AXIOM NEXUS - Profile
Character Information
Character Name: Nemesis Prime
Fandom: Transformers
Timeline: IDW
Source: Wiki Page
Character History:
At the current point of Cybertronian history, Nova Prime's reign is long over. However, it was considered a high point of history - one of exploration and of scientific development. A golden age, if you would, for Nova was certainly beloved enough to have statues erected of him. Here, advancements were made, new colonies were formed, many Transformers were caught up in the thrill of his grand plans.
However, there is a shadow cast by every light, and the shadows cast by Nova were long indeed.
While Nova Prime believed in Cybertron, he believed in Cybertronian supremacy, he was intolerant of other cultures to the point of planning conquest over them. It was the right of Cybertron to rule the galaxy, and his right as Prime to lead them to it. He was not so foolish as to broadcast this in such a light except to those who agreed with him - Nova Prime was a charismatic Prime and understood how to paint proper pictures with words. As such, when he declared his plans of expansions, Cybertron rallied behind him - so very few understood truly what he was after.
The Ark, as it was named, was crewed by his closest allies, including the scientist Jhiaxus - responsible for many, many innovations, such as the development of the femme model. (Such development required experimentation on Cybertronians, but the needs of the many...Nova was pleased to allow anything Jhiaxus wanted or needed, so long as there were results obtained. Jhiaxus also pioneered the first Gestalt, which drove its members insane...). Among the crew was also Galvatron, Cyclonus, Straxus, Scourge, Grindcore...they left Cybertron behind, reaching for the stars and the domination of the galaxy.
They did not obtain it.
Searching for safe passage through the Benzuli Expanse, they were instead caught in its pull - and consumed. They were pulled in to the dimension known as the Dead Universe, a place with no inhabitants but the primeval force known only as the Darkness. And it found them.
It is difficult to explain what the Darkness is, for even its minions have only a basic understanding. It corrupts all that it touches, turning it in to sickened, more-dead-than-alive versions of itself. In Nova it found a herald, a champion; in the surviving crew it found further servants. And it can be presumed that it preyed upon the dark urges already within Nova's spark, promising him power and supremacy over both its universe and the living in return for his cooperation. Or it can be assumed that Nova died then, completely, overswept by the new identity he assumed.
It is not known for certain - perhaps not even by the mech himself. But Nova Prime was spoken as such no longer - he renamed himself Nemesis Prime, and began to plan for a true Expansion. Ignorant of the fact that Galvatron had orchestrated this all in hopes of becoming the wielