Jinshin made a comment saying he thought Cain might have been the Lord of Lies, Belial, the entire time.
Here's why I think he might be right.
In act 4, after the first and second quest, it is revealed by Azael the angel that the entire event leading up to the destruction of the soul stone had been planned and that Tyrael and the Hero, were tricked. Who could have tricked them? Who else was in on their journey? Cain. Cain had been the driving force for the journey. Cain, is the entire reason the events of Diablo have EVER happened. This is an incredibly easy placement for Belial to be the reason these events ever transpired.Think about it.
In Diablo 1, Cain had told the original hero, all of these rumors and that maybe he should dig deeper. If you'll notice, somehow, Cain was so knowledgeable about just about EVERYTHING. But, he was "a former Horadrim" so it was expected they would be so intelligent. So, they just brushed it off as understandable. And the result of these suggestions to go further down? The hero ended up putting Diablo in the stone that gives him the ability to move around sanctuary and convinced himself that it would be best to put the stone into his head
Didn't this ever strike ANYBODY as odd? What would jamming the stone into his head accomplish? Who would do that? There's no reasonable explanation for it. Yes, they said that the hero did this so that he could trap the creature. But does that make sense? Look what happens as a result? Diablo immediately possessed the human and did with him what he wanted.
Obviously Diablo knew his spirit was capable of taking over the warrior if he could somehow get the stone inside of his head. Then he could do what he wanted with him. And magically he did, didn't he? How could they be so easily tricked?
I'll tell you how! Cain is Belial. The Lord of Lies. If you read one of our recent articles, it shows a few pages from 'The Book of CAIN'. In there, is an in depth description of the entire universe and how it had all began. How did Cain have such knowledge? Did the Horadrim really have information like that? What's more likely? That, or maybe Cain was not who he says he is.
Also, within the book is a description of Belial. Belial is describes as the lord of lies because lying is his power. Every one of the major demons have their own unique way of controlling humans. And together, they are able to control the humans so well that they are being completely deceived. Belial controls his victims through lying. It is also said in 'the Book of Cain' that Belial believes that perception dictates reality. He does not simply lie for the sake of lying. He lies so that he can create the entire universe around someone and something. In other words, he turns lies into truths that determine what someone does. If this is the case. It becomes very clear that if Cain was Belial, it would make perfect sense.
Belial was disguised as Cain and told the hero exactly what to do(in Diablo 1) in order to get the hero to get the stone and eventually impale it within himself so that Diablo can get control of him and then travel alone to first free Baal from Act 2 and then to go to hell from act 3 in Mephisto's pit and wait for him to be free'd from the soul stone by the hero from Diablo 2.
And remember, Cain did not go with the hero from Diablo 1 after he left left. He stayed back. And what happened? By some miraculous chance, he conveniently got together with who? The hero that just HAPPENS to once again be going after Diablo and continuing the quest to destroy the soulstone that was set out in the very beginning. What are the odds that Cain just happens to run into both hero's linked in this journey. Cain, with his somehow untiring knowledge of all of these unknown truths about the universe that no other humans knew. Cain(Belial) led the hero of Diablo 2 RIGHT into the hands of hell. In act 4 the angel Azael, upon being freed says to the hero "You fool! You have been tricked this entire time. This plan was set in motion long ago" (or something like that).
And in summary, everything that transpired leads me to believe the only way that Tyrael and the hero could have been so easily tricked, is by the lord of Lies. Who accompanied both of them? Cain. Cain has to be the Lord of Lies.
Who would suspect the old man? This is a tactic used in many cartoons and videogames.
Cain is evil. Not Tyrael. Tyrael is just gullible lol. Tisk Tisk, I thought you were better than that Tyrael.
And to Belial...well played.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Yea I don't really buy that... The hero in D1 put the stone in his head because diablo made him believe that is what he needed to do. Cain had nothing to do with that, all cain did was say that he needed to kill Diablo which well shit thats what needed to be done. Also remember the Horadrim was founded by Tyrael so Tyrael could have easily told them what was happening around in about the Sin War and other secrets of hell. I mean he needed them to be knowledgeable because they were going after the three prime evils and heaven and hell have been fighting forever. Tyrael knew many many things about hell and the three just as the three probably know alot about heaven. It is'nt that farfetched that the Horadrim hid there books inside the Cathedral or perhaps in any other horadric place also Cain had 20 years to go about searching for this stuff you never knew what he could have found.
