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.

Luminoth Lore

Cataclysm

Logbook entry

The starborne terror burnt through the heavens and struck Aether with an untold might. We all expected the world to shatter... but Aether held. There was great devastation, however. The green plains of Agon were scorched forever, and the forest of Torvus was engulfed and wracked by the sea. The skies burned for days, casting darkness over the land.

Age of Anxiety

Logbook entry

In time the roar of a wounded planet subsided. The air, though foul, was breathable. Light made its way through the dark veil over our world. Slowly, we ventured out from the shelters of our homes to see what remained of our paradise. What little comfort we gained by surviving was soon shattered, for when we looked outward, all we saw was devastation. Half of the planet's energy had vanished from the Energy Controllers. Aether became violently unstable as a result. Of the stellar object which struck our home, there was no sign.

The World Warped

Logbook entry

Amidst this turmoil, we discovered many disturbing anomalies. Spatial disturbances appeared across the land. Objects went into a state of dimensional flux, their atoms divided between Aether and... somewhere else. There was little time to ponder these strange happenings, for we had to deal with the devastation of our lands.

The Ing Attack

Logbook entry

The day came when space was torn asunder, revealing dimensional rifts to a dark place. Horrible dark swarms streaked forth from these rifts, engulfing nearby creatures and transforming them into what we would come to call darklings. The dark creatures became our enemies, and peace came to an end on Aether.