| “ | Remember this. Darkness is meant to corrupt. It shall always win in the end. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | Chaos is the strongest weapon there is, everything is chaos. To deny it, is to deny everything. Order is only a false organization of those who fear the uncontrollable. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve explains his anarchistic views to Sabre. |
| “ | No.. thank you for showing me there's a better way. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve's redemption and last words before being separated from his vessels. |
| “ | So, this is the Light, huh? It's beautiful, not because it's the light, but because I've experienced the Dark. It's what's in between that makes us, us. Isn't it? It makes it all so real. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve's last words before peacefully dying next to Sabre. |
Dark Steve is a major character in the 2020-21 web series Rainbow Quest, the first installment of Steve Cinematic Universe. He serves as the secondary antagonist of Seasons 1 and 2, a mentioned character in Seasons 3 and 4, the tritagonist of Seasons 5 and 6, and a posthumous protagonist in Season 7.
He is a fragment of the Darkness who can absorb and possess entities, turning them into his vessels he can use a a disguise. He was able to finally control a vessel with the help of Nightmare Steve, becoming his right-hand man until his demise and deciding to continue his legacy before eventually redeeming himself. He is Light Steve's arch-nemesis.
He is based off his original counterpart.
Personality
| “ | The chaos will reign over EVERYTHING! | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | Well, am I even Darkness? The people I've absorbed. Who am I then, huh? Why did I have to start like this? In a world where everyone fears me. It gets tiring. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve lamenting to Sabre. |
Upon being created, Dark Steve shared many similarities to the person who brought him into the world: cruel, malevolent, destructive and murderous. Through time, he became increasingly intelligent, calculating and smart, learning to adapt to situations and how to get his way. Dark Steve is an expert manipulator due to his shapeshifting abilities when absorbing a Steve, being able to perfectly mimic their voice and pull off a convincing act for long periods of time. Despite his intellect and great planning skills, he does display a massive ego and is prone to throwing fits when he doesn't get what he wants, such as information.
Dark Steve also possesses a very anarchistic view on life, as he views chaos as the only weapon that can be utilized, and that laws and order are only there to give hope to the weak. Beneath his tough exterior, Dark Steve is a complete coward, as he begins running away from Light Steve when he proves to be much stronger than him, even begging him to stay away and making false threats to unleash his full power.
Despite his intense villainy, Dark Steve appears to be quite insecure about himself and who he is as a person, and that he only knows how to be evil. He's willing to talk to Sabre just to get his thoughts out and tell someone how he feels and is even willing to help Sabre to deal with Reverse Steve, even if it lasted only for a while. After being separated from Reverse Steve, Dark Steve felt extremely remorseful and was willing to be separated again if it meant giving his vessels their freedom back, showing that in his last moments he was willing to do the right thing.
Biography
Rise to Power
Dark Steve was originally created alongside the rest of the Darkness by Void Steve as part of his plan to establish peace across the world, however, the Darkness fragment seemed to stray from their ideals and only desired chaos, actively enjoying being evil.
After the Darkness started its second rampage across the world, the Darkness fragment was captured by Nightmare Steve and experimented on in his secret facility, eventually being condensed so he could easily take over a body. Nightmare Steve decided to use his assistant to give the Darkness fragment a body, and it successfully managed to possess him, as well as gaining shapeshifting abilities to manipulate his enemies. He leaves Nightmare Steve to enact on their plan as he leads the Darkness to the kingdom to lay siege to it. Before Dark Steve can deliver the finishing blow, Orange Steve uses all his power to teleport Dark Steve and the Darkness to parts unknown.
After Orange Steve leaves Sabre to pick flowers, Sabre is left alone as Dark Steve appears (out of Sabre's view), telling Sabre not to move or speak. Dark Steve threatens to destroy Sabre on the spot unless he tells him exactly what happened near the end of his seige at the Yellow Kingdom. Sabre refuses to tell him until Orange Steve arrives, noticing something on Sabre's back, and uses his lightning and Dark Steve appears. Exposed, Dark Steve once again threatens Sabre to tell him how he was teleported away from the kingdom, and knowing that they won't tell him, resorts to violence, attacking Sabre and Orange Steve with spheres of darkness. Although Orange Steve tries to attack, Dark Steve proves to be far more powerful, leaving the two to retreat.
