I think it can be presumed, that in TES V, Dovahkiin will prevent Alduin from eating the world and thus prevent the current Kalpa from ending. Well, I've heard many theories as to why Alduin needs to eat the world every so many years -such as the dreamer waking up-, but I think at the least it can also be presumed that he eats for it a reason. In Skyrim, unless the next game will have to be a prequel or be in a very different world, what will happen?

I have a feeling that Skyrim isn't the climix to the last few games as has been applied in their events leading up to this, but more, gearing up for something bigger, far bigger. What will happen if Alduin DOESN'T eat the world?

We'll be around for the future described in the loveletter.

Well considering that Skyrim is in the third century of the fourth era (the third era being around 450 years long), and the love letter is only in the fifth era, honestly, the technology mentioned and stuff seems odd to be so close, so much so that I'm tempted to call the letter non-canon, or at least the date on it incorrect.

EDIT: Ok, I just noticed that the letter is around 900 years into the fifth era. This seems very feasible now. I'm still very curious to see what will happen because of Alduin's not ending the Kalpa.

I don't think anything will stop him from eating the world.
It can be postponed or bypassed.
Loveletter seems definite proof that it will be postponed/evaded in some way.

Maybe he gets diarrhea or super dragonbreak or he starts pushing stuff into other time periods cuz he's too full, like the loveletter.

You forgot one thing. The 4th Era doesn't have a set end date yet.

No, no it does not.

It'll be interesting to see the consequences of the dragonbreak in Skyrim that will inevitably happen.

It's almost like it'd kind of be a bad thing for Alduin to not eat the world

What loveletter?

The worst thing that ever happened to TES lore, that's what.

The http://www.imperial-library.info/content/loveletter-fifth-era-true-purpose-tamriel

There will be a Dragon Break for sure, possibly one that restores the Cyrodiilic Empire.

What do you mean? Why would a Dragon Break do that?

Depending on the events of Skyrim, (assuming a dragon break occurs, the plot might not provide cause for it) the various timelines that play out during the chaos of a Dragon Break could have wide-spanning geo-political consequences. Depending on the Empire's role in the plot, the final result of a Dragon break after the minute-menders repair Akatosh could be a revival of Imperial power. Of course, there's a bit too many could's here.

Exactly...



The Empire will both completely lose power in Skyrim and witness the foundation of the glorious Skyrim Kingdom, AND, fight back and crush the rebel scum and have its influence vastly expanded in Skyrim. Gotta love dem dragonbreaks.

Aside from that, I don't think we know how long exactly the fourth era lasted, for all we know, it could be longer than the first,

Still, I hope we never get to see the future descibed in the Loveletter come to pass, not because I necessarily object to the thought that it describes a canonical future to the Elder Scrolls series, but rather because I want the series to preserve its Medieval-ish fantasy feel, if Bethesda wants to do science-fiction, they should keep it to Fallout, or start a new series if they want to try concepts that wouldn't fit the setting of Fallout, for the Elder Scrolls, I'd prefer to keep any advanced technology we see to the Dwemer or Sotha Sil.

However, what exactly will happen should the Dovahkiin stop Alduin from eating the world (Which I think is pretty much guarenteed unless Skyrim has multiple endings.) is something we'll just have to wait and see, maybe a dragonbreak will happen, maybe we'll find out the reason why Alduin eats the world, or maybe it will just turn out that things go on just fine, but seeing as Bethesda seems to like to have the players' success in one game lead to potentially unexpected concequences in the next, perhaps the same will be true in Skyrim, but as to what form that could take, perhaps we'll have more information to speculate on once we've had a chance to see where the story goes.



In short, don't think too highly on the implications of a dragonbreak, or you'll get a serious headache.