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If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
Why? Has this been proposed before? Maybe Belial's description has led people to this conclusion before....Come to think of it, there was a lot of conspiracy stuff here wasn't there? Honestly I stopped reading what people posted about conspiracies.
I haven't really thought too much about the lore of D2 yet. :\
I'm not trolling though.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Well I mean it's just one of those things that like you said:
Tyrael swore to protect the last Horadrim and didn't notice Cain was evil? I doubt that.
That being said it can't be disproven I just find it highly unlikely. To what ends is he helping the hero then? And why is he helping Leah, and writing a journal with all his knowledge on how to stop the evils? Identify your gear? Tell you how to complete quests?
Also yeah, people have suspected Cain of being almost every evil.
Sorry for this, but this post really needs to have a spoiler alert of some kind. The title is "Cain is EVIL" and this really pisses me off because I do not want any potential story ruined for me. But now I have seen this freaking title, if it turns out that Cain is evil, I won't have the freaking astonishment I would have had before. This is UNFORGIVABLE!!!!
Note, I wanted to have a lot more swears in this post and yell really loudly at the OP, but I tried to conserve myself, so that I wouldn't make too much of a scene. But if any of this turns out to be true...
So please please change the title, and think about people like me that don't want to see something like this that could potentially be a HUGE spoiler of the story.
Again, forgive my rudeness, but you need to understand where I am coming from. I know you might not care about the story and don't mind seeing spoilers, but I really want to be surprised about what I see when I play the game... Now, if Cain does turn out to be Evil... well... Thanks.
The first being that Tyrael, an Archangel of the Angiris Council, is unable to detect such a powerful demon in his presence.
The second (and most important, imo) is why would Belial want the Diablo 1 warrior to host Diablo? The warrior is an incredibly powerful Nephalem, much more powerful than Leoric's son. Being in possession of such a powerful host allows Diablo to free his brothers and return to Hell at the end of Act 3. This is exactly the opposite of what Belial and Asmodan want to accomplish.
Maybe I'm missing something, but it doesn't seem to hold much water to me.
Quick Edit: This doesn't mean that Belial hasn't possessed Cain in the 20 years between D2 and D3. It would make more sense now to push the Diablo 3 hero down the wrong path, since they're no longer just hunting Belial's enemies, they're hunting him and his ally as well.
Also what purpose would Belieal have following us around? He's not going to just let Azmodan take control of hell while the three are not there. That would totally defeat the purpose becasue he doesn't want to serve anyone either.
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www.myspace.com/mpotatoes for all your Trans Siberian Orchestra listening pleasure
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
@Daemaro- Yes, he did swear to do so. That is why it makes perfect sense for Belial to possess or pose as Cain. Belial may have learned of this information and saw an opening in the defense of the Angel.
Who said Cain was "helping" anybody? Who? Cain? Of COURSE Cain would say he's "helping you". You are merely assuming Cain is good in this instance and that he is helping Leah. Why would Cain go to such an extend to seem like he is helping them? Again, go back to the description of Belial. He is the LORD OF LIES. He posed as Cain, this man devoted to the heavens, that Tyrael the mighty Archangel himself had contact with. How opportunistic is this situation for the Burning Hells? Cain constructed such an elaborate disguise in order to hide his true mission. Which so far, according to Azael, is going accoridng to plan. Think about it, the way they were truly deceived at the core of it all has somewhat been a mystery. This is how it happened.
Cain is doing all of that stuff "to help" you because it is all a part of the plan.
Belial is the Lord of Lies. Read the desciption. It sounds like he is so good at lying that he can go so far as to fabricate reality. It's so obvious to me that this could very well be true. They were not given these titles for nothing. Belial isn't going to be named the ultimate deceiver for nothing. I can promise you that Belial WILL be a part of a very very big lie that tricks the heroes and everyone on the side of heaven in one way or another. He's good at what he does.
@NightBlaze- This is not a spoiler. I do not base this info on any unknown lore of Diablo 3. This is speculation based solely on the events of Diablo 1 & 2 and various descriptions of Belial through the previous games and now in the newer book.
@Proposition- Tyrael cannot detect the Lord of Lies because he has sewn his seeds of deception so deep that Tyrael is already under the impression that Cain must be good. He doesn't suspect a thing.
2. The Horadrim and all of the Burning hells wanted everyone to buy the lie that Hell was fighting amongst themselves. Again, read the description for Belial. He constructs reality with his impeccable ability to lie by infiltrating the Horadrim from the beginning so that eventually Heaven would come to trust their knowledge. The reason why Belial want's to help Diablo is because he has always wanted to. From the very beginning the entire story has been a lie. The hells have not been ighting at all.
Again, look at Azael's dialog noting "this was set in motion long before..." That is what he meant. This is yet another plan of hell. Belial has intended to help Diablo the entire time. Diablo needed a way to eventually free himself. This is also why Tyrael made the fatal mistake of destroying the soulstone.
Even if this is not the exact way the story will break down, it looks like somehow Belial has been playing a HUGE role in this entire thing, from the shadows, from the very beginnning. Yes, Tyrael IS incredibly smart and all that jazz. Who would be the ONE demon to trick them so well? Belial THE LORD OF LIES.
And our characters will continue to venture into the grasp of hell. It hadn't changed for 2 games, why would it start now? It's been lie after lie hasn't it? Every single time you "defeat" Diablo, it turns out to be just another plan constructed by Hell. At the conclusion of each game, The Burning Hells are 1 step ahead.
In Diablo 3 I think we will continue to be one step behind them until it's too late.
I think Cain will in fact die. Leah will eventually figure out what didn't make sense". In the recent cinematic, she is seen saying something along the lines of "cain, this doesn't make sense" as she shifts through his journals. It doesn't make sense because it is all a lie. Cain is Belial and the journal was another tool to deceive the High Heavens.
@Desmond- What in the world makes you think you or even the Horadrim know the true intentions of THE LORD OF LIES. THE GUY SO GOOD AT LYING THAT HE CAN FABRICATE THE VERY EXISTENCE OF ANYONE. You presume that Belial's intentions have been clear ever since Diablo 1. Really? Belial doesn't seem all that good at lying then does he? Maybe he could get the title of "Belial The pretty good liar". But no, he is the Lord of Lies. To get a title like that do you really think everyone knows your true intentions? It's so obvious.
Belial has tricked the high heavens.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Consider all this to be true, then why is Azmodan the one to reveal this huge super duper ultra lie that has fooled just about everyone in Sanctuary, Hell and Heaven...?
Oh, and change the title imho, to reduce spoilage
(Cain Theory - SPOILERS)
Hell was never fooled. They just played along. They planned this deception from the beginning. A deception so good it could only be attributed to The Lord of Lies.
Azmodan's statement comes only because it is too late for Leah. Her knowing the truth doesn't matter now because I think this cinematic happens after Cain(The Lord of Lies) dies.
Leah is reading the text written by Cain, noting that it does not make sense. Then, in vision when the truth is revealed, it all makes sense to Leah and she cries because she now realizes it is hopeless.
As to why Azmodan and not Belial is beyond me. I don't know why. It may be the crucial flaw in this argument.
Either way, my most basic idea still holds up there: Somehow maybe not this way, but somehow Belial is behind a large deception in Sanctuary.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
@Daemaro- Yes, he did swear to do so. That is why it makes perfect sense for Belial to possess or pose as Cain. Belial may have learned of this information and saw an opening in the defense of the Angel.
Who said Cain was "helping" anybody? Who? Cain? Of COURSE Cain would say he's "helping you". You are merely assuming Cain is good in this instance and that he is helping Leah. Why would Cain go to such an extend to seem like he is helping them? Again, go back to the description of Belial. He is the LORD OF LIES. He posed as Cain, this man devoted to the heavens, that Tyrael the mighty Archangel himself had contact with. How opportunistic is this situation for the Burning Hells? Cain constructed such an elaborate disguise in order to hide his true mission. Which so far, according to Azael, is going accoridng to plan. Think about it, the way they were truly deceived at the core of it all has somewhat been a mystery. This is how it happened.
