Original artwork, not a still
Town Guard
Stop right there, criminal scum!
— The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion · 2006
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the sound of getting caught, delivered in the stiff, over-serious voice that made Oblivion's guards famous. Players heard it so often, from guards who seemed to be everywhere, that it became a standing joke about the game and a template for the arrest speeches in later Elder Scrolls titles. Fans quote it whenever someone is accused of something small.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionShow the scene
In Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006), the city guards of Cyrodiil challenge a player who has committed a crime and been seen. The guard halts them with this call, announces that stolen goods are being confiscated, and offers a choice: pay the fine or go to jail. A player who resists arrest gets a hostile line and a fight with the guards instead. The same stock speech is used across the game's cities, which is why the sentence is so familiar.
Sources (1)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Wikiquote)Guards and soldiers dialogueReference checked
Context reviewed