History Characters / TheElderScrollsDivineBeings

** The Maruhkati Selective, an extremist sect of the already-extremist Alessian Order, tried to force this onto Akatosh by using powerful magics and the Staff of Towers to split the elven aspect of Auri-El from Akatosh. It's not clear if they actually succeeded, but their efforts ended up causing The Middle Dawn, the most extreme [[TimeCrash Dragon Break]] in history. From this - the Elven aspect Auri-El being split from Akatosh - and crossing over with LiteralSplitPersonality and PiecesOfGod, in-universe speculation is that Alduin (and perhaps all dragons and Dragonborn) is more akin to a fragment of Akatosh's being rather than his son. (For what it's worth, Alduin disputes this claim.)

* GodIsDead: He was "killed" by the Aedra after he convinced/tricked them into giving up a large portion of their power to create Mundus, with the exact details varying depending on the religion. Hasn't stopped him from continuing to influence the world in various ways, though.

** Beyond Norse Mythology, Alduin can also be seen as the ''Elder Scrolls'' equivalent of [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Apophis]], since they're both [[DragonsAreDemonic demonic and reptilian]] [[DestroyerDeity destroyer deities]] with ResurrectiveImmortality, associations with death and darkness, a [[SoulEating taste for souls]], and their names start with "A".

* AnythingThatMoves: He's had sex with men, women, and even a Daedric Prince several times throughout the ''Lessons''.

** He is essentially the ''Elder Scrolls'' version of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]], the world-eating serpent. He also shares traits with [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Apophis]], since they're both [[DragonsAreDemonic demonic, reptilian]], [[DestroyerDeity destroyer deities]] with CompleteImmortality, associations with death and darkness, and names starting with "A".
** In incarnations where he and Akatosh are one in the same, he can be seen as a villainous Odin in his incarnation as a god of the dead and his deceptive role. In addition one of Odin's names, Audoin/Aldwin - meaning Bringer of Wealth - is Alduin in French and English.

* GutturalGrowler: It adds to the effect of his deep voice.

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Well, he certainly looks the part, and he ''is'' the BigBad of ''Skyrim''.

* SatanicArchetype: Dragons, as creations of Akatosh, are analogous to angels as a whole in this setting. Alduin is the first and most powerful among them, and sought to usurp Akatosh's hold over Mundus. This results in him being pitted against the Dragonborn and defeated.

* BadassBureaucrat: The God of Good Governance.
* BadassCape: His statues usually depict him with one.

* FantasyCounterpartMyth: He is essentially the ''Elder Scrolls'' version of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]], the world-eating serpent. He also shares traits with [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Apophis]], since they're both [[DragonsAreDemonic demonic, reptilian]], [[DestroyerDeity destroyer deities]] with CompleteImmortality, associations with death and darkness, and names starting with "A".
** In incarnations where he and Akatosh are one in the same, he can be seen as a villainous Odin in his incarnation as a god of the dead and his deceptive role. In addition one of Odin's name, Audoin/Aldwin - meaning Bringer of Wealth - is Alduin in French and English.

* PublicDomainCharacter: He is essentially the ''Elder Scrolls'' version of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]], the world-eating serpent.

* {{Unperson}}: The Thalmor believe that making it so none believe in him or his divinity will make it such that [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly he never was divine in the first place]], taking away his power and all he has done. They managed to force the Empire of Tamriel to ban his worship, but many Nords still fight for the right to believe in him.

* BadassBaritone: Speaks with a deep voice and is a god who tests warrior spirits for their worthiness of entering Shor's hall.

->'''Voiced by:''' Daniel Riordan (English)[[note]]'''Other Languages''':Mikhail Belyakovich (Russian)[[/note]]

-->'''Odahviing''': ''Alduin has provenj himself unworthy to rule''

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: He subjugates mortals because of his natural desire to dominate and his sense of entitlement, but was disinterested in the task of actually running his empire. Instead, he leaves this responsibility to a group of followers known as Dragons Priests. This had mixed results, as while some Dragons Priests rule benevolently, others (such as Rahgot) rule as tyrants, leading to the rebellion the ends Alduin's reign.

* BrokenPedastal: Late in the game, he becomes this his fellow dragons. After his defeat at the Throat of the World by the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax, the dragons under his rule begin questioning his worthiness to lead.

