Imperius

Imperius, armed with Solarion

"My old enemy. You cannot hide from me...no matter what form you choose to wear. Let your true self be revealed...Diablo!"

— Imperius to Leah, possessed by the Lord of Terror

The Archangel Imperius is a member of the ruling Angiris Council. He is the Archangel of Valor, and is even said in the Book of Cain to be the commander of the Heavenly Host and the leader of the Angiris Council.

History

Imperius, the archangel of Valor, is the greatest warrior in all of creation. He revels in war and combat and has led the hosts of Heaven to innumerable victories. With Malthael's absence, it is Imperius who now rules over the Angiris Council, seeking always to defend the High Heavens from any foe. - Diablo III

Imperius is described as a majestic Angel wearing long flowing robes of royal red. His characteristic feature is a breastplate carrying the insignia of a blazing upturned sword on it; he himself can summon a sword of fire at will, as he did when Mephisto confronted the Council, and can also thrust back humans with the force of his will, as he did with Mendeln, as well as summon and forcibly render other Angels, such as Inarius, silent with a gesture. These descriptions are mentioned in the book The Veiled Prophet from The Sin War series.

Imperius in the Book of Cain

Imperius has a very fierce and aggressive personality. He absolutely despises Demons and anything related to the Burning Hells for that matter. He commands much respect in the High Heavens and is admired by many Angels.

When Sanctuary was discovered by the Angiris Council, he was the first one to raise a voice against its existence. He regarded humans as abominations polluted by the presence of Demon blood in their veins. He tried his best to have the hidden world destroyed but was opposed by his counterpart Auriel, eventually resulting in a Council vote to decide Sanctuary's fate. The vote went against his favor when Tyrael shockingly voted for humanity, but Imperius still harbors a deep grudge against the "demon-spawn" humans.

A deadly warrior for the High Heavens, and having fought since the dawn of time and having slain billions of demons since, for the last several millennia, after the Sin War, Imperius has often been in conflict with Tyrael, as valor can so often turn to pride, due to differences in their vision for how things should go.

Since the vote, and partially due to Tyrael's later actions (such as destroying the Worldstone), it is said that Imperius has become "a highly legalistic and unbending tyrant", and that although it is likely not his intent, his obstinacy has caused disharmony to creep into the Angiris Council.

Quotes

The stained glass of Imperius in the abandoned Tristram Cathedral

From The Veiled Prophet

"THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS DEBATE TO CONTINUE...OR TO HAVE EVEN BEGUN," declared a majestic angel with robes of royal red and a shining breastplate upon which the image of an upturned sword blazed. THE PATH IS OBVIOUS...WHAT HAS BEEN WROUGHT BY THE TRAITOR MUST BE UNDONE! LET THE HOST FINISH WHAT IT BEGAN, EVEN IF WE MUST CUT THROUGH A HUNDRED RANKS OF DEMONS TO ACCOMPLISH IT!"

SHOULD WE NOT DEAL WITH THE RENEGADE FIRST, IMPERIUS? asked one whose robes were a softer blue and who seemed, as angels appeared, a female. AND LEAVE THIS MATTER FOR ITS OWN TIME?

THE MATTERS ARE ONE AND THE SAME, the first retorted. One gloved hand thrust to the area between them, and suddenly Inarius — shackled by black streaks of energy — knelt in the midst of the Angiris Council. FROM HIS CRIMES WAS THIS ABOMINATION CALLED SANCTUARY CREATED! JUDGE ONE, AND YOU RIGHTLY JUDGE BOTH, AURIEL!

The female angel refused this argument. She was the most animated of the five, turning her head to each of the other four as she spoke. YOU HAVE ALL SEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT THESE CHILDREN OF THAT ORIGINAL CRIME ARE NOT THEIR PARENTS...AND NOT THE ABOMINATIONS THAT WE FIRST BELIEVED THEM.

I SAY IT IS TIME TO VOTE, Imperius rumbled, utterly ignoring him.

LET IT BE SO, interjected a gray-clad angel who seemed neither male nor female in aspect. LET THIS BE DONE.

