Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-66.243.250.142-20150503041403/@comment-173.81.113.240-20170210230315

Essentially, it could be stated that Alduin was defeated and his soul was sent back to Akatosh for the true end of the world. The Dragon Crisis of 4E 201 was merely him returning from being sent through time and they hoped that he would remain lost forever which wasn't  the case. LIke how everyone was certain that december 21st 2012 was going to be the end of the world, the scenario of that could have been said to happen in the events of Skyrim, just a massive scare that people jumped directly to thinking that it was the end like Esbern. But its clear that Alduin did not return to be the World Eater, to start a brand new kalpa rather he still wished to dominate and enslave, to have personal glory and power rather than do his duty. When he returns, it will be the beginning of a new Kalpa and no dragonborn will be able to stop him when that happens