Umbra Darkholme



"Is it selfish of me, to want a happy afterlife, despite beng what I am?"

Umbra Darkholme (commonly known as Umbra, only using his adoptive surname when interacting with humans) is a member of the Resistance and one of the two Greater Demons to have joined the side fighting Valentine. He is the Greater Demon of Energy. In terms of demon ages, he is very old, being anywhere from six to ten thousand years old. He is played by The Doomsday Architect.

Personality

 * "God? You think I'm doing this for God? I don't even know if God exists, but if He does...ever since He can remember, people have died in His good name. Long before that September. Long before hijacking planes. He's lost the will, He can't decide. He doesn't know who's right or wrong, but there's one thing that He's sure of: This has been going on too long. I do this for my friends. And yes, I HAVE FRIENDS. Good people, who were thrust into this mortal conflict you demons have interfered with. I do this for them. And I will not betray my friends."

Umbra tries to be polite and respectful to all his allies, although sometimes he may let his personal feelings get away: for a demon, he is very humane. However, if someone irritates or offends him, he will act very coldly to them. To his enemies, he will attack mercilessly and efficiently. Although, he does have a bad habit of talking to his enemies while fighting. Little children love him and he enjoys spending time with them and babysitting them, which other people find odd. He tends to see issues in a black-and-white perspective. He has very strict morals and tries to uphold to them. He doesn't expect everyone to be perfect, just to not do something without a solid reason for it. He tends to act as peacemaker during arguments. Umbra also acts as a surrogate father, uncle, or older-brother figure with a few members of the resistance, such as Theo or Jez.

Internal Conflict
Although Umbra has remained rather easy-going throughout his stay with the Resistance, he admitted to none other than the angel Nicholas that he often wars with himself over the idea of not having a soul, as all demons are born without one. Umbra speculates that this is because (most) demons are inherently evil beings. He believes that, should a demon die for good, they will either to be to some kind of Hell, or simply cease to exist. Neither outcome reassures the Greater Demon. He has admitted that he sometimes does not see the point in fighting with the Resistance, because "No matter how hard I fight, how much I bleed, how many times I die, how many thousands of years I suffered through torture for showing an ounce of compassion, I will NEVER have a soul." He oftens wonders if there is a way to exempt himself and Ignis from their soulles existence, because he believes that by defying their race, their nature, their home, and their family for the greater good, and by fighting and bleeding on the battlefield, they deserve a shred of happiness other part-human or part-angel beings get when they die. He still hopes to find a way for a soul, if not for himself, then for Ignis at least. Upon realizing that he was becoming emotional and showing his deepest, darkest fear to Nicholas, Umbra immediately wiped away all thoughts of remorse, striving to focus on the matters at hand, deeming his own personal conflict an unnecessary waste of time that was beneficial to no one.

Birth and Early Childhood
Umbra was born to Lilith, who had become a Greater Demon. He, along with Asmodeus, Leviathon, Abbadon, and Agramon, were the first Greater Demons to ever exist. As a child, Umbra displayed his powers at an early age. He struck up a friendship with his brother Asmodeus, but for the most part remained solitary. As Umbra grew older, he became the most emphatic of his kind. He watched his brothers learn to hunt and kill, to slaughter innocents, but he rarely jined them, and was often wracked with guilt and sickened by his actions afterwards.

Betrayal
AS the population ofd demons grew in the Infernal Worlds, Umbra began questioning the morals of demonkind. He brouught his concerns to Lilith, who shruggewd them aside, consumed by her hatred for humanity. Long before the time of Johnathon Shadowhunter, Umbra opposed his once-friend Asmodeus, who had become King od Demons. Asmodeus, at Lilith's command, accused Umbra of treachery and sentenced him to eternal torture in Abbadon's Abyss for his "crime."

Escape
Umbra remained in the Abyss for millenium, enduring the agonizing torture. When Shadowhunters began appearing and driving back demons, more and more of them were dispatched to fight the Nephilim, thus lessening the number of Umbra's guards. He managed to trick a Ravener demon into freeing him, and, unleashing all of his pent-up rage, blasted his way out of his cell. Fighting through the surge of demons, Umbra scaled the side of the Abyss, and reached the top, tasting freedom.

