Diablo

For other meanings of the term, see Diablo (disambiguation).

"And perhaps the worst of the three... he who is the essence of terror... the lord Diablo."

- Tyrael^(src)

Diablo
Title	The Dark Lord Lord of Terror The Prime Evil Metus Survivor of the Dark Exile Leader of the Three Destroyer of Souls The Terror Lord
Alias	Dialon, Spirit of Determination (Triune persona) Mirakodus (false persona) The Heavenly One (false title)
Gender	Male
Race	Demon
Affiliation	Burning Hells
Occupation	Prime Evil
Relatives	Mephisto, Baal (brothers) Leah (daughter), Lucion (nephew), Lilith (niece) Rathma (grandnephew)
Status	Alive
Appearances	Diablo Diablo II Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (mentioned only) Diablo Immortal Diablo III Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (mentioned only) Diablo IV (mentioned only)Legacy of Blood The Black Road (mentioned only) The Kingdom of Shadow (mentioned only) Moon of the Spider (mentioned only) Birthright Scales of the Serpent The Veiled Prophet The Order (mentioned only) Storm of Light (mentioned only) Deckard Cain's Journal (mentioned only) Writings of Abd al-Hazir (mentioned only) Book of Cain Book of Tyrael The Story of Diablo Book of Lorath (mentioned only) Theater Macabre: The Dark Exile Diablo III: Wrath Book of Lorath

Al'Diabolos, the Lord of Terror, more commonly known as Diablo, is the youngest of the three Prime Evils, and the titular main antagonist of the Diablo game series.

Biography

"Diablo was the youngest of the Prime Evils, but I found him the most dangerous, for his power over terror left him incapable of feeling fear. Though he had easily possessed and corrupted many humans, Diablo's essence was finally trapped in a soulstone and banished to the unfathomable Abyss twenty years ago."

- Deckard Cain^(src)

Diablo, Mephisto and Baal

As with all the Great Evils, Diablo spawned from one of the seven heads of the great dragon Tathamet. His domain in the Burning Hells was the Realm of Terror. He, Mephisto, and Baal were the three Prime Evils, and from the outset, warred amongst each other to maintain dominion and rule over the legions of the Burning Hells. Under Diablo's command, the Wrathborne solidified Diablo's rule in Hell.

The Eternal Conflict

As with all demons, Diablo partook in the Eternal Conflict. However, the Prime Evils rarely worked together, though when they did, he served as the harbinger of their wrath. One example of these rare instances of cooperation was the Fifth Battle of the Diamond Gates, and just when it seemed that the Prime Evils would win the Great Conflict, they turned on each other, fighting over spoils that they had yet to win. With this discord in Hell's ranks, Heaven was able to drive the forces of Hell back.

Wrath

"Your rage makes you powerful. Yet you hide it from your brethren. Perhaps you fear them seeing you for what you truly are."
"I fear nothing!"

- Diablo and Imperius^(src)

Diablo during the Eternal Conflict

On one such battlefield, Diablo battled Imperius. They fought each other to a standstill as Diablo commented on Imperius's rage, and wondered aloud if his enemy (Imperius) feared of how the angels saw him for what he truly was. Imperius responded that he feared nothing and continued fighting. It was at this point that the other Angiris Council members arrived, imprisoning the Lord of Terror. Auriel and Tyrael suggested capturing him, for if slain, Diablo would return in time. An enraged Imperius however, declared that demonkind could only be dealt with through blood, and slew the Lord of Terror. In his last words, Diablo mocked the Angiris Council for its supposed unity.

The Sin War

Sanctuary

"You are all deceived, my brothers. A new age has already begun. Can you not sense them? Ugly creatures, born in shadow. They feel terror, hatred, and the desire to destroy. Yes, but they are not ours yet. They will open their world to us very soon. An invitation we cannot refuse."

- Diablo^(src)

Diablo's visage

The Eternal Conflict came to a halt with the disappearance of the Worldstone. However, due to the actions of the Vizjerei, the powers of Hell came to learn of the existence of Sanctuary and its inhabitants—creatures that had been born from the coupling of angels and demons. Diablo informed his brothers of this new world's existence. Sensing the dormant power within humanity and reasoning it could be turned to suit their own ends, the Prime Evils began a campaign to tip humanity over to their side. To this end, they founded the Triune—a seemingly benevolent religion that was actually a front for their true motives. Each of the Primes took on an alter ego for worship and in Diablo's case, he was known as Dialon, the Spirit of Determination, represented by a ram in Triune iconography. "Dialon" was said to bring purpose to humanity, and carried the "Tablets of Order."

The Triune's efforts to ensnare humanity were hindered by the rogue angel Inarius however, who founded the Cathedral of Light. Thus began the Sin War.

Rise of the Nephalem

"I tasted your fear, angel. There would have been nothing for me to devour if what you say is true. This mortal, this Uldyssian, he has become more than any of us would imagine. He risks all that either of us desires of Sanctuary!"

- Diablo to Inarius^(src)

Diablo

In the last days of the Sin War, events were complicated with the emerge of the Edyrem, a group led by the nephalem Uldyssian who sought to end the influence of both the Triune and Cathedral of Light. The Triune was his first target. Astrogha, Diablo's minion, reported to his master. Diablo was interested in Uldyssian's might, especially in light of the demise of Gulag (a servant of Baal).

The Triune was nonetheless wiped out, and Diablo confronted Inarius directly. Diablo was gratified to sense the angel's fear. Less gratifying was Inarius seeing through his charade, that Uldyssian had become a threat to the Prime Evils' plans for Sanctuary. Diablo offered an alliance, a proposal that left Inarius aghast. As Diablo pointed out, however, this would not be the first time that Inarius would have consorted with demons. Inarius agreed, and Malic (a servant of Diablo through the Triune) entered the angel's service.

Diablo later came into contact with Uldyssian himself, after the nephalem nearly drowned. He offered Uldyssian his own allegiance, pointing out the dogmatic thinking of Inarius and Heaven, of the "sin" they saw as being inherent in Sanctuary. Uldyssian fought the demon off and was able to craft the water into a mirror of ice as Diablo rose to face him. In an instant, Diablo was subjected to his own innate terror, as the fears he had been thrusting onto Uldyssian were transformed into his own. Howling, Diablo fled.

In the end, the conflict ended with both Heaven and Hell agreeing to respect Sanctuary's neutrality in the Great Conflict.

The Kingdom of Shadow

The Lord of Terror

Long before the Dark Exile, there existed the city of Ureh. One of the greatest cities in all of Sanctuary, it attracted traders, artists, and masters in every field to bask in its glory. But, for all its prosperity, it came under the gaze of the Lord of Terror, for the people of Ureh did not fear anything let alone be terrorized.

Diablo laid siege to the city in his trademark fashion—corrupting it from within. Although the innocent inhabitants of the city were unaware of what transpired, the city's powerful sorcerers, both indigenous and foreign erected unbreachable barriers that prevented Diablo's influence from spreading within. This caused Diablo to change his tactics; he started corrupting the local flora and fauna, using them as pawns to weaken the barriers that withheld his influence from spreading. But these weak machinations were no match for the arcane powers of Ureh's united sorcerers, bent on protecting the city at all costs. But the people started to suffer, the city was surrounded, supplies stopped.

Diablo then disguised himself as the Archangel Mirakodus, and corrupted Juris Khan, the city's ruler, with his visions. Eventually, the Lord Khan actually became an embodiment of Diablo, subverted by his will. Khan told his Sorcerers that Mirakodus had told them that their plight had not been overlooked by Heaven and that their struggle against Diablo would soon be over. The city of Ureh would be granted a place in Heaven itself. However, it was Ureh's job to find the way. Eventually, they found a way through a portal spell. In reality, however, the spell would not bring Ureh into Heaven, but deliver it to Hell. Through the portal, Hell would be granted a means to invade Sanctuary. However, his plans were thwarted by Gregus Mazi, who realized Khan's deception. His efforts ensured that Ureh did not enter Hell, instead of stranding it in Limbo between the planes.

Diablo's machinations didn't stop there, and he continued to give Khan guidance. Under his guidance, "angels" (in reality, demons) applied "subtle ministrations" to Ureh's people, turning them into undead abominations. Diablo himself forced himself upon Khan's daughter Atanna. She struggled, screamed, and her resistance gave even the Lord of Terror himself pause. Yet he nonetheless succeeded in corrupting her. Yet Diablo was not yet satisfied. Kentril Dumon would theorize thousands of years later that while Diablo's initial plan had been thwarted, he recognized that if Ureh could be returned to the mortal plane, it could serve as a gateway for the forces of Hell. A way to spill into Sanctuary, unencumbered by any kind of barrier. However, for his plan to work, people with untainted blood would have to enter Ureh from the outside.

The Dark Exile

"So it came to be that the Three Prime Evils were banished in spirit form to the mortal realm and after sowing chaos across the East for decades, they were hunted down by the cursed Order of the mortal Horadrim. The Horadrim used artifacts called Soulstones to contain the essence of Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred and his brother Baal, the Lord of Destruction. The youngest brother – Diablo, the Lord of Terror – escaped to the West. Eventually the Horadrim captured Diablo within a Soulstone as well, and buried him under an ancient, forgotten Cathedral. There, the Lord of Terror sleeps and awaits the time of his rebirth. Know ye that he will seek a body of youth and power to possess – one that is innocent and easily controlled. He will then arise to free his Brothers and once more fan the flames of the Sin War..."