Cain is doing all of that stuff "to help" you because it is all a part of the plan.
Belial is the Lord of Lies. Read the desciption. It sounds like he is so good at lying that he can go so far as to fabricate reality. It's so obvious to me that this could very well be true. They were not given these titles for nothing. Belial isn't going to be named the ultimate deceiver for nothing. I can promise you that Belial WILL be a part of a very very big lie that tricks the heroes and everyone on the side of heaven in one way or another. He's good at what he does.
@NightBlaze- This is not a spoiler. I do not base this info on any unknown lore of Diablo 3. This is speculation based solely on the events of Diablo 1 & 2 and various descriptions of Belial through the previous games and now in the newer book.
@Proposition- Tyrael cannot detect the Lord of Lies because he has sewn his seeds of deception so deep that Tyrael is already under the impression that Cain must be good. He doesn't suspect a thing.
2. The Horadrim and all of the Burning hells wanted everyone to buy the lie that Hell was fighting amongst themselves. Again, read the description for Belial. He constructs reality with his impeccable ability to lie by infiltrating the Horadrim from the beginning so that eventually Heaven would come to trust their knowledge. The reason why Belial want's to help Diablo is because he has always wanted to. From the very beginning the entire story has been a lie. The hells have not been ighting at all.
Again, look at Azael's dialog noting "this was set in motion long before..." That is what he meant. This is yet another plan of hell. Belial has intended to help Diablo the entire time. Diablo needed a way to eventually free himself. This is also why Tyrael made the fatal mistake of destroying the soulstone.
Even if this is not the exact way the story will break down, it looks like somehow Belial has been playing a HUGE role in this entire thing, from the shadows, from the very beginnning. Yes, Tyrael IS incredibly smart and all that jazz. Who would be the ONE demon to trick them so well? Belial THE LORD OF LIES.
And our characters will continue to venture into the grasp of hell. It hadn't changed for 2 games, why would it start now? It's been lie after lie hasn't it? Every single time you "defeat" Diablo, it turns out to be just another plan constructed by Hell. At the conclusion of each game, The Burning Hells are 1 step ahead.
In Diablo 3 I think we will continue to be one step behind them until it's too late.
I think Cain will in fact die. Leah will eventually figure out what didn't make sense". In the recent cinematic, she is seen saying something along the lines of "cain, this doesn't make sense" as she shifts through his journals. It doesn't make sense because it is all a lie. Cain is Belial and the journal was another tool to deceive the High Heavens.
@Desmond- What in the world makes you think you or even the Horadrim know the true intentions of THE LORD OF LIES. THE GUY SO GOOD AT LYING THAT HE CAN FABRICATE THE VERY EXISTENCE OF ANYONE. You presume that Belial's intentions have been clear ever since Diablo 1. Really? Belial doesn't seem all that good at lying then does he? Maybe he could get the title of "Belial The pretty good liar". But no, he is the Lord of Lies. To get a title like that do you really think everyone knows your true intentions? It's so obvious.
Belial has tricked the high heavens.
Thank you for changing the title... That's all I wanted, I apologise for being rude and/or offending you. If only you had a different title to begin with.
I know you didn't mean to have a spoiler and that it is speculation... but it is still considered a POTENTIAL spoiler. Since, if it does turn out to be true, it will now remove that amazement level I would have had before seeing "Cain is EVIL". Because, prior to seeing that title, I did not seriously even expect anything near what you are speculating.
"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
It's an interesting speculation all in all. And I agree it's very likely that Belial has something to do with all this. However, since there is simply nothing that ultimately either proves or denies this with the info we have today I'm not going to assume anything yet.
Basically both "sides" (cain being belial, or not) can very well be explained depending on what is true in the end.
I mean yeah for example, those D1 thingies is indeed kinda odd, but seriously do you think they planted this all the way back then? I'm sure the reasons are pretty much "let's jam the soulstone into his head because that's cool" at the time.
