Diablo

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Diablo, the The Lord of Terror, is the primary antagonist in the Diablo video game series developed by Blizzard Entertainment. He is the final boss in the first Diablo game, and the final boss in Diablo II prior to the release of the expansion pack. Along with his older brothers, Baal and Mephisto, Diablo is one of the three Prime Evils.

Disambiguation:

Diablo Character [e]
Diablo 3 portrait.jpg
Diablo
Lord of Terror
Gender: Male (presumed)
Race: Demon
Status: Alive (presumed)
Occupation: Prime Evil
Affilliation: Burning Hells
Friends: Baal, Mephisto
Foes: High Heavens, Tyrael
Location: Unknown


Background

Diablo, Lord of Terror

Diablo ruled the Burning Hells together with his two elder brothers, Baal and Mephisto for eons. They were locked in an eternal war with the High Heavens, and as always, hell had its own power struggles, primarily between the three Prime Evils, and the four Lesser Evils.

When the Archangel Inarius and the powerful demoness Lilith grew tired of this eternal war, they decided to create a refuge from it all, a Sanctuary. They, and other Demons and Angels, had children on Sanctuary, whom were neither demon nor angel, and significantly more powerful than either. These children were called the Nephalem, and Diablo found great interest in their lives.

The war with the heaven halted, seeing what would happen with Sanctuary. The High Heavens, with Tyrael and Imperius in the forefront wanted this "abomination" eradicated. Diablo saw potential in the massive powers of the nephalem, and the Sin War began. When Tyrael and the angels saw goodness in the humans, they were content to leave them to it, but the Worldstone would act as a dampener, making the nephalem less powerful, and became humans.

The Lesser Evils, too blinded by their hatred of Heaven, saw only the Prime Evils' meddling with Sanctuary as a distraction from the true war, and started a revolt in Hell. The Three were banished from Hell, and walked the earth of Sanctuary, spreading chaos in their wake.

Posing as Dialon, the Spirit of Determination, Diablo secretly led a group of religious fanatics in attempt to establish control over the realm. After the plan failed, Tyrael created the Soulstones and charged the Horadric Order with the imprisonment of the Prime Evils.

Madness of Leoric.

Diablo's soulstone was hidden underneath a Horadric monastery that later became Tristram. A few hundred years later, Diablo was strong enough to try and corrupt King Leoric. The Lord of Terror invaded Leoric's dreams, attempting to possess the King. Leoric was able to resist Diablo's presence, but he was driven mad by the ordeal.

Diablo had already drawn in Archbishop Lazarus, Leoric's most trusted adviser, and with Lazarus whispering into his ear, the mad king turned on his own people, executing those who disobeyed him, ordering his army into a suicidal war against the friendly neighbouring and previously allied kingdom of Westmarch, and finally purging most of the townspeople from Tristram when his son, Prince Albrecht, vanished. The horrible truth was that it was Lazarus himself who kidnapped the boy.

Diablo himself

While Leoric was too strong for Diablo, Albrecht was not. The terror Albrecht felt in the tomb strengthened Diablo further, and he used Albrecht as his vessel. He inhabited the body and warped it in a demonic shape.

A hero travels through the Tristram labyrinths, catacombs, caves all the way down to Hell in order to confront Diablo directly and ultimately defeated him. The misguided hero drove Diablo's soulstone into his own forehead, hoping to contain the demon himself. He took it upon himself to bring the stone to the East and to imprison Diablo once more.

The Wanderer travelled the countryside, unleashing demons and horrors in his wake as he was slowly possessed by Diablo. Somehow, Diablo managed to bring the Lesser Evils back under his foot, and both Andariel and Duriel helped impair any attempt at catching up with Diablo's journey to release his brothers.

Surrendering control to the demon within, the Wanderer freed Baal and Mephisto, eventually travelling to Hell where he completed the transformation into his true demonic form.

He was, however once again followed to Hell, where the pursuing heroes unlocked five seals to summon him in his Chaos Sanctuary. After defeating Diablo the heroes destroyed his soulstone, banishing him from Sanctuary back to the Burning Hells.

If this was a permanent death of Diablo or not is unknown, but such an evil rarely dies easily.

Friends

Diablo's two older brothers:

Diablo's favored servant or pet is the spider demon Astrogha.


Diablo Appearances

Diablo I

Diablo 1 portrait.jpg

The first encounter with Diablo occurs after a lone hero journeys deep beneath Tristram's Cathedral in search of a demonic presence plaguing the countryside. Diablo had nearly possessed the former ruler of Khanduras, King Leoric. Finding the king too strong willed to dominate completely, Diablo instead possessed his son, Prince Albrecht. The hero takes a portal directly to Hell in order to confront Diablo directly, ultimately defeating him. The misguided hero drove Diablo's soulstone into his own forehead, hoping to contain the demon himself.


Diablo II

Diablo 2 portrait.jpg

The opening cinematic of Diablo II introduces us to the Dark Wanderer, the warrior who defeated Diablo underneath Tristram and is now pursued by a group of heroes. The Wanderer travels the countryside, unleashing demons and horrors in his wake as he is slowly possessed by Diablo. Surrendering control to the demon within, the Wanderer frees Baal and Mephisto, eventually travelling to Hell where he completes the transformation into his true demonic form. He is once again followed to Hell, where the pursuing heroes unlock five seals to summon him in his Chaos Sanctuary. After defeating Diablo the heroes destroy his Soulstone, banishing him from Sanctuary back to the Burning Hells.



Diablo III

Diablo 3 portrait.jpg

Aside from a brief appearance in the cinematic trailer, not much is known about Diablo's role in the upcoming sequel. He seems to have some impact, however, since there are items such as Teeth of Diablo used by Cultists.

There has been some debate if this demon really is Diablo, or one of his brothers, but when it was released by Blizzard, it was named "Diablo", so it's generally accepted it's "Big Red" himself.



Novels

Diablo has appeared or been referenced in the following novels:

Media

You can find pictures in the Diablo 3 screenshot and picture gallery:


Reference