- Anonymous^(src)

Diablo

Diablo and his brothers had kept Sanctuary's existence a secret from the Lesser Evils, and that had driven a wedge between them. That they continued to be interested in Man's potential after the Sin War did not sit well also and the Lesser Evils rose up in rebellion. Mere days before the rebellion's end, Izilech defied Diablo. The Lord of Terror's wrath left Izilech permanently deformed, but Izilech's will endured.

The conflict ended with the Lesser Evils' triumph, and Diablo and his brothers were banished into Sanctuary in what became known as the Dark Exile. In truth, this was a plan on the Primes' part to corrupt the Worldstone and corrupt humanity. While Diablo and his brothers were free to wreak havoc for a few decades, their presence came to be discovered by the archangel Tyrael, who formed the Horadrim to find and capture the three brothers.

The Lord of Terror

The banishment of the Prime Evils from Hell to the mortal plane also left them incorporeal. In other to acquire a physical form, they required a body for their spirit to possess. Over time their demonic presence twisted the victims human flesh into grotesque simulacrums of their physical form.

The Horadrim seal Diablo's soulstone

In time, both Baal and Diablo journeyed west across the Twin Seas to the deserts of Aranoch. Diablo later crossed into Khanduras spreading terror and anarchy in his wake. Over a decade after their hunt began, the Horadrim finally confronted Diablo along with a demonic army. Diablo was imprisoned within a soulstone, which was hidden in a labyrinthine cave system near the River Talsande. Tyrael, appearing before the Horadrim for a final time, commended them for their victory, but declared that Diablo's site would have to be guarded for all time. The remaining Horadrim built a small monastery and a series of catacombs within the caves.

The Darkening of Tristram

The King and the Prince

"I am convinced that some malevolent being is attempting to wrest control of my thoughts away from me. Voices direct me to horrendous acts, and there are times when I seem unable to control my body. Lazarus knows; this is certain. He looks at me strangely when he thinks me otherwise disposed."

- Leoric in his journal^(src)

Over two centuries after his imprisonment, Diablo's chance at freedom came in the form of King Leoric, who appropriated the cathedral and nearby town of Tristram as his seat of power. Sensing that freedom was within his grasp, Diablo entered the nightmares of Archbishop Lazarus (a servant of Leoric) and lured him into the dark, subterranean labyrinth beneath the cathedral. In his terror, Lazarus raced throughout the abandoned hallways until he, at last, came to the chamber of Diablo's soulstone. No longer in command of his body or spirit, he raised the stone above his head and uttered words long forgotten in the realm of mortals. His will destroyed, Lazarus shattered the soulstone upon the ground. Diablo once again came into the world of Man. He told Lazarus of the existence of Heaven and Hell, and the Eternal Conflict that waged between them, and of the Dark Exile, of Mephisto and Baal, and of his intent to free them from their prisons in the far East. Lazarus eventually came to be Diablo's servant.

Leoric's madness

Although he was released from his imprisonment within the soulstone, the Lord of Terror was still greatly weakened from his long sleep and required an anchor to the world. Once he had found a mortal form to wear, he could begin to reclaim his vastly depleted power. The great demon weighed the souls residing in the town above, and chose to take the strongest of them— that of King Leoric. For many months, the king secretly fought the evil presence that twisted his thoughts and emotions. Sensing that he had been possessed by some unknown evil, Leoric hid his dark secret from his priests, hoping that somehow his own devout righteousness would be enough to exorcise the corruption growing inside him. He was sorely mistaken. Diablo stripped away the core of Leoric’s being, burning away all honor and virtue from his soul. Lazarus too had fallen under the sway of the demon, keeping close to Leoric at all times. Lazarus worked to conceal the plans of his new Master from the Order of Light, hoping that Diablo's power would grow, well concealed amongst the servants of Zakarum. Nonetheless, Leoric's change in demeanor could not be ignored. However, by starting a war with Westmarch, he was able to rid his court of prying eyes, allowing Diablo to assert full control over the king's battered soul.

As the Lord of Terror attempted to strengthen his hold upon the maddened King, he found that the lingering spirit of Leoric fought with him still. Although the control over Leoric that Diablo held was formidable, the demon knew that in his weakened state he could never take complete possession of his soul as long as a glimmer of his will remained. The demon lord sought a fresh and innocent host upon which to build his terror. The demon relinquished his control over Leoric, and began to search throughout Khanduras for the perfect vessel to act as his focus, and found such a soul easily within his reach. Enjoined by his dark master, Lazarus kidnapped Albrecht (Leoric's son) and dragged the terrified youth down into the blackness of the labyrinth. Flooding the boy’s defenseless mind with the essence of pure terror, Diablo easily took possession of the prince.

