Darkness (G1)

This article is about the mysterious energy from Generation 1. For the Cybertron episode, see Darkness (episode).

The Darkness is a cosmic force in the IDW continuity portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

It also means you get a black repaint.

A pervasive force within the Dead Universe, the Darkness is a limitless well of power, the dark mirror of the Creation Matrix held by Primes. It is drawn to Cybertronians, as only they can successfully contain its energies and provide it direction and purpose. It is unknown if it is truly sentient, but it possesses the ability to twist the desires of Cybertronians to achieve its imperatives.

Fiction

IDW Comics continuity

This section covers fiction that is ongoing. It will be added to as the story progresses. If it isn't current, you can help by updating it.

The Darkness first called out to Nova Prime through his Matrix, leading to the Ark exploratory mission to the Benzuli Expanse and the strange anomaly within it. It also called out to Ark crew-member Galvatron, promising a destiny and leading to him sending the Ark into the anomaly. Upon entry, the Darkness claimed them all and killed them, turning them into undead entities—but Galvatron was ultimately cheated of being its wielder, instead forced into servitude as a herald of the newly empowered Nemesis Prime. He decided to scheme a way around this. Spotlight: Galvatron

Nemesis Prime hit upon the grand idea of an Expansion, merging the Dead Universe and the main universe into one; this way, they could finally return home and would also be in a position to reorganize the universe into a more ordered form. This would also bring the Darkness to the main universe. The Expansion plot also involved having the current Matrix-holder, Optimus Prime, assassinated early on. Spotlight: Hardhead

When this failed, Nemesis Prime was forced to take matters into his own hands and wield the Darkness against Optimus. He revealed that it had called to him through the Matrix and was similar to the Matrix, but that unlike the light of the badge of office Primes bore, it had no limits. Spotlight: Doubledealer

However Nemesis Prime discovered that the connection to the Matrix went even deeper than that as the Darkness attempted to move on and claim Optimus Prime as its new host! Deep down, Nemesis had been worried this would happen—and this was the real reason he'd tried to have Optimus killed by others.

When Galvatron shot Nemesis in the back, the Darkness passed on into Optimus. Galvatron gave Optimus a choice: Optimus could either give him the Darkness as he'd always wanted, or throw himself into a Solar Pool before the force took hold of him. Optimus, thinking outside the box, gave Galvatron the Darkness and then threw him into the Pool.

Sometime later, a hand was seen reaching out of the Pool... Spotlight: Sideswipe