Then again this does not disprove the theory. I'm just showing the other side of the coin, so to speak.
I never said Blizzard planned this from the beginning. I'm saying that the development team could spin it that way.
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"I want to say something but I'll keep it to myself I guess and leave this useless post behind to make you aware that there WAS something... "
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
[spoil] A3_AdriaBetrayal_Encounter_Name Triumph Event
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Taunt_Text Fetlock is dead. Celebrate your victory!
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Join_Instruction {s1}
is about to witness
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Enter_Instruction You are about to witness
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Info_Text The rest of your party will be able to teleport in once you enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Encounter_Name Adria's Prison Event
A2_AdriaSewer_Taunt_Text Free Spot's mother from the minions of Saddle!
A2_AdriaSewer_Join_Instruction {s1}
is about to enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Enter_Instruction You are about to enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Info_Text The rest of your party will be able to teleport in once you enter
I took all of this to mean Azmodan is impersonating Adria to manipulate Leah, Note that Saddle/Belial dies in Act 2 and this continues into Act 3. It would be pretty redundant for Leah to be Diablo, Cain to be belial, and Adria to be Azmodan. [/spoil]
I think the boy emperor theory is plausible, I considered it too.
I love this Blackstone cinematic; it's led to so much speculation.
Another theory that seems possible is that Asmodan was speaking directly to whatever fragment of Diablo was left behind within Leah. Note that Aidan, the Warrior of Diablo I, sought succor from Adria after felling Diablo. This would have been after he absorbed the Soul Stone. This would have allowed him to plant the seed that became Leah.
This would help explain her predilection to having visions, as her soul is more entwined with the spirit world.
Either way, Asmodan seems to be speaking to a fellow Demon or former ally. This could either be Belial or a fragment of Diablo.
Also, people continually refer to Belial as dying in Act II. But remember, he is the Lord of Lies...
Now, if Deckard Cain IS Belial, it's my belief that he's slowly having all opposition destroyed, including the Prime and Lesser Evils, as well as Asmodan. And if he couldn't deceive Tyrael, he'd be a pretty bad liar.
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Be it through hallowed grounds or lands of sorrow
All in the Forger's wake is left bereft and fallow
Is the residuum worth the cost of destruction and maiming;
Or is the shaping a culling and exercise in taming?
The road's goal is the dark Origin of Being
But be wary through what thickets it winds.
-Excerpt from the Litany of Residuum;
As Translated by He Who Brings Order
A. The title isn't a spoiler anymore then all the tyrael is evil threads.
B. Azaels reference to deception set in motion long ago is explained in the Convo with him where he says it was he who told tyrael about the soulstones. So that isn't a mystery.
C. I think the new cinematic is Azmodan sensing the traces of dialog in leah. There would be no reason for him to confront leah if Cain was who he wanted.
D. Hell was at war with the 3 in sanctuary. That is why Meph sent dialog into hell and said send your terror into hell. Ie remake hell from belial and az.
E. If Tyrael can see through diablos terror in the books I would think he would have no trouble seeing through belials lies.
Here's why I think he might be right.
In act 4, after the first and second quest, it is revealed by Azael the angel that the entire event leading up to the destruction of the soul stone had been planned and that Tyrael and the Hero, were tricked. Who could have tricked them? Who else was in on their journey? Cain. Cain had been the driving force for the journey. Cain, is the entire reason the events of Diablo have EVER happened. This is an incredibly easy placement for Belial to be the reason these events ever transpired.Think about it.
In Diablo 1, Cain had told the original hero, all of these rumors and that maybe he should dig deeper. If you'll notice, somehow, Cain was so knowledgeable about just about EVERYTHING. But, he was "a former Horadrim" so it was expected they would be so intelligent. So, they just brushed it off as understandable. And the result of these suggestions to go further down? The hero ended up putting Diablo in the stone that gives him the ability to move around sanctuary and convinced himself that it would be best to put the stone into his head
Didn't this ever strike ANYBODY as odd? What would jamming the stone into his head accomplish? Who would do that? There's no reasonable explanation for it. Yes, they said that the hero did this so that he could trap the creature. But does that make sense? Look what happens as a result? Diablo immediately possessed the human and did with him what he wanted.
