The world of Diablo has become a fiery hellscape of eternal conflict, shadowed by the ever-looming presence of the three Prime Evils lurking in the shadows. The Demon Lords of the Burning Hells are locked in a war against the High Heavens, with humanity caught in between.
After numerous invasions of Sanctuary, the human world in the franchise, the Prime Evils have been defeated time and time again, only to be cast back to Hell. The trouble lies in their immortality—only being able to be banished and imprisoned. How can one rest easy knowing that the Demon Lords will never cease their onslaught?
The Prime Evils
Only three powerful demons bear the title of Prime Evils: Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal. Though they often work together towards a common goal, they constantly conspire to usurp power from each other whenever a convenient moment arises. Cunning and vile, their evil knows no bounds.
Their plot to corrupt humanity holds the key to their victory, as they now scheme to conquer Sanctuary. Given the angels' ignorance of humanity's peril, humankind is often burdened with facing the threat of the Prime Evils alone, much to the advantage of the Demon Lords.
The Prime Evils rule over separate domains in the Burning Hells. Within this realm lies an incessant battle between demons for more power and territory, often leading to betrayals and bloodshed among them.
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Mephisto: The Lord of Hatred
I am eternal, creature. Hatred always survives.
With Diablo as the main antagonist of the series casting a shadow over the other two Prime Evils, one must not be fooled by the deviousness of Mephisto. Among the three demonic entities, he has been mentioned and seen the least, but that does not diminish the power he holds.
Mephisto often appears to mortals in the form of an injured wolf, attempting to tempt them into committing acts of hatred. Ever so dubious as an instigator of hatred, he seeks only to wreak havoc upon the realms.
The Lord of Hatred was seldom referenced in Diablo 3 and never seen. Instead, Diablo absorbed him and Baal to make himself 'The Prime Evil.' Following Diablo's defeat at the end of Diablo 3, Mephisto was released from the stone and cast back to Hell. In Blizzard's newest installment, Diablo 4, the main villain of the game is Lilith, Mephisto's daughter.
Lilith's betrayal led Mephisto to banish her from Hell for releasing Inarius. She would later create Sanctuary with Inarius as a place to escape the Eternal Conflict between angels and demons, only for their Nephalem children to evolve into humanity, now caught in the middle of this ongoing battle between ancient forces.
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Baal: The Lord of Destruction
What is the strength of man against Hell itself?
Baal serves as the primary antagonist of Act V in Diablo 2. He had been imprisoned inside a Soulstone embedded in the flesh of a powerful sorcerer named Tal Rasha, who attempted to contain the Lord of Destruction within himself for all of eternity.
Tal Rasha succeeded in keeping Baal contained, but the sorcerer went mad from the indescribable tortures the Demon Lord inflicted on him from within his body. Eventually, Baal managed to escape. He posed as Tyrael and slaughtered the angel's allies before learning of his demon brothers' defeat.
As the sole Prime Evil, Baal led an army of demons against the Barbarian Highlands of Harrogath in an effort to claim the Worldstone. By seizing this powerful object, Baal could manipulate reality to his whims. However, he was stopped by the same heroes who defeated Diablo. The Worldstone was then shattered by Tyrael to prevent it from falling into demonic hands.
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Diablo: The Lord of Terror
Not even death can save you from me.
Diablo is the incarnation of destruction as his power reigns supreme over all other demons. His main goal is to subjugate both Heaven and the human world, with all life bowing to him as its overlord. He’s also the most powerful and patient of the Prime Evils, allowing the schemes of others to progress until he spots the best time to strike – even if it takes centuries, Diablo always has a plan to return from Hell.
In the first Diablo game, the Lord of Terror had been trapped beneath the Cathedral in Tristram before he possessed the body of a young prince called Albrecht and began his corruption of Sanctuary. However, Albrecht’s brother, Aiden, and his allies would slay Diablo and trap him in a Soulstone, ending the threat he posed. With his brother gone, Aiden then embedded Diablo’s Soulstone in his own flesh to contain him but gradually succumbed to the corruptiong of the demon.
In Diablo 2, the Lord of Terror had managed to possess Aiden as he traveled to Sanctuary, releasing both of his brothers and then summoned the Lesser Evils to do his bidding. Before he could launch an assault on the High Heavens, Diablo was defeated by a new band of heroes. However, Diablo had a contingency plan in place. In Aiden’s body, Diablo fathered a human daughter called Leah who he possessed in Diablo 3.
After he consumed the essence of both of his brothers (and the defeated Lesser Evils), Diablo became ‘The Prime Evil’ and assaulted Heaven in his new powerful form. Many angels fell victim to his rampage but he was eventually defeated by Nephalem, a human who had inherited the powers of both angels and demons due to their bloodline tracing back to Lilith and Inarius.
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The Lesser Evils
While not as powerful as the Prime Evils, the Lesser Evils are formidable forces in their own right. They are some of the most dominant and influential demons in Hell. Like their powerful overlords, they recognize Sanctuary as the path to victory in the Eternal Conflict and strive to subdue it.
The Lesser Evils once formed an alliance against the Prime Evils and banished them from Hell, only to become stranded in Sanctuary. They've also been known to side with Lilith in an attempt to escape the Eternal Conflict.
Azmodan: The Lord of Sin
Azmodan is one of the Lesser Evils who first appeared in Diablo 3. The demon laid siege to Bastion’s Keep spreading rampage throught the Dreadlands. However, Azmodan was actually aiding Diablo, ensuring the Prime Evil could return and conquer Heaven and Sanctuary. He was eventually defeated by the Nephalem and trapped in the Black Soulstone, which Diablo would consume, thereby becoming "The Prime Evil."
Duriel: The Lord of Pain
Duriel is a giant spiked slug and a Lesser Evil who was tasked by Diablo to ambush the heroes when they invaded the Tomb of Tal Rasha in Diablo 2.
The Lesser Evil was ultimately defeated and cast back to Hell in Diablo 2, and he was absent in Diablo 3. However, he returns in Diablo 4, joining Lilith’s coalition against both Heaven and Hell.
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Belial: The Lord of Lies
Belial is one of the two Lesser Evils to appear in Diablo 3. Having possessed the Emperor of Caldeum, he used his host's power to manipulate the Nephalem and distract them while Azmodan's army moved on to Bastion's Keep. The entire scheme was part of a plot to bring Diablo back to Sanctuary. Belial succeeded in making it appear as though he and Azmodan were the main enemies of Sanctuary.
Once his deception was uncovered, the Nephalem, Tyrael, and their allies defeated Belial and imprisoned him in the Black Soulstone. He was released during the Diablo 3 DLC and is likely plotting his return from Hell.
Andariel: The Maiden of Anguish
Andariel is a powerful succubus and Lesser Evil who joined Diablo’s cause in Diablo 2. She corrupted the Rogue's monastery and flooded it with demons until the heroes vanquished her and sent her back to Hell. Her purpose was to hold the region while Diablo released Mephisto and Baal, slowing down anyone who would come after The Lord of Terror.
Though she was defeated, she succeeded in her objective. Andariel was absent in Diablo 3 but returns in Diablo 4, this time in the service of Lilith and against the Prime Evils.
A Rich Story With More To Come
With this extensive overview of the main antagonists of the games, we can agree that Blizzard Entertainment have built a complex, enticing, and vast world fueled by endless bloodshed between forces of great power. A captivating story with betrayal, salvation and damnation all wrapped in a gory and vicious cycle of conflict, only to harbor more dead souls to soar across realms and blood to water the barren wastelands of where mighty heroes and villains once stood.
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