The Darker originated as the embodiment of negative sentiments – specifically, the hate, anger, and fear – that were collectively purged from the bodies of the Arbran species. These beings sought to rid themselves of such feelings before departing their original homeworld, Arbra, to begin a new existence. This concentrated darkness took shape as the Darker, an entity capable of manipulating the negative emotions of others. However, it was confined within an ancient city by a protective force field. In the year 3 ABY, the Rebel Alliance established a major operational center on Arbra. The Darker saw this as an opportunity to break free. After luring several Rebels into his domain, the Darker met his end at the hands of Chewbacca, a Wookiee. Chewbacca, with assistance from the droid C-3PO and the native Hoojibs, managed to overcome the Darker's influence.
Long before the events of the Galactic Civil War, the original inhabitants of the planet Arbra, the Arbrans, advanced technologically to a point where they could extract emotions like anger, hatred, and fear from themselves. However, the extraction of this dark energy resulted in the creation of a sapient being, who identified as the Darker. The Arbrans, still considering the Darker a part of themselves, chose not to destroy it. Shortly thereafter, they abandoned their homeworld to establish a new civilization on another planet, leaving the Darker trapped behind a force screen within the ruins of a long-forgotten city. Over the course of millennia, a new telepathic species, the Hoojibs, evolved on Arbra. These Hoojibs settled beneath the planet's surface, but always avoided the tunnel leading to the Darker's prison, sensing a profound evil emanating from within.
Following the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, the Rebel Alliance chose Arbra as the location for their new base of operations. Sensing that the Rebels possessed the technology required to release him, the Darker immediately began crafting a false distress signal to lure one of the planet's new inhabitants into his lair. The signal eventually ensnared an astromech droid known as R2-D2. The Darker captured and disassembled R2-D2, intending to use the droid's components to construct a device capable of deactivating the force screen that held him captive. R2-D2's disappearance prompted an investigation by several Rebels, including C-3PO, Chewbacca, and a group of Hoojibs. The Darker planned to dismantle C-3PO as well, and used his powers to incite hatred in Chewbacca towards C-3PO, turning the Wookiee against the droid.
While attempting to escape the Wookiee within the city, C-3PO stumbled upon an ancient Arbran text that revealed the Darker's vulnerability: contact with the force screen that confined him would result in his destruction. Chewbacca then surprised the Darker by overcoming the induced hatred with C-3PO's help, remembering his bond with Han Solo. With the assistance of the Hoojibs, Chewbacca fought through the overwhelming fear the Darker tried to inflict, ultimately reaching the Darker himself. Chewbacca seized the Darker and hurled him into the force screen, obliterating the creature. The resulting explosion leveled the ancient city.
The Darker lived up to his name, embodying pure malevolence and ill will, having been formed solely from the collective hatred, anger, and fear of an entire civilization. Possessing significant control over the emotions of those around him, the Darker reveled in his power, delighting in manipulating the minds of his victims. He particularly enjoyed inducing fear, and was genuinely surprised when his control was resisted. Physically, the Darker appeared as a floating reptilian being with green skin, adorned in a flowing red robe.
Within the confines of the force screen that trapped him in the ancient Arbran city, the Darker wielded considerable power over the very negative emotions that constituted his being. He could instill fear, anger, and hatred in any creature he encountered, either creating these emotions or twisting existing ones to his will. For example, he could corrupt loyalty into violent hatred and anger. However, these powers were not absolute; they could be overcome with sufficient willpower. While seemingly invulnerable to conventional attacks, the Darker could be destroyed by the same energy that created him: the force screen that held him captive.
The Darker was introduced as the primary antagonist in Star Wars (1977) 67, a comic written by David Michelinie, illustrated by Ron Frenz, and published in 1982.