Obviously Diablo knew his spirit was capable of taking over the warrior if he could somehow get the stone inside of his head. Then he could do what he wanted with him. And magically he did, didn't he? How could they be so easily tricked?
I'll tell you how! Cain is Belial. The Lord of Lies. If you read one of our recent articles, it shows a few pages from 'The Book of CAIN'. In there, is an in depth description of the entire universe and how it had all began. How did Cain have such knowledge? Did the Horadrim really have information like that? What's more likely? That, or maybe Cain was not who he says he is.
Also, within the book is a description of Belial. Belial is describes as the lord of lies because lying is his power. Every one of the major demons have their own unique way of controlling humans. And together, they are able to control the humans so well that they are being completely deceived. Belial controls his victims through lying. It is also said in 'the Book of Cain' that Belial believes that perception dictates reality. He does not simply lie for the sake of lying. He lies so that he can create the entire universe around someone and something. In other words, he turns lies into truths that determine what someone does. If this is the case. It becomes very clear that if Cain was Belial, it would make perfect sense.
Belial was disguised as Cain and told the hero exactly what to do(in Diablo 1) in order to get the hero to get the stone and eventually impale it within himself so that Diablo can get control of him and then travel alone to first free Baal from Act 2 and then to go to hell from act 3 in Mephisto's pit and wait for him to be free'd from the soul stone by the hero from Diablo 2.
And remember, Cain did not go with the hero from Diablo 1 after he left left. He stayed back. And what happened? By some miraculous chance, he conveniently got together with who? The hero that just HAPPENS to once again be going after Diablo and continuing the quest to destroy the soulstone that was set out in the very beginning. What are the odds that Cain just happens to run into both hero's linked in this journey. Cain, with his somehow untiring knowledge of all of these unknown truths about the universe that no other humans knew. Cain(Belial) led the hero of Diablo 2 RIGHT into the hands of hell. In act 4 the angel Azael, upon being freed says to the hero "You fool! You have been tricked this entire time. This plan was set in motion long ago" (or something like that).
And in summary, everything that transpired leads me to believe the only way that Tyrael and the hero could have been so easily tricked, is by the lord of Lies. Who accompanied both of them? Cain. Cain has to be the Lord of Lies.
Who would suspect the old man? This is a tactic used in many cartoons and videogames.
Cain is evil. Not Tyrael. Tyrael is just gullible lol. Tisk Tisk, I thought you were better than that Tyrael.
And to Belial...well played.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
I haven't really thought too much about the lore of D2 yet. :\
I'm not trolling though.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Tyrael swore to protect the last Horadrim and didn't notice Cain was evil? I doubt that.
That being said it can't be disproven I just find it highly unlikely. To what ends is he helping the hero then? And why is he helping Leah, and writing a journal with all his knowledge on how to stop the evils? Identify your gear? Tell you how to complete quests?
Also yeah, people have suspected Cain of being almost every evil.
Note, I wanted to have a lot more swears in this post and yell really loudly at the OP, but I tried to conserve myself, so that I wouldn't make too much of a scene. But if any of this turns out to be true...
So please please change the title, and think about people like me that don't want to see something like this that could potentially be a HUGE spoiler of the story.
Again, forgive my rudeness, but you need to understand where I am coming from. I know you might not care about the story and don't mind seeing spoilers, but I really want to be surprised about what I see when I play the game... Now, if Cain does turn out to be Evil... well... Thanks.
The first being that Tyrael, an Archangel of the Angiris Council, is unable to detect such a powerful demon in his presence.
The second (and most important, imo) is why would Belial want the Diablo 1 warrior to host Diablo? The warrior is an incredibly powerful Nephalem, much more powerful than Leoric's son. Being in possession of such a powerful host allows Diablo to free his brothers and return to Hell at the end of Act 3. This is exactly the opposite of what Belial and Asmodan want to accomplish.
Maybe I'm missing something, but it doesn't seem to hold much water to me.