Diablo possessing Albrecht

Diablo gazed upon his surroundings through the eyes of the young prince. A lustful hunger still tortured the demon after his frustrating bout of control over Leoric, but the nightmares of the boy provided ample substance to sate him. Reaching deep into Albrecht’s subconscious, Diablo ripped the greatest fears of the child from their hiding places and gave them breath. The terrors of Albrecht's imagination were given physical form. Such was the terror that grew within Albrecht that Hell itself began to seep into the mortal realm. Diablo, at last, took physical form, as Albrecht's body was altered to match Diablo's own form. When the moment was right, Diablo intended to venture once more into the mortal world and free his captive brothers Mephisto and Baal. The Prime Evils would be reunited, and together they would reclaim their rightful place in Hell.

Lazarus, still loyal to Diablo, led a group of townsfolk into the depths of the cathedral, in a supposed attempt to save Albrecht. He led them into the lair of the Butcher, who slaughtered most of them, leaving others to flee. This 'sacrifice' strengthened Diablo further, giving him the power to summon demons to terrorize the surrounding countryside.

The Reign of Terror

"No one could save Tristram. The people there never understood that. Not Cain. Not Prince Aidan. Not the others who remained in town to stop the chaos. Tristram was already lost. It was gone the moment my master's influence slipped into the minds of Leoric and his people. The moment he sensed the king's fears and made them into living nightmares. Diablo defeated the people of Tristram before they even knew of his presence. How could anyone ever stand against a force like that?"

- Adria^(src)

Diablo awakened

Tristram was left without an army, or a king, and the demons that Diablo had spawned brought further grief to the town. Deep beneath the foundations of the ruined monastery, Diablo gorged himself upon the fears of the mortals above him. He slowly sank back into the welcoming shadows and began to harness his depleted power, knowing that the time of his victory was close at hand.

However, Diablo's terror did not go unchallenged. A trio of heroes – Aidan, Moreina and Jazreth – descended into the labyrinth to confront the evil that had gripped Tristram. Reaching what Aidan later described as "the threshold of Hell itself," the trio confronted Diablo. The battle that followed was desperate, as Diablo did not just battle the heroes physically, but mentally as well, as Aidan was forced to battle his own fears. However, spurred on by the disappearance of his brother, Albrecht, Aidan and his companions fought on, wearing the demon down. Ultimately, Aidan himself delivered the killing blow. However, as he watched Diablo's form dissolve, Aidan saw to his horror that Albrecht's body lay before him.

Diablo confronted

To make matters worse, as Diablo's soulstone had been broken by Lazarus, it could not contain the demon indefinitely. Believing he could contain Diablo's essence, Aidan plunged the soulstone into his forehead. Blood filled his vision, the whispers of the damned echoed in his ears and Aidan could feel Diablo himself clawing his way up from the dark recesses of his soul. But he had done it. Diablo had been contained.

Journey to Hell

The Dark Wanderer

"Many moons have passed since I left the town of Tristram behind me. Since then I've tried to forget the terrors I beheld beneath the cold earth. And the twisted nightmares that have haunted my every waking moment. There's something dark within me now. I can feel it. Driving me towards the east. Assuring me that my salvation lies within the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Though I know the way, I know not what perils will rise to hinder my journey. And as I pass through the first gate, I know that the better part of my soul will remain behind. Forever..."

- Aidan's reflections^(src)

The Dark Wanderer

Though he wrestled with Diablo's presence, Aidan's will became subverted by the Lord of Terror. Tormented by his experiences, Aidan sought solace with Adria, who saw Diablo's essence within him. The two spent many nights behind closed doors, and through this liaison, Adria became pregnant with a child. When the time was right, this infant would be Diablo's vessel to become the Prime Evil. Years later, Cain would speculate that this had been Diablo's plan all along, to lure in the strongest of heroes and find a new, perfect host for himself.

Wearing the guise of the Dark Wanderer, Diablo took his host eastward, seeking to free his brothers. Traveling through Eastgate Keep, Diablo summoned numerous demons to his side, driving the Sisters of the Sightless Eye from their home. In the mountains that separated Khanduras from Aranoch, the Wanderer did the same thing to a tavern, sparing only Marius, who had previously survived the fall of Eastgate. The Wanderer beckoned, and Marius followed.

Diablo's features begin to protrude

Eventually, the two reached the Tomb of Tal Rasha. Upon entering the tomb, the Wanderer appeared to gain strength. Or rather, as Marius observed, appeared to be losing what was left of his humanity, his visage becoming more demonic. Either way, the Wanderer led the way into the tomb, undeterred by the gloom. Eventually, the pair reached the Binding Stone where Tal Rasha, barely containing Baal, stood. The Wanderer moved forward to release the Lord of Destruction but it was here that the archangel Tyrael intervened. The Wanderer and angel did battle but Marius, manipulated by Baal, released him. Marius promptly fled with Baal's soulstone, but it mattered not. Baal was free. Tyrael was imprisoned in his place. And with that, the Wanderer and Baal set sail to Kurast.

