Destroyer (Darksiders)

"Heaven hunts you. Hell hates you. All of creation does not care whether you live or die."

- The Destroyer trying to convince War to join him.

The Destroyer trying to convince War to join him.

The Destroyer (also known as Abaddon) is the former leader of the Hellguard, now the ruler of the Forces of Hell and the main antagonist of Darksiders.

Fall into Darkness
Once, the Destroyer had been Abaddon, the proud leader of the forces of Heaven. However he had been convinced that if the Apocalypse, the final battle between Heaven and Hell was put off any longer, then Heaven's defeat would be ensured since Hell's strength constantly grew more than that of the White City. Thus Abaddon conspired with the angel of death, Azrael, to break six of the seven seals that would bring about the Endwar, which would make the Forces of Hell descend upon the Earth, but leave the seventh intact so that Charred Council's Horsemen would not interfere. Then Ulthane the Black Hammer could reforge the seals so that when the Council came to investigate, they could claim that Hell had attacked prematurely and the White City's forces had brought them to justice. They proceeded with the plan and as the battle raged, Abaddon stood guard over the Seventh Seal himself. However War descended to Earth anyway and joined in the battle and when the leader of the Hellguard saw him, he was shocked and cried out that the Seventh Seal hadn't been broken. But then Straga, general of the forces of Hell, appeared and struck down Abaddon. He found himself in some sort of limbo, where the voice of a mysterious woman told him that his plot was the result of her manipulation's for her own ends. She offered to make Abaddon her greatest servant, the Destroyer, but he refused at first. However she told him that when his crimes became well known, he would face terrible punishment. With no other choice, Abaddon agreed and was transformed into a fiery, skeletal dragon demon, the Destroyer. He then took command of the Forces of Hell, who won the Apocalypse, and became ruler of the Earth, keeping the Seventh Seal with him. Later when his servant, Samael, turned on him, the Destroyer imprisoned him and gave the Chosen, Hell's greatest warriors, the job of preventing him from regaining his powers.

Facing War
However the Destroyer found opposition in the form of War, who returned to Earth 100 years later under the orders of the Charred Council to find out what had happened. The horseman made a deal with Samael that if he brought the demon the hearts of the Chosen, he would give War a way to get to the Destroyer's tower fortress. The horseman did so, restoring Samael's powers and he opened a portal to the tower for War. There, the horseman found Azrael, who told him about Abaddon's plot and brought War to the Tree of Knowledge, which showed him the Destroyer's true identity and that he needed the Armageddon Blade, which had been shattered by Abaddon, to defeat the dark lord. The horseman got Ulthane to reforge the blade and went to confront the Destroyer. He arrived in the wake of an attack by the Hellguard lead by Abaddon's former lieutenant, Uriel. The dark lord held Uriel in one of his claws and said that she mistook him for someone else. The Destroyer then mused on the unrequited feelings Abaddon and Uriel had had for each other before what happened and how he had chosen duty first, dying for it. The dark lord then gave War his full attention and reminded of how Heaven hunted him, Hell hated him, and that all of Creation did not care if he survived. The destroyer offered the horseman a place at his side and together they could shatter all of their enemies before them and have the spoils of a thousand victories. If not, War could continue to serve a corrupt Council and a creator who abandoned those most faithful to him. To sum it all up, the Destroyer asked the horseman if he would serve in Heaven or rule in Hell. War stood silent for a minute then said he would choose what once a coward did not.

Angered, the Destroyer threw Uriel away and engaged War in battle, who managed to fight him with help from his horse, Ruin, and the Armageddon Blade. The horseman weakened him enough so that he changed into a corrupt version of his former angel form. They battled and War overpowered him, tearing off Abaddon's wings. He murmured for Uriel to help him but she told the betrayer to reap what he had sown, leaving the horseman to finish him.

Powers and Abilities
Abaddon has great natural abilities enhanced by supernatural powers and a variety of other magical powers. He primarily wields a sword in battle and after becoming the Destroyer, he gained great demonic powers. As the Destroyer, Abaddon is able to fly and breath fire and in his corrupted angel form, he can also use telekinesis.

Trivia

 * In the Bible, Abaddon is the angel of the Bottomless Pit.


 * Abaddon's transformation into the Destroyer is similar to the fall from grace of Satan, he was once a favored angel, but decided he would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.