Among all the dragon slaying and dungeon skulking, Skyrim brings you face to face with plenty of different characters throughout your many adventures in the land of Nords. Whether it's a potential new companion, a villainous thorn in your side or some unlucky soul, the characters in Skyrim help bring the story to life as you interact and learn more about them throughout the different quests.
However, like all stories, while some characters are great, some are so good and yet so underappreciated by the fans. Whether it's because of a commonly missed quest or underexposure in the story, such underappreciated characters are common in a game as massive as Skyrim. Many of the stories and details concerning the background of characters can be hard to find, so it's not too surprising that some of this obscurity extends to some characters as well, even if they are well written.
8 Rune
Rune is one of those characters with a great amount of potential. Though he appears as just another member of the Thieves Guild, Rune has a very mysterious backstory about being found washed ashore as a young boy, the sole survivor of a shipwreck with nothing but a stone marked in runes with him.
A quest to track down where the stone came from and who Rune really was practically begging to be written. However, despite there being some great Thieves Guild quests, there isn't one for Rune. We may never get the answers on this fascinating backstory, but it's also fair to say that perhaps not getting the answer just keeps Rune perpetually interesting.
7 Falion
When one steps into the misty town of Morthal, it's hard not to catch one of the townsfolk talk about the suspicious mage who fuels his magic with dark deeds. Though he's not the evil wizard the townspeople suspect him of, Falion does have his secrets, so much so there's even a quest named after it called Falion's Secret.
He has a heartwarming dynamic with the adopted child Agni who he tries to teach magic with some interesting dialogue about magic, the College of Winterhold and more. Not only is he an interesting character, but he can also cure vampirism for the player - which is always a plus.
6 Babette
From the mysterious to the suspicious to the downright dark, Babette is not a good person, but it doesn't mean she isn't a good character. Bitten by a vampire at the age of ten, Babette has mentally aged whilst physically remaining a child and uses her appearance to her advantage to lure her victims.
Though she revels in her murders, Babette is also caring to her friends and loyal to the Dragonborn throughout the Dark Brotherhood questline, making her more than just an edgy character - she's multidimensional.
5 Irileth
When the story of Skyrim starts, dragons have been gone for hundreds of years, so it's incredibly surprising when they return and we see Irileth, a housecarl to Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun, lead the charge to slay the dragon attacking a watchtower outside the city. Irileth is a character who seems to be a protagonist straight out of a fantasy novel, a fierce warrior who claims to have travelled and battled all kinds of foes across Tamriel.
She's a strong-headed character who would have benefited from some more dialogue to really dig into her backstory, whether it's a tale of her travels, her relationship with the Jarl, or more about her background.
4 Nepos The Nose
Nepos the Nose is one of the most ruthless and intimidating antagonists, which is high praise for a game with fire-breathing dragons and evil mages. It's not that he's a hard fight either, but it is solely in the single conversation the Dragonborn has with him. In one single conversation, Nepos is established, characterised, and developed. His dialogue is well written and impactful, telling a story of a tired old man caught in the bloody game of politics and who now sees you as an adversary in the way.
Though he barely gets much time in his own quest, Nepos certainly is a bone-chilling reminder of an ideology gone too far.
3 Emperor Titus Mede II
The last thing one expects is for the emperor of Tamriel to be considered an underrated character, and yet Emperor Titus Mede II proves us all wrong. Another character who is only spoken to once, Emperor Titus Mede II is confronted when about to be assassinated as part of the final act of the Dark Brotherhood questline. However, instead of being scared, saddened, or angered at his fate, he has already accepted it.
It's a fascinating reaction that says so much about a character with so little dialogue and gives a character much more depth than what's realised at first.
2 Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone
Perhaps the most interesting Jarl in the game, Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone of Hjaalmarch is a mystical character who claims to have visions of the future. Though some people in her town doubt her abilities and sanity, she is a wise and well-spoken woman who imparts some wisdom to the Dragonborn.
She's involved in a couple of dark and spooky quests around Morthal, but it still never feels like enough for such an interesting character. Her abilities and wise demeanour give her a uniqueness among the characters of Skyrim and make her one of the more memorable Jarls of the game, even if she deserves some more dialogue.
1 Erik The Slayer
Almost everyone wants to be a hero, and Skyrim delivers by being a hero fantasy for the player. However, having a character who demonstrates such a relatable feeling that has been mirrored in dozens of stories through the Hero's Journey is always great. That's where Erik the Slayer comes in. Named in honour of Erik West, an Oblivion fan who passed away shortly before the release of Skyrim, Erik the Slayer is a character with a lot of heart.
Though he may not be as interesting as some other underrated characters, having a character whose quest is to encourage him into adventure is heartwarming, and the name change from the simple Erik to Erik the Slayer, is a nice detail. He may not get as much attention as the other followers in the game, but Erik the Slayer is a character made with a lot of love and who deserves some of that love back.