Dark One
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The Dark One is a fictional character and primary antagonist of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
In the Wheel Of Time books Verin Sedai says the Dark One is the "embodiment of paradox and chaos, destroyer of reason and logic, breaker of balance, the unmaker of order, and the opponent of the Creator". Shai'tan (an Islamic name for Satan) is the godlike figure of the creatures of darkness. (Dragon 188) Sheriam tells Egwene that the ability to channel confers a weakness, that those who can channel can be turned to the Dark One (TDR 'Sealed'). There is also a catechism in the books that states that "The Dark One was bound by The Creator in the moment of creation." It is unclear just what the Dark One is or how powerful he is in relation to the Creator. It is very much implied in the books that the Dark One has the capability to unmake or reorder all that is, was or ever will be, which leads one to the conclusion that in some way the Dark One is a match for the creator. However, the fact of the Dark One's imprisonment at the moment of creation and his apparent lack of a role in that creation would contradict that. It's possible that the Dark One is just what he is often called or intimated to be: not so much a force of evil as a force of death and destruction, opposed to existence and the pattern itself.
Speaking the true name of the Dark One is believed to bring misfortune on the speaker. Darkfriends claim not to fear this misfortune, but consider speaking his name to be blasphemy. As a result, there are many alternative names for him:
- Father of Lies
- Sightblinder
- Lord of the Grave
- Shepherd of the Night
- Heartsbane
- Soulsbane
- Heartfang
- Old Grim
- Father of Storms
- Grassburner
- Leafblighter
- Lord of Chaos
- Great Lord of the Dark (Used only by Darkfriends, the Forsaken, and Myrdaal)
The Dark One is imprisoned at the time of the books in the same nameless state the Creator placed him in at the moment of creation, but with a "Bore" drilled into that prison. A patch made by Lews Therin Telamon and the Hundred Companions at the end of the War of Power seals the Bore, which was made by Mieren Eronaile.
The geographic location in which the Bore (a metaphysical hole in the Pattern itself, not a physical thing) and the Dark One are closest to the world is the Pit Of Doom. The Pit Of Doom is an otherworldly place beneath Shayol Ghul, a mountain in the valley of Thakan'dar, beyond the Blight. In the books, Shayol Ghul is entirely a real place, but the Pit Of Doom, while it lays beneath Shayol Ghul, is either partially or wholly not in the world. It is the place where the Dark One's power over the Pattern is greatest.
Dark One is also a corruptive evil being in the computer game Quest for Glory IV, where he is asleep and when awakened, the game results in defeat for the player. Similarly to the Dark One of The Wheel of Time, locals consider speaking his name bad luck.
