Bethesda's Skyrim will be ten years old come November 11th, 2021, and much to no one's surprise, it is still played to this day. The game's foundation itself lends to nearly limitless replayability, but couple that with nearly a decade of dedicated mod support from passionate fans, as well as various re-releases much to the chagrin and amusement of fans, it is not surprising that Skyrim has endured as long as it has.
Because of this longevity, the memes centered on the game still hold amazing staying power. Here are a few examples that every Skyrim fan can enjoy, courtesy of r/SkyrimMemes on Reddit.
10 Hail, The Mark
Traveling by foot, whether one is a casual player wanting to get where they are going as quickly as possible or a hardcore role-player who insists on never fast traveling and soaking in the ambiance; all Skyrim fans are slaves to the objective marker. This meme showcases the predicament that most players find themselves in when they suddenly realize that in their bid to follow a straight route towards the objective, they are now stuck on the side of a steep mountain, spamming the jump button to not fall to their death. Truly, a classic problem.
9 Bethesda X Microsoft
The news that Microsoft had purchased Bethesda Softworks along with all of their IP's was one of the most industry-shaking bombshells to hit the news last year. With their current attitude towards studio acquisitions though, there seems to be little reason to worry. Companies appear to be able to maintain their autonomy while now being able to access the resources of a juggernaut in the industry like Microsoft. With that in mind, one fan decided to take a jab at Bethesda's notorious reputation of releasing buggy products with this hilarious meme pointing out how unpolished games should be less of a possibility thanks to Papa Microsoft.
8 3rd Grade Dragonborn
For a time, many on the internet shared memes about a shared schoolday pastime where children would jump up to slap the door frame of every doorway they entered. Specifically boys and usually around the age of third graders. It was a feat of athleticism that everyone wanted to prove they could do.
This feat could be recreated within Skyrim as well, much to everyone's surprise. Signs are seen hanging off of most stores in most towns and if the Dragonborn manages to run and get a high enough jump to hit a sign, it will swing in place from the blow. Satisfaction then ensues.
7 Watch Out!
It is a fear every Dragonborn learns after their first encounter. At the end of most crypts, after fighting through a militia of draugr, most players are happy to find a word wall and receive a new "word of power" to add to their arsenal. But lo, and beware to any who read and think the dungeon is finished with them, for the powerful draugr overlords usually lay in waiting as illustrated perfectly by the Undertaker in this meme.
6 A Song Of Hubris
Most players probably appreciate the inclusion of the bard NPCs and how their songs will add atmosphere to any tavern, but it is more likely than not that most Dragonborn do not stick around just to listen to a bard's song. Nevertheless, the occasional player will partake in the request option, and as this meme shows, revel and laugh at choosing the song "The Dragonborn Comes" since the player themselves are the subject of the song, whether the bard knows it or not.
5 It's 3 AM, I Must Be Forging
Many players, after their second or so playthrough of Skyrim, pick up on the fact that forging is a great way to grind experience and level up swiftly. However, even so, that does not mean the process does not take a large amount of time, even being of the quicker ways to level up in the early game. But when one actually thinks about it, how annoying for the in-game characters it must be! One fan had the same thought with Adrianne Avenicci, the first blacksmith one can meet in Whiterun and quite a friendly person at that. The idea that Adrianne's kindness, in offering the use of her forge to the Dragonborn, could be abused in such a way makes for an objectively funny meme.
4 Drake... Where's The Claw?
Few memes in recent years have been so recognizable by a generation of people that the caption of the actual meme is not even necessary. That meme is the Drake and Josh classic: "Drake...Where's the Drill?" For those unaware, the meme is taken from an episode of Drake and Josh where the two titular characters find themselves trapped in a treehouse after accidentally building it around themselves.
A drill would help them escape, but Drake leaves it outside without realizing it. This is then translated over perfectly, simply by replacing the treehouse door from the show with a claw door puzzle in Skyrim. Players can relate to accidentally bringing the wrong claw to a door, so the frustration Josh Peck radiates in this meme is completely relatable.
3 Boethiah's Trust
Companions in Skyrim are memes themselves. Players have always taken note of their ridiculous timing, their tendency to block doors, or the fact that they sometimes do not show up for fights at all! But if nothing else, they are loyal to a fault, even the ones who are only following the player character because they hired them. With that, there is a daedric artifact quest where in order to obtain said artifact, the Dragonborn must sacrifice anyone they can get to follow them by ordering them to place themselves on an altar to be sacrificed. The point of the quest is to betray someone in order to gain more power. So the idea of walking into a tavern, hiring someone, and they are being so loyal and trusting that they are fine with getting onto a creepy altar is amusing to a "t" as this meme illustrates.
2 Watch Out WATCH OUT!
The Undertaker returns in meme form to represent the "mightiest" group of warriors within the province of Skyrim. The Companions. Specifically, though, the shock that Randy Orton expresses is most likely parallel to the majority of players' first reactions to finding out the Companions are werewolves. The Undertaker even slightly resembles Farkas, so the accuracy of this meme is something that should not be understated.
1 Express Mail
Finally, a meme that is certain to feel accurate to anyone who claims to love Skyrim. Couriers are some of the most interesting NPCs within the game. They are only encountered randomly on the road and if they have no business with the player, they have little to say. But, if the Dragonborn is in need of mail of any kind, a courier will traverse any distance with a speed that could almost be described as instantaneous. Even if one is in the midst of combat with a dragon, a courier will not be deterred and stop one in their tracks with postage that is for "their hands only." George Lucas serves as the ideal embodiment of this phenomenon.