Diablo 4 is the next mainline installment in the long-running ARPG series. Fans are already getting excited as the series has long defined the pinnacle of dungeon-crawlers to many players. Diablo 4 is going to be specifically unique among the series for a few reasons. One of the biggest changes is that this will be the first time the titular Diablo isn't serving as the primary antagonist for players to defeat, as far as fans know so far anyway. Diablo has in fact resurrected many times before after all. But by bringing in Lilith as the primary threat in Diablo 4, Blizzard could be setting up some major conflict with the forces of Heaven.
It's been a while since the last update on Diablo 4. While Blizzard has definitely revealed a solid chunk of gameplay details and almost all of the five starting classes, it's been pretty light on details about the game's actual story. The reveal trailer back in 2019 featured a morbid ritual that allowed for Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, to return to Sanctuary. Beyond that, information has been incredibly sparse about the story. Lilith's return could lead to some animosity between the Nephalem and the forces of Heaven in Diablo 4.
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Lilith occupies an important space in the lore of Diablo at large. Within the game's mythos Lilith had joined with the angel Inarius in order to escape the Eternal Conflict. The battle between Heaven and Hell had raged for millennia, and some on either side of the war had grown weary. Lilith had her own agenda in this, she planned to inevitably use this alliance in a final bid to destroy Heaven itself. Ultimately Lilith and Inarius ended up stealing the Worldstone, a powerful magical artifact, and using it to create Sanctuary itself. This is just one part of the impact Lilith could have on Diablo 4, as the literal creator of the game's world.
Inarius and Lilith eventually ended up creating the first of the Nephalem. A hybrid of demon and angel that would eventually become mankind after centuries. This is important because during the events of Diablo 3 it is revealed that the player characters are a new incarnation of the ancient Nephalem. This is used as a way to explain the player characters unique abilities and the magical prowess of Diablo's spellcasters like the Wizard. There is some debate among fans online whether or not all of humanity are Nephalem and that only a select few can tap into that power or if Nephalem are something more rare.
This becomes important in the context of whether or not players will face off against angelic foes alongside the demonic ones in Diablo 4. After inevitably learning about the existence of the Nephalem, some in Heaven and Hell saw them as abominations that need to be destroyed. Despite her machinations towards her own goals, Lilith had grown protective of her children and fought against their destruction. If Lilith is still protective of the Nephalem, but working against them for her own endgame that could set up some darker storyline elements more in line with Diablo 2's tone.
Inarius decided to at least take the opinions of his fellow angels into consideration regarding the fate of his children. This angered Lilith and fueled her first betrayal against Inarius. Fans interested in the full backstory would do well to check out the Sin War series of novels that explore this era of Diablo's history in detail. Referencing back to this deep lore could be an indication of the direction Diablo 4 could be taking with its narrative. There is an enormous amount of backstory and lore that occurred before the events of even the original Diablo. Lilith's return to Sanctuary carries a weight with it that casual fans might not have grasped just yet.
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To address why players might end up battling against the forces of Heaven alongside those of Hell from a design standpoint briefly, Blizzard is likely looking to shake up some elements of the Diablo format. Diablo 4 will be releasing into a much more crowded landscape of dungeon crawlers. With that, Blizzard may be eager to approach new elements of the broad lore they've created. Bringing in angelic enemies not only means a more varied roster of foes for players to fight, but expanding the conflict and further cementing the Nephalem as their own force within the universe of Diablo.
Speaking again from a narrative perspective, Heaven itself isn't necessarily enamored with the Nephalem after the events of Diablo 3. While Tyrael, now mortal, sides completely with the Nephalem, others in Heaven still see them as a threat. The angels have begrudgingly accepted that the Nephalem saved Heaven from destruction via Diablo. However some still view the defeat of Malthael as a slight against Heaven. This means that with the return of Lilith, the remaining hosts of Heaven may revitalize their ire towards the Nephalem. And with that could be a great way for Blizzard to revitalize Diablo itself.
It demands mentioning that is all conjecture based on very limited information. The specifics of Diablo 4's story have been few and far between, so conjecture has been something fans have found cathartic. Information about Diablo 4's characters has been more available but has left wide open channels for hypothesis about where the story will go. But that being said, certain inferences can be drawn from what has been revealed. Fans are likely expecting a big change in the next Diablo especially when Blizzard has done a lot to emphasize that the world available to players in Diablo 4 will be much larger than in previous titles.
It could be seen as a safe assumption that this broadening of the world of Sanctuary could point towards a broadening of the Eternal Conflict itself. Bringing in antagonistic angels could be a breath of fresh air for a series that has so long had a fairly black and white view of its world. Angels looking to finally snuff out the Nephalem while Lilith works to protect them, and all the while the Nephalem begin their journey unaware of the greater machinations could make Diablo 4 a standout in the series. But for now as information about Diablo 4 is fairly sparse, fans are left to ponder the possibilities for the future.
Diablo 4 is in development with PC, PS4, and Xbox One as confirmed platforms.
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