The Darkness (The Darkness)

Known only as The Darkness, this shadowy and twisted supernatural beast serves as the eponymous force of The Darkness series and the namesake living symbol of darkness. He is an ancient demon soul whom bonds with the protagonist Jackie Estacado and operates as a driving force in his own personal war with all life and his light-based opponent, The Angelus. The Darkness is arguably the primary antagonist of The Darkness series.

Origin
According to the series' lore, The Darkness was part of the void that existed before God's light led to Creation. The Darkness became enraged and disgusted with the new lives that formed and decided to infect various male human hosts throughout the ages. At the age of twenty-one, The Darkness would take control of his host. He eventually comes across the Estacado line when it bonds with Anthony Estacado during World War I.

In comic books of the same name which is the game based upon, aside with Heaven, The Darkness also had conflict with The Vatican, who have plotted against and sent The Magdalena to assassinate The Darkness on many occasions since the death of Jesus Christ. In spite of disgusted with the new life that created by God, The Darkness himself is the one whom responsible for humanity possessing their souls. The Darkness has made his way through history well over the span of 10,000 years using Human males as hosts and is passed on via sexual intercourse with Human women, leaving his old host as he takes his newlly concieved vessel and remaining dormant within the new living vessel until awakening on the eve of his 21st birthday. Unlike in the game series, The Darkness would had his old hosts died (presumably once his host's wife has giving birth a son that would became a new vessel).

The Darkness (2007)
The Darkness attaches himself to Jackie Estacado's body on his twenty-first birthday after Jackie escapes Paulie's betrayal and attempt on his life. Speaking to him through a dark voice, The Darkness manifests as twin shadowy serpents that also provide him with weaponry and offenses. True to his form, The Darkness is harmed by lights, which prompts Jackie to destroy virtually every light source they encounter in order to keep The Darkness strong. He feeds on the hearts of Jackie's slain enemies and can summon little beings called Darklings that serve as his minions.

Throughout the game, The Darkness drives Jackie to kill and taunts him with the knowledge that he is trying to make Jackie his puppet. This is particularly noted in his Moral Event Horizon-crossing action when he prevents Jackie from saving his girlfriend Jenny from being shot dead by Paulie in revenge. Following this, he periodically taunts Jackie about Jenny's death while further stating that Jackie is his slave.

In some portions of the game, Jackie is killed and sent through a hellish otherworld themed after World War I. There, he meets Anthony who provides information on the Dark Weapons that may be used to keep The Darkness in control. The Darkness threatens and pleads with Jackie to avoid these weapons, but Jackie finds them and activates them regardless. The Darkness splits into a form like Jackie and attacks him. Jackie however, defeats The Darkness and assumes control over him.

Towards the game's conclusion, The Darkness slowly manages to regain control over Jackie with each life he takes. Desiring to take revenge on Paulie for Jenny's murder, Jackie makes himself susceptible to The Darkness as he is overpowered by the shadow of a solar eclipse. When Jackie slays Paulie, The Darkness assumes total control of him.

The Darkness II
Two years following the first game's events, The Darkness is once again put under Jackie's control as he rules over the mafia in Paulie's place. However, he is forced out when Jackie is attacked, with The Darkness tempting Jackie to unleash his power once again. During a weakened state, The Darkness assumes total control of Jackie's body and slays the henchmen of a mysterious enemy that sent to kill him. He also entraps Jackie in an otherworld modeled after an asylum, so as to prevent him from ending his life so he may be reunited with Jenny.

Things are further complicated by The Brotherhood and its leader Victor Valente who knows of The Darkness. The organization desires to take the power of The Darkness for themselves. Eventually, Jackie finds that Valente is in possession of The Siphon of the Angelus, the weapon that will destroy The Darkness. Jackie kills Valente and uses the Siphon to commit suicide. The Darkness responds by entrapping Jackie in the asylum as he reconstructs Jackie's body.

In the game's conclusion, Jackie dives into Hell itself in order to save Jenny's soul held by The Darkness. However, Jenny has been taken as a host by The Angelus (something that turned out to be the a freudian excuse why it goes so far to had Jenny died in the first place), who states that Jackie will be imprisoned along with The Darkness for the suffering he has caused. Jackie and The Darkness then become sealed inside a hellish prison.

Characteristics
The Darkness demonstrates a variety of powers and abilities. In addition to the twin serpents, he also shows the ability to send one serpent head creeping about to open locked doors and ambush foes. He also employs a tentacle he utilizes for destroying light sources and impaling victims. One of his more interesting abilities is its skill in creating black holes that brutalize anyone within their vicinity and creating goblin-like demons called Darklings.

The Darkness shows a disdain of what he refers to as "common people". In the subway sections of the game, The Darkness constantly mentions his disgust with the good people. With Jenny in particular, he mentions she "reeks of innocence" (other reason why he despised her was out of fear as revealed in The Darkness II ending, Jenny was the next host of his nemesis Angelus, and had the said entity return, would threatened his existence even with Jackie as his host). Nevertheless, he takes delight in human suffering and sees them as only a means to cause or be forced into suffering. There is also how his power, the Dark Essence, is powered by the consumption of human hearts.