What do you think about Inarius being in the Diablo IV Cinematic? Wait... Inarius was in the cinematic?! Yes, indeed. Well, technically in a blink and you miss him moment. When Lilith was breaching the veil of the bloody gateway, between her eternal prison and Sanctuary, there were fractions-of-a-second flashes in unison with the creepy music strokes.

In three of those flashes, if you pause at the right frame, you will see Inarius chained in what we know is the Chamber of Mirrors deep in the Burning Hells.

These flashes tell me that Inarius immediately sensed Lilith's return. Kinda like a spider-sense of terror.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="43822,43821"]

Archangel Inarius was formerly part of the Angiris Council's Heavenly Hosts. Tired of the Eternal Conflict, he and fellow rogue angels made a pact with Lilith and other rogue demons who wanted to have nothing to do with the Eternal Conflict. Inarius stole the Worldstone and created a pocket dimension -- so to speak -- using the power of the worldstone to build a world cloaked from the rest of the universe. Cloaked from the prying eyes of the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.

In this world called Sanctuary, both factions were at last free from war.

Inarius and Lilith gave birth to the first Nephalem. Among them one who one day would take the name Rathma.

Eventually, the hybrid children became more powerful than their parents. This wouldn't stand. The rogue angels and demons, denizens of Sanctuary, decided the children should be terminated for fear they would one day be the end of their parents, and beyond Sanctuary.

Lilith, the prime matriarch, had a different opinion and decided to defend the Nephalem by killing her fellow rogue angels and demons. Inarius couldn't bare to kill his children either, but for her high crime, Inarius vanished Lilith from Sanctuary, and used the Worldstone to depower the Nephalem.

You can read this story in the Diablo: The Sin War Trilogy by New York Times best seller author Richard A. Knakk:

Book One: Birthright
Book Two: Scales of the Serpent
Book Three: The Prophet

This novel was written about a year before Diablo III was announced, and introduced most of the mythos found in the game. As domino effect, this novel also influences the story of Diablo IV; as Inarius and the Nephalem story points did never exist prior to the novel or Diablo III.

Without telling much of the novel plot, eventually Mephisto stroke a pact with the Angiris Council to stay away from Sanctuary with the condition that the Angiris Council gave custody of Inarius to the Prime Evils. That's how Inarius ended up in the Chamber of Mirrors to be tormented for all time. Until now, it seems.

Inarius had vanished Lilith a second time during the Sin War, but it was more permanently. Sorta. He imprisoned her in some sort of pocket dimension for all eternity.

So exactly how did Lilith escape that fate? As seen in the cinematic, the blood of three mercenaries was used to create a veil of blood that served as a gateway. The DNA of the men was used to create a new body for Lilith. If you take a close look, the veil of blood sorta functioned as some kind of womb that gave birth to a fully grown baby. You can see her body is translucent as her veins begin to pump blood to her muscles and tissue.

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="43820,43741,43742,43743"]

If you still have doubts that Inarius is the one shown in the cinematic, then let me rest my case showing you one of the concept art shown at the BlizzCon 2019 Diablo IV: Unveiled panel (transcript) -- featuring none other than Inarius and Lilith.

The question is whether Lilith will come to the Burning Hells to seek revenge on her former lover for vanishing for eternity; or will she ask him to join forces? If so, what is going to be her endgame plan now that the High Heavens have sealed their gates, and the Prime Evils' souls are somewhere out there after Malthael consumed the Black Soulstone and died?

During the Sin War, Lilith sought to undo Inarius' depowering by awakening the Nephalem's powers. Well, the worldstone is no more (technically that is, as it still exists) and the Nephalem are peaking in power levels. Will Lilith be friend or foe? Will Lilith claim her heritage as daughter of Mephisto to rule the Burning Hells, and rally Nephalem to the gates of the High Heavens?

Blizzard Entertainment definitely has a big story to tell if they have materialized Lilith and Inarius into the game. Dark days are nigh. Well, not Blizzard soon™.

Or will we be forced to descend into the depths of the Burning Hells to release Inarius ourselves in order to seek his help to vanish Lilith once more? In doing so, we might be asking for trouble, trading one big evil for a lesser evil. Not like we have ever done that before. Ohh... my bad. We did resurrect Zoltun Kulle to help us find the Black Soulstone.

BlizzCon 2019: Inarius in Diablo IV

Create your profile

Only paying subscribers can comment on this post

Check your email