20 Video Game Villains You Never Realised Got The Last Laugh
16. Hermaeus Mora - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s DLC Dragonborn follows the story of the Last Dovahkiin as they go up against the millennia-old Miraak—the first Dragonborn in history.
The conflict between these two demigods appears to be the focal point of Dragonborn’s story, but underneath your beef with Miraak there secretly lies an even more insidious villain.
Hermaeus Mora.
As you play through the DLC’s main questline, you discover that Miraak is the champion of the Deadric Prince of Fate, Hermaeus Mora.
Defeating Miraak means that Mora loses his chosen, which you’d think would be a loss for him, and yet despite this, the Deadra still decides to help you in exchange for gaining the secrets of the Skaals.
Why? Because Mora wins here no matter what.
While you may think that you’re being clever and weakening Mora by getting rid of Miraak, at the end of the story the Daedric Prince turns you into his new champion. You can try to oppose him, but the moment you destroy Miraak and absorb his power, you fall under the same curse as your dead rival.
With this, Mora gains access to Skaal's long-coveted knowledge and gains a new, even more powerful puppet to play with.