IT IS SECONDED! the first angel boomed triumphantly. WE BEGIN, THEN! I SAY THAT THE RENEGADE MUST BE FOREVER IMPRISONED AND HIS NEST OF DEMON-SPAWN ERADICATED! Imperius stretched out a fist and turned it downward.

(After the Council votes to spare Sanctuary and humanity):

SO IT IS DECIDED, Imperius declared with a slight hint of bitterness unbecoming an angel. BUT WHAT DO ANY OF YOU NOW SUGGEST BE DONE TO PREVENT THE BURNING HELLS FROM SPREADING THEIR TAINT ACROSS THIS WORLD YOU HAVE SAVED? ARE WE TO HAVE A HOST STAND GUARD OVER THIS...THIS SANCTUARY?

"Tyrael! The ancient law of the High Heavens strictly forbids us from interfering with the mortal world. Yet you have done so, brazenly!"

Imperius to Tyrael

Diablo III

Imperius in the Opening Cinematic

In the Opening Cinematic, he is the first Angel to strike the hordes of the Burning Hells, and demonstrates deadly power and skill in combat with them, wielding Solarion to break through their infernal forces.

The Wrath of Angels

In Diablo III: Wrath, Imperius is the last member of the Angiris Council to attack Hell's demons, easily slaying a massive, grotesque one-eyed fiend after it brutally kills one of the angels under his command. Imperius commands the Heavenly Host to pursue the demonic hordes as they retreat, and, instead of stopping to regroup the angels as Tyrael seeks and advises, presses onward alone to confront Diablo himself in his unholy lair, where the Lord of Terror has already slain many of those whom Imperius had sent forth.

After a short but fierce struggle, despite holding his own and managing to wound Diablo, Imperius is incapacitated, freed only by the timely intervention of the rest of the Angiris Council. Together, the Council manages to quickly overwhelm and constrain Diablo, and despite both Auriel and Tyrael expressing their desire to imprison the demon and thus turn the Eternal Conflict in Heaven's favor (as Terror itself can never truly die), Imperius brashly overrides them and savagely slays Diablo regardless, sealing his triumph in blood, but in turn undermining and weakening the very unity that had been the Council's greatest strength.

Justice Falls, Darkness Rises

Thousands of years later, after the Conflict is brought to a "grinding halt" with Sanctuary's creation and the Worldstone is destroyed by Tyrael, Malthael disappears and abandons Heaven, leaving the Council broken. In the Silver City, Imperius harshly condemns Tyrael for transgressing against the angels' laws and continually interfering with the mortal realm; Tyrael's mockery of Imperius and his inaction provokes a skirmish between the two, ending with Tyrael claiming Solarion and declaring that as the angels and the Council were meant to "protect the innocent" yet did not do so, he would no longer stand as one of them, subsequently falling to Sanctuary in human form in an attempt to warn mankind of the coming darkness threatening to engulf all.

After Diablo possesses Leah and combines the powers of all seven Evils within himself to emerge as the Prime Evil, the Lord of Terror ascends to the High Heavens and reaches the Diamond Gates, only to be confronted by Imperius, who forces him to reveal his true form. Diablo quickly overpowers and severely wounds Imperius, even breaking the Spear of Valor, shattering the Gates for the first time ever and storming the Silver City.

The nephalem heroes and Tyrael pursue Diablo and reach the High Heavens as well, encountering a bitter and recovered Imperius who blames Tyrael and the nephalem for Diablo's invasion of Heaven; Tyrael insists that Imperius cannot face Diablo again due to his wounds having barely healed. Within the Crystal Colonnade, Imperius appears and instantly destroys seven demons, but harshly informing the nephalem that they do not belong in the Heavens; Auriel and Itherael's presence apparently dissuades him somewhat, but Imperius nevertheless threatens to kill the nephalem should he see them again.

Gallery

Imperius vs Tyrael

Imperius vs. Tyrael

Imperius vs. Diablo

Imperius, armed with Spear of Valor, standing before the Diamond Gates of the heavenly Silver City

"Valor shall turn to Wrath"

Valor's Wrath