Alduin ( Skyrim ) Alduin ( Dovahzul : ) , the World Eater , also considered an alternative name of Akatosh by some of Tamriel , is a dragon and the primary antagonist of ' s Main Quest . He is considered the " wellspring " of the Nordic pantheon , as well as the harbinger of the apocalypse . He is also described as the " creator of dragon civilization " in one particular text . Interactions . Unbound . During the executions , Alduin will be flying above Helgen , and his roars can be faintly heard . Once the Last Dragonborn is placed on the chopping block , he will land on top of the tower above and use the shout Meteor Storm to cause havoc and destruction in the settlement . During the Dragonborn ' s escape from the village and into Helgen Keep , he will be seen fighting a number of Imperial soldiers , and may land and attack the Dragonborn in front of the keep if the Dragonborn does not escape quickly enough . Once the keep is escaped through the cave , he will be seen flying above , and will fly away to the east . A Blade in the Dark . The Last Dragonborn and Delphine both travel to Kynesgrove during this quest . Here is where Delphine has predicted that the next Dragon will be resurrected . It turns out Delphine is right and here , on a dragon burial mound , Alduin can be seen flying above . A blue light is rising out of the mound . Alduin will use a shout to resurrect this dragon . He speaks the words " Slen Tiid Vok ! " and a shout that looks similar to Unrelenting Force will go into the mound . A skeletal dragon will then rise from the mound and start speaking to Alduin . After a small conversation between the two dragons , the skeletal dragon will regain his scales . This dragon is known as Sahloknir . Alduin ' s Bane . In the vision of the past seen through the Time Wound , three heroes known as Felldir the Old , Gormlaith Golden - Hilt , and Hakon One - Eye are seen fighting off the dragons . Gormlaith will kill a dragon whom lands by jumping on to it and then stabbing it in the head . Afterwards the heroes will discuss the possible use of an Elder Scroll to defeat Alduin , but Hakon says it is to dangerous . Alduin will come down to fight them and then the three heroes will use Dragonrend to bring down Alduin . Alduin will then engage in combat with the three heroes . Gormlaith will be killed by Alduin and then Hakon will tell Felldir to use the Elder Scroll . Alduin will continue to fight Felldir for a short time before noticing what Felldir is doing . Alduin will turn to Felldir and try burning him with Fire Breath , but this does not work and Alduin is sent forward in time . Upon awaking from the vision , Paarthurnax will say that he hopes the vision told the Dragonborn what he needed to know because Alduin has arrived . Alduin will start the battle by activating his meteor storm shout . The only way to damage Alduin is to use the dragonrend shout . Upon Alduin ' s defeat , Alduin will fly away to Sovngarde . Sovngarde . Upon entering Sovngarde , Alduin can be seen flying around in the back . He will occasionally swoop down to pick up a soul in Sovngarde . The Dragonborn must travel through the mist that Alduin has set up until they reach the Hall of Shor . Here the three heroes will again come out to fight Alduin , although this time they have the Dragonborn to help them win . Before the battle can begin the dragonborn and the three heroes must disperse the mist that covers the land . They use Clear Skies to get rid of the mist , but Alduin will make the mist reappear . This process must be repeated a few times before finally Alduin will come out and battle . After killing Alduin the Dragonborn will not absorb his soul , instead Alduin explodes after yelling words in the dragon language . Background . Identity . Scholars speculate that Alduin is the Nord ic name attributed to Akatosh . One source states that Alduin and Akatosh are different deities entirely . Alduin calls himself the " First - Born of Akatosh ! " Exactly what the " First - Born of Akatosh " means is unclear , although some sources suggest he was split from Akatosh at some point in the past . According to Paarthurnax , Alduin ' s peers considered him the most acclaimed creation of Akatosh . History . Nordic myth asserts that Alduin destroyed the last world to begin this one , known as a Kalpa . As a result , he is both creator and destroyer , as well as predating the creation of Nirn itself . There are legends of his battles with Shor during this time . During the Merethic Era , the people of Atmora and Skyrim worshiped dragons , possibly at the urging of Alduin . He also conspired with Orkey to reduce all the Nords to children , until he was again defeated by Shor . Some consider that Alduin ' s rule during this period was foresaking his proper role as the World - Eater . Alduin served as a leader of the dragons , and he ruled with an iron fist . The humans either worshiped him or were enslaved . The humans worshiped him and the dragons in the Dragon Cult . High ranking members of this cult would be known as a Dragon Priest . Alduin ' s lieutenant at the time was Paarthurnax , but secretly Paarthurnax was betraying him . Paarthurnax was teaching the voice to the humans so that they could rebel against their dragon overlords . The ensuing war would be known as the Dragon War . He was ultimately sent forward in time through the actions of three Nordic heroes , who created a new Shout to subdue him , and used an Elder Scroll to send Alduin forward in time . Prophecy . A prophecy foretelling Alduin ' s return is on Alduin ' s Wall , located at Sky Haven Temple , built in the First Era and recounted in the Book of the Dragonborn , and possibly on Elder Scroll . It tells that the World - Eater will return after various tumultuous events have occurred , retelling events have led up to this point , and claiming that the Last Dragonborn will come forth at that time .