Later on, Dark Steve is seen alongside another part of the Darkness and Nightmare Steve rounding up hostages in the orange village as a way to lure Sabre. Sabre eventually gives in and allows Nightmare Steve to take him, but demands Dark Steve and the darkness fragment don't follow him. Nightmare Steve agrees and dismisses the two. After Sabre returns from the land beyond, he discovers that the orange village has been destroyed by Nightmare Steve, but Orange Steve is still alive, but infected and dying. Sabre takes Orange Steve down to a secret area and locks Orange Steve into a machine to prevent him from dying. However, Sabre reveals that he knows Orange Steve is Dark Steve in disguise as Dark Steve congratulates him for figuring it out. Sabre threatens to leave Dark Steve trapped in his machine if he doesn't tell him where Orange Steve is. Dark Steve finally gives in and tells him that they're on an island before Sabre leaves him. Orange Steve would later reveal that Dark Steve absorbed Happy Orange Steve and was able to take on his form. When Sabre comes down to see him much later on, he discovers that Dark Steve was freed by Yellow Steve thinking he was Orange Steve.
Orange Steve and Sabre teleport to the Yellow Steve Outpost and discover the Yellow King. However he immediately becomes suspicious of the Yellow King since the outpost is vacant and demands him to reveal himself as Dark Steve. Dark Steve appears behind the Yellow King's throne, revealing that the Yellow King is real and that Dark Steve is holding him hostage. Dark Steve attempts to fight Sabre but is stopped by Light Steve who goes outside to fight him, who proves to be an equally powerful opponent. Dark Steve loses the battle and Sabre manages to contact the Yellow Assistant and Happy Orange Steve, who Dark Steve had possessed and absorbed. Upon revealing that they're still inside, Dark Steve teleports away.
Temporary change of heart
Sabre later accidentally finds Dark Steve near a lake after being teleported away by Rainbow Steve, and Dark Steve greets Sabre and the two talk, as Dark Steve laments about his identity and how to move forward. Sabre tells Dark Steve that he is able to make choices that impact his future and show that he can change, and Dark Steve takes Sabre back to the catacombs. The two encounter Ghost Steve and are able to locate Reverse Steve, but are unable to stop him from activating his machine with Rainbow Steve inside. Before Sabre and Dark Steve can do anything else to prevent him from carrying out more of his plans, Reverse Steve offers to take in Dark Steve and finish what he started and states that unlike Nightmare Steve, Reverse Steve wont abandon and fail him. Sabre successfully sways Dark Steve back to his side, but Reverse Steve manages to get a hold on Dark Steve after immobilizing and Dark Steve joins him. Dark Steve tells Reverse Steve that he has a plan and leaves.
After leaving the catacombs and cleaning up Reverse Steve's mess, Sabre is teleported to the lake where he found Dark Steve before and furiously confronts him, despite Dark Steve asking to be heard out. Dark Steve tells Sabre that there's no point in trying to pursue him and that Nightmare Steve is alive before sending Sabre away, much to Sabre's anger.
After defeating Faceless, Sabre attempts to teleport to the Rainbow Hub, but he is transported to the lake where he had talked with Dark Steve, although the area was corrupted and the water replaced with lava. Sabre watched Dark Steve appear floating above the lava as he told Sabre to run before Sabre was teleported safely back to the Rainbow Hub. Dark Steve soon arrives with Reverse Steve, destroying most of the Rainbow Hub in the process. Dark Steve stands aside as Reverse Steve gloats, but also takes in everything Sabre states about him, seemingly regretful. After finishing, Reverse Steve approaches Dark Steve and they fuse together, creating Chaos Steve. Rainbow Steve approaches to try to stop them, but he is teleported away alongside them.
Chaos
- Main article: Chaos Steve (reboot)
Redemption
After being separated from Reverse Steve, Reverse Steve is taken into custody while Sabre stays behind and expresses his disappointment in Dark Steve for going along with Reverse Steve's plans and refusing to do the right thing. Seemingly ignoring Sabre, Dark Steve asks Rainbow Steve for a favor, asking specifically to be separated again to free Happy Orange Steve and the Yellow Assistant from his control. Dark Steve reveals that when separated he'll either die or return back to the Darkness, and allow Rainbow Steve to prepare himself to separate him. Before disappearing, Dark Steve thanks Sabre for showing him a better way, before separating from his vessels and vanishing, returning to the Darkness once more, this time without a physical body and being stuck as a phantom-like spirit in the Darkness' second layer.
Return
After many, many months of dwelling in the Darkness' second layer, Dark Steve was greeted by Sabre and his shadow, as Shadow Sabre had advised going deeper into the Darkness to search for allies. Upon greeting Dark Steve, he revealed that his current state was due to not having a physical body to inhabit, as it had been stripped away from him when he separated from his vessels. Dark Steve was willing to help Sabre defeat the newly released Demon Steves, although he was unaware of how to bring him back into the physical world. However, Dark and Shadow Sabre revealed that the Dark Crystal that Sabre had on him could be able to make him whole again in the regular world, although he would die if the crystal was destroyed. Seeing that Dark Steve's soul was able to come back in a newly created body, Sabre agreed to bring Dark Steve back, although he was hesitant and didn't want to force Dark to help him, Dark gladly accepted to come back and help Sabre. With that, Sabre exited the Darkness and recreated Dark Steve, finally able to breathe in the fresh air of the overworld again, seeing it as beautiful.
