Lore of the Diablo universe

[KrazyK923]

Heya, everyone! I don't usually post in the Diablo subforum, as I mainly stick to the Warcraft lore ones. However, in honor of Reaper of Souls coming out, I took a break from making Warcraft lore videos and made one about the lore of the Diablo universe. I ended up splitting the video into two, one for Pre-Diablo/Diablo 1 and one for Diablo 2/Diablo 3. I figured I'd post them here in case some people were curious as to the story behind Diablo. Did you know there even was a "coherent" story behind the series? Blizzard really fleshed out the universe between Diablo 2 and Diablo 3.

Wondering why we're fighting Diablo for a third time in Diablo 3, and why this version of Diablo is the strongest yet storywise? Wondering why Malthael is doing what he's doing, and why, in a warped sense of logic, it actually makes sense? Well, feel free to take a listen in the background while you're filling out those bounties or traveling those Nephalem Rifts!

Pre-Diablo/Diablo 1:



Diablo 2/Diablo 3:



I'm not sure if I'm actually violating the rules by posting these here. My goal isn't really to promote my stuff, although that is a side effect of me trying to spread all the lore knowledge in this way. I really am just trying to inform more people about the lore of the universe. Mods, if this violates the terms of service, feel free to lock or delete it. I won't feel bad.

Hopefully y'all enjoy!

[ophion1990]

I'll give the one about D1 a listen later, I never played it so I'd like to see what the story was like there (though you can fill most of the pieces in during D2 and 3). Alot of people don't seem to give a fuck about lore in diablo, or any game, I quite like it though. :d

[Deleted]

Abandon your foolish quest! All that awaits you is the wrath of my master! You are too late to save the child! Now you'll join him -- in Hell!

[KrazyK923]

I'll give the one about D1 a listen later, I never played it so I'd like to see what the story was like there (though you can fill most of the pieces in during D2 and 3). Alot of people don't seem to give a fuck about lore in diablo, or any game, I quite like it though. :d

Yeah, I mean, I'll admit that its not the greatest lore, even compared to Blizzard's own franchises, but they really did try to make a cohesive story after they already released two games. So I figure, when I set out to learn about it, that because of this I should at least try.

[Fencers]

Early on in the D3 promotions the cinematic with Azmodan talking to Leah was brilliantly done fiction. Because Azmodan is not necessarily talking to Leah directly. It is only through the final reveal of Diablo's master plan that events and conversations from D1 through D2 and D3's earlier acts falls into place.

[KrazyK923]

Yeah that is definitely my favorite conversation. Azmodan making his comments at Diablo, but Leah is just like "uhh...wat?"

[Fencers]

That Azmodan conversation is also kinda neat in that Azmodan is like a runt. He isn't a Prime Evil like the big 3. The big 3 seeing the other Lesser Evil merely as fodder/feed for their ultimate goal of union/dominance.

So it's really like Azmodan saying, "You thought I was dumb, big brother. Who's the clever one now?"

But of course, the series is named Diablo. So that.

[KrazyK923]

Well I guess we'll see what they do with them now that since Malthael destroyed the Black Soulstone, all of their souls are free again. I really hope they don't just make it so Diablo is a threat. Personally I'd love to see Mephisto or Baal given a fair shake. Even Andariel. I'd love to see her again. Frankly I'm kind of bored of Diablo. His ultimate plan failed, lets not totally get rid of him, but lets see some of the other Evils given some more time.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Imperius. That is all.

[KrazyK923]

Imperius. That is all.

Yeah Im really waiting to take that asshole down.

Im a bit disappointed the Prophecy of the End of Days didn't mean them actually dying. I'm just tired of fighting only Demons. I'd love to fight like a fallen or corrupted version of the Angiris Council.

[blaqkmagick]

Hey this looks really cool and I've been meaning to listen to something like this for a while now.

I just have one quick question and it might sound a bit stupid, but are the lore summaries... "spoiler free"? What I mean to say is that I'm currently playing my way through D3 for the first time, so I'm wondering if the pre/D1/D2 sections feature spoilers about D3? Thanks

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Yeah Im really waiting to take that asshole down.

Im a bit disappointed the Prophecy of the End of Days didn't mean them actually dying. I'm just tired of fighting only Demons. I'd love to fight like a fallen or corrupted version of the Angiris Council.

Tbh I prefer Tyreal just be the Angel of Justice and not wisdom. We fought Malthiel a technically corrupted Arch Angel but one could argue he's an anomaly.

[KrazyK923]

Hey this looks really cool and I've been meaning to listen to something like this for a while now.

