THE DARKNESS
"It is ancient, beyond names. It is simply The Darkness, the polar opposite of our creation force. I found it...or it found me...in the Dead Universe!"
~Nemesis Prime, "Spotlight: Doubledealer"
The following writeup attempts to include as much canon/clues from canon as possible, and as little fanon as possible. Due to its nature some of the latter is required, but will be minimal.
At the time of this writing, there is no sign that the Darkness is connected to Unicron in any way, shape, or form. What it is is certainly up to debate, however, it is clearly a polar opposite to the life of the Matrix of Leadership. If the Matrix is light and creation - then the Darkness is destruction and...well, darkness.
The Darkness, however, is not only that. It is clear that those it inhabits have a semblance of life, and, indeed, sentience. Canonically, they do have some sort of energy in their chest - whether or not this is an actual spark is up to debate, but it could easily be interpreted to be as something no longer a spark. Or a tainted one.
It is also not unstoppable. The will of a Prime was enough to keep it back; indeed, the "yawning tug of the Matrix vacuum within Nova Prime" was enough to draw it to him, instead of its first choice, Galvatron. Presumably, the slightest bit of sentience within a Prime is enough to keep it in place. However, when confronted with the Matrix-chosen line of succession - it instinctively follows such, seeking to take the newest Prime it can. The closer the proximity, the more powerful the draw; Nemesis was forced to pull himself back in order to focus on his fight with Optimus, rather than focusing on keeping the Darkness within him.
However, once it takes hold of a Prime, or indeed any host - it is only a matter of time before that host is changed to their whims. Whether they be robbed of any free will and forced to become its slave, or willingly working with its primal force...the only escape from the Darkness is to bestow it upon another. Considering how one is tainted after possession, the chances of this are only so great.
(HOWEVER, in at least one case, a being has been affected by the Dead Universe/Darkness and retained most of their 'self' - Hardhead, as shown undead in Spotlight: Sideswipe. Whether this is in fact the norm or they were unable to show Hardhead's personality changes in three or so panels remains to be seen.)
It is vaguely implied by canon that one can survive without the Darkness, once killed, assuming all traces of it are gone. Galvatron speaks to Optimus Prime near the end of Spotlight: Sideswipe, and his words suggest that if Optimus surrenders the Darkness quickly enough, he will yet survive. (If he would survive Galvatron is another story.) Based upon this, one can assume that there is a vague time limit, with certain restrictions; a being that is dead and then reanimated, such as those within the original crew of the Ark that became residents of the Dead Universe, may not be returned to the 'living' state. On the other hand, if one is alive and then infected/possessed by the Darkness - if circumstances permit the Darkness to be surrendered or otherwise removed from their form - it can be assumed that they will survive.
It can also be assumed that there is a time limit for that purging. A window in which to bring one back to the living, or they are forever lost to death and Darkness.
A quicklist of canon Darkness powers;
"We call it...the Dead Universe! What it was, what races and species once called it home...such details are lost forever. All we know for sure is...nothing lives there. Nothing...bar that which keeps us as we are."
~Reprogrammed!Nightbeat, "Spotlight: Hardhead"
The Darkness is inextricably tied to the Dead Universe; whether it is a cause or product of such remains to be seen. It can be assumed that entry to the Dead Universe itself is what 'kills' a being; it is "unable to support any kind of life", eating at the exo-suits made to protect a group from its energies (or lack thereof). It can also be assumed that the Darkness is what continues animating a being post-death, and what allows them to continue to exist in this undead state.
KINGDOM HEARTS APPLICATIONS
The Darkness of IDW's Transformers series seems similar yet fundamentally different to that of Kingdom Hearts. They share certain attributes, but also have their own 'special' abilities. In Kingdom Hearts, users of the power can make use of the Dark Portals, where there was no such ability displayed by Transformers; on the other hand, Transformer-wielders showed the ability to erode and decay at a touch, with nothing such shown in Kingdom Hearts. At the same time, both powers clearly 'taint' a being, playing off their darkest desires and urges.
Therefore, with these similarities and differences in mind, as well as some discussion with axiomnexus muns...
By Kingdom Hearts classifications, Nemesis Prime - and all other Darkness-possessed units - register as Heartless. They are not Heartless, however, and therefore not prone to being commanded by more powerful ones...or commanding weaker. However, Heartless will listen to them; one could liken this to them speaking the same language (though no such is actually being done), or at least being similar enough that simple Heartless (such as Shadows) will not be able to tell the difference.
Direct usage of TF's Darkness against KH's Darkness will cancel out. The forces are equal and balanced to each other; neither is more powerful, and, again, direct usage against each other will negate them.
As TF's Darkness is, essentially, anti-life, it does not register that which is not alive. It it will not register Heartless, Nobodies, or Unversed, any more than it would register a table or chair. They are not alive, they are not targets, they are not, essentially, worth its notice, they will be ignored. If one of these powers should use KH's Darkness, however, such will be noted.
A TF Darkness host, assuming their sensors are in working order, will be able to notice the aforementioned KH species if circumstances permit. They will also likely notice that the Darkness within them does not notice them for the most part. Whether or not they or the TF Darkness are alarmed by this will remain to be seen.
It also remains to be seen if TF Darkness and KH Darkness can integrate, or be worked with by the opposite user.
Questions/input from related muns/ect welcome.
~Nemesis Prime, "Spotlight: Doubledealer"
The following writeup attempts to include as much canon/clues from canon as possible, and as little fanon as possible. Due to its nature some of the latter is required, but will be minimal.
