Bethesda revealed the title of the next Elder Scrolls game as Sentinel through a short teaser on Tuesday, the first new footage since the game's E3 2018 announcement. The teaser includes a quote dated 4E 206, a quote referencing alternate timelines or time travel, an Elder Scroll buried in sand, and spiral imagery. All of this has prompted lore-focused fans to search for connections to Skyrim and the broader Elder Scrolls universe.
Reddit user HowdyHangman77 noted that 4E 206 places the teaser's events just five years after Skyrim, and since the province of Skyrim borders Hammerfell (where Sentinel is located), events from Skyrim like the return of dragons and the civil war between the Empire and Stormcloaks could be referenced or shown directly. The quote's mention of alternate timelines or time travel builds on concepts already established in Elder Scrolls lore.
Reddit user Yiunko91 connected circular rune patterns in the teaser to the Eye of Magnus, a powerful magic item from Skyrim whose true purpose remains unexplained. In Skyrim, the mysterious Psijic Order takes the Eye at the end of the Mage's Guild questline. According to lore, the Psijic Order studies the ancient past and "Elder Ways," and fans have theorized they take interest in the Elder Scrolls. Past games hint the Psijic Order has used time travel. Some fans speculate TES6 will involve a group attempting time travel, possibly using the Eye of Magnus, to either prevent the Elder Scrolls' creation or steal them for use in a large-scale war.
Bethesda has shared no confirmation of these theories. The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel is reportedly still two years or more away from launch.