The trio arrived at the colorless guard training camp to greet Light Steve, but Light appeared hostile to Dark, despite the latter redeeming himself and having witnessed his redemption, upsetting Dark. The discourse between Light Steve and Sabre because of Dark Steve's arrival resulted in Light mutually deciding to try and work things out on his own for the time being, leaving Sabre, Dark and Shadow alone. Dark immediately decided that it would be best if he were to return to the Darkness, but Sabre reassured him that he wasn't at fault, and realized that since he was able to make Dark Steve physical, he could do the same with Shadow Sabre, and used the Dark Crystal to make him physical. After this, the three were ambushed by Void Steve, who insulted Dark, labeling him a pawn, much to his outrage before Void summoned several Demon Steves to fight the three, with the latter group emerging victorious and decided to head to the World Below to confront Void Steve for the final time. Upon entering, the three were able to locate Void Steve's palace and confront him, with the arrival of Shadow and Dark surprising him. Sabre managed to kill Void Steve easily, but was surprised to see him self-resurrect himself before forcefully teleporting Dark Steve and Shadow Sabre into the Dark Crystal, greatly frustrating Dark after being freed as he commented on Void's newfound powers.
Dark, for the most part, remained on the sidelines as Sabre's backup; he and Shadow Sabre tagging along as Sabre met the zany Professor Red, stopped Demon Steves from invading the newly built kingdoms, stole the Rainbow Crystal and subsequently destroyed it after a second failed attempt at killing Void Steve and his fight against Elemental Steve. Shadow Sabre departed from the group after sensing wrong with the Shadow Sword still at the citadel. After Professor Red and Sabre reunite, as well as have an argument, Professor Red forces Sabre to fall into a layer of darkness. When Sabre comes to, he and Dark had arrived at Rainbow Steve's grave, who had tragically died around the rise of Void Steve.
Forgiveness & Reassurance
Happy Orange Steve, who had visited Rainbow Steve's grave often, came face to face with the Steve that absorbed him. However, he held no resentment. While being absorbed, Happy could feel Dark's emotions and understand how he feels. He forgives Dark for what he's done. Dark now feels more confident and has developed some form of closure. He also sends his regards to the Former Assistant, hoping that he and Happy are close.
Afterwards, Sabre and Dark plan on going into the deepest layer of Darkness to learn more about it. But, Dark is unable to go and Sabre travels alone, meeting Origin Steve. Sabre learns that darkness lies within everyone's core and that it's ultimately up to the individual on what they use the Darkness for, if at all. Dark Steve continues accompanies Sabre on more adventures, as he saves Time Steve and helps him escape from Elemental Steve, as well as heal him up with the help of Professor Red, and fight Void Steve for the third and final time. Shadow Sabre eventually returns with the Shadow Sword, killing Void Steve for good, only to betray the rest of the group and seek what he always wanted; using the darkness to engulf the world into nothingness.
Doubt & Regression
After defeating Void Steve, Sabre, Dark Steve and Time Steve settle down in a village, after a Green Steve Sabre befriended introduces them. The three move into a new house and are fully accommodated into the village. Time Steve acknowledges the bits of Darkness leeching onto Sabre, but he states the Darkness was simply a tool and that it wasn't hurting him. Dark Steve is hurt by this comment, but he doesn't show it. When Elemental Steve attacks the village, Dark Steve disappears back into the Darkness. Once Elemental leaves and Time is able to reverse the damage caused, Sabre goes back into the second layer of Darkness to confront his friend.
Dark Steve believes that Sabre sees him as a tool, especially since he tended to un-summon him and put him back into the Dark Crystal a lot. Sabre states that he's un-summoned him out of safety, and that he isn't using him. Sabre gives him the reassurance that he has his own free will, and that he has his own choices and beliefs. But, as he is reassured of his free will, it's taken away. Shadow Sabre had created a machine that spread Darkness throughout the world, connected via the Shadow Sword. Since all Darkness is the same Darkness, and thus connected to each other, Shadow Sabre is able to not only summon Dark Steve to him, but also cloud his mind and revert back to how he was before he changed; a mindless drone with allegiance to the Darkness.
Final Moments
Dark Steve, brainwashed, breaks Shadow Sabre out of a machine that Sabre had trapped him in after he attacked Time Steve. Sabre had just come out of his own mind, after confronting all of his fears and doubts about who he is. Shadow Sabre leaves, stating Dark Steve to take care of them. Dark Steve leaves, not doing the job. Sabre attempts to jog Dark Steve's memory, Shadow having admitted prior that he was under his control. He uses the fact that he isn't doing anything to them as him fighting back in a way against Shadow's control.
They meet one last time when Sabre attempts to stop the Darkness once and for all. The next day, Sabre is able to pinpoint the location of Shadow's tower, and teleport there. Sabre had come across Light Steve on the way there, who believes that Dark Steve was evil all along. Sabre leaves Light Steve, since he can't cross the Darkness without getting infected. He is ambushed by Shadow Sabre and Dark Steve. Dark stays behind, while the two Sabres have their final battle. It's an even match, with both fighters duplicating and using each other's attacks. Shadow, at one point, is able to give Sabre a hard attack, bashing him into the ground with fireballs. Sabre is ultimately able to overpower Shadow, trapping him in a cage. Dark Steve is able to resist Shadow's control, refusing to be his pawn anymore. Sabre uses his powers to send Shadow back where he belongs; in his mind.
After Shadow is dealt with, Sabre and Dark head back to the lake where Shadow had betrayed them at. The two reminisce about the simpler times when Reverse Steve was their biggest threat, before Sabre sadly announces what he has to do. Sabre plans to make the Shadow Sword destroy itself, and in turn, balance the Darkness across the world. This will also cause Dark Steve's physical form to be destroyed. Dark Steve accepts his fate, knowing that no one aside from Sabre and Time Steve would accept him after everything he's done in the past.
Dark Steve thanks Sabre for letting him experience the world again, accepting becoming one with the light. All the Darkness recedes, including the darkness on Sabre and the Dark Crystal shatters. Any remnant of the Darkness from there is gone, restored in balance with the world.
Legacy
During Dark Steve's final moments, Time Steve was able to gather all the Leaders of the different Steve kingdoms and take them into the Time Dimension. He uses the Interdimensional TV, as everyone watches the battle between the two Sabres, as well as Sabre and Dark Steve's final moments. When Sabre returns, the Leaders not only apologize to Sabre, but also welcome him back into their kingdoms after exiling him when he destroyed the Rainbow Crystal. They all understood Dark's sacrifice and what he did. Sabre is glad, knowing that at the very least, Dark Steve would be remembered fondly.
Appearances
Season 1
- Nightmare Steve CAPTURED me!
- Nightmare Steve's EVIL plan..
- Dark Steve is CREATED!
- The Fall of the Yellow Kingdom.
- Dark Steve is a PART of me!?
- Orange Steve VS Dark Steve
- Nightmare Steve TRAPPED Orange Steves!
- Orange Steve is DYING!
- Dark Steve can TALK!?
- Dark Steve CAPTURED True Yellow KING!
- Light Steve VS Dark Steve
Season 2
- I was TRAPPED with Dark Steve!
- Discovering GHOST STEVE!?
- Dark Steve BETRAYED me..
- My secret meeting with DARK STEVE
- Destroying FACELESS.
- It's all RUINED, Can I fix it?
- WOW.. Ultra Steve did THIS to Chaos Steve
- Why would Dark Steve BEG Rainbow Steve for THIS??
Season 3
- Rainbow Steve's DARK POWERS are THIS strong (mentioned)
Season 5
- Creating the DARK CRYSTAL
- I Summoned DARK STEVE with the DARK CRYSTAL!
- Shadow Sabre has become REAL!
- I embraced DARKNESS to DESTROY VOID STEVE
Quotes
Season 1
| “ | Finally. A body. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve upon being 'created'. |
| “ | Don't move or say anything. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | I know you can't see me, but trust me. If you make Orange Steve aware of me I won't hesitate to destroy you on the spot. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve threatens Sabre. |
| “ | Relax Sabre, I'm right here. You clearly see through my disguises. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve confronting Sabre at the Yellow Steve Outpost. |
| “ | I only needed one hostage, the rest escaped. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | HE'S gonna destroy ME? Don't make me laugh! | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve in response to Sabre telling him that Light Steve will beat him. |
| “ | Is that all you've got?! | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve taunting Light Steve. |
Season 2
| “ | How could a person like me change when I've been created knowing only one thing?! | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | I- I don't trust this... | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve resisting Reverse Steve's manipulation. |
| “ | Reverse Steve... I can't let you go any further! | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve stands up to Reverse Steve. |
| “ | The future holds something that can't be fought against. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | Run. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve warning Sabre. |
| “ | I had no choice... | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve |
| “ | I.. Rainbow Steve, can I ask you for a favor?? Can you.. separate me again? | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve asking to be separated. |
| “ | It has to be done. It's the least I can do. Let me prove myself to you. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve offering to be separated to free his vessels. |
| “ | I'll probably disappear.. or the rest of me will recede back into the shadows seeking to be one with the Darkness again.. | „ |
| ~ Dark Steve revealing his fate. |
Trivia
- Similarly to his original counterpart, Dark Steve is still Nightmare Steve's top minion.
- Dark Steve is the first antagonist in Rainbow Quest to be redeemed.
- Although not shown, both Light Steve and Rainbow Steve state that Dark Steve has destroyed several Steves.