Who Is The Main Villain in Diablo 4? Lilith Or Inarius?

Diablo 4 is setting up events for a colossal battle between Lilith, Daughter of Hatred, and the archangel, Inarius, now that both characters will be reappearing in-game. As their motivations are undoubtedly linked to each, how they’ll factor into the game’s storyline may lead to something much greater once the events conclude in Diablo 4.

With the Server Slam officially concluded as we look to the global launch of Diablo 4, one exciting talking point has many discussing who is the true villain of the upcoming sequel. With our thinking caps on and the lore books dusted, we discussed the motivations for why Lilith and Inarius make for great villains in Diablo 4.

Please note: This is an opinion piece and we do not have any inside or early information about who the main villain is in Diablo 4.

Why Is Lilith The Main Villain In Diablo 4?

As we’ve previously alluded to, past events have helped set up Lilith’s return to reclaim Sanctuary following past banishments by Inarius. These events helped set up Lilith being the main antagonist for Diablo 4; however, what she’ll likely do upon her return remains a mystery.

For starters, she may want to regain her strength and that of the Nephalem or what remains of them to tackle the Prime Evils. Inarius had previously attempted this before he was sent off to Hell, where he became a prisoner of her father, Mephisto, so Lilith may want to weaken the Prime Evils or at least try before a greater threat eliminates them all.

Another possibility of why Lilith is the villain goes back to her original mission: ending the Eternal Conflict between angels and demons. This is why she and Inarius had stolen the Wroldstone and, in doing so, created Sanctuary and the Nephalem, whom they later became an imposing threat to angels and demons alike.

If Lilith intends on finally ending the conflict, casualties are highly likely to be recorded, which does put Sanctuary as the most significant sacrifice she’ll make. Whether this means she’ll destroy Sanctuary and help the Nephalem escape or destroy, both could be played out in Diablo 4, but this will make Lilith a huge enemy against the Prime Evils and the angels as those that reside in Hell.

Eventually, this sets up your character by doing everything necessary to thwart Lilith and her plans once she returns to Sanctuary. This may explain why Inarius will be involved and how he may be a potential ally in stopping Lilith; however, Inarius’ return is also clouded in mystery as he could be a villain but in plain sight.

Why Is Inarius The Main Villain In Diablo 4?

While Lilith may have positioned herself to be a natural villain for Diablo 4, the same can be said for Inarius having the potential to be a villain, albeit for vastly different reasons. Following his confrontation with Uldyssian and the Edyrem at the Cathedral of Light, he became weakened due to Uldyssian having altered the power of the Worldstone, leading to Inarius being imprisoned by Mephisto.

Not much is known about how he escaped Mephisto, but there are plausible theories online that may suggest who helped Inarius flee Mephisto. One possibility is that he could have struck up a deal with Mephisto, or a more sinister figure may have helped him leave Hell for Sanctuary, as one Redditor suggested Diablo could be behind Inarius’ escape.

Inarius has had a past of being manipulated by Lilith, so it may be a plot to get Inarius to do someone else’s bidding of eliminating Lilith before the true villain rises. For this to materialize, Inarius will need to finally kill Lilith and purge Sanctuary from its ties to Hell before attempting to regain his strength and ushering in a new era for Sanctuary.

This could have Inarius be seen as a villain as he looks to eradicate not just all of Lilith’s armies and influences from Hell but those who oppose him and his new vision for Sanctuary. It may see him resurrect parts of his Prophet persona and the reemergence of his religious sect that had previously opposed the Triune, which first triggered the Sin War; this may see another war being the catalyst for the true villain to appear or at least have some involvement.

Having some control of Inarius by allowing him to defeat Lilith, regain his strength by getting the Worldstone back in his possession, and orchestrate a purge on Sanctuary before rebuilding it does support claims of Inarius becoming a potential threat. This culminates in either Inarius being defeated or finally meeting his demise, which may spark the rise of the franchise’s successive (or possible final) villain.

While Blizzard has made Lilith the de facto villain through its promotional campaign, which will lead up to the game’s launch, it yet remains if she’ll remain the game’s main antagonist. Likewise, this may give rise to a more sinister figure to reveal as the true villain, as players will have to play out its story to discover this for themselves.

For more Diablo 4, be sure to check out our dedicated section or some of our Guides & Tutorials just below:

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