Editing Darksyde (BW)

{{disambig2|the ''Beast Wars'' spaceship|the ''Shattered Glass'' spaceship|Darksyde (BWSG)}}
:''The ''Darksyde'' is a [[Starships|spaceship]] from the [[Beast Era]] of the [[Generation 1 continuity family]].''
[[File:Darkside1.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|Welcome to the ''Darksyde''. Your hostess will be serving you a choice of beverages and honey-roasted nuts.]]

The '''''Darksyde''''' is the name of the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] vessel that [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]]'s troops "borrowed" to get to [[Earth]] after he stole the [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|Golden Disk]]. [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] named her, though [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] wanted to call her the "''Buzzerbot''".  Megatron didn't care either way. After it crashed on prehistoric Earth, the Predacon [[Inferno (BW)|Inferno]] preferred to call the ship "the '''Colony'''", though just about everyone else referred to it as the '''Predacon base'''.

Among the ship's features is an [[Predacon computer|onboard computer]]. Its name is alternately spelled as '''''Darkside''''' and '''''Dark Side'''''.

==Fiction==
===''Beast Wars'' cartoon continuity===
====''Beast Wars'' cartoon====
[[File:Darksyde chase.jpg|left|thumb|Note the space dart board behind it]]
Exiting [[transwarp]], the ''Darksyde'' was immediately fired upon by the pursuing Maximal science vessel [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']], though the better armed Predacon ship quickly took the upper hand. Despite the urging of his [[Dinobot (BW)|first officer]] to destroy the ''Axalon'' when the Maximal's shields failed, Megatron arrogantly decided to merely toy with his opponents by slowing down the ship enough for the ''Axalon'' to catch up, then unleashing a broadside from the ''Darksyde'''s side guns, severely damaging the Maximal ship.

However, [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] would not have long to gloat, as several well-aimed plasma cannon shots from the ''Axalon'' strafed the hull of the ''Darksyde'', crippling the ship. Soon afterwards, both ships crash-landed on the planet's surface. {{storylink|Beast Wars (Part 1)}}  

The crashed ''Darksyde'' became the Predacon base, their center of operations on Earth. The ship apparently crashed in a volcanically-active area, as the impact created lava-filled concentric cracks around it, and an upwelling of lava in the main control center. While it's arguably dangerous to have a control room where you can't walk across the floor without ''melting,'' it does look seriously badass.

The base contained a main control and monitoring center with a holographic projector; given the absence of a proper floor, hover platforms were commonly used by the Predacons to get around much of the base. The base also included [[CR chamber|CR pits]] capable of restoring severely damaged Predacons (or Maximals) to full functionality; a private suite used by Megatron, including a CR tank/hot tub; a lab area used by Tarantulas; holding cages suspended over the lava pits (keyed to Megatron's voice command); and a secure storage area which held the Predacons' remaining transwarp cells. The grounds surrounding the base were laced with automatic weapons, programmed to scan for and target Maximal energy signatures.

[[File:Darksyde sideguns.jpg|thumb|How electrifying!]]
In addition to day-to-day Predacon operations, the base was the scene of several battles. The first involved a messy and destructive hunt for Cheetor, who accidentally teleported into the control room. The Maximals subsequently sent a bomb over to destroy the base, but Cheetor helped disarm it, as the detonation would also destroy the Maximal base via a common Energon vein beneath both ships. {{storylink|Equal Measures}} Another resulted from Megatron's attempt to reprogram Rhinox into a Predacon; the rogue Maximal very nearly brought Megatron down from power by taking out first his troops, then his kneecaps.  Rhinox's comrades stormed the base to recover him, however. {{storylink|Dark Designs}} The Maximals forced their way into the base a third time when Optimus Primal was infected with a rage-inducing virus; the berserk Maximal leader stormed through the Predacon base, taking out troops one after the next, until his comrades arrived to heal and retrieve him.  {{storylink|Gorilla Warfare}}  

The Maximals also managed to infiltrate the base more covertly on numerous occasions.  When the Predacons managed to hack into Maximal communications, Rattrap went undercover as a turncoat. He escaped from one of the suspended prison cages and searched through the Predacon base till he found a Maximal codebreaker chip installed in one of its communication panels.  {{storylink|Double Jeopardy}} Rattrap entered on another occasion to install a spy camera and cable; when the Predacons discovered it, they faked their own destruction, drawing the Maximals into the abandoned base to salvage space drive parts. Optimus Primal noted that even abandoned, a Predacon ship was still a dangerous place. {{storylink|Victory (episode)|Victory}} Using Rattrap and Airazor as a distraction, Tigatron slipped into the base to search for information about the latest alien site to have revealed itself (though this turned out to have been exactly what Megatron wanted all along.) {{storylink|Before the Storm}}

At least once, the base's lava pits proved to be a distinct liability. When the planet was hit by a quantum surge in the wake of the Planet Buster's destruction, Terrorsaur and Scorponok lost control of their hover platforms, collided, and tumbled off. The two sank into the lava and were never seen again. {{storylink|Aftermath}}

