Warning: Proceed at your own risk as this article contains story spoilers for Diablo 4. Many fans believe that Diablo 4 significantly enhances the story of its predecessor, Diablo 3, in terms of tone and writing, thus restoring the series to the level achieved in Diablo 2. The open-world aspect of Diablo 4 contributes to this improved storytelling by allowing the narrative to unfold naturally, without restricting the player to a linear path. Nevertheless, despite unexpected plot twists and surprising adversaries, the final encounter with Lilith, the main antagonist, is ultimately disappointing. Despite the game's prior build-up to this climactic confrontation, the fight against Lilith falls short of expectations. Blizzard heavily featured Lilith in their marketing campaign leading up to the game's release, thereby amplifying anticipation for players to face her in battle. Unfortunately, instead of introducing a twist or subverting expectations in the final boss battle, the game opts for a conventional approach, resulting in a challenging yet predictable confrontation with Lilith.
Diablo 4 Could Have Made the Final Boss Fight Against Lilith Less Predictable
Lilith's presence in Diablo 4 is defined by her uncanny ability to outsmart the player and their group of Horadrim as they trail her path of destruction across Sanctuary. While the player glimpses visions of Lilith and echoes of her actions throughout various locations in Sanctuary after consuming her blood petals early on, they do not directly come face to face with the antagonist until the ultimate showdown at the Cathedral of Hatred. This encounter is not surprising, considering Lilith's pivotal role in the game's plot, but it lacks the grandeur and excitement that it could have had, due to its predictable nature.
However, the events leading up to this confrontation are much more shocking and befitting of the game's climax. As players descend into Hell in pursuit of Lilith, they bear witness to the cataclysmic clash between her demonic army and the Cathedral of Light, resulting in Lilith's slaying of Inarius. If that unexpected twist isn't enough, the deaths of beloved characters like Reverend Mother Prava and Donan, coupled with the last-minute decision to seal Mephisto within the Soulstone instead of Lilith, maintain a heightened sense of urgency and intrigue in the story, leading up to the final face-off with Lilith.
The fight with Lilith in Diablo 4 is lacking the same level of intrigue as the events leading up to it. While it's not a bad fight, there is room for improvement. The fight is divided into two phases: Lilith, Creator of Sanctuary and Lilith, Daughter of Hatred. The difficulty increases between these two phases. Lilith throws everything she has at the player, destroying parts of the arena as the battle continues, making her one of the toughest bosses in the game.
While the difficulty of this fight is fitting for a final boss, Diablo 4 missed an opportunity to add a more memorable twist. For instance, instead of sealing Mephisto within the Soulstone, Lilith could have successfully completed her mission by killing him. This would force the player to face her in a far more powerful form as the successor to Mephisto. It would have also been more impactful if the player had encountered Lilith earlier in the game and barely survived the encounter. Finally defeating her after a lengthy chase across Diablo 4's Sanctuary would have made the victory all the more satisfying.
Diablo 4 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
