After so many years without a main series release, The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to have its work cut out addressing a thousand and one plot points, fan theories, and new events. Along the way there will undoubtedly be plenty of references to past titles, along with plenty of little easter eggs that have kept the community going all these years.
Easter eggs have been a staple in gaming for decades, from Minecraft’s Herobrine to GTA 5’s flying saucer. The Elder Scrolls is no different, with returning jokes about sweetrolls and Fishy Sticks, but one in particular might not be worth bringing back for The Elder Scrolls 6.
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As much as the inclusion of Jiub from Morrowind to Skyrim provides a small sense of continuity, his inclusion in three games in the series is considered more like trivia than an actual easter egg by parts of the community. TES has a lot of incredible characters, big and small, who have only appeared in one game, yet have made a larger impact than Jiub, whose inclusion is starting to feel a little forced.
Of the many, many callbacks Bethesda makes in its games, the saga of Jiub’s ongoing tragic life and death has cropped up in some strange places. As a prisoner on the boat in Morrowind, he is the first character the player meets, though he is quickly forgotten. Jiub’s mention in Oblivion is tiny, being talked about in radiant background dialogue, yet when it came to Skyrim, Bethesda decided to make him an NPC again, with a whole quest to boot.
However, all these various appearances feel mismatched, and for those who don’t pick apart the lore with a fine-toothed comb, they’re not likely to know who Jiub is in Skyrim’s Dawnguard expansion. Going from a single appearance, to a passing comment, to a long, drawn-out fetch quest inside the Soul Cairn, which is not remembered fondly by many players, makes for quite a lackluster easter egg. His continued suffering from the events of each game is vaguely amusing, but not enough to warrant such an extensive reference.
Jiub’s Inclusion in the Next Elder Scrolls Game Could Create a Larger Bethesda Problem
Besides Jiub himself, his potential inclusion presents a conundrum for Bethesda. As of 2025, it will be 14 years since Skyrim came out, and Bethesda has its plate full when it comes to advancing the timeline. After such a long time, and all the lore The Elder Scrolls: Online has added, the studio cannot be expected to carry forward every tiny plot point. If Jiub is carried forward, then it could set a bad precedent for Bethesda to address every minor detail that ever came up.
Ma’iq the Liar is a returning NPC whose recurring status has been done well. His appearances are consistent, cryptic, funny, and never outstay their welcome. Fans have speculated for decades about who he is, and the less the community knows, the more fervent the theorizing becomes. As an established character with a known backstory, Jiub does not have this luxury, so it could feel more like an oddity for him to appear in TES 6, with few places his character can go.
Given the very long wait until TES 6, Bethesda may feel some obligation to tie up a lot of loose ends, but Jiub should not be one of them. However, if they do include him in the next game, then there is an excellent opportunity to make it his last, and give poor Jiub an end to his soul-trapped limbo. It’s time for the series to move on, and time to let Jiub finally rest.
- Released
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2026
- ESRB
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m
- Developer(s)
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Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Bethesda Softworks