I think it's Mirmulnir, http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1210206p1.html

He flys north over Riverwood and is spotted by that one guys mother, then attacks Whiterun.

I won't really base anything on concept art. They tend not to be solid and can change on a dime

That isn't concept art, it's a photo of the collector's edition figure that they said was modeled out of the in-game data.

Touche.

can you link that to me?

http://www.bethblog.com/index.php/2011/08/05/quakecon-2011-skyrim-collectors-edition-announced/ you go.

They look alike, but it's not exact. And Alduin is really big, not just a little bigger than the other dragons.

If this is Alduin, I will be extremely disappointed.

That doesn't seem like a world-eating dragon to me. Although that could just be the myth around Alduin..

Could be a number of things.

1. He might not be fully energized yet
2. He might not be fully manifest so to speak, as in his body is partially immaterial
3. He is hijacking another dragon's body, transforming it to look like his but being weaker
4. It is just a standard avatar, and his real body cannot be fought
5. He is a god, it doesn't matter how large, or how powerful his body and muscles are, he could snap people apart with the barest flick of his thoughts regardless.

BUT WHY SHOW HIM SO EARLY!? No sense!

Or it might not be him.

I can understand the complains regarding his size, but I also don't want him to be HUGE like WoW Deathwing, for example.

Twice the size of the other dragons would be perfect I guess.

I hope it's not him but one of the Jill's.

Alduin doesn't have the giant horn things on his head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGf9qtIeyBg

first off, i really think it is Alduin

know to WHY i think it is him:

1. it's just looks really similar to all the art we have of alduin, not 100% alike, but that's impossible

2. it would not be the first RPG with the end villain showing it's power @ the start, anybody played the WoW addon WotLK?

3. i think he came there because he sensed the dragonborn, to kill him off before he starts his invasion
he may just not be able to locate him directly and thinks he has killed him after his assault

4. he may be not at full power, and that's why he is not that big etc.
mehrunes dagon did not instantly wipe the imperial city of the map right?

5. judging from the things that happen in the dungeon afterwards, i think i rescue mission from the rebells was on it's way too

no! It has never been about dumb luck but fate and destiny! Remember what the Emperor said about his dreams the stars and the divines?

I think Occam'z Razor applies quite directly here.

I would also like to add with my quote from the video where he states that legends do not burn villages. Think about it, if it were Alduin it would be MUCH more severe. It's like when I asked if we would ever be able to see Sithis in TES. People claimed that aside from his possible nonexistence that he is probably uncaring for what mortals think about him. He doesn't care of worship or sacrifice, why would something as powerful as himself need that? I think it goes along the same lines with Alduin. Alduin's goal is a much bigger one and that doesn't mean randomly attacking a village or city. When he attacks I think the whole world will feel it and now it and all will tremble in fear. Just because it's the first dragon we saw does not make it Alduin, even if it looks similar. Dragons in general are going to look quite similar. You need to be able to look at a dragon and say "Yup, that's a dragon" and not just a dragon but an ELDER SCROLLS DRAGON. So they will be distinct and set apart. They even explained in the concept art pod cast that they really wanted to set it apart from other fantasies like Lord of the Rings and such. So we may not be able to assume anything until we play the game. Although, if I were to assume I would prefer to assume it is not him based on the arguments that have been made and because of Bethesda's history of telling a damn good story and not spoiling the end boss right off the bat.

Refer to post #60. The likeness is extremely close.

I dont have to refer to anything. I have the video downloaded on my computer and I have seen side by side comparisons. It doesn't prove anything to me. Everything I have stated leads me to believe otherwise more than a close representation or likeness.

I'm gonna go with "It's not Alduin"; as I stated in another thread,

Not to mention this:

Then what was it then? If it is not him, but resembles him, would it be a simulacrum? A dragon directed related in some way? Or perhaps a dragon altered by magic to appear like the real thing? I doubt they would rehash the model of who is meant to be the major antagonist.

There's always more possibilities. Maybe the fates of the Dragonborn and that of Alduin are linked. If the Dragonborn dies so do the dragons

In any case I can't wait to get my hands on this. It'll be the best adventure game since...Morrowind!