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Serving as both the governing body and paramilitary arm of the Aldmeri Dominion, the Thalmor have manipulated conflicts and events in Tamriel with a singular goal in mind : total Elven supremacy. They are the most powerful organization of The Elder Scrolls' Fourth Era, effectively crippling The Empire and sowing the seeds of a Civil War in Skyrim.
In the course of securing that power, they have committed atrocities that cement their status as corrupt and wicked zealots. Many of those crimes are evident in the course of playing Skyrim, however, a complete understanding of the Thamor's evil requires a deeper dive into the lore.
8 Taking Credit For Solving The Oblivion Crisis
Lies are powerful, especially when they're weaponized for political gain. The Thalmor used lies to profit from the destruction and displacement caused by the Oblivion Crisis. Players of Oblivion will distinctly remember that it was Martin Septim and The Hero of Kvatch that brought an end to Mehrunes Dagon's tyranny, with Martin giving his life to do so.
In spite of this sacrifice, the Thalmor took credit for the resolving of the crises. Whilst it was partially true in their defense of the Summerset Isles, it would have been in vain without the Martin's efforts. Their perception as saviors elevated their status in the Isles, building their political claim on hollow foundations.
7 Night of Green Fire
Once the Thalmor had risen to prominence in the Isles, many Altmer who disagreed with their vision of Elven supremacy sought to flee. Those that escaped congregated in the Refugee District of Sentinel, a city in the land of Hammerfell. Unsatisfied with the forced migration, the Thalmor proceeded to hunt down the dissenting Altmer.
On a shrouded night in the 42nd year of the Fourth Era, the Thalmor launched an assault on the district. The ensuing battle, involving the masterful use of Magicka, resulted in the annihilation of the district and the refugees, whilst also giving the infamous event its namesake. The slaughter exemplifies the grim tenacity and barbarism of the Thalmor.
6 Engineering The Great War
Surveying the fractured Empire that Titus Mede II inherited, the Thalmor saw it as an opportune time to strike, further consolidating their power. They presented a harsh ultimatum to the beleaguered Emperor; including the concession of Hammerfell to the Thalmor, a ban on the worship of Talos and the disbanding of the Blades. Titus bravely refused. The armies of the Aldmeri Dominion were then relentless in their invasion of Cyrodiil and Hammerfell.
This move marked the beginning of a five-year conflict that was known as The Great War, for which millions suffered. The Empire resisted for some time but was eventually outmatched. Titus was made to sign the White-Gold Concordant, effectively ending the conflict by agreeing to the drastic terms originally stated by the Thalmor.
5 Destroying The Blades
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It would be remiss to omit mentioning the act which started The Great War. A Thalmor messenger presented a cart to Titus in the Imperial City. After the Emperor refused the original ultimatum, the cart was revealed to contain the severed heads of members of The Blades. It's clear the Thalmor were intent on their culling and utter extinction.
By the time the Dragoborn encounters The Blades in Skyrim, they're a miniscule shadow of their previous might. Their members are forced into obscurity, living covert lives, burying their true nature. The Blades' links to Talos and the Empire meant they had to be extinguished in the eyes of the Thalmor.
4 Infiltrating The College of Winterhold
Ancano. Perennial douche. Thalmor spy. All round bad-egg. If the player chooses to pursue entry into The College of Winterhold, they'll encounter the presence of the Thalmor within the halls of the institution, in the form of Ancano. He posits that he's there to advise the Arch-Mage, nothing more. The facade is dropped when the Eye of Magnus is discovered.
Ancano seeks to covet the mysterious powers of the artifact for the Thalmor's designs, killing the Arch-Mage in the process. The player can eventually bring an end to his madness. However, Ancano's acts further isolates the already insular College from the rest of Skyrim. His actions are endemic of the Thalmor as a whole, damaging and self-serving.
3 Playing God
Tiber Septim, the man that became a god. He united Tamriel in his own bloody conquest, ushering in the Third Age. The Elves have their own troubled history with the man, as he encroached upon their lands and caused bloodshed during his campaigns. In spite of his mortal misgivings, it's said that upon Tiber Septim's death, the Eight Divines invited him into their pantheon. He shed his mortal status and became Talos. The story of that ascension served as an affront to all the Thalmor stood for in their bid for racial supremacy.
The Thalmor sought to eradicate the belief in Talos through their enforcement of the White-Gold Concordant. The corpses of believers are present at many Talos shrines across Skyrim, whilst Nordic prisoners are often witnessed being escorted by Thalmor patrols, supposedly for the crime of their beliefs. The discord cause by the ban was a factor in instigating the Civil War in Skyrim, another conflict the Thalmor sought to profit from.
2 The Void Nights
The moons of Nirn are critical to the Khajiit. The lunar phase dictates a Khajiit's form at birth. Some groups of Khajiiti also believe the moons to be deities in their own right. When Nirn's moons disappeared out of the night sky, the Khajiit went into disarray. Society in Elsewyr completely unraveled.
The moons returned after two years, with the Thalmor claiming responsibility for their return. The Khajiit felt indebted to the Thalmor, and it wasn't long before Elsewyr broke off from the Empire and joined the dominion. The Thalmor, again, benefited from chaos. Whilst it's disputed, there are assertions that the Void Nights was in fact a vile eugenics experiment, conducted by none other than the Thalmor.
1 Endgame
The Thalmor's fervent belief in their superiority stems from the idea that High Elves are direct descendants of the Aedra, a pantheon of gods in The Elder Scrolls. Michael Kirkbride, an authoritative lore consultant on the series, indicates that the High Elves seek to return to their godly form. To achieve this, they would have to unmake the world.
Unmaking the reality of The Elder Scrolls likely requires the destruction of certain sacrosanct towers that appear in Tamriel. These towers are said to keep the mortal plane of existence in balance, diminishing the involvement of the gods in the realm of Mundus. Many of these towers have already been destroyed, as foretold in the prophecy of The Dragonborn. The last remaining tower may be The Direnni Tower, situated in High Rock.
The most reprehensible acts the Thalmor have committed were motivated by their total conviction in the superiority of the High Elves, a divine right. Purges, subjugation and manipulation would pale in comparison.The complete destruction of the very fabric of reality could well be within their reach.