Jarls are essentially the rulers of smaller holds of Skyrim, and are responsible for their respective city and small towns. While most of them don’t serve a deeper purpose other than to be quest givers and to grant the status of Thane, they’ve still managed to become an essential part of Skyrim’s fan culture due to some notable quirks and famous characters.
Jarl Balgruuf in particular is a classic favorite among players due to how early on he’s met and his involvement in the game’s main quest. As one would expect, the Internet has used every possible opportunity to turn him and his other Jarl colleagues into hilarious memes that make Skyrim’s Jarls much funnier than they actually are.
10 Dream Big
There’s something special about a throne a Jarl sits on. Whatever it is, it basically forces anyone who sits down on that chair to lean back in a lazy and arrogant manner. The thrones don’t even look that comfortable to be fair, but something about them just brings out everyone’s inner Jarl.
Next time you’re in a Jarl’s home and it’s night time, why not try that throne for yourself and see what it would feel like to rule Windhelm? Just make sure Ulfric doesn’t catch you in the act.
9 Climbing The 7,000 Steps
Many of the dialogues Jarls have are iconic, but nothing is quite as memorable as Jarl Balgruuf’s conversation with the Dragonborn when they get summoned to High Hrothgar. Everyone has been through this quest by now, which is why every player remembers Balgruuf reminiscing about his past and how he climbed those 7,000 steps.
It’s a task every player has to undertake, almost comparable to how a friend might announce they’re playing Skyrim for the first time. That would get any hardcore fan reminiscing about their last playthrough.
8 The Jarl’s Back Issues
Speaking of the way Jarls sit, it’s a bit of a miracle they haven’t developed any lasting back issues. Or maybe they have. With how many hours they lounge on their thrones, it’s likely all of them have some sort of permanent condition that would make them hunchbacks.
Someone even had the wits to put a graph of a classic 46 degree scoliosis which would probably merit a surgery, and place it next to Balgruuf’s portrait. Here’s to hoping the ruler of Whiterun isn’t too burdened during his working hours.
7 Questionable Architecture Choices
Every Jarl has a unique abode, but Jarl Balgruuf stands out from the rest by having perhaps the most impressive home of all. It even beats the Blue Palace, as Dragonsreach was once used for capturing dragons from the sky. During the main quest of Skyrim it’s eventually something the player will get to do as well.
However, what doesn’t make sense about Dragonsreach is the fact that it’s made almost completely out of wood. That’s a terrible choice for a building dedicated to capturing dragons who breathe fire.
6 The Result Of Bad Parenting
What exactly is it about Jarls sitting in this weird, lazy and mangled way? Either they’re completely bored by their day that slowly ticks by as they wait for something, anything to happen, or they just have a bad habit from their childhood that was never corrected by their parents.
Everyone’s been told to sit upright at least some point when they were young. Well, clearly this wasn’t the case with Jarls when they were but children. Bad parenting definitely shows on them.
5 After Clearing A Dangerous Dungeon
Quest rewards and gold are one of the best parts of playing Skyrim. It’s a great feeling to finally make it through a dungeon to get that last chest and then return to a Jarl for some extra rewards. Except, the rewards aren’t always that fantastic, and can even be a letdown in most cases.
It would be nice to actually receive something useful after putting your life on the line, rather than a steel greatsword that anyone can buy from the local blacksmith. Jarls are definitely out of touch when it comes to giving gifts.
4 Unbelievably Lazy
What do Jarls actually do most of the days? As mentioned above, they probably just wait for the Dragonborn to show up and deal with their problems. From bandits to dragons, they need a mercenary like the player to go and get it all done for them, since they can’t be bothered to send their own guards.
Tending to a city also includes sleeping for long hours, and then sitting down in an uncomfortable position for the better half of the day. It sounds awfully easy and incredibly boring to be a Jarl.
3 What’s Up With Elisif?
So, there is actually one Jarl that’s a bit different from the rest and that’s Elisif. She sits in a completely different way, which is an interesting design choice from the developers. Elisif’s personality is very different from the rest of the Jarls, most likely because she never expected to be in her current position.
It’s also implied that the Jarl of Solitude is unsure of herself and relies quite a bit on her advisors. Of course, the Internet had a different theory on her sitting position: she just happened to take an arrow to the knee.
2 Balgruuf’s Sitting Style
Alright, one last point about this unbearable sitting position that every Jarl seems to have, from Windhelm to Markarth. Doesn’t it remind you of something? The Internet clearly believes this cat lazily lounging about in a cheap chair was Balgruuf reincarnated into animal form.
It further shows just how unhealthy and lazy, and a bit arrogant this sitting style is. Balgruuf, for your own sake, please sit upright. It might just be scoliosis that gets him, before the civil war and the dragons.
1 No Respect Here
You would think after becoming the Jarl’s Thane that everyone would bow down to you. But no, there’s still so much disrespect the Dragonborn needs to endure even after defeating Alduin and literally saving Skyrim from destruction. One of them is Balgruuf’s son.
Nelkir seems to always be complaining about the Dragonborn’s presence in Dragonsreach, implying they’re simply there to take advantage of Balgruuf’s power. Well, newsflash: Balgruuf wouldn’t even be in power if the Dragonborn had never defeated Alduin, so jot that down, Nelkir!
