Dark Age

The Luminoth Dark Age began at the end of the Golden Age when a Leviathan collided onto Aether. The impact caused severe damage to Aether's environment, turning the Agon Plains into a desert and the Torvus Forest into a flooded bog. The impact also placed Aether into a state of transdimensional flux, dividing the Light of Aether between Aether and a new, dark dimension known as Dark Aether. This destabilized the planets; if one were to lose all of its planetary energy, it would collapse.

While attempting to rebuild after the devastation, the Luminoth discovered rifts in the world. Dark creatures they came to call the Ing began to cross over from the dark world and possess native creatures, converting them into pawns of the Ing, called "Darklings" by the Luminoth. The Ing also began to kill and possess Luminoth, although those who were possessed committed suicide to avoid falling into Ing hands. The Luminoth began to fight back, crossing through the rifts to begin a full-on war with the Ing that continued until Samus Aran, the human Bounty Hunter, destroyed Dark Aether in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.