Blazing Sword, Blazing Cross.. I agree. The differention between the two is really moot. Personally, though, I get the "Cross" vibe too. I'm not sure, it could be the way it's a bit blocky, or the "hilt" being short.. Maybe even an ankh.
Agreed. There is no way of proving either way that the image is or isn't a sword. But I think it is safe to say that whatever IT is...it is significant. I can see the significance of an upturned sword (would be a distinguisher of Imperius)...but why would a cross glow bright on any other angel's chest?
I believe the use of crosses in Diablo to just be asthetic. They use upside down crucifixes because the gaming audience can relate those with "scariness." They use normal crosses to convey "holiness" because that is what your mind thinks when you see a cross..."hey that character has a cross on his shield...he must be a "holy" knight!"
Therefore I have a hard time believing they would use one of these asthetic symbols in a part of the story that is significant.
But...thats just my two cents and as said before...either way is just speculation...but we can argue what makes more sense
I believe the use of crosses in Diablo to just be asthetic. They use upside down crucifixes because the gaming audience can relate those with "scariness." They use normal crosses to convey "holiness" because that is what your mind thinks when you see a cross..."hey that character has a cross on his shield...he must be a "holy" knight!"
Granted that i have not played entirely through the first diablo, i dont remember any upside down crucifixes. Where are they?
I think that the difference between an upturned sword and a cross at this point is a moot point. Sure, it LOOKS like a cross, but as many people here have pointed out, crosses have no particular meaning in Sanctuary, so IMO it makes sense for it to be an upturned sword.
Well, I take it that the sun is just as important in Sanctuary as in ancient "terran" myth, and the cross is a descendant of ancient sun symbols. The early christians used the cross as an established symbol because of familiarity, not because Jesus actually died on a cross (which he most likely didn't, contrary to popular belief).
That is a very interesting theory. There are a few other symbols in Diablo 2 that could relate to the sun as well, like some of the symbols for Tal Rasha's tomb.
As for the sword/cross/thing on the angel's chest, its not really important. Maybe Knaak didn't want to call it a cross, so he said it was an upturned sword. Either way, if you look at the drawing in the original post, it shows another angel shielding his eyes, who might possibly be Tyrael.
EDIT: Did anyone notice the feathered wing on the back of the angel who is possibly Imperius?
Daemaro and Archanum - thank you for your responses! That helped. I was under the impression it would just be Imperius himself casting him out mono y mono. I'm drawing Tyrael right now cuz I freakin' love him, i'll post a link when i'm done if y'all would like
Yeah I noticed Imperius's wings seem to be more feather like.
At second glance, it could be a shoulderguard, but i dont really think so.... its funny how he has wings of feather and magic, whereas all other angels that we've seen (Hadriel and Tyrael) have wings of pure magiclal essence.
At second glance, it could be a shoulderguard, but i dont really think so.... its funny how he has wings of feather and magic, whereas all other angels that we've seen (Hadriel and Tyrael) have wings of pure magiclal essence.
Actually all the angels we have seen to this point have had their "light" feathers protruding from actual feathers...check out this concept art of Tyrael.
In the picture that we asssume is Imperius, you can also see that he definitely has the characteristic "light" wings as well, it just seems that his feather wings are more protruding than tyrael's.
And this could very well be some sort of armor because if you look in one of the other images shown in that concept art, you can see that this angel also has a winged helm that seems similar to the protruding wings we see.
And to jed...I would def love to see a Tyrael drawing...
EDIT****
Just for reference here is the picture I am speaking of. The very first two color pictures show, what seem to me, a winged helm.
Very nice post Archanum. It looks like in the first two (not including the black and white sketch) that the fingers are more... i don't know... evil? than Tyrael's. Or more 'evil' than any other angels should be, haha. Do you think these colored pictures are two different angels, seeing as there are a few differences between 1-2 and then 3-5? (5 shouldnt really count since you cant see anything i guess)
Very nice post Archanum. It looks like in the first two (not including the black and white sketch) that the fingers are more... i don't know... evil? than Tyrael's. Or more 'evil' than any other angels should be, haha. Do you think these colored pictures are two different angels, seeing as there are a few differences between 1-2 and then 3-5? (5 shouldnt really count since you cant see anything i guess)
Nope I think this is just a storyboard of a scene just showing the progression of whatever it is that is happening to this angel. I definitely think they are the same angel.
Oh, okay. That's interesting. So what do you think is happening to this angel here? It looks like a decent transformation, and then the conclusion (the last picture) is what? "death" or "falling from grace"?
Thanks Archanum, that post was very enlightening! I had never actually seen that concept art before.
For some reason, i feel like those pictures should be going in reverse order.... like hes crashing, coming out of his coccoon of light and fire, and then reveling in his success. Or maybe hes just stretching... either way.
I will not say that the meteor is Imperius, but it is an angel! In the storyboard pic, you can see that, whatever is happening to him (the angel), is happening in a church (cathedral). In the first pic you can see the big church organ (the pipes) under the left side of his wings.
Otherwise, it could just be an artists depiction of Tyrael or Tyrael preparing for battle (therefore the helm).
did u have to quote him? lol and yea i agree wit yu
For some reason, i feel like those pictures should be going in reverse order.... like hes crashing, coming out of his coccoon of light and fire, and then reveling in his success.
This is a worthy hypothesis! Considerable indeed.
