Diablo or a Greater Evil?

[TheDux]

Politics of hell seem to be a fair driving point in the Diablo story.

To the best our our knowledge Diablo and his two brothers are dead as door nails. Soul Stones Smashed. The End.

So what si that wicked evil monstrosity we see in the trailer? It seems to be widely accepted as Big D himself in a 3rd incarnation. But what about shoulder guy? That crazy shoulder-mouth he had going on?

http://www.diablowiki.net/images/thumb/6/66/Diablo_3_portrait.jpg/800px-Diablo_3_portrait.jpg
http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss338/TheDux/shoulderguysuckmytooth.jpg

The game IS called Diablo, but does that mean that Diablo will be in it as the big bad evil guy? He had two good runs, but ultimately failed. Maybe it is time to step aside and let this wicked bad boy take a shot.

In the end...that doesn't look like diablo...

Diablo 1
http://www.diablowiki.net/images/1/1a/Diablo_1_portrait.jpg
Diablo 2
http://www.diablowiki.net/images/a/a6/Diablo_2_portrait.jpg

...but Zombie Dogs don't look like...anyway

With the exception of becoming a unicorn, there was no major character design changes from D1 to D2, so why such a drastic change now? I have yet to see Blizzard say that this is Diablo, that Diablo will be the main villain, or that he will even appear in the game.

Unless of course someone, somewhere found a way to resurrect Diablo into a bigger, badder, shoulder-guyier version of his former self. That could be acceptable.

Woohoo for prelaunch speculations!

[Grawner]

I think the new big D, or whatever that thing is, looks a lot like a balrog. could be cool to fight one of those, although not very diablo lore..

[Sass]

I think the new big D, or whatever that thing is, looks a lot like a balrog. could be cool to fight one of those, although not very diablo lore..Balrog (http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/monsters/act4-megademon.shtml)



I've personally been hoping it's a sneak peak of Asmodan / Belial, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

[GuardianHadriel]

He did not fail. Everything has gone according to his plan

[Grawner]

Balrog (http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/monsters/act4-megademon.shtml)



And then i learned that.. well, then I would like to fight against Gothmog, that would be awesome !

[TheDux]

He did not fail. Everything has gone according to his plan

The plan to have two more mouths! Muwhahahaha!

I would like to see Diablo be a minor boss if he comes back and for a greater evil (that dates back before the Prime 3) that might have been conquered by the three to. Now he is back and pissed off.

Then again Baal kinda stole Diablo 2 from Big D...so maybe it is his turn again.

I have to say that if it turns out that having the soul stones shattered along witht he world stone was "part of the plan all along" like having the souls stones used in the first place was...it might get a like hokey.

[Detheroc]

He's the Lord of Terror. Having scary, fiery mouths in your shoulders is terrifying.

[BurnsLikeHell]

Or maybe now Mephisto is running the show? Ohoohoho. No not really Id hope diablo gets a good role. But I have no idea. I felt like saying this.

[TheDux]

He's the Lord of Terror. Having scary, fiery mouths in your shoulders is terrifying.

Good point. Many times when I imagined the face of terror I imagined him having two wisecracking side kicks sprouting out of his shoulders.

But seriously, I love the shoulders and they can be pretty intimidating.

[fromtheshadow]

according to the lore diablo is the essence of terror in the universe and takes the form a persons worst fears, so maybe in diablo 3 the charactors just fear a three headed demon the most.

[Detheroc]

Lore aside, Blizzard usually likes to improve and evolve their character art, so it comes to no surprise to me that Diablo looks a little different in the latest iteration of this series.

Why then are the changes between his Diablo 1 and Diablo 2 appearances so comparatively small then? Simple, longer development time since the last game.
It took approximately 2½ years (correct me if I remember incorrectly) after Diablos release to complete and release Diablo 2. Now, it's around a decade since Diablo 2 was released. Popular art and what is perceived as "cool" and "current" has changed a lot since Diablo 2. (Jackson's LotR trilogy has been released in this timespan, dictating much of the fantasy art in modern fantasy games, and its influence is really apparent in D3 as well).

But since I'm posting in the lore forum, I might as well throw my 2 cents in there in terms of a lore explanation: Diablo's body is affected by the mortal host he has possessed, the more powerful the host, the nastier and scarier he looks.
It's probable that Diablo's "real" appearance when not using a mortal host is supposedly even more terrifying than when he is using a mortal host.

[ptmd]

Perhaps the other two mouths on his shoulders are Mephisto and Baal tagging along for the ride? o.0

[jamesL]

anybody remember Babylon 5 ?

[TheDux]

Balrog (http://classic.battle.net/diablo2exp/monsters/act4-megademon.shtml)



I've personally been hoping it's a sneak peak of Asmodan / Belial, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

Belial has been a common speculation for this beastly evil. Either way I would like to see him presented in some way.

[Chaosmage]

Weren't the soulstones a Horadrim spell to contain the evils? With the worldstone shattered Diablo is finally free to go. Maybe he even doesn't need a human host anymore to spawn now.
Anyhow corrupted worldstone fragments could provide plenty of soulstones if needed.

[blikst]

anybody remember Babylon 5 ?

Yes, but not what it has to do with this thread. ;)

[Ed from Russia]

The game is called Diablo for a reason. I think the final boss will be a giant marshmallow man.

[GuardianHadriel]

The transformation from "meaty" to "bony" is a natural modernization to give him a new refreshed look

[Zukker]

Since when can you kill a demon (esp this powerful)?
Ofc he's back! :)))

[Leord]

I remember that the specific image you shown was named "Diablo" on one of the official press CDs.

The game is named after him, I think it's safe to assume that's Diablo.