Last year, the story left off on a cliffhanger at the end of the main campaign inDiablo 4, and many have been anxious to see what happens next in the expansion,Vessel of Hatred. This DLC picks up whereDiablo 4’s narrative left off, with the player character chasing after Neyrelle and the corrupting soulstone she carries.Following her trail into the wilds of Nahantu’s jungle, players are joined by new companions along the way, while unraveling more of the story.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the end of Diablo 4, and its expansion, Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred.At theend ofDiablo 4’s main storyline, Neyrelle used the soulstone to bind Mephisto’s presence inside it before players fought, and defeated, Lilith. Neyrelle left with Mephisto’s soulstone on a journey to protect Sanctuary, which takes her into the jungle of Nahantu whereVessel of Hatredprimarily takes place. Players follow the trail she left and are joined by new allies in Eru, Akarat, the Pale Hand Mercenaries, and many more.Eventually teaming up with the burdened Neyrelle, they work together to seal away the soulstoneand Mephisto’s evil for good.
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Mephisto Battles From Inside His Domain
After being betrayed by Eru, the player character, along with Neyrelle and the Golden Lion form of the Spirit of Akarat, are left to face off against Mephisto himself in the Domain of Mephisto.Technically, they are fighting against Mephisto’s physical avatar, the Harbinger of Hatred, as Mephisto has not yet escaped from the soulstone. Here in his domain, a tough battle is fought, with the only possibility of success hinging on the spiritual power and aid of Akarat.
In order to finish off Mephisto’s Harbinger of Hatred, the Golden Lion form of Akarat summonshis last reserves of energyto enter the weakened Mephisto while the player continues to battle it. Although Mephisto’s form is twinkled away, leaving only Akarat lying on the ground, it is far from a happy ending.
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Neyrelle tearfully thanks Akarat for all his help and tells him thathe doesn’t need to look after her anymore. She promises to never forget him, and tells him she knows it is time for him to go. His form transforms from that of a lion into the ghostly spirit of Akarat, as the man he once was when he lived, and his presence ascends into the next realm. As his form disappears,Neyrelle asks one final question about whether she will ever see him again, to which Akarat answers affirmatively, leaving players with a possible hint to his aid in future expansions.
Vessel Of Hatred’s Ending Explained
A Moment Of Betrayal From A Trusted Companion
ThroughoutVessel of Hatred, Eru not only saved the life of the player character but walked alongside them as an ally and companion throughout the journey. His aid was pivotal in moving the story forward, yet there were hints along the way thathe held a biased focus of wanting to keep Nahantu safe at the cost of all else. His hatred of Neyrelle for bringing the soulstone into the jungle was made clear on several occasions.
In this respect,his betrayal at the end isn’t out of character. Finding out he was willing to make a deal with the Lord of Hatred, Mephisto, to spare Nahantu, by sacrificing all else, is sadly on point. That said, he knows that what he has done was wrong. He begs the Spirits to forgive him. He tells the player that they deserved better from him. He even returns to Neyrelle and the player after the final battle, in agony of spirit and wishing for death.
While the battle against Mephisto was taking place, Eru took Akarat’s physical body back to the Tomb of Akarat and placed the soulstone inside it. He then returned to find Neyrelle and the Wanderer and wished for his death. He knows what he did was wrong, but he was so focused on saving Nahantu that he was blinded in his mission.
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Mephisto’s Return Leaves Plenty Of Directions For Developers To Take The Story
Back at the Tomb of Akarat, after Eru deposited Akarat’s body there with the soulstone embedded in it, Mephisto makes his move. In a gory scene fitting ofDiabloquality,Mephisto rises again, having taken over the body of the beloved prophet Akarat, the head of the Zakarum church and all that gives Light.
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With this recognizable and revered form,Mephisto can manipulate many, likely by using the appearance of good to spread his darkness. Walking among mortals using the body of the presumably newly risen leader and prophet of the Zakarum religion, his power could be endless.Future expansions forDiablo 4will undoubtedly focus on this new threat to the world. The spirit of Akarat’s departing words to Neyrelle may be prophetic of his returning in some way to rid Mephisto from using his body for evil.
Likewise, Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto who claimed she was there to stop Mephisto from reigning over Sanctuary, could make a comeback in the future. Her essence remains inside the blood of the Wanderer, and, with the new threat on the horizon, she could just be proven to have been right in her earlier declarations. All these ideas are simply supposition, however, until the next expansion forDiablo 4is released.