The Rebirth of Terror

"Now my young brother, the time has come to assume your true form! Arise Diablo, Lord of Terror!"

- Mephisto^(src)

Terror's return. Diablo at the Infernal Gate

In Travincal, it was found that Mephisto had already succeeded in corrupting the Zakarum faith. Diablo used his powers of fear to cause the uncorrupted defenders to flee and/or turn on each other. Regardless, Mephisto's soulstone was found, and the Lord of Hatred quickly took possession of Que-Hegan Sankekur. After centuries, the Prime Evils were reunited. Within a chamber, the Primes devised a final stratagem to retake the Burning Hells, claim vengeance on those who had turned on them and use their corrupted soulstones to corrupt the Worldstone, thereby enslaving humanity to their will. The Infernal Gate was opened and Diablo took full control over the Wanderer's body, assuming his true form, and entered Hell, ready to rally Hell's legions to the Primes' cause.

Diablo within the Chaos Sanctuary

It did not come to pass, however, as a group of heroes who had pursued the Wanderer since Khanduras, entered Hell itself in their pursuit of the Lord of Terror. Within the Chaos Sanctuary, a final battle played out, and Diablo was bested. Taking Diablo's soulstone, once again containing the demon's essence, they destroyed it upon the Anvil of Annihilation, supposedly banishing his soul into the Black Abyss. Through their actions, the heroes had forever loosened Diablo's hold on Sanctuary.

Diablo Immortal

Return from the Abyss

"By mortal hands, I find anchor in the fires of Hell. From the endless Abyss, Terror stalks creation once again."

- Diablo, upon his return from the Black Abyss^(src)

Diablo's soul returns

After being banished to the Black Abyss, Skarn bound Diablo's skull to his throne to use as a power source and to prevent his master from returning. Once he was killed in 1270, Diablo's soul was able to use his skull to return from the Black Abyss. He then tried to kill the Shard-seeker, but was interrupted by an angel, who teleported them away, seemingly at the cost of her life.

Dark Rebirth

"The Heart of Creation and I beat as one."

- Diablo, just after he attunes himself to a Worldstone shard^(src)

Diablo acquires a Worldstone shard

Approximately two years later the Cult of Terror travelled to Tristram Cathedral with a Worldstone shard in their possession. With the shard, they resurrected Albrecht—a former host of Diablo, as a new breed of monster. Using the shard, Albrecht's memories were manifested as a seperate plane. The Bride of Hell ventured into the plane, looking for the memory with the strongest imprint of Diablo—where Albrecht was possessed. Using the imprint, she opened a portal directly to Diablo. Though the Shard-seeker tried to stop it, Diablo was able to attune the shard to himself and began reconstructing his body.

Splintered Souls

"Do you see? This is the price of your defiance. You are broken, just like your broken world."

- Diablo to the Shard-seeker, after showing them a vision of Verathiel's torture.^(src)

While he reconstructed his body, Diablo paid attention to the Shard-seeker, who had travelled to the Southern Dreadlands in search of an artifact that could help foil Diablo's resurrection. At various points of their journey, Diablo dragged the Shard-seeker into nightmares and sent Terror Demons to kill them. When it didn't work, he showed them a vision of Verathiel, still alive and tortured by him. As they despaired Diablo tried to personally kill them, but was thwarted by Tyrael.

Age of Unmaking

Diablo set his sights on Sanctuary, mustering an invasion. With a merciless force of fearsome foot soldiers at his back, Diablo sought to tear away the fabric of the mortal realm. His growing influence warped sections of Sanctuary into a nightmarish hellscape.

The Order

"I know that face..."

- Belial upon seeing Leah (and Diablo within her)^(src)

By 1272, Leah was beginning to manifest magical abilities and, at times, operated in a trance, as if guided by some unseen hand. Once in Caldeum, as her house burnt down, she entered a trance, and caused the temperature of the house to decrease. Once, at Brand Manor, when cultists tried to sacrifice her, her innate magic resurfaced, and walking across the room, as if in a trance, she was able to free Deckard Cain as well. And when Belial's servants attacked the First Ones outside Gea Kul, she was able to use her magic to kill several of the attackers before she was captured.

Finally, inside the Dark Tower, even in a trance, Leah's magic was activated, protecting her body against Rau. She later came face to face with Belial. When he saw Leah, Belial was caught offguard, as he beheld Diablo within her.

Prime Evil

The Dragon Reborn

"I LIVE! But I am more than I once was. The Seven Evils are one within me. I am the Prime Evil!"

- Diablo, upon his rebirth^(src)

Twenty years passed since Diablo's defeat in Hell, but it was not his end. Over the two decades, his servant, Adria, remained active in Sanctuary. She gathered the essences of the five Great Evils that had been slain (including Diablo), whose essences lingered in the mortal plane. After those two decades, she had succeeded, leaving only two lords of Hell remaining—Belial, and Azmodan. The essences were prepared for absorption into the Black Soulstone, as per Diablo's plan of taking their essences into himself. Adria allied herself with a group of mortal heroes, including the Nephalem, and her daughter, Leah. Diablo's host, now ready to be his vessel.

