Dark Splinter

Dark Splinters are Splinters converted into Darklings.
==Description==
Dark Splinters inhabit planet Aether and its opposite, Dark Aether. Compared to its unpossessed variant, a Dark Splinter is much stronger and more resilient to damage from normal weaponry, requiring two fully Charged shots of the Power Beam to deal with (Normal/Veteran mode). However, it can also die from a single blast from the Light Beam, a natural weakness that the Ing passed to its host. Visual differences between a Splinter and a Dark Splinter is the latter's dark coloration, as well as the presence of the Ing's glowing red particles on the darkling's front. Dark Splinters behave and attack identically to Splinters, which is similar to the Beetles from Tallon IV.
==Involvement in the Aether Incident==
While the Splinter species's aggressiveness and goals are linked to their natural survival, all Dark Splinters inherit the Ing Horde's sentience and its will: the subjugation and death of all inhabitants on Aether, including any unfortunate extraterrestrials present on the planet. Prior to the events of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, an innumerable group of Ing invaded the Splinter Hive on Temple Grounds and possessed an equally innumerable amount of Splinters: the resulting Dark Splinter army were the cause of the GFMC Task Force Herakles' demise.
When Samus Aran entered the Temple Sanctuary, a smaller group of Splinters and an Alpha Splinter nesting within were converted into darklings. The Dark Alpha Splinter and Dark Splinters' mission was to steal Aether's last remaining planetary energy from the Main Energy Controller found inside the Great Temple. Were it not for Samus' unintentional interference, the Ing would have likely won the war against the Luminoth, resulting in the stabilization of Dark Aether and the obliteration of the opposite light planet.
==Locations==
Dark Splinters are found in these rooms:
*GFMC Compound
*Double Path
*Doomed Entry
*Industrial Site
*Temple Assembly Site
*Temple Sanctuary
==Logbook entry==
===Unused===
==Trivia==
*When first encountered near the crashed G.F.S. Tyr, Samus can defeat the group that appears without firing a single shot. She need only stand near the edge overlooking the jungle far below and move just as they leap at her. If done correctly, they will soar over the ledge and fall to their deaths.
*When frozen by the Entangler, part of the Dark Splinter's appearance reveals the body of a normal Splinter. The same is true for the Alpha Splinter (via hacking). What this means is unclear. It is possible the symbiotic Ing possessing said Splinter is frozen by the dark energy of the Entangler (along with the creature).
*Logbook data exists for a Dark Splinter in the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc, where it is different from the final. Notably, the entry mentions that firing on a Dark Splinter will eventually cause the attached Darkling to be removed from the possessed Splinter. This type of gameplay is not seen in the final, where both creatures die simultaneously from weapons fire. Remnants of this gameplay detail may still be present in the final build, where firing an Entangler shot at a Dark Splinter or Dark Alpha Splinter (via Sequence Breaking) will cause them to temporarily reveal their natural bodies. Also when certain creatures are Darkling possessed, killing the target will revert the defeated creature to its normal unpossessed state. 
==Gallery==
6789.jpg|Concept art
Dark Splinter crop.png|A Dark Alpha Splinter in the GFMC Compound
Dark_Splinter_Hoard_2.png|The hoard of Dark Splinters attacks the Federation's base.
Dark_Splinter_attacks.png|A Dark Splinter attacks a Federation Soldier.
Dark_Splinter_attacks_2.png|A Dark Splinter attacks one of the Troopers from behind.
Dark_Splinter_Hoard.png|A huge swarm of Dark Splinters invade the Federation ship.
Splinter and Dark Splinter.jpg|A Dark Splinter with a pair of normal Splinters
Bonus Disc Dark Splinter Logbook.png|Logbook entry from the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc.
ru:Темный Сплинтер
Category:Darkling
Category:Aether
Category:Temple Grounds
Category:Great Temple
Category:Dark Aether
Category:Dark Agon Wastes
Category:Splinter Family
Category:Predators
Category:Darkling Ground