The Untold Story Behind Inarius' Betrayal in Diablo 4

Diablo 4 places a strong emphasis on its narrative, a first in the long-standing series. The story is conveyed through visually stunning cutscenes and easily understandable dialogue, surpassing those of previous installments. The game's overarching narrative centers around Inarius and Lilith, two characters who have been instrumental in the creation and preservation of Sanctuary. While the player's actions determine much of the story, the campaign delves into the motivations behind Lilith's resurrection and her plans for Sanctuary, while Inarius' goals are clear from the outset. Despite being the leader of the Cathedral of Light and the patron saint of Sanctuary, Inarius seeks to return to the High Heavens and be reunited with his fellow angels, despite a history of conflict. Understanding Inarius' past is necessary to comprehend his desire to abandon humanity and Sanctuary.

Inarius' Pact With Lilith and Creation of Sanctuary

Inarius, a former Archangel of Heaven, grew disillusioned with the Eternal Conflict, which pitted angels against demons in an endless war. After being defeated and imprisoned in the Burning Hells, he met Lilith and together they devised a plan to end the conflict by stealing the Worldstone, the object of the war, and creating Sanctuary, a realm free of the conflict. With the help of other sympathetic angels and demons, they successfully executed their plan and the Nephalem, the offspring of Inarius and Lilith, became the humans of Sanctuary.

Despite Opposing Lilith, Inarius Is No Hero

In Sanctuary, all humans can trace their lineage back to Lilith and Inarius, who are referred to as "Mother" and "Father" in the game's story. However, a rift grew between Lilith and Inarius over the fate of the Nephalem, whose very existence was seen as a threat by both angels and demons. Lilith chose to defend her offspring, which resulted in Inarius banishing her from Sanctuary.

At the start of Diablo 4, Lilith is resurrected by a former Horadrim priest who believes that humanity needs her help against both Heaven and Hell. Inarius has also returned, but their son Rathma refuses to take a side, leading to Inarius murdering him to prevent him from aiding Lilith. Inarius ultimately wishes to abandon Sanctuary because he views humanity as hopeless and seeks to defeat Lilith to earn his place back in the High Heavens. Despite being one of Sanctuary's creators, Inarius seeks to turn his back on humanity for purely selfish reasons.

Diablo 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.