at the woman Jarl from Riften.

Are we going to talk about Ulfrics dossier now? Do you honestly believe that hes the ONLY "asset" to them? Both parties are doing exactly what the Thalmor wants them to do... to reduce both the Stormcloak and the Empire resources by killing each other in this civil war. Don't just blame Ulfric for it. The Empire must carry some of the burden for this.

Tullius: "You realize this is exactly what they wanted."
Galmar: "What who wanted?"
Tullius: "The Thalmor. They stirred up trouble here. Forced us to divert needed resources and throw away good soldiers quelling this rebellion."
Ulfric: "It's a little more than a rebellion, don't you think?"
Galmar: "Heh."
Tullius: "We aren't the bad guys you know."

This was in battle of Solitude. General Tullius, with this HIGHLY valuable information could've very well end the Civil war, but did he? No. Tullius was a warmongering General who got off sending people to prison and ordering the deaths of innocent people.

 

[Gearuvagen]

How is the Empire at fault? They are fighting a war Ulfric started if He hadn't walked up and murdered Torygg nobody would be losing anybody.
Those quotes just further my point even Tullius knew this only benefited the Thalmor. Ulfric knew it too yet he still instigated his so called "Stormcloak Rebellion"

Tullius didn't order your death either, the captain did, you were thought to be a traitor. Tullius didn't even notice you until you were called to the block. He was only sent to Skyrim to end Ulfric's assault on the other Nords, who weren't with him so by dent must die or be dethroned.

Neither point changes the Fact Ulfric broke like a 2$ watch and told the Thalmor everything.

Also Ulfric could have very well kept the Axe and allowed the innocents to leave, seek refuge in rorikstead.

 

[The Wanderer]

He is probably My favorite next to Ulfric, nothing that douchey about him if you ask me, his steward is a little on the bitchy side, but I really like his Housecarl and the Jarl's brother.

 

[Raijin]

How is the Empire at fault? They are fighting a war Ulfric started if He hadn't walked up and murdered Torygg nobody would be losing anybody.
Those quotes just further my point even Tullius knew this only benefited the Thalmor. Ulfric knew it too yet he still instigated his so called "Stormcloak Rebellion"

"I fight for the men I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil. I fight for their wives and children, who's names I heard whispered in their last breaths. I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces. I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of an Empire too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing. I fight... because I must." ―Ulfric Stormcloak

Ulfric would glad to retire from the world if he could. Ulfric is fighting for the right for him and his people to openly worship of Talos without being slaughtered by the Thalmor... All thanks to the WGC that the Empire signed during the Great war. Ulfric did not murdered the High King. He challenged the High King to a duel, and he accepted it. How is that considered it as murder? Is it because Ulfric used the voice? What if Torygg used the voice? Everyone would view this man as a fricken hero. Double fricken standards right there. Show me LORE evidence that using the voice was against Nordic traditions. After all Ulfric did challenge him to duel in the Nordic traditions. It's understanding that the Empire views it as murder... because the Empire doesn't know jack about the Nord culture. Look at General Tullius for a prime example.

Tullius didn't order your death either, the captain did, you were thought to be a traitor. Tullius didn't even notice you until you were called to the block. He was only sent to Skyrim to end Ulfric's assault on the other Nords, who weren't with him so by dent must die or be dethroned.

Yes he did order you to die.

"General tullius ordered my execution. Why would I want to help him?" Hadvar mention nothing about the captain.

Click on the photo to direct you to the youtube video.