Quick Edit: This doesn't mean that Belial hasn't possessed Cain in the 20 years between D2 and D3. It would make more sense now to push the Diablo 3 hero down the wrong path, since they're no longer just hunting Belial's enemies, they're hunting him and his ally as well.
If you want to arrange it
This world you can change it
If we could somehow make this
Christmas thing last
By helping a neighbor
Or even a stranger
And to know who needs help
You need only just ask
Who said Cain was "helping" anybody? Who? Cain? Of COURSE Cain would say he's "helping you". You are merely assuming Cain is good in this instance and that he is helping Leah. Why would Cain go to such an extend to seem like he is helping them? Again, go back to the description of Belial. He is the LORD OF LIES. He posed as Cain, this man devoted to the heavens, that Tyrael the mighty Archangel himself had contact with. How opportunistic is this situation for the Burning Hells? Cain constructed such an elaborate disguise in order to hide his true mission. Which so far, according to Azael, is going accoridng to plan. Think about it, the way they were truly deceived at the core of it all has somewhat been a mystery. This is how it happened.
Cain is doing all of that stuff "to help" you because it is all a part of the plan.
Belial is the Lord of Lies. Read the desciption. It sounds like he is so good at lying that he can go so far as to fabricate reality. It's so obvious to me that this could very well be true. They were not given these titles for nothing. Belial isn't going to be named the ultimate deceiver for nothing. I can promise you that Belial WILL be a part of a very very big lie that tricks the heroes and everyone on the side of heaven in one way or another. He's good at what he does.
@NightBlaze- This is not a spoiler. I do not base this info on any unknown lore of Diablo 3. This is speculation based solely on the events of Diablo 1 & 2 and various descriptions of Belial through the previous games and now in the newer book.
@Proposition- Tyrael cannot detect the Lord of Lies because he has sewn his seeds of deception so deep that Tyrael is already under the impression that Cain must be good. He doesn't suspect a thing.
2. The Horadrim and all of the Burning hells wanted everyone to buy the lie that Hell was fighting amongst themselves. Again, read the description for Belial. He constructs reality with his impeccable ability to lie by infiltrating the Horadrim from the beginning so that eventually Heaven would come to trust their knowledge. The reason why Belial want's to help Diablo is because he has always wanted to. From the very beginning the entire story has been a lie. The hells have not been ighting at all.
Again, look at Azael's dialog noting "this was set in motion long before..." That is what he meant. This is yet another plan of hell. Belial has intended to help Diablo the entire time. Diablo needed a way to eventually free himself. This is also why Tyrael made the fatal mistake of destroying the soulstone.
Even if this is not the exact way the story will break down, it looks like somehow Belial has been playing a HUGE role in this entire thing, from the shadows, from the very beginnning. Yes, Tyrael IS incredibly smart and all that jazz. Who would be the ONE demon to trick them so well? Belial THE LORD OF LIES.
And our characters will continue to venture into the grasp of hell. It hadn't changed for 2 games, why would it start now? It's been lie after lie hasn't it? Every single time you "defeat" Diablo, it turns out to be just another plan constructed by Hell. At the conclusion of each game, The Burning Hells are 1 step ahead.
In Diablo 3 I think we will continue to be one step behind them until it's too late.
I think Cain will in fact die. Leah will eventually figure out what didn't make sense". In the recent cinematic, she is seen saying something along the lines of "cain, this doesn't make sense" as she shifts through his journals. It doesn't make sense because it is all a lie. Cain is Belial and the journal was another tool to deceive the High Heavens.
@Desmond- What in the world makes you think you or even the Horadrim know the true intentions of THE LORD OF LIES. THE GUY SO GOOD AT LYING THAT HE CAN FABRICATE THE VERY EXISTENCE OF ANYONE. You presume that Belial's intentions have been clear ever since Diablo 1. Really? Belial doesn't seem all that good at lying then does he? Maybe he could get the title of "Belial The pretty good liar". But no, he is the Lord of Lies. To get a title like that do you really think everyone knows your true intentions? It's so obvious.
