The Prime Evils, while being the main antagonists of the Diablo series, remain a mystery to many.
In the realm of Diablo, the three Prime Evils are constantly present. These demonic rulers of the Burning Hells engage in an ongoing battle against the High Heavens (and each other), often with humanity caught in the crossfire. The Prime Evils have repeatedly invaded Sanctuary, the human world depicted in The Prime Evils
The Prime Evils
The Prime Evils, consisting of Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, are the dominant demonic rulers of the Burning Hells, constantly locked in an Eternal Conflict with the High Heavens. While they frequently collaborate, each harbors individual schemes to overthrow and reign supreme over the others. Despite their immense power, the Prime Evils cannot be permanently vanquished, only banished to the void or imprisoned until they inevitably return.
Recognizing that the key to their victory lies in corrupting humanity and taking control of Sanctuary, the Prime Evils have shifted their focus to achieving this goal. With the angels of Heaven often detached from humanity and unwilling to acknowledge their importance, humankind is left to confront the threat of the three brothers alone, which the Prime Evils exploit to their advantage.
The Prime Evils dominate distinct territories within Hell, with each ruling their own realm. Though the Lesser Evils and other formidable demons also possess their own realms in Hell, they have either earned this privilege as vassals of the Prime Evils or seized it through rebellion against their demonic superiors.
Mephistopheles: The Lord of Hatred
Mephisto was a powerful boss in Diablo 2.
Despite being one of the three Lords of Hell, Mephisto has been the least visible to us. While Diablo is typically the main antagonist of the series and Baal had his moment in the final act of Diablo 2 after his brothers’ defeats, Mephisto only appeared as the boss in Act 3 before being trapped in Soulstone. His time on earth was short-lived as the heroes quickly caught up to him and put an end to his schemes.
The character known as the Lord of Hatred was mentioned in Diablo 3 but never physically appeared. Instead, Diablo absorbed him along with Baal to become the ‘Prime Evil.’ However, after Diablo’s defeat at the end of Diablo 3, Mephisto was released from the stone and sent back to Hell. In the upcoming game Diablo 4, the primary antagonist is the demon Lilith, who is also the daughter of Mephisto. This suggests that her demonic father will play a significant role in Blizzard’s next installment.
After being betrayed by Lilith, Mephisto banished her from Hell for releasing the angel Inarius from his prison. As a result, Lilith and Inarius formed Sanctuary as a refuge from the never-ending battle between angels and demons. Eventually, their Nephelem offspring evolved into humanity. Now that Lilith has returned, it is likely that her estranged father will be a top target on her revenge list.
Despite being deemed the weakest Prime Evil, Mephisto is known for his cunning ways and is often subservient to Diablo but also schemes for his own gain. He frequently takes on the guise of a wounded wolf to entice mortals into committing acts of hatred. In his return in Diablo 4, he has emerged as the primary villain in the expansion Vessel of Hatred.
Baal: The Lord of Destruction
Baal attempts to finish what his brothers started.
Baal, the Lord of Destruction, is the main adversary in Act V of Diablo 2, having already been defeated and imprisoned alongside his brothers inside Soulstones. However, he is freed from his captivity by Diablo, after which the demonic siblings trap the angel Tyrael in Baal’s stead.
After being imprisoned in a Soulstone that was embedded into the flesh of Tal Rasha, a powerful sorcerer, Baal was contained by him for eternity. However, the demon’s tortures eventually drove Tal Rasha mad. Baal managed to escape and disguised himself as Tyrael, killing some of the angel’s allies. He later discovers that his brothers have been defeated.
As the only remaining Prime Evil, Baal commands an army of demons to attack the Barbarian Highlands of Harrogoth in a bid to obtain the Worldstone. This powerful artifact would grant Baal the ability to manipulate reality according to his desires, but he is thwarted by the very same heroes who vanquished Diablo. In order to prevent the Worldstone from being taken by demons, Tyreal shatters it.
Despite being absent from Diablo 3, Baal remains trapped inside a Soulstone. However, his essence is absorbed by Diablo when the Lord of Terror transforms into ‘The Prime Evil’ and uses his newfound abilities to launch an attack on the High Heavens. Once his brother is defeated, Baal is freed from Diablo’s grasp and presumably banished back to Hell.
Diablo: The Lord of Terror
Diablo is the most powerful of the Prime Evils.
“Within the franchise, Diablo reigns as the ultimate antagonist and can be seen as the embodiment of Satan in Sanctuary. His primary objective is to conquer both Heaven and the mortal realm, seeking to make all beings his subjects. As the most formidable and cunning of the Prime Evils, Diablo patiently observes and allows the machinations of others to unfold until he deems it the perfect moment to strike – even if it means waiting for centuries, he always has a well-devised plan to rise from the depths of Hell.”
