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Diablo 4continues the war between the realms of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, and features yet more incredible angelic and demonic characters. One of these is Inarius, an Archangel of the Heavens and one of the most powerful beings in existence. Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, may take center stage during the game’s narrative, but Inarius' story is integral to her character arc, and he is set to be one of the biggest players within the fourth edition of Diablo.
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This guide will explain Inarius' history and background, his role within the Diablo universe, and what we can expect from him in the latest edition of the demon-filled ARPG.
Inarius And The Great Conflict
Inarius was not actually a member of the Angiris Council during The Great Conflict.He instead served as an advisor to Tyreal, The Aspect of Justice, and aided the angels in their struggle against the three Prime Evils. Renowned for his great skill on the battlefield, Inarius was responsible for defeating Azmodan, one of the Lesser Evils, and nobly defended Heaven against the forces of Hell.
Despite Inarius' personal successes,he became jaded by the eons of conflict, and tried to convince Tyreal that the endless war was for nought. Unfortunately, he believed Tyreal to be too consumed by his lust for war, and was therefore unable to seek a peaceful resolution. Despite his failure to convince the Aspect, Inarius concluded that there must be more like-minded souls out there, who wanted an end to the bloodshed between Heaven and Hell.
During one particularly brutal battle at the Pandemonium Fortress, Inarius' forces were soundly defeated, andthe angel was captured by his demonic enemies. Imprisoned by Mephisto, the Lord of Hatred, Inarius was bound in chains, ranting about his desire for The Great Conflict to come to an end.Eventually he was let go by none other than Lilith, Daughter of Mephisto.
She, too, had rebelled against the notion of endless war, and did not share her father’s desire to inflict suffering upon all worlds.Transfixed by the first demon to ever agree with him, Inarius fell in love with her, and so they joined forces, drawing to them other beings who longed for peace.
Inarius And Lilith
Referred to as theMother and Father of Sanctuary,Lilith and Inarius utilised their rogue followers to obtain the Worldstone, a vessel of unimaginable power, with which they were able to create the world of Sanctuary. A land fashioned as a utopian escape from the conflicts between Heaven and Hell, it was initially ruled by a cohort of angels and demons from the Temple of the Firstborn. However, whilst creating their paradise,Inarius had secretly bound the powers of the Worldstone to himself, and in the process had become the most powerful being in Sanctuary.
Lilith and Inarius eventually consummated their love, and gave birth to the race known as the Nephalem. Humanity’s predecessors, their creation would forever alter the history of Sanctuary, and was perceived as an abomination by many. A blasphemy in the eyes of both the Angiris Council and the Prime Evils,the Nephalem came under persecutionfrom the inhabitants of Sanctuary, who feared the world’s destruction should it be discovered by their former masters.
Enraged by the death of her children, Lilith became murderous, slaughtering much of Sanctuary in an effort to protect her offspring. Although troubled by her actions, Inarius was unable to strike her down, promising to never physically hurt her, sohe instead banished her into the Void. A realm utterly devoid of life, it was a fate some perceived to be worse than death, and Lilith never forgave him for his betrayal.
In her absence, Inarius used the Worldstone to diminish the powers of his children, and made it evident that any challenge to his perfect world would be met with uncompromising retaliation. Inarius helped to defend Sanctuary from the Triune, a religious sect orchestrated by the Prime Evils, who had discovered Sanctuary thanks to the creation of the Nephalem.He created the Cathedral of Light, a holy order designed to protect Sanctuaryand bring order to the fractured world.
In the events later known as The Sin War, Lilith was eventually able to escape The Void, rallying around her an army called the Edyrem. Led by Uldyssian, a powerful Nephalem,the Edyrem waged successful war against both the Cathedral of Light and the Triune, and was able to eradicate much of their presence on Sanctuary. However, Lilith was once again not powerful enough to challenge Inarius, and he once again banished her to the Void, taking greater precaution to prevent a second escape.
Lilith would ultimately prove victorious however, with Uldyssian severing Inarius' connection to the Worldstone in a final climactic battle, as the forces of Heaven and Hell descended upon Sanctuary.Defeated and captured, Inarius had lost his once unrivaled power, and a tentative peace was established between the two realms. It was agreed that Inarius should be punished for his crimes against his former allies, being given over to Mephisto to torture for eternity.
Inarius In Diablo 4
In the initial cinematic trailer, we see thatLilith has once again been summoned into Sanctuary, and armed with a new army of followers, she seeks to take revenge on her former husband for his betrayals. Her actions display a warped sense of empathy for Sanctuary’s inhabitants, and she appears much more connected to their fates than Inarius ever was.
In the interlude between the Sin War and Diablo 4,Inarius has appeared to have broken his chains, and now also resides in Sanctuary. Commanding an army of Pale Knights, and reestablishing his Cathedral of Light, Inarius retains much of his melancholy and lack of optimism about the fate of Sanctuary. He shows little initial interest in Lilith’s schemes, believing the player to be too weak to defeat her.
Over time however, Inarius begins to see a glimmer of hope, and starts to take action against his former lover.He even kills Rathma, his own son and the First Necromancer, for failing to give up theKey to Hell. Lilith is seen retrieving this key andthe war between the Mother and Father of Sanctuary forms the central narrative of Diablo 4.
