The Dark One (born May 18, 3004 - June 30, 3009) was a desert muck leech that lived on the planet Mars. It appeared in the fourth film, Into the Wild Green Yonder.
Biography[]
The Dark One was originally a snake (part of the eponymous species) who lived in symbiotic harmony with a frog (which was part of a species called Encylopods). They both lived peacefully due to the effects from the Chi, a force that allowed burdening species in the galaxy to flourish. When the Chi receded, countless species died. The Dark Ones prevailed however and survived. The Encyclopods, realizing the end was near, created an egg, the Violet Dwarf Star, in order to preserve the DNA of any living organism in the universe.
Eons passed and the Dark Ones searched tirelessly for the Violet Star, eventually they evolved into Martian Muck Leeches, who resided on Mars.
Into the Wild Green Yonder[]
During Leo Wong's construction of New Mars Vegas, he stumbled across a puddle housing the last of the Dark Ones. Having no sympathy for lifeforms wiped out by the construction of New Mars Vegas, Wong ordered for a parking lot to be built on top of the puddle. Leela managed to save one last leech before the puddle was wiped out by poisonous cement, the eponymous Dark One, the implied leader of the Dark Ones. The Dark One then clamped onto her arm and stayed with her aboard the Planet Express.
During the Galaxy Express crew's visit to New Mars Vegas, Philip J Fry was recruited by the telepathic Legion of Mad Fellows after becoming telepathic himself. They explained the Dark One's history and gave Fry a mission: to stop the Dark One by infiltrating Leo Wong's security force and stopping Wong's planned destruction of the Violet Dwarf Star (for the New Mars Vegas golf course).
During the Eco-Femenists campaign against the New Mars Golf Course, the Dark One became their mascot and traveled with them during their attacks against Wong's company.
Eventually, Frida Waterfall, a member of the Eco-Feminists was told by Fry (posing as Wong's security guard), that he wanted to save the star too. She recalls the conversation while at the Feminists' base, but the Dark One telepathically contacts her, demanding to know where the message came from. When Frida denies this request, the Dark One declares her of no use, and psionically strangles her.
The Dark One was present during the Feminist's escape from prison, where it is revealed that Leela has been letting him suck her blood to survive.
Eventually, Fry is given the task of actually defeating the Dark One. Due to Fry being his own Grandfather, his mind cannot be read, this is the reason Fry was chosen for the task of killing the Dark One. The Legion of Mad Fellows tell him to use a weapon called the Omega Device to kill the Dark One. However, it will be a difficult task, as nobody knows what the Dark One looks like after eons of evolution, and even worse, his mind is unreadable.
At the ceremony where Wong plans to blow up the Violet Star, Fry is given the honor of detonating the explosives. He attempts to mindread the audience, but to his horror, he cannot figure out who the Dark One is. Fry then realizes that if his mind cannot be read, then he himself must be the Dark One.
Suddenly, the Planet Express crew arrive and takes the detonator from Fry. The Dark One telepathically urges Leo Wong to destroy the Violet Star, but he is foiled by his daughter, Amy. Leela takes the detonator, but Fry begs her to give it back to him, even though he is unable to tell her why. After a moment of reflection, Leela trusts Fry and gives the detonator back to him. He activates it, having rewired it to the Omega Device. The device is activated, but has no effect on Fry.
Fry is horrified that it didn't do anything to him, until the Dark One finally reveals his true identify, as the Leech on Leela's arm. While the Dark One is being affected by the device, the Violet Star is transformed into a massive Encyclopod that looks like a Manta Ray.
Hutch Waterfall, brother of Frida Waterfall and a member of the Mad Fellow Legion, attempts to explain everything, but the Dark One leeches onto his neck, killing him. The Encyclopod then destroys the Dark One. The Dark One's corpse is then eaten by Zoidberg, before it's DNA could be preserved by the Encyclopod, thus destroying the Dark Ones forever.
Trivia[]
- The Tunneling Horror from Bender's Game bears a striking resemblance to the Dark Ones. The Tunneling Horror was either an inspiration for the Dark One's appearance or the Tunneling Horror is what the Dark One became in the fantasy world of Cornwood.
- Technically, its genus is that of the killifish in real life.
Appearances[]
- "Bender's Game" (as a parallel universe counterpart: possibly)
- "Into the Wild Green Yonder"