Diablo possessing Leah

With the conclusion of the Siege of Bastion's Keep, Azmodan had followed Belial in defeat, and now, all seven essences were in the soulstone. However, Adria showed her true colors, as she bound Tyrael in arcane chains, and using the bodies of dead guards, formed a ritual circle around Leah. Plunging the Black Soulstone into Leah's flesh, Diablo was now reborn. But in his own words, more than he once was. The Seven Evils were now upon him. He was the Prime Evil, containing all the powers and malice of all of the Seven. He dismissed Adria and opened a portal to Heaven, intent on ridding the realm of his enemies, and reigning supreme over Creation as the Prime Evil.

And the Heavens Shall Tremble

"The seven Evils are one within me! I am Legion!"

- Diablo to the Nephalem^(src)

Diablo as the Prime Evil

Summoning the entirety of Hell's forces to his side, Diablo approached the Diamond Gates. Imperius was there waiting for him, channeling a stream of fire from Solarion that revealed Diablo's true form, one unlike any other that had been seen. The two did battle, and before long, Diablo had the upper hand, cleaving Solarion in two, and impaling his enemy. Imperius was able to teleport to safety, but could not stop Diablo from shattering the gates. The way to Heaven lay open, and the legions of Hell followed, gaining access to the Silver City for the first time in the history of the Eternal Conflict.

Leading his forces into the city, Diablo specifically targeted Auriel, knowing that without her, the Heavenly Host would lose hope. To this end, one of Diablo's focal assault points was the Gardens of Hope. Lorath Nahr would comment decades later that Diablo had not been incorrect in his strategy. Auriel was captured, and the Host was scattered. However, she was rescued by The Nephalem, and Diablo's Hell Rifts sealed. Atop the Silver Spire, The Nephalem and Prime Evil met. Empowered by the souls of the Evils, Diablo and his foe(s) met in battle, the Lord of Terror even transporting his foe(s) to his own Realm of Terror. Yet even that was not enough, and in the end, the Nephalem prevailed. Diablo's physical form disintegrated, and his essence returned to the Black Soulstone. An unintended consequence of this battle was the creation of the Realms of Fate.

The Reaper of Souls

"Diablo will return. I have done what I can to ensure it. He always finds a way. In your heart of hearts, you know this."

- Adria^(src)

Diablo, as remembered by Tyrael

While Diablo and the Evils remained contained in the Black Soulstone, the stone itself exerted a corrupting influence on Heaven. Reforming the Horadrim, Tyrael took the stone to the Tomb of Rakkis, seeking to keep it hidden from the worlds of both Man and angel. However, the stone was taken by Malthael, former Archangel of Wisdom and now the Angel of Death. Malthael intended to use the stone to consume all demonic essence within Sanctuary, which would eradicate humanity in the process. The Nephalem battled him to the point where Malthael destroyed the stone, taking the essences of the Evils into himself. Yet even this was not enough, and Malthael was defeated. However, in the process, Diablo was freed, still bearing the essences of the other six Evils. Eventually however, the other Evils were able to separate themselves from Diablo.

In-game

Diablo I

Main article: Diablo (Diablo I)

Diablo, also known as "The Dark Lord", is the final boss of Diablo I.

Diablo II

Main article: Diablo (Diablo II)

Diablo is the boss of Act IV of Diablo II.

Diablo Immortal

Diablo's in-game model in Diablo Immortal

Diablo appears on the login screen for Diablo Immortal, and is revealed as a surprise enemy after the player defeats Skarn at the end of the game. He is not fought himself however.

Diablo III

Main article: Diablo (Diablo III)

Diablo is the boss of Act IV of Diablo III.

The Sliver of Terror, based on Diablo's soulstone, can be obtained.

Other Games

Warcraft III

"Wings, horns, hooves...What are we saying, is this Diablo?"

- Illidan Stormrage^(src)

A reference to the Lord of Terror is made in the final 'poke line' of Illidan Stormrage in Warcraft III, who compares his demonic transformation to Diablo. The speech fragment is slightly inaccurate considering that Diablo has neither wings or hoofs, but it could be a reference to the Diablo setting as a whole. T

Diablo also appears as a playable character in the Azeroth Grand Prix optional scenario which is included in the patch v1.22a. He represents the realm of the Diablo universe on this map.

Moderate Acceleration, Good Top Speed, Moderate HP

Diablo, Lord of Terror was excited upon hearing about the Azeroth Grand Prix and wanted something fast and durable. Void dragons were too annoying to deal with, so he turned his attention to the sentinel infernal contraptions

As mentioned in the description, Diablo rides on an Infernal Contraption, a type of demonic siege weapon from the Warcraft universe. He possesses 600 HP and his honk sounds like a tractor trailer's.