Duel with Abbadon
Having been alerted to his brother's escape, Abbadon appeared before Umbra and tried to stop him. The two Greater Demons fought a cataclysmic battle that shook thhge surrounding land. Umbra was weakened by his torture, and Abbadon was stronger due to being in close proximity with his Abyss. Knowing that he could not kill Abbadon at the time nad resolving to live to fight another day, Umbra knocked Abbadon back into his Abyss and Portaled to Earth.

Arrival on Earth
"I don't know who you are, and I don't particularly care. Leave now, before you regret it."

--Umbra, to Lorenzo upon their first meeting Umbra spent many a century recovering from his wouunds. Afdter some time, after Valentine had taken over, Umbra arrived in New York City. There, he met Alex and his son Theo, the latter of the two taking an instant liking to the Greater Demon. Soon after, Lorenzo appeared as a messenger for Valentine, offering Umbra a place at the Nephilim's side. Umbra declined, and Lorenzo departed. Veronica and May, who had been fighting Taylor, appeared nearby, and Umbra engaged them in conversation while Taylor lay unconscious under a pile of rubble.

Battle with Dusk
Dusk arrived at that moment, and Umbra fought him one-on-one. Dusk's frenzied attacks endangered Theo's life, making the little boy cry out in fear, which angered Umbra to the point where he transformed into his true form, and proceded to attack Dusk ferociously. Dusk, however, managed to overpower Umbra and stab him through the heart with his sword, mortally wounding Umbra, due to a combination of his transformation into a Greater Demon and Etzel's attempt to help Umbra backfiring when he blew up the street they were fighting on. After Dusk and Taylor captured May and Toni, they fled. Umbra survived the blow, however, thanks to his inhuman nature.

Second Assault on Idris
Umbra was not present for the first attack on Idris, which had been conducted by Veronica and Jez, but he was present for the second, and slaughtered many demons in the ensuing battle. However, since May and Toni were nowhere to be found, they were forced to retreat or be overwhelmed, not before rescuing Ethan from the concentration camps near the demon towers, however.

Return to New York City
Umbra, Veronica, Jez, and Ethan returned to New York City, where Umbra encountered a wounded Vain, who was attacked by Dusk. Umbra carried Vain to a nearby hospital, where he encountered multiple Shax demons and destroyed a few of them. During this time, Rosalee appeared in the hospital, and Umbra directed her to the rest of the resistance. After patching Vain up, Umbra and Vain were greeted by Tethren, who would shortly become Umbra's rival.

Third Assault on Idris
Finally, after getting together, the Resistance mobilized in an effort to rescue May and Toni from Alicante, Idris' capital city. Umbra, Veronica, Rosalee, Alex, Jez, Etzel, Dieter, and Vain were Portaled to the outskirts of the city, while Ethan stayed behind to wait for their return and watch over Theo. Tethren and Umbra had previously gotten into a heated argument, and the shape-shifting warlock departed, refusing to accompany them on their mission.

As Veronica broke down the gates of the city and began creating a diversion with her tank, Umbra and Jez managed to come across May and Toni in their cells, which were blocked by Lilith and her hellhounds.

Duel with Lilith
Umbra and Liltih squared off while Jez freed May and Toni. Umbra and his mother were too evenly matched for there to be a decisive victory, but Lilith managed to wound Umbra incredibly, making long gashes the criss-crossed throughout her son's body. Umbra knocked down a wall and buried Lilith in a pile of rubble, and he escaped the building with Jez, May, and Toni.

Death
As everyone regrouped at Veronica's tank, Umbra declared that he was staying behind to give them cover fire while the rest of the resistance could make their escape. Though there were a few protests, Umbra reasoned that unless someone stayed behind to fend off the demons, no one was getting out of Alicante alive, and he was the most injufred of them all. Reluctantly, the remaining members of the resistance filed into Veronica's tank, who drove them to the gates, with Etzel and Dieter manning the rear turret to support Umbra in turn.

Umbra fought bravely against the horde of demons, sustaining more injuries, but then he erected a wall of fire that blocked them off from himself and the retreating tank. For a moment it looked like he would survive, but as he turned his back on the fire to wave to the tank, Lilith emerged from the flames and thrust her fist through his chest cavity, out his sternum, grasping his heart. She squeezed the heart and it exploded, then drew her hand out of her son's body. Umbra fell to the grouund, laughing, because his sacrifice had ensured that the resistance would escape to live to fight another day, and he believed his life was worth that.

