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A Dark One.

The Dark Ones, known as "Чёрные" (Black Ones) in the original Russian, are a race of highly intelligent humanoids in the novel/video game Metro 2033. They were the next stage in human evolution, until Artyom, the protagonist of both the first novel and the video game series, fired nuclear missiles at their home in the Moscow Botanical Gardens to save his home station from the supposed "threat" they posed, only later learning that they were peaceful.

Appearance[]

Dark Ones, being descended from humans, have a basic humanoid form, unlike most mutants in the series. they have long, thin arms and legs, large hands with long fingers. They possess no facial features besides a pair of eyes, relying instead on telepathy to communicate. Their skin is a dark ash-grey colour, much like other mutants in the series.

History[]

After the Bombs Fell[]

When the bombs fell in 2013, those in Moscow who weren't in the Metro when the bombs hit but didn't die were mutated into the Dark Ones. They lost all abilities to manipulate technology, but gained telepathy and the ability to survive in the radioactive ruins of Moscow, prefering the hive-like nest they created at the Botanicheskiy Sad (Botanical Gardens) metro station. There, they lived in peace until the day Artyom and two of his friends, Eugine and Vitali, snuck out of their home station with a shotgun and went exploring. They opened a door here which allowed the Dark Ones to enter the metro and reconnect with their still-human ancestors. During this, Artyom would be attacked by mutants - either dogs according to the novels or Watchmen in the games - and a Dark One would pull him to safety, emphasizing with him.

2033[]

In 2033, Artyom would leave VDNKh Station (also known as either Exhibition Station or the Economic Achievements Station), trying to find help in Polis, a city made up of four connected stations. The Dark Ones would try and persuade him to help them, although each attempt would be seen as an attack on his mind by the telepathic mutants. When he finally made it to Polis, they would refuse to help his home station, content to let VDNKh deal with the threat whilst they collapsed the tunnel. With the help of members of the Order, known as Stalkers in the novels and Rangers in the games, he made his way through the Moscow State Library and the creatures that lived there, and activated an old missile silo in D6, part of a secret metro accessible only to members of the Russian government and military before the bombs. He then climbed to the top of Ostakino Tower, one of the few surviving buildings with a view of the Botanical Gardens, set up a laser targeting system and those in the D6 silo fired the missiles at the Dark Ones' nest. Before the missiles hit, the Dark Ones showed him more visions of the future they'd planned, where he, as their ambassador, would be responsible for leading humanity back to the surface, but it was too late. They were destroyed by the missiles by the time he realised their peaceful intentions. The video game adaptation includes an alternate ending, where Artyom shoots the targeting system, knocking it off Ostakino Tower and saving the Dark Ones, but as this ending doesn't coincide with both the events of the original novelisation and the game's sequel, Last Light, it is considered non-canon.

2034[]

Following the destruction of their hive, it is assumed the Dark Ones have been wiped out for good. Whilst nothing more is said in the novels about them, beyond a reminder of the events that occured, the second game, Metro: Last Light, reveals that a baby Dark One survived and was discovered by the Rangers, who sent Artyom and their commander's daughter, Anna to hunt it down. However, it escapes and is captured by the Fourth Reich, a supremacist faction formed from either radical members in the Central Moscow Command or remnants of existing Russian Neo-Nazi groups, such as Russian National Unity. News spreads, and a general of the Stalinist Red Line, Korbat, learns of the existence of this last surviving Dark One, which he plans to use to create an army of domesticated Dark Ones to help him take over the Red Line and, by extension, the entire metro. This plan fails when Artyom, accompanied by a former comrade during his original mission to Polis, Khan, succeed in rescuing the baby Dark One.

The three of them make their way to the Ranger base at D6, learning not only that the Red Line is planning to assault D6 to capture it for themselves, but also that many Dark Ones survived, hidden in D6 itself. During the Battle for D6, the baby Dark One disappears, searching for it's captive kin. Again, the game ends with two alternative endings, the the Dark Ones only affect one. In the standard C'est la Vie ending, the Dark Ones final fate is unknown. Perhaps the baby Dark One succeeded in rescuing its kin and they left, or perhaps it failed and was killed or captured by the victorious Reds. Meanwhile, in the Redemption ending, it succeeds in rescuing its kin, who assist the Rangers in fighting off the Reds. As the next game in the trilogy, Exodus, requires Artyom to survive, which he only does in the Redemption ending, it can be assumed that they helped defend D6 then disappeared.

2036[]

Dark one exodus

The Dark One found on the Institute's roof

What happened following the Battle of D6 is unknown. However, it can be assumed that the surviving Dark Ones managed to Novosibirsk, itself now irradiated and uninhabited by humans, though excellent living conditions for the Dark Ones. This assumption can be made based on the existence of a Dark One, which can be seen on the roof of the Research Institute of Extreme Medicine of Novosibirsk. It's possible that this Dark One, and perhaps more members of its species, is responsible for the intelligence and telepathic abilities of the Blind Ones that call the Institute home. Additionally, Miller later finds Artyom outside and pulls him into the Aurora, the train that has become their home and base of operations by the events of Metro Exodus, stating that he knew he'd find Artyom there, but didn't known how. This suggests that something, most likely a Dark One due to both their link to Artyom and the aforementioned Dark One on the Institute's roof, telepathically told him where Artyom was.

Abilities & Weaknesses[]

  • Telepathy - The Dark Ones used telepathy to communicate. However, most humans were driven insane or killed when they tried to talk to them.
  • Superior intellect
  • Fragile bodies - Five 44. Magnum rounds could easily kill a Dark One, whereas most mutants in the series require 6 or more.
  • Unable to use technology
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