During his transformation in the Diablo II Act IV cinematic, Diablo lets loose a roar that is heard from the frost wyrm.

World of Warcraft

Diablo pet in World of Warcraft

Diablo makes a small appearance in World of Warcraft as a pet. Mini Diablo is chosen among three small pets as the reward for a special level 1 quest: Welcome!. This quest is only available with the World of Warcraft Collector's Edition. This edition is no longer sold in stores, making this an ultra-rare pet. Of note, Tyrael is also available as a pet.

StarCraft II

Diablo in "The Devil's Playground"

A Diablo unit exists in the game and can be placed in player made maps with the game's map editor. Diablo also has a cameo in one of the StarCraft II campaign missions, where he appears to control the rising and lowering of a deadly sea of lava.

A Diablo portrait temporarily replaced that of worker units to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Diablo series.

Hearthstone

"He may have raised hell in the Tavern before, but he’s back to unleash his fiery fury once more. Welcome, Diablo, the Lord of Terror!"

- Ad^(src)

Diablo has, on occasion, been a playable hero in Hearthstone.

Heroes of the Storm

"Known in the ancient tongue as Al'Diabolos, the Prime Evil of Terror, the demon lord Diablo seeks to claim the world of Sanctuary for the Burning Hells. As the Lord of Terror, Diablo thrives on the fear of others, only satiated by the horror of those who fall before him. His victims are innumerable, his schemes are unknowable, and his gender is... malleable."

- Heroes of the Storm^(src)

For the detailed information, see the respective article on Heroes of the Storm Wikia

Diablo in Heroes of Storm

Diablo is a playable hero in Heroes of the Storm.

He retains his iconic Apocalypse and Red Lightning Hose attacks, as well as Fire Stomp and Shadow Charge skills from the third game. The Black Soulstone is his passive trait that allows him to resurrect faster. Diablo's appearance in HotS is closest to that in the second game, though his Diablo III incarnation is available as a skin.

Call of Duty: Mobile

"Calling all available Operators! An otherworldly demonic presence has been detected and we need you to run recon on it. From now until June 16 at 5 p.m. PDT, Operators can earn a Diablo Immortal-themed Lord of Terror Weapon Charm, Great One Sticker, and Prime Evil Showdown Calling Card by fighting off Hell’s minions. in the Ready For Hell event. It’s time to move! Grab your gear and lock n’ load, there’s hostiles to silence."

- Advertisment^(src)

Diablo aesthetics were available in Call of Duty: Mobile to tie-in with the release of Diablo Immortal. Players could earn a Diablo-themed weapon charm and calling card.

Personality and Traits

"He is the root of all fears buried deep within mortal minds. He is the nightmare that awakens us, sweating in the dark. He is an entity of pure malevolence and depthless evil."

- Deckard Cain^(src)

Diablo

It is said that of the Three, Diablo is the most creative and farsighted of them, perhaps of all the Great Evils. He is calm, cunning, and patient. He sees himself as an artist of terror. He knows that conquest comes when enemies turn their back on fear rather than face them. However, Diablo does not acquire his satisfaction from conquest itself, as Mephisto might. Diablo feeds on the terror that precedes the conquest. To him, the fear a victim has is a greater reward than the pain they suffer when they are actually tortured.

Like his brothers, Diablo, by his nature, is confrontational.

Powers and Abilities

"Is it possible to conquer our fears? I hope so, though I also believe that Terror can never truly die."

- Deckard Cain^(src)

Diablo's Insignia

Diablo is perhaps the most powerful demon known to Sanctuary. and perhaps the most feared. He has the ability to influence the minds of his victims and latch onto their most crippling fears, using a person's own worst fears against them. He has the ability to turn the fears of Men into actual creatures, and even the smallest of fears provide him with power. Not only able to bring nightmares to life, Diablo can also imbue objects with his vile presence. Deckard Cain argued that Diablo would always remain the most insidious, and most powerful of all the Evils. Tyrael likewise considered Diablo to be "the worst of the Three," and Valla considered Diablo to be "the worst damned demon of them all."

Deckard Cain wrote that due to his mastery of terror, Diablo is incapable of feeling fear himself. However, his confrontation with Uldyssian stands in contrast to this, realizing that Diablo himself did possess innate fear, and that he could not bear to be subjected to his own powers of terror.

In battle as the Lord of Terror, Diablo demonstrated proficiency with fire and lightning attacks, and the ability to run on all fours like a lion. Diablo's horns are strong enough to pierce and gore, though anyone so injured who survives would be wise to pray the wound is swiftly fatal. If not, the tainted gash will fester and rot from the inside out, giving the body over to maggots and hellish parasites long before death ends the feverish agony.

As the Prime Evil, Diablo demonstrated similar abilities to his form as the Lord of Terror, along with the ability to teleport, breathe lightning, and to form cages of bones. As the Prime Evil, he was stronger than he had ever been, and one swing of Diablo's spiked tail could send an angel flying with enough force to shatter structures.

Appearance

"Terror comes in many forms. A child. A warrior. Even... a friend."

- Diablo^(src)

One of the faces of Terror

Diablo has demonstrated the ability to change his visage at will, even mimicking other individuals. He can even alter his appearance to best mimic his foes' innate terrors. He has two main horns (the Horn of Diablo stems from one of these horns, taken from one of his hosts), and the rest of his body bristles with vicious, bony spikes. Even one of these 'lesser horns' would be enough to induce terror in a victim if so utilized.

Diablo's gender is malleable. When he possesses an individual, the form reflects that individual's fears. When Albrecht and Aidan were possessed, their forms were that of hulking brutes. When Leah was possessed, the form was more feminine, as per her own fears, combining with Diablo's new form as the Prime Evil than merely the Lord of Terror. In his natural form within Pandemonium, Diablo's appearance was similar to how he appeared while possessing Albrecht and Aidan, but was slightly more lithe.

Trivia

This section contains facts and trivia relevant to this article.

The Lord of Terror

• Diablo is nicknamed "Big Red" by the developers.
• In PC World, Diablo was voted as #14 of the top 47 "most diabolical videogame villains of all time."
• It seems that in the games, Diablo's hosts were all of the same family: Albrecht, Aidan and Leah.
• In the first two games, pentagrams were featured in Diablo's lairs, though it's unclear whether those were his personal heraldry, or used simply to summon him (heavy use of those in other areas implied the latter). However, as with Zakarum crosses, replaced with Psi-like symbols, pentagrams were replaced with abstract hexagrammatic runes in the third game. Bashiok explained that the shift was to create symbols unique to the setting rather than relying on real-world symbols as a stand-in.
• Rob Foote has suggested that it is impossible to defeat Diablo for good.
• Julian Love has suggested that Diablo himself should be in every main series installment, though him not being in expansions is acceptable.
• In The Sanctuary Tarot Deck and Guidebook Diablo represents The Devil card.
• It has been joked that Diablo has the ability to usher in the "reality-bending cosmic force" of daylight savings time.

Cultural References

• Diablo's quote "I am Legion!" is a reference to the Bible, New Testament, Mark 5:9: And He (Jesus) asked Him (the demon possessing a man), "What is thy name?" And he answered, saying: "My name is Legion: for we are many."
• In Diablo III, there is an achievement in game named "Punch Diablo" (which requires the player to do exactly as its name suggests: hit Diablo with their bare hands, i.e. basic attack with no weapon equipped). It may be a reference to the trope named "Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?".

Etymology

• Diablo is the Spanish word for "devil", which is in turn taken from the Latin word "Diabolus", which also means "devil". The original root may be related to the Ancient Greek word, διάβολος (diabolos), which meant "slanderer" or "accuser" (in modern Greek, its meaning is cognate to the Spanish one).
• "Metus" is a Latin word which translates as "fears."

Other Blizzard Games

• Diablo balloons/pinatas can be seen in the Dorado map in Overwatch.
• Within Blizzard, Diablo has been likened to Sarlac; the antagonist of Blizzard's Blackthorne legacy game.

Merchandise

Statue of Diablo

• A Diablo vinyl figure shipped in November, 2013.
• A Diablo figure in Blizzard's Cute But Deadly range was released at the 2013 BlizzCon.
• A 9″ action figure of Diablo was released in March, 2014. As of July 2014, a Shadow of Diablo figurine was announced for Comic-Con
• A mini-figure of Diablo, based on his appearance in Heroes of the Storm, was released in May, 2015.
• A Diablo keychain exists.
• A Nightmare Diablo "Cute but Deadly" figurine was released at San Diego ComicCon 2016.
• A Diablo vinyl statue was featured in the BlizzCon 2018 "goodie bag."
• A Diablo bust is available from the Blizzard Store.

Character Development

Early concept art of Diablo as he would have appeared like in Diablo III

• In the original pitch for Diablo I, Diablo was stated to be the actual Devil, with the decision to set the franchise in an alternate fantasy world coming later.
• The original Diablo design was created by Michio Okamura.
• Diablo's design in Diablo III started off similar to the previous games: hulking, red, horns everywhere. During development, the suggestion was made to make Diablo female. Victor Lee and other artists began exploring the idea, of making Diablo "grotesque but somehow beautiful," and giving him wings. The cinematics team created the version seen in the game, incorporating ideas from the artists.

References

Great Evils

Prime Evil — Tathamet
Prime Evils — Baal • Diablo • Mephisto
Lesser Evils — Andariel • Azmodan • Belial • Duriel