Resurrection
Though not truly dead, because his ethereal form had not been destroyed, Umbra's physical body was gone. Upon dying, Umbra's body evaporated and he was transported to the Infernal Worlds, where he encountered Asmodeus again. After openly defying the Demon King one last time, Umbra was sentenced to Abbadon's Abyss again, where he was tortured briefly before being rescued by Arthur, a fallen angel who had sensed Umbra. The two of them Portaled their way to Earth, where Umbra was met by a relieved and curious resistance.

Into the Sewers
Soon after his return, the resistance entered the sewers in search of Etzel's home, although many of them did get lost and separated along the way, they all made it to Etzel's place, with the exception of Dieter and Ethan (Dieter had been attacked and impersonated by Azazel, andf Ethan had been swallowed by a Kraken demon). Umbra rested his body for a brief while, before leaving the house in search of Kyle and May, who had gone missing after searching for Ethan. There, Umbra found them alive, uncluding Ethan, surrouunded by two dead Kraken demons and five Titan demons. At that moment, Leviathon attacked them with it's tentacles, and Umbra transformed into his true form to fight the Greater Demon. Ignis arrived at that moment, and that five of them followed Leviathon's tentacles to where the rest of its body lay.

Duel with Leviathon
Umbra participation in this battle was rather small in comparison. While he joined Ignis, Ethan, Kyle, and May in attacking Leviathon's body, Ignis did the most damage to the Greater Demon, and Umbra only came into play slightly when he revealed Leviathon's ethereal form to the others and held it still, so that it could be destroyed. When the smoke cleared, Leviathon was truly dead.

Relationships
Umbra has not interacted with all characters. However,


 * Theo--He views Theo as a kid brother, and (although he would never say this to Theo himself so as to not scare the boy) as one of the rare Shadowhunter left alive who isn't imprisoned in Alicante, a valuabe hope for the future that should be protected at all costs.
 * Toni--Umbra briefly interacted with Toni moments before his death, and he admired her bravery and stubborness, as well as her refusal to leave him behind, despite the fact that they had just met and that he was a demon.
 * Dieter--Umbra holds a high amount of respect for Dieter, like one who is younger would adress an elder (which makes no sense since Dieter is a toddler in comparison with Umbra's age), but Umbra sees that Dieter's age at which he was turned gives hi a cautious head on his shoulders, something he feels is necessary when living in this new world.
 * Etzel--At first Umbra did not mind Etzel or his quirkiness, but lately he has found himself more and more becoming irritated with Etzel's constant obsession of fluttering around the oblivious Nicholas, partly due to the fact that he feels Etzel only began to take more interest in Nicholas because of his body, and partly because he secretly admires Nicholas as well.
 * Jez--Umbra probably interacted with Jez the most out of all the characters so far, and despite her age, he found her resourceful in a fight, and trusts her whole-heartedly, but to him, she is a little sister.
 * Tethren--Tethren is the only member of the resistance that Umbra did not get along with, mostly because he and Tethren got into an argument about Umbra apparently taking authority of the situation multiple times (which Umbra secretly admits he mayhave done) and he hasn't seen the warlock since.

Appearance
When Umbra first joined the resistance, he had the appearance of a teenager. Now, however, he appears to b in his twenties. His has blonde hair, and maroon eyes with pentagrams of the same color set into the pupils. When angered, the irises and pentagrams glow crimson. He wears a pair of dark sunglasses to hide his inhuman eyes. As for clothing, he is usually seen in a black duster, with black pants, shirt, combat boots, and gloves.

Powers and Abilities
Umbra is the Greater Demon of Energy, which allows him to copy the actual life force of another living organism. His body then automatically takes the copied life force and coverts it into elemental energy, allowing him to manipulate the four elements: fire, water, air, and earth. He can also take the life force from a recently deceased creature. Umbra is also able to drain the life force from something instead of copying it and imbibing the copy, which kills the victim immediately. It has been suggested tat Umbra may have been storing gradual amounts of his on life force away over the years he was tortured, because he seems to be able to call the elements without absorbing something. It has also been hinted that he has some control over the branches of the four elements (ie: ice from water, metal from earth, and lightning from air). Like all Greater Demons, Umbra is faster and stronger than any human, able to lift cars and run at speeds no human coudl ever hope to achieve. He has also demonstrated the ability to exert an incredible amount of speed in a short distance, moving so fast that doesn't even appear to be moving, giving the illusion of teleportation. He cannot run at this speed, however.