Tarantulas proved able to cut power to the base at will; he did so once with a magna pulse, {{storylink|Spider's Game}} and again through unknown means when Ravage and the Maximals arrived to take Megatron prisoner. The base took considerable damage while under assault from Ravage's transwarp cruiser. {{storylink|The Agenda (Part 1)}}

After the destruction of the Maximal base, Megatron's troops stole the Sentinel shield module from the Maximals, and installed it in the Predacon base, providing it with a defensive energy shield. {{storylink|Changing of the Guard}}

The battered vessel was finally destroyed by the [[Vok]] emissary [[Tigerhawk]]. {{storylink|Other Victories}}

====''Timelines''====
The ''Darksyde'' was stationed at a [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[transwarp]] research center, where "[[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]", "[[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]]", and [[Buzzbomb]]  busted in and shot up the joint to secure it as a getaway ship.
{{locationstub}}

The ''Darksyde'' was stolen by the rogue [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] and fled [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertorn]] under Megatron's command.  After a clash with the [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']] it entered a [[transwarp]] hole, followed by the [[Axalon (BW)|''Axalon'']].
{{locationstub}}

===Ask Vector Prime===
In [[Aurex 1104.30-JH Zeta]], the ''Darksyde'' also carried Megatron's Predacons to prehistoric Earth and served as their headquarters. That is, until [[Wedge Shape]] defied her [[servility program]] and brought the ''Darksyde''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s codes with her. The Maximals proceeded to storm the Predacon base and rescue the captive Mini-Cons, almost decisively ending the Beast Wars in one stroke. {{storylink|Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime, 2015/08/13}}

===IDW Generation 1 continuity===
{{spoiler|Strange Visitors|July 5, 2017}}
A vessel identical to the ''Darksyde'' was used by [[Shockwave (G1)/IDW Generation 1 continuity|Shockwave]] to check on his [[Ore-13]] project on Earth. He encountered the [[Eukaris|Eukaran]] ship ''Axalon'' under the command of [[Domitius Major]], which he promptly shot down, and upon landing to check on its crew was struck by the idea of a [[Ice Age Wars|novel]] [[Hearts of Steel|experiment]]. {{storylink|Strange Visitors}}

==Crew==
[[File:Darksyde wreck.jpg|thumb|"Terra Crasher"]]
The original crew of the ''Darksyde'' included:

* Megatron - Commander
* [[Dinobot (BW)|Dinobot]] - Second-in-command.
* [[Scorponok (BW)|Scorponok]] - Engineer, later second-in-command after Dinobot turned on Megatron.
* [[Tarantulas (BW)|Tarantulas]] - Weapons/Special Ops. Secretly a spy for the [[Tripredacus Council]]. 
* [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]] - Fighter
* [[Waspinator (BW)|Waspinator]] - Pilot
{{--}}

==Toys==
===Beast Wars 10th Anniversary===
{{picsneeded|toy}}
* '''Megatron''' (2006)

: A small toy of the ''Darksyde'' was included with the ''Beast Wars'' Tenth Anniversary version of Megatron. The packaging calls it the '''<s>Preadcon</s> Predacon ship''', possibly due to [[trademark]] issues. (A typo on the packaging was corrected by a sticker.<ref name="predaconsticker">[http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/toys/beast-wars-10th-anniversary/megatron/963/2/8/ Sticker covering a typo on ''Beast Wars 10th Anniversary'' Megatron's packaging with correct "Predacon" spelling].</ref>)

==Notes==
* The name of the Predacon ship comes from fandom interpretation of [[Terrorsaur (BW)|Terrorsaur]]'s line from the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Equal Measures]]", which welcomes [[Cheetor (BW)|Cheetor]] "to the dark side" upon Cheetor's arrival within the Predacon ship. Since there wasn't an established name for the ship at the time, some fans thought that Terrorsaur may have been speaking more than metaphorically. The name was used in the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Transmetals (N64)|Transformers Beast Wars: Transmetals]]'' video game, making the name official, and again years later in the booklet inside [[Rhino Entertainment|Kid Rhino]]'s ''Beast Wars'' season 1 DVD set. In the [[BotCon 2006]] exclusive toy box set and accompanying story, "''Darksyde''" was spelled with a "y" to avoid possible trademark problems. Regardless of this development, the ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Sourcebook|Beast Wars Sourcebook]]'' continued the traditional spelling, but parsed it as "''Dark Side''". Despite the glee with which the name is joyfully batted around in the fandom, the show itself never specifically calls it anything other than "the Predacon base" or "Predacon ship".

===Foreign names===
*''Japanese:'' '''''Terror Crasher''''' (テラクラッシャー ''Tera Kurasshā'')<ref>The name can be seen in various Japanese guidebooks and [http://www18.tok2.com/home/jackhama/transformers/bwtcard_2/img/045.jpg trading cards], but there are several alternate [[romanization]]s, such as "Terra Crasher", referring to the fact that it crashes into Earth.</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Bases]]
[[Category:Beast Wars starships]]
[[Category:Beast Wars 10th Anniversary]]
[[Category:Fandom]]
[[Category:Predacon starships]]
[[Category:Timelines]]