I just have one quick question and it might sound a bit stupid, but are the lore summaries... "spoiler free"? What I mean to say is that I'm currently playing my way through D3 for the first time, so I'm wondering if the pre/D1/D2 sections feature spoilers about D3? Thanks

Uhh...I didn't really spoil anything about Diablo 3. I guess, there's a small part in the beginning of the second video regarding Adria and Aidan that might be a spoiler if you're clever enough to put the pieces together. That's all I can really think of.

- - - Updated - - -

Tbh I prefer Tyreal just be the Angel of Justice and not wisdom. We fought Malthiel a technically corrupted Arch Angel but one could argue he's an anomaly.

True, but honestly Malthael's plan wasn't really evil I guess if you're looking at it objectively. He's totally right in his assumption. Humans are half demon ancestrally. It just sucks because our character is that race. And yeah, it seems much more up Tyrael's alley to be Justice instead of Wisdom. I'm not sure what he's actually done yet that shows he's ever lived up to that moniker. He even admits this in the story between Diablo 3 and Reaper of Souls.

[blaqkmagick]

Uhh...I didn't really spoil anything about Diablo 3. I guess, there's a small part in the beginning of the second video regarding Adria and Aidan that might be a spoiler if you're clever enough to put the pieces together. That's all I can really think of

I doubt it lol

Thanks!

[KrazyK923]

Sure thing

[Sett]

Well I guess we'll see what they do with them now that since Malthael destroyed the Black Soulstone, all of their souls are free again. I really hope they don't just make it so Diablo is a threat. Personally I'd love to see Mephisto or Baal given a fair shake. Even Andariel. I'd love to see her again. Frankly I'm kind of bored of Diablo. His ultimate plan failed, lets not totally get rid of him, but lets see some of the other Evils given some more time.

There are a few hints it might be something beyond that.


I want to see an actual appearance of Lilith. I don't think her spot in D2 was canon, more just some reskin of Andariel to beat at. I was going to say Tathamet, but we kinda have them now that all seven are once again joined together.

[KrazyK923]

It wasn't canon, since she's still banished to the Void (Whatever that entails).

I'm totally with you, though. My logic was that with all of their bodies destroyed, and only their spirits remain and are together, they could really easily logic that Tathamet is reborn. Then they could wrap up the story (If the next expansion is the last one for Diablo 3) by having us kill Tathamet, and getting rid of all 7 evils without having to fight each one again.

There's a lot of crazy shit they could do for that. I still want to see Mephisto, Baal, and Andariel again, but if Tathamet was the final boss of the next expansion, I'd totally be cool with that.

But, at least let us kill Imperius, please. If Tathamet did come back to life, he'd totally blame us and probably drive him over the edge. I just want to stomp on that asshole.

[Fencers]

Part of the lore is all about how you can't destroy the Prime Evils. Only contain them. Adira references many times that Diablo will always find a way back. Not to mention that every attempt to destroy the Prime Evils has been unsuccessful or temporary.

At the end of D3:RoS it is also suggested that the Nephalem will have to "contain" Diablo/Merged 7 in some way. Perhaps similar to how the Horadrim, Tal Rasha and Aidan attempted to do. With the implied concern of Tyreal being that if just one of the Evils was enough drive/corrupt men in the time of Tal Rasha and the first sages, angels and Aidan- then the prospect of a Nephalem corrupted by the concentrated force of the Evils would be beyond anything since.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

True, but honestly Malthael's plan wasn't really evil I guess if you're looking at it objectively. He's totally right in his assumption. Humans are half demon ancestrally. It just sucks because our character is that race. And yeah, it seems much more up Tyrael's alley to be Justice instead of Wisdom. I'm not sure what he's actually done yet that shows he's ever lived up to that moniker. He even admits this in the story between Diablo 3 and Reaper of Souls.

that's probably my only gist with the story humans being demon and angel hybrids.

[KrazyK923]

Part of the lore is all about how you can't destroy the Prime Evils. Only contain them. Adira references many times that Diablo will always find a way back. Not to mention that every attempt to destroy the Prime Evils has been unsuccessful or temporary.

At the end of D3:RoS it is also suggested that the Nephalem will have to "contain" Diablo/Merged 7 in some way. Perhaps similar to how the Horadrim, Tal Rasha and Aidan attempted to do. With the implied concern of Tyreal being that if just one of the Evils was enough drive/corrupt men in the time of Tal Rasha and the first sages, angels and Aidan- then the prospect of a Nephalem corrupted by the concentrated force of the Evils would be beyond anything since.

That's true, but Aidan wasn't a Nephalem. Maybe there's some loophole there. I just personally find it really boring that you can't ever legitimately kill any of them, especially when its totally possible to do so to Angels.