Archanum - are all 5 of those on the d3 site? I don't remember seeing all of them!
with tyrael banished, the angiris council's vote would still go for keeping sanctuary. only imperius voted against it, the other three angels, two voting to keep sanctuary, and one abstaining from voting. so the vote is still 2-1 in favor of sanctuary.
Exactly...which could be Imperius breaking point. He rebels against the council and takes matters into his own hands. Its speculation, but its highly likely that the army of Heaven was under the control of Imperius (since he is thought the archangel of war)
And also it is not certain that the council would still be in favor of Sanctuary. Malthael abstained his vote, but that means he could possibly go either way in a second vote. In addition to that, you are forgetting that this vote was taken while the Worldstone was in existence stll. Now with the worldstone destroyed and the power of the edyrem at its highest, some of the council may feel differently about keeping Sanctuary around...
Good post, Archanum. Super point about the adbstained vote and how it could go either way.
Well, here is my finished Tyrael. He was pretty hard to do, but i think his wings may have been the most complicated part! This took about 5 hours probably. I cleaned up his wings in Paint with some white for the tips cuz they were pretty dull on the real peice. I have about 8 other drawings, a few of Blizzard stuff, if anyone else is interested in any more. The pose is from my head, and I used the main screen of the D3 site and the concept art with a bunch of peices and views of Tyrael for reference. Enjoy and critique!
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Agreed. There is no way of proving either way that the image is or isn't a sword. But I think it is safe to say that whatever IT is...it is significant. I can see the significance of an upturned sword (would be a distinguisher of Imperius)...but why would a cross glow bright on any other angel's chest?
I believe the use of crosses in Diablo to just be asthetic. They use upside down crucifixes because the gaming audience can relate those with "scariness." They use normal crosses to convey "holiness" because that is what your mind thinks when you see a cross..."hey that character has a cross on his shield...he must be a "holy" knight!"
Therefore I have a hard time believing they would use one of these asthetic symbols in a part of the story that is significant.
But...thats just my two cents and as said before...either way is just speculation...but we can argue what makes more sense
Granted that i have not played entirely through the first diablo, i dont remember any upside down crucifixes. Where are they?
I think that the difference between an upturned sword and a cross at this point is a moot point. Sure, it LOOKS like a cross, but as many people here have pointed out, crosses have no particular meaning in Sanctuary, so IMO it makes sense for it to be an upturned sword.
That is a very interesting theory. There are a few other symbols in Diablo 2 that could relate to the sun as well, like some of the symbols for Tal Rasha's tomb.
As for the sword/cross/thing on the angel's chest, its not really important. Maybe Knaak didn't want to call it a cross, so he said it was an upturned sword. Either way, if you look at the drawing in the original post, it shows another angel shielding his eyes, who might possibly be Tyrael.
EDIT: Did anyone notice the feathered wing on the back of the angel who is possibly Imperius?
Yeah I noticed Imperius's wings seem to be more feather like.
At second glance, it could be a shoulderguard, but i dont really think so.... its funny how he has wings of feather and magic, whereas all other angels that we've seen (Hadriel and Tyrael) have wings of pure magiclal essence.
Actually all the angels we have seen to this point have had their "light" feathers protruding from actual feathers...check out this concept art of Tyrael.
In the picture that we asssume is Imperius, you can also see that he definitely has the characteristic "light" wings as well, it just seems that his feather wings are more protruding than tyrael's.
And this could very well be some sort of armor because if you look in one of the other images shown in that concept art, you can see that this angel also has a winged helm that seems similar to the protruding wings we see.
And to jed...I would def love to see a Tyrael drawing...
EDIT****
Just for reference here is the picture I am speaking of. The very first two color pictures show, what seem to me, a winged helm.
Nope I think this is just a storyboard of a scene just showing the progression of whatever it is that is happening to this angel. I definitely think they are the same angel.
For some reason, i feel like those pictures should be going in reverse order.... like hes crashing, coming out of his coccoon of light and fire, and then reveling in his success. Or maybe hes just stretching... either way.
did u have to quote him? lol and yea i agree wit yu
it's ok man lol, i make that mistake sometimes too
and yea i love tyrael,im gunna murder any other Archangel stealing his spotlight for him
This is a worthy hypothesis! Considerable indeed.
Archanum - are all 5 of those on the d3 site? I don't remember seeing all of them!
Yup they're all in the same picture on the artwork page.
Possibly, but i personally think its another angel/Imperius. Unless Tyrael's wings can change color.
u have a point there... but i still doubt the artist would change the color.
Exactly...which could be Imperius breaking point. He rebels against the council and takes matters into his own hands. Its speculation, but its highly likely that the army of Heaven was under the control of Imperius (since he is thought the archangel of war)
And also it is not certain that the council would still be in favor of Sanctuary. Malthael abstained his vote, but that means he could possibly go either way in a second vote. In addition to that, you are forgetting that this vote was taken while the Worldstone was in existence stll. Now with the worldstone destroyed and the power of the edyrem at its highest, some of the council may feel differently about keeping Sanctuary around...
Well, here is my finished Tyrael. He was pretty hard to do, but i think his wings may have been the most complicated part! This took about 5 hours probably. I cleaned up his wings in Paint with some white for the tips cuz they were pretty dull on the real peice. I have about 8 other drawings, a few of Blizzard stuff, if anyone else is interested in any more. The pose is from my head, and I used the main screen of the D3 site and the concept art with a bunch of peices and views of Tyrael for reference. Enjoy and critique!