Get ready for an exploration of the climax of Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred and its implications for the game’s trajectory, particularly with the upcoming expansion on the horizon. Spoilers ahead!
If you’ve experienced the conclusion of Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred, you might share the same confusion and discontent as popular players like Asmongold. I had similar sentiments, yet as I delve deeper into the events, I’m filled with anticipation for what lies ahead in the Diablo 4 universe.
It now appears that my expectations for the next Diablo 4 expansion have shifted dramatically. I previously anticipated a definitive defeat for Mephisto following the consumption of Neyrelle, with either Baal or Diablo emerging as the next major antagonist. While Vessel of Hatred was always destined to end with a cliffhanger, the twist was not what we had envisioned.
Will aims to confine Mephisto.
Understanding the Vessel of Hatred Conclusion
To recap the finale of Vessel of Hatred: In a quest to liberate Neyrelle from Mephisto’s clutches, the Wanderer seeks the assistance of Akarat, a formidable deity overseeing Nahantu, who once was a mortal. Akarat gifts Neyrelle with his powers, guiding her, the Wanderer, along with their Spiritborn and Pale Hand allies, to his burial site.
Given Akarat’s historical rivalry with the Prime Evils, his plan involves imprisoning Mephisto within his tomb to prevent him from wreaking havoc on Nahantu once more. During their journey, they encounter attacks from Urivar and his zealots from the Church of Light, yet the Wanderer ultimately triumphs and avenges an earlier assault by vanquishing Urivar.
Upon reaching Akarat’s tomb, betrayal strikes when the Spiritborn shaman Eru confesses to having made a pact with Mephisto to preserve Nahantu when the Lord of Hatred resurfaces in Sanctuary. Eru expresses regret before absconding with Mephisto’s soul stone and Akarat’s human form via a portal.
Mephisto reappears, hinting that the Wanderer may have a heritage beyond that of mere mortals. The transformation from Lilith’s blood, present from the base game, has amplified the Wanderer’s abilities and continues to reverberate within him, prompting echoes of her call, suggesting he may be a Nephalem—an individual endowed with the latent powers of demons and angels, feared by both Heaven and Hell.
The confrontation leads the Wanderer and his allies into a battle with Mephisto, taking on his wolf form in Hell. Akarat sacrifices his spirit to augment the Wanderer’s strength, leading to Mephisto’s temporary banishment. However, the demon manipulates Akarat’s human body to escape. Eru, stricken by remorse, begs the Wanderer to end his life, but Neyrelle intercedes, compelling him to witness the devastation he has initiated.
The finale unveils Mephisto’s resurrection through Akarat’s body, narrated by Lorath, suggesting the character remains alive and possibly indulging in a state of inebriation.
Mephisto revives within Akarat’s form.
What’s Next for Diablo 4?
Many Diablo enthusiasts, including myself, anticipated Mephisto’s defeat in this expansion, with hopes for a transition to a new antagonist in the next. This pattern mirrors earlier games, where Baal was central to Diablo 2’s expansion and Malthael featured as the adversary in Diablo 3’s narrative. I expected Mephisto’s role to be merely a diversion for Diablo, and he could still play that part.
The fundamental difference here is that in previous narratives, the consequences followed Diablo’s downfall. In Diablo 4, the Lord of Terror has yet to emerge in this storyline. With Mephisto surviving and more perilous than before, his presence will undoubtedly shape the upcoming DLC. Essentially, the landscape remains unchanged, which might explain the fans’ disappointment.
However, Diablo 4 offers a more episodic approach than its predecessors, with additional expansions projected for 2025 and beyond. Thus, Blizzard can craft a more expansive and nuanced narrative without the need to eliminate every villain in a sequential format with each DLC launch. Instead, maintaining these antagonists could open up a realm of storytelling potential in a long-term, live service game.
My faith in Baal and Diablo’s forthcoming roles remains strong, but Mephisto’s ongoing involvement adds an intriguing twist to the plot. Just consider the possibilities if all three Prime Evils return—will they collaborate, or ignite a conflict where humanity is caught amidst their discord? Such narrative avenues could elevate Diablo 4 into new realms of storytelling, beyond what previous installments could offer.
The Lord of Hatred is a long-standing adversary of the Zakarum.
The Civil War Among Prime Evils
Let’s revisit the events of Diablo 2. Regardless of their rivalry, the three Prime Evils largely operated in unity. After Aiden, the prince, fell under Diablo’s influence, he orchestrated the release of Baal during Act 2, followed by Mephisto’s liberation in Nahantu during Act 3. This reunited trio made an unusual decision for Mephisto to delay the heroes, resulting in his eventual banishment.
Following Diablo’s defeat in Act 4 and Baal’s subsequent fall in the expansion, Diablo 3 transitioned to a focus on combating Lesser Evils, while Diablo schemed for a comeback. Instead of freeing Baal and Mephisto, he consumed their essences, elevating himself to “The Prime Evil.” This mirrors Lilith’s own ambitions in Diablo 4 to obliterate her demonic brethren.
The essence of this retrospective highlights that, given Mephisto’s machinations during Diablo 3, he and Baal owe no allegiance to Diablo or to one another. Mephisto has alluded to potential stratagems against his siblings. Lilith’s aggressive stance against Hell indicates significant unrest within demonic ranks, further exemplified by the Lesser Evils rallying under her cause, dissatisfied with their Prime Evil overlords.
As Diablo 4 unfolds with annual expansions, we can anticipate the emergence of competing factions and moral complexities that blur the lines of right and wrong. The inclusion of human adversaries in Vessel of Hatred added a refreshing dynamic, exemplified by Urivar’s malevolence transcending that of Mephisto.
The angels are set to play a pivotal role in future narratives.
Anticipating Future DLC Contingencies
We must also ponder the role of the heavenly beings. So far, the angels have been notably absent in Diablo 4, particularly towards Inarius. This absence feels like a lost opportunity; in Diablo 3, there was a significant shift in the angels’ perception of humanity following their aid in defending Heaven against Diablo’s onslaught, fostering a thawing of relations.
With Malthael, the Angel of Death, emerging as a monumental threat, far surpassing the Prime Evils collectively in the Reaper of Souls expansion, it’s crucial for Diablo 4 to re-engage with this celestial faction at some point since they hold grievances against Diablo post his destruction of Heaven during Diablo 3.
Additionally, we shouldn’t overlook the vampire subplot introduced in Season 2. While some seasonal villains have lacked impact, Lord Zir and his followers left a notable mark, suggesting there’s more in store. The game has consistently hinted that vampires remain a lingering threat.
Vessel of Hatred hinted firmly at Lilith’s persistence, and with numerous Prime Evils on the loose, perhaps her original strategy wasn’t entirely off-base. If any demonic entity deserves a redemption arc, it’s certainly Lilith. This narrative direction could invigorate future Diablo updates, particularly as Season 5 begins to reveal her followers striving for redemption.
After all, Blizzard wouldn’t have developed such a rich and compelling character as Lilith just to eliminate her from the narrative permanently. Diablo 4 may potentially be setting the stage for Sanctuary’s own roster of heroes akin to the Avengers in forthcoming expansions. Yet, the allure of a well-crafted roster of villains remains what captivates a narrative.
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