Much of Diablo 4's storyline is still under wraps as Blizzard has been focusing on the gameplay aspects of its upcoming game. Fans of the franchise have been waiting for a new story to delve into, and fortunately, they've got a few details about some returning cast members. One of the key characters in the series, Lilith, makes a comeback as the main antagonist in Diablo 4, but there's potential for much more. Other familiar demonic characters from Diablo's mythology should join Lilith to wreak havoc on Sanctuary.
The eternal battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells continues in Sanctuary. The stage that acts as the battleground between angels and demons was originally turned into a bloodbath by none other than Lilith. Now, Lilith and her minions are once again trampling on humans, and the Nephalem need to save Sanctuary from another demon invasion. The re-introduction of Lilith in Diablo 4, after not being in a significant role since Diablo 2, makes the ground fertile for other interesting demonic comebacks.
Lesser Evils in Diablo
The Lesser Evils are an important part of Diablo lore. They conveniently close the gap between the Burning Hells and Sanctuary. As banished demons, they've been inhabiting Sanctuary as the Prime Evils were planning their next move on the Eternal Conflict. Some of these demons have become beloved characters, perhaps even surpassing the Prime Evils themselves. While Belial makes a return in Diablo 3 as an Act Boss, alongside The Butcher, a couple of Belial's Lesser Evil brethren have been waiting in the shadows for a while to be reintroduced.
One of Diablo 2's most infamous battles is the first Act Boss, Andariel. While the Maiden of Anguish was defeated in Diablo 2, the return of one of the few female demons in the franchise is all but confirmed after an appearance on Diablo 4 Rogue trailer. Andariel, the Ruler of Realm of Anguish, is one of the more recognizable characters from Diablo 2. She's also the aunt of Lilith, which could provide interesting dynamics to the new storyline. While Andariel is not present personally in Diablo 3, she was sealed inside the Black Soulstone with the other Greater Evils.
Mechanically among the most challenging Diablo 2 bosses, Duriel could be another Lesser Evil bought back by Blizzard. The twin of Andariel and Lilith's uncle, he played a major role in Diablo 2, and would be a great companion to Andariel in Diablo 4. The Lord of Pain was the guard of Tal Rasha's tomb, in which Tyrael was imprisoned. This prison was established by Baal, who's likely to appear again. After all, he's part of nearly all Diablo works, including being featured on Diablo Immortal as a boss. Like Baal and Andariel, Duriel was sealed in the Black Soulstone, and freed at the end of Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls.
New Demons From Diablo Lore
Diablo's multidimensional lore provides ample room for Blizzard to bring new characters to the limelight. As Lilith is the main antagonist, it would be fitting that demons closest to her would also be featured. One of them is her brother, Lucion. The demon known as Primus of the Triune has a complex history with Lilith, including being rivals in the Sin War era. This would bring interesting conflict between the demons in a similar vein as the tension between the Lesser Evils and Primes Evils in previous Diablo works.
Another Sin War demon worthy of an introduction into Diablo game canon is Astrogha. He was Diablo's representative on Sanctuary during the Sin War, and one of the highest tier Temple of the Triune leaders after the aforementioned Lucion. The connection to Prime Evils with Diablo and to Lilith through Lucion would fit well in the Lilith-centered Diablo 4 storyline. The trio of Lucion, Lilith, and Astrogha have a long and complex history, which could add compelling twists and turns. The appearance of Astrogha is said to be a spider-humanoid hybrid with a bottom half of a spider and the top half of a human. Blizzard might consider it clashing too much with Diablo 2 and Baal's aesthetics, but if implemented well, it could be one of the more terrifying enemies.
Another minor demon that could see the first game appearance is Thonos. The demon that was summoned by Lilith is said to be the size of a dozen men, its skin covered with eyes and hundreds of tentacles. The tentacles would provide a lot of room for intriguing gameplay mechanics, and the massive creature would surely be captivating in cinematic sequences. Its connection with Lilith in Diablo lore would make it a perfect fit for Diablo 4. Grimspike would also make an interesting boss, although it isn't technically a new character in the games. However, not many remember of the spiked lizard-like demon from the first Diablo title. Belial's Lieutenant is a minor boss in the original game and hasn't appeared in Diablo since. However, in unused voice clips from Diablo, he's quoted as having immeasurable strength. While that doesn't seem to amount to much in the original Diablo, he could be made a powerful enemy in Diablo 4.
There are many other demons that are just waiting to be unleashed upon the poor inhabitants of Sanctuary. Powerful demons that have no significant ties to Lilith include Kabraxis, the Banisher of Light, mantis-like demon Xazax, and a minion of Baal, or Gulag, who possesses no smarts but all the strength he could ask for. It is evident that Diablo lore has a vast pool of amazing NPCs that Diablo 4 could utilize, in addition to core demonic characters, Lilith and the three Prime Evils.
Diablo 4 will launch in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