** To Dagoth Ur in ''Morrowind''. While Dagoth Ur [[WasOnceAMan was a mortal]] who ascended to godhood, Alduin was never mortal in the first place. Dagoth Ur was once a servent of the Nerevarine's previous incarnation, Lord Indoril Nerevar. Alduin was the master of the cult which the [[HerosEvilPredecessor Dragonborn's predecessor]], Miraak, served as a priest in. While Dagoth Ur faces the Nerevarine inside of a volcano, Alduin faces the Dragonborn on top of a frozen mountain.

* TheDreaded: ''"Even the Daedra fear me!"'' Indeed, as shown in the ''Seven Fights of the Aldudagga'', even the most malevolent of the Daedric Princes pale in comparison to Alduin when it is at full world-ending power.

** In ''Battlespire'' and ''Oblivion'', according to the [[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga Seven Fights of the Aldudagga]], which reveals that Alduin was responsible for the corruption of Mehrunes Dagon, Daedric Prince of Destruction. That's right, the Oblivion Crisis and most of the following fallout (the establishment by the Thalmor of the Third Aldmeri Dominion, the Great War, the White Gold-Concordiat, and the Skyrim Civil War) was indirectly ''his'' doing; this means that he actually ''pushed along'' the fulfillment of the "Prophecy of the Dragonborn".

* FinalBossPreview: Prior to his FinalBoss battle in Sovngarde, he is fought as a boss atop the Throat of the World His first boss battle concludes with him fleeing to Sovngarde, where he plans to [[YourSoulIsMine feed on the souls of the dead]].

* GreaterScopeVillain: In ''Battlespire'' and ''Oblivion'', according to the [[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga Seven Fights of the Aldudagga]], which reveals that Alduin was responsible for the corruption of Mehrunes Dagon, Daedric Prince of Destruction. That's right, the Oblivion Crisis and most of the following fallout was indirectly ''his'' doing; this means that he actually ''pushed along'' the fulfillment of the "Prophecy of the Dragonborn".

** To Mankar Camoran, also in ''Oblivion''. While Mankar is possibly a Dragonborn (as he can wear the Amulet of Kings), Alduin is definately a full-blown dragon. Mankar is TheDragon to Mehrunes Dagon, while Alduin is a BigBad. Mankar's final confrontation with the Hero of Kvatch takes place inside Paradise, plane of Oblivion ruled over by Mankar himself, which Mankar's folloers were [[ThisIsntHeaven falsely led to believe would be a paradise for them]] if they died for his cause. Alduin's final confrontation with the Last Dragonborn takes place in Sovngarde, a legitimate WarriorHeaven being attacked by Alduin. While Mankar fights the Hero of Kvatch as a FlunkyBoss, Alduin fights the Last Dragonborn by himself.

** To Mankar Camoran, also in ''Oblivion''. While Mankar is possibly a Dragonborn (as he can wear the Amulet of Kings), Alduin is definately a full-blown dragon. Mankar is TheDragon to Mehrunes Dagon, while Alduin is a BigBad. Mankar's final confrontation with the Hero of Kvatch takes place inside Paradise, plane of Oblivion ruled over by Mankar himself, which Mankar's folloers were [[ThisIsntHeaven falsely led to believe would be a paradise for them]] if they died for his cause. Alduin's final confrontation with the Last Dragonborn takes black in Sovngarde, a legitimate WarriorHeaven being attacked by Alduin. While Mankar fights the Hero of Kvatch as a FlunkyBoss, Alduin fights the Last Dragonborn by himself.

** To Mankar Cameron, also in ''Oblivion''. While Mankar is possibly a Dragonborn (as he can wear the Amulet of Kings), Alduin is definately a full-blown dragon. Mankar is TheDragon to Mehrunes Dagon, while Alduin is a BigBad. Mankar's final confrontation with the Hero of Kvatch takes place inside Paradise, plane of Oblivion ruled over by Mankar himself, which Mankar's folloers were [[ThisIsntHeaven falsely led to believe would be a paradise for them]] if they died for his cause. Alduin's final confrontation with the Last Dragonborn takes black in Sovngarde, a legitimate WarriorHeaven being attacked by Alduin. While Mankar fights the Hero of Kvatch as a FlunkyBoss, Alduin fights the Last Dragonborn by himself.