The initial installment of Diablo saw the Lord of Terror imprisoned beneath Tristram Cathedral until he took over the body of a young prince named Albrecht, leading to his corruption of the land of Sanctuary. Fortunately, Albrecht’s brother Aiden and his companions were able to defeat Diablo and seal him within a Soulstone, putting an end to the danger. Unfortunately, Aiden was eventually consumed by Diablo’s corrupting influence after embedding the Soulstone into his own body.
Despite being defeated by a new group of heroes, Diablo had a contingency plan in place. Using his possession of Aiden, the Lord of Terror was able to release his brothers and summon Lesser Evils to do his bidding while traveling through Sanctuary. However, his plans to launch an assault on the High Heavens were thwarted when the heroes managed to find and defeat him once again. Despite this defeat, Diablo’s legacy continued through his human daughter, Leah, whom he had fathered while possessing Aiden and eventually possessing in Diablo 3.
Upon consuming the essence of his two brothers and defeating the Lesser Evils, Diablo transforms into ‘The Prime Evil’ and launches an attack on Heaven in his newfound and formidable form. Despite causing casualties amongst the angels, he is ultimately vanquished by a human known as Nephalem, whose bloodline can be traced back to Lilith and Inarius and grants them the combined powers of both angels and demons.
After his defeat, it is highly probable that Diablo is no longer considered ‘The Prime Evil’ and that he and his brothers have been separated. The three Lords of Hell would have been returned to the void, where they will eventually regenerate in Hell and plan once again for the destruction of Sanctuary.
The Lesser Evils
Despite not possessing the same level of strength as the Prime Evils, the Lesser Evils still hold a significant amount of power and influence in Hell. Similar to the Primes, they acknowledge Sanctuary as a crucial battleground in the Eternal Conflict and strive to conquer it. While they may typically follow the lead of a Prime Evil like Diablo, they may also choose to act independently or engage in conflicts with their fellow demons.
The Lesser Evils previously joined forces to oppose the Primes and exile them from Hell, resulting in the Primes being left stranded in Sanctuary. Additionally, they have aligned themselves with Lilith in hopes of breaking free from the Eternal Conflict. Throughout the Diablo series, four Lesser Evils have been featured (as far as we are aware), typically serving as the final boss of a particular Act.
The Lesser Evils are below the 3 Prime Evils.
Andariel: The Maiden of Anguish
In Diablo 2, Andariel, a formidable succubus and Lesser Evil, aligned herself with Diablo’s cause. She used her powers to corrupt the Rogue’s monastery and fill it with demons, but she was ultimately defeated by the heroes and banished back to Hell. Her objective was to maintain control of the region while Diablo freed Mephisto and Baal, hindering any attempts to stop The Lord of Terror.
Despite her previous defeat, Andariel managed to achieve her objective. She did not appear in Diablo 3, but will make a reappearance in Diablo 4, this time serving Lilith and opposing the Prime Evils.
Duriel: The Lord of Pain
Duriel, a colossal spiked slug, serves as a Lesser Evil under Diablo’s command. Diablo assigned Duriel to ambush the heroes as they infiltrated the Tomb of Tal Rasha in Diablo 2. Tal Rasha, a formidable sorcerer, attempted to imprison Baal within his own body forever, but Diablo managed to release his brother. Duriel was left behind to eliminate the heroes, who had already defeated Andariel.
After being vanquished and banished to Hell in Diablo 2, the Lesser Evil did not make an appearance in Diablo 3. However, in Diablo 4, he resurfaces and becomes a part of Lilith’s alliance in the battle against both Heaven and Hell.
Belial: The Deceiver
In Diablo 3, Belial is one of the two Lesser Evils who emerges by possessing the Emperor of Caldeum. He utilizes his host’s strength to manipulate the Nephalem and divert their attention, allowing Azmodan’s forces to advance on Bastion’s Keep. This is all part of a larger scheme to resurrect Diablo in Sanctuary. Belial succeeds in deceiving the Nephalem into believing that he and Azmodan are the primary threats to Sanctuary.
After his deception is exposed, the Nephalem, along with Tyrael and their allies, successfully defeat Belial and imprison him within the Black Soulstone. However, he is set free in the Diablo 3 DLC and is probably already scheming his comeback from the depths of Hell.
Lilith isn’t a Prime Evil, but she’s the daughter of one.
Azmodan: The Lord of Sin
Despite making his in-game debut in Diablo 3, Azmodan is not a Lesser Evil to be underestimated. He launched a ruthless attack on Bastion’s Keep and was thought to be the final obstacle for the Nephalem to overcome. However, it was later revealed that Azmodan was working alongside Diablo to pave the way for the Prime Evil’s ultimate goal of conquering Heaven and Sanctuary. Nevertheless, the Nephalem emerged victorious and sealed Azmodan’s fate by trapping him in the Black Soulstone, which Diablo would later consume, transforming into the all-powerful “Prime Evil.”
Following Diablo’s defeat and the destruction of the Black Soulstone by Malphael, Azmodan would have been released and returned to Hell. While he does not appear in Diablo 4, there is a possibility that he may make an appearance in future DLC content.
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