Belial has tricked the high heavens.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Oh, and change the title imho, to reduce spoilage
(Cain Theory - SPOILERS)
Azmodan's statement comes only because it is too late for Leah. Her knowing the truth doesn't matter now because I think this cinematic happens after Cain(The Lord of Lies) dies.
Leah is reading the text written by Cain, noting that it does not make sense. Then, in vision when the truth is revealed, it all makes sense to Leah and she cries because she now realizes it is hopeless.
As to why Azmodan and not Belial is beyond me. I don't know why. It may be the crucial flaw in this argument.
Either way, my most basic idea still holds up there: Somehow maybe not this way, but somehow Belial is behind a large deception in Sanctuary.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Thank you for changing the title... That's all I wanted, I apologise for being rude and/or offending you. If only you had a different title to begin with.
I know you didn't mean to have a spoiler and that it is speculation... but it is still considered a POTENTIAL spoiler. Since, if it does turn out to be true, it will now remove that amazement level I would have had before seeing "Cain is EVIL". Because, prior to seeing that title, I did not seriously even expect anything near what you are speculating.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
Basically both "sides" (cain being belial, or not) can very well be explained depending on what is true in the end.
I mean yeah for example, those D1 thingies is indeed kinda odd, but seriously do you think they planted this all the way back then? I'm sure the reasons are pretty much "let's jam the soulstone into his head because that's cool" at the time.
Then again this does not disprove the theory. I'm just showing the other side of the coin, so to speak.
-Equinox
"We're like the downtown of the Diablo related internet lol"
-Winged
The fact that Tyrael was standing next to him in the Pandemonium Fortress, to me, seems stupid if Cain is Belial.
[spoil] A3_AdriaBetrayal_Encounter_Name Triumph Event
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Taunt_Text Fetlock is dead. Celebrate your victory!
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Join_Instruction {s1}
is about to witness
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Enter_Instruction You are about to witness
A3_AdriaBetrayal_Info_Text The rest of your party will be able to teleport in once you enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Encounter_Name Adria's Prison Event
A2_AdriaSewer_Taunt_Text Free Spot's mother from the minions of Saddle!
A2_AdriaSewer_Join_Instruction {s1}
is about to enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Enter_Instruction You are about to enter
A2_AdriaSewer_Info_Text The rest of your party will be able to teleport in once you enter
I took all of this to mean Azmodan is impersonating Adria to manipulate Leah, Note that Saddle/Belial dies in Act 2 and this continues into Act 3. It would be pretty redundant for Leah to be Diablo, Cain to be belial, and Adria to be Azmodan. [/spoil]
I think the boy emperor theory is plausible, I considered it too.
Another theory that seems possible is that Asmodan was speaking directly to whatever fragment of Diablo was left behind within Leah. Note that Aidan, the Warrior of Diablo I, sought succor from Adria after felling Diablo. This would have been after he absorbed the Soul Stone. This would have allowed him to plant the seed that became Leah.
This would help explain her predilection to having visions, as her soul is more entwined with the spirit world.
Either way, Asmodan seems to be speaking to a fellow Demon or former ally. This could either be Belial or a fragment of Diablo.
Also, people continually refer to Belial as dying in Act II. But remember, he is the Lord of Lies...
Now, if Deckard Cain IS Belial, it's my belief that he's slowly having all opposition destroyed, including the Prime and Lesser Evils, as well as Asmodan. And if he couldn't deceive Tyrael, he'd be a pretty bad liar.
All in the Forger's wake is left bereft and fallow-Excerpt from the Litany of Residuum;
As Translated by He Who Brings Order
B. Azaels reference to deception set in motion long ago is explained in the Convo with him where he says it was he who told tyrael about the soulstones. So that isn't a mystery.
C. I think the new cinematic is Azmodan sensing the traces of dialog in leah. There would be no reason for him to confront leah if Cain was who he wanted.
D. Hell was at war with the 3 in sanctuary. That is why Meph sent dialog into hell and said send your terror into hell. Ie remake hell from belial and az.
E. If Tyrael can see through diablos terror in the books I would think he would have no trouble seeing through belials lies.
No clue. My guess is it's one of the Prime Evils soulstones. I don't think Baal's was ever destroyed?