Miraak serves as the primary antagonist of the Dragonborn DLC in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. He is believed to be the first-ever Dragonborn. Though he’s been biding his time in Hermaeus Mora’s plane of Oblivion, he has plans of returning to Tamriel. The player will need to thwart his plans before the First Dragonborn uses his powers to take control of Nirn.
After the player completes “The Way of the Voice” quest in Skyrim’s main questline, they may come across a group of individuals in strange robes and skull-shaped masks. Killing them and looting the Cultists’ Orders note from them will trigger the first quest in the DLC, which prompts the player to travel to the island of Solstheim.
The Renegade Dragon Priest
Long before Miraak dabbled in Daedric arts, he was part of the Dragon Cult. It is unclear whether he knew that he was Dragonborn at this point, though it is believed that Akatosh made him the First Dragonborn in hopes that he would use his power to defeat Alduin — a mission he rejected. Thus, his path goes down a very different route when compared to other Dragonborn.
In the Merethic Era, the people of Skyrim revered the dragons of Tamriel, treating them like kings or even gods. The dragons, pleased by the worship, embraced this role. However, the creatures could not be bothered to rule over the Nords. As such, they granted some of their power to a select few — the Dragon Priests. Miraak was among these chosen few and had his own temple of worship.
Because of their newfound power, these Dragon Priests were worshipped just as much as the dragons. With their authority, they set down laws and codes to ensure that man and dragon lived peacefully. Miraak would have likely gone along with this. Though at one point, he came across a Black Book, a text that held esoteric knowledge, otherworldly in nature. These tomes were created by Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory. Miraak delved into the Daedric texts and, before long, he abandoned his role as Dragon Priest to serve under the Daedric Prince.
Hermaeus Mora’s Champion
Under Hermaeus Mora’s tutelage, Miraak learned a powerful dragon shout that allowed him to bend other dragons to his will. With it, Miraak decided to turn on his dragon masters, defeating them and devouring their souls to grow even more powerful. As he fought, three Dragon Priests — Ahzidal, Dukaan, and Zahkriisos — also turned their backs on the dragons and opted to serve Miraak instead, becoming his most powerful allies.
Meanwhile, the other Dragon Priests grew more severe with their rule, making the very people who worshipped them slaves. This angered the Nords, leading to widespread rebellion. When the dragons stepped in to punish the people, it only worsened things. Thus began the infamous Dragon War. During this war, Felldir the Old, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Hakon One-Eye approached Miraak to ask for his help in defeating Alduin. However, Miraak denied them any assistance and, instead, continued rebelling against the dragons himself.
Eventually, Miraak was bested in battle by another Dragon Priest — Vahlok. It’s said that their fight was so destructive that it ripped the island that was to be known as Solstheim away from mainland Skyrim. Right as Vahlok was about to strike a fatal blow, Hermaeus Mora snatched Miraak’s body away and transported him to Apocrypha. Vahlok was then appointed the ruler of Solstheim, but he first had to swear that he would always stay vigilant in case Miraak returned. The dragons also destroyed what had once been Miraak’s temple.
Miraak in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
There’s no mention of Miraak in the following Eras, but he reappears in the Fourth Era. The First Dragonborn bided his time in Hermaeus Mora’s plane of Oblivion, acquiring the knowledge and power he needed to return to Nirn. Finally, in the events of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, he finds a way to control the people of Solstheim while they’re asleep.
Thus, he orders the enthralled island-dwellers to do his bidding. Some went about rebuilding the Temple of Miraak, while others constructed special arch-like structures around the All-Maker Stones so that Miraak could harness their energy — all this while they were unconscious. There are still others, however, who recognized Miraak’s power and opted to worship him. This is how the cult around the First Dragonborn came to be.
Miraak orchestrated all this so he could return to Nirn and claim it as his own. After all, Miraak was Dragonborn, and it is natural for those with dragon souls to want to exercise their will on others. It didn’t matter whether the player had already defeated Alduin dragons or not. Miraak simply wanted another shot at world domination. And his arrogance led him to believe that he could pull it off, regardless of what stood in his way.
However, it seems Miraak’s arrogance is his greatest downfall. By the end of the Dragonborn DLC’s questline, the player faces off against Miraak in Apocrypha. Despite his power and skill (as well as a few cheap tricks), he is no match for the Last Dragonborn. Right as the player is about to defeat him, Hermaeus Mora intervenes and kills Miraak instead. The Daedric Prince then chides Miraak, revealing that they knew all along that the First Dragonborn had intended to rebel against them.
With Miraak finally dead, Hermaeus Mora turns their attention to the Last Dragonborn, saying that if the player serves them faithfully, they are sure to be rewarded. This implies that the player has taken Miraak’s place and now serves the Daedric Prince. Though, unlike the First Dragonborn, they can enter and exit Apocrypha as they please. Thus ends Miraak’s nefarious plan and the main questline of the Dragonborn DLC.
Miraak was a man consumed by the temptation of ultimate power. He wanted the world to bow to him, but even that wasn’t enough. The First Dragonborn also wanted a Daedric Prince under his power. Such an attempt at subjugating Hermaeus Mora was foolish, and ultimately led to Miraak’s demise. Now, it seems the Last Dragonborn is in the same boat. What follows from this new development, however, is unknown.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
