Lilith, the daughter of hatred, takes center stage in Diablo 4. As mentioned in Diablo 3 through scattered documents found around the High Heavens, she has returned to Sanctuary to establish herself as the mother of all creation. Players were given a glimpse into her overwhelming presence in Sanctuary through the Diablo 4 open beta period and stress test, with several cutscenes illustrating how her presence has affected the world at large.
Sean Copeland, Senior Manager of Lore at Blizzard, took the opportunity to sit down with us at IGN to elaborate on what makes Lilith such a compelling antagonist for Diablo 4, and what her reappearance in Sanctuary means for the world of Diablo.
“Metaphorically, Lilith represents a threat," says Copeland. "While I would say “That’s just life in Sanctuary!” this is one of those threats that you just can’t ignore.” Copeland elaborated, explaining just what Lilith’s reappearance means in the grand scheme of things.
“She’s not coming just to build a kingdom and establish dominance like we saw in West March... We’re seeing a threat that’s going to affect everyone, everywhere. This is like Reaper of Souls. No one can escape what’s happening here. So while it’s an amazing moment, yes, the creator has returned, but again it’s ‘What does this creator want from us?’ And what is the toll it will take on the world?”
Her role as the primary antagonist in this entry of the Diablo series may be more multifaceted than Blizzard is letting on. While Lilith herself is an imposing figure, summoned forth from a horrific ritual witnessed in the “By Three They Come” announcement trailer, there was a glimpse into something more human, more tender than what we’ve seen in a Diablo antagonist thus far through the open beta period.
