I don't think it means people should like her for it. For sure, she is abrasive. But it isn't necessary to like her to recognize she's a good character, with uncommon depth, in some of the same ways that Paarth is. So while she's not super likable, that's hardly a good reason to dismiss her.
Delphine is invariably the focal point of this dilemma; it makes perfect sense for her and the Blades to be part of the discussion. Even the OP is centered on her. I think Phil's got a great point. If they had taken a different approach to her character, it would be quite a different debate. Would it be a better situation? Probably not; the option really should have been in there to move past the choice, but seeing as that's not the case, we make due.
I remember bringing up a theory a while back, that's essentially about how Paarthurnax is the true villain of The Elder Scrolls and that the plot of Skyrim is the result of a (very) long con he's running on absolutely everyone. The gist of it is this:
Kill Paarthurnax. Save the world.
1. But Dragonrend didn't come from Paarth, else why wouldn't he just teach it to you himself when you meet him? Sending you off to get an Elder Scroll doesn't seem to do anything to further this goal, instead risking the life of the one mortal who can permanently kill Alduin. If everything hinges on this shout, what reason would he have not to share it right away?
I would totally buy into the rest of it, and not even fault Paarth himself. Assuming he manages to take a bunch of dragons "under his wing", how long before they end up contending with the other dragons? His secret's out, so he can't just hide (at the end of the quest, not the part you mentioned) and what effect will that have on him? Will he conquer or die? Heck, even the dragons that follow him could, over time, turn him back to his old ways with their dragon-y persuasion. Vaz's option is the true ideal: give him the benefit of the doubt, and if he turns, take him out. But then he has only to wait until the Dragonborn is dead.
I think part of it is a combination of "show, don't tell" and the failure to suspend disbelief.
Paarthurnax's (alleged) crimes all take place offscreen, and are related to the player entirely through exposition. This makes them very easy to gloss over and ignore on the part of the player, because it's not "real" to you in the same way Paarthurnax's aid to you is throughout the game. Players are already very quick to ignore things that are actually shown, so it's hardly shocking to see them dismiss mere backstory as unimportant.
On the other side, it's easy to seize upon Delphine's prickly behavior and willingness to argue with the player because it all happens right on-screen and in front of you. Gamers have a long history of exaggerating things that annoy them, so it's no surprise that things go from "She's a bit stubborn and slow to trust you" to "That f---ing b---h should die in a f---ing fire!!1!" when you add in the internet echo chamber.
This is a well put together little conspiracy theory, I like it. I'm sorry I can't recall the original discussion otherwise it would be a Directory entry in the LG.
I'm wondering how I can tie this all in with the idea that Hermaeus Mora contrived all the events to prompt the fulfilment of the prophecy.
Yeah, I think the most eerie thing about it is that he doesn't even really need to be doing any of it on purpose - his efforts to atone for his previous barbarity and do the right thing just happen to leave him in an incredibly powerful position. Dragonkind's drive for power and domination runs so deep you can't even act completely selflessly if you try.
The Way of the Voice isn't really a cure for that drive, it merely directs it inward. After all, the entire point of becoming a Greybeard is about teaching yourself the most powerful techniques in the universe, and then swearing never to actually use them. It'd be like me building a nuclear bomb in my garage, just so I could very deliberately not blow anything up with it.
I believe it was in the comments on some photo of Paarthurnax.
Sorry, I don't knew enough about Hermaeus Mora to help you out with that. I do like the idea that there are multiple groups who are working to bring about the prophecy for their own benefit; after all, an event as big as the (potential) end of the world would probably attract a lot of powerful attention.
There is a bit of 5 here, minus "the world would have come to the current state anyway, no matter who won" sentiment. There are a growing amount of 2's, especially as more right-wing parties appeal to the "keep foreigners out" Nord mentality which has been growing in recent years.
When I was at school we mostly learned how the USA were big goddam heroes who saved our asses at the last minute. The fact that they didn't join out of pure altruism is something conveniently left out...
Bethesda probably thought this would be a huge moral dilemma, but 95% of the people simply gave the Finger to Delphine - including me. I only killed him once to see what would happen, and re-loaded when I saw nothing happening. What, the Blades are gonna respect me? Screw them. I always hated the Blades in Skyrim anyway (remember the mute Esbern glitch?). In the times of emperor Patrick Stewart (aka Uriel Septim VII) they were supposed to serve the Dragonborn, not the other way around!
I know that Paarthurnax commited many bad deeds, but that was in the Merethic Era, for cryin' out loud! And even then, he felt sorry for humans and helped them defeat Alduin. Better yet, he sat on a freakin' mountain peak for all those decades waiting for Al to return, and then helped banish him again. Don't know about you, but I think he's earned his pardon.
Both Delphine and Esbern are a disgrace to their order! Do they even realize that Tiber Septim would never be who he was if not for Paarthurnax? It really annoys me there wasn't an option to refuse to kill him, or even better - to kill the Blades.
(sorry for the long rant, I had to let it out somewhere )