The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is well-known for many things, chief among them its prologue. Players awake in to find themselves in a wagon of prisoners being taken to Helgen for execution. But just as the Imperials' axe is raised to lop off the player's head, a dragon appears and begins to attack the city. This dragon is Alduin, Skyrim's final boss and the Dragonborn protagonist's fated enemy, and it's only thanks to his attack on Helgen that the Dragonborn is able to escape alive.
Alduin, a powerful dragon in The Elder Scrolls universe, is argued by some to be Akatosh, the head of the Nine Divines worshipped in Tamriel, though this has never been proven. He was alive before Nirn itself and was considered the ruler of all dragons. He despised the human race, slaying and enslaving all he could. Eventually, Paarthurnax, his right hand, betrayed him, teaching humans Dragon Shouts in order to allow them to rebel and ultimately start the Dragon War. Three heroes were able to use an Elder Scroll to send Alduin away through a Time Wound, and he was not seen again until the opening moments of Skyrim.
Alduin's ancient wisdom and cunning make his attack on Helgen seem rather nonsensical, as it ultimately leads to his demise at the end of Skyrim's main quest. The location itself is also puzzling; while Helgen is a well-developed and fortified town, there's no strategic advantage to attacking it, as it (usually) doesn't house any political authority figures. Many theories attempt to explain why Alduin attacked Helgen when he did, but three stand out as the strongest and most interesting.
Alduin Attacks Helgen Out Of Mere Coincidence
The most plausible theory is that Skyrim's prologue just so happens to be the time and place Alduin landed after being sent through the Time Wound. Disoriented from his unwanted journey and still mentally in the Dragon War, Alduin saw a human settlement and started attacking. This theory is bolstered by the fact that Helgen is situated at the base of the Throat of the World mountain, where the three heroes sent Alduin through the Time Wound all those ages ago.
Alduin Is Fated To Attack Helgen
Fate is a common theme in fantasy works, and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is no different. In both the Song of the Dragonborn and the prophecy at Alduin's Wall, it's foretold the dragon would return on the brink of a civil war. When players meet Ulfric Stormcloak among the prisoners in the prologue, it's because Ulfric had just murdered High King Torygg, an action that would plunge Skyrim into the civil war that takes place throughout the game. Therefore, it's possible Alduin was bound by a force stronger than him to attack Helgen, allowing the war to break out.
Alduin Attacks Helgen So He Can Kill Dragonborn Himself
That Alduin attacked Helgen and saved the Dragonborn as a matter of pride is not likely, but it's an interesting theory to explore. Whether he is a god or the son of one, he is a creature who enjoys power and believes he cannot be killed. To defeat the Dragonborn - the one person prophesied to destroy him - would be the ultimate badge of victory, in his mind. From this perspective, it stands to reason Alduin would save the Dragonborn in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim's prologue so that a mere human executioner could not take credit for his greatest kill.
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July 07, 2021 at 12:44AM