At the time of this writing, there is no sign that the Darkness is connected to Unicron in any way, shape, or form. What it is is certainly up to debate, however, it is clearly a polar opposite to the life of the Matrix of Leadership. If the Matrix is light and creation - then the Darkness is destruction and...well, darkness.
The Darkness, however, is not only that. It is clear that those it inhabits have a semblance of life, and, indeed, sentience. Canonically, they do have some sort of energy in their chest - whether or not this is an actual spark is up to debate, but it could easily be interpreted to be as something no longer a spark. Or a tainted one.
It is also not unstoppable. The will of a Prime was enough to keep it back; indeed, the "yawning tug of the Matrix vacuum within Nova Prime" was enough to draw it to him, instead of its first choice, Galvatron. Presumably, the slightest bit of sentience within a Prime is enough to keep it in place. However, when confronted with the Matrix-chosen line of succession - it instinctively follows such, seeking to take the newest Prime it can. The closer the proximity, the more powerful the draw; Nemesis was forced to pull himself back in order to focus on his fight with Optimus, rather than focusing on keeping the Darkness within him.
However, once it takes hold of a Prime, or indeed any host - it is only a matter of time before that host is changed to their whims. Whether they be robbed of any free will and forced to become its slave, or willingly working with its primal force...the only escape from the Darkness is to bestow it upon another. Considering how one is tainted after possession, the chances of this are only so great.
(HOWEVER, in at least one case, a being has been affected by the Dead Universe/Darkness and retained most of their 'self' - Hardhead, as shown undead in Spotlight: Sideswipe. Whether this is in fact the norm or they were unable to show Hardhead's personality changes in three or so panels remains to be seen.)
It is vaguely implied by canon that one can survive without the Darkness, once killed, assuming all traces of it are gone. Galvatron speaks to Optimus Prime near the end of Spotlight: Sideswipe, and his words suggest that if Optimus surrenders the Darkness quickly enough, he will yet survive. (If he would survive Galvatron is another story.) Based upon this, one can assume that there is a vague time limit, with certain restrictions; a being that is dead and then reanimated, such as those within the original crew of the Ark that became residents of the Dead Universe, may not be returned to the 'living' state. On the other hand, if one is alive and then infected/possessed by the Darkness - if circumstances permit the Darkness to be surrendered or otherwise removed from their form - it can be assumed that they will survive.
It can also be assumed that there is a time limit for that purging. A window in which to bring one back to the living, or they are forever lost to death and Darkness.
A quicklist of canon Darkness powers;
- Enduring/recovery from 'mortal' wounds (Spotlight: Galvatron)
- Decaying of life/matter (Spotlight: Galvatron, Spotlight: Doubledealer)
- Infection of healthy mech to undead status (Devastation #6) - appears to bestow above two abilities, strength unknown, time limit possible ("...for a brief, burning instant...")
- Energy bursts (Spotlight: Doubledealer)
- Ranged/energy weapons with lesser version of decay/deathtouch (Spotlight: Cyclonus) - appears to rust/debilitate
"We call it...the Dead Universe! What it was, what races and species once called it home...such details are lost forever. All we know for sure is...nothing lives there. Nothing...bar that which keeps us as we are."
~Reprogrammed!Nightbeat, "Spotlight: Hardhead"
The Darkness is inextricably tied to the Dead Universe; whether it is a cause or product of such remains to be seen. It can be assumed that entry to the Dead Universe itself is what 'kills' a being; it is "unable to support any kind of life", eating at the exo-suits made to protect a group from its energies (or lack thereof). It can also be assumed that the Darkness is what continues animating a being post-death, and what allows them to continue to exist in this undead state.
KINGDOM HEARTS APPLICATIONS
The Darkness of IDW's Transformers series seems similar yet fundamentally different to that of Kingdom Hearts. They share certain attributes, but also have their own 'special' abilities. In Kingdom Hearts, users of the power can make use of the Dark Portals, where there was no such ability displayed by Transformers; on the other hand, Transformer-wielders showed the ability to erode and decay at a touch, with nothing such shown in Kingdom Hearts. At the same time, both powers clearly 'taint' a being, playing off their darkest desires and urges.
Therefore, with these similarities and differences in mind, as well as some discussion with axiomnexus muns...
By Kingdom Hearts classifications, Nemesis Prime - and all other Darkness-possessed units - register as Heartless. They are not Heartless, however, and therefore not prone to being commanded by more powerful ones...or commanding weaker. However, Heartless will listen to them; one could liken this to them speaking the same language (though no such is actually being done), or at least being similar enough that simple Heartless (such as Shadows) will not be able to tell the difference.
Direct usage of TF's Darkness against KH's Darkness will cancel out. The forces are equal and balanced to each other; neither is more powerful, and, again, direct usage against each other will negate them.
As TF's Darkness is, essentially, anti-life, it does not register that which is not alive. It it will not register Heartless, Nobodies, or Unversed, any more than it would register a table or chair. They are not alive, they are not targets, they are not, essentially, worth its notice, they will be ignored. If one of these powers should use KH's Darkness, however, such will be noted.
A TF Darkness host, assuming their sensors are in working order, will be able to notice the aforementioned KH species if circumstances permit. They will also likely notice that the Darkness within them does not notice them for the most part. Whether or not they or the TF Darkness are alarmed by this will remain to be seen.
It also remains to be seen if TF Darkness and KH Darkness can integrate, or be worked with by the opposite user.
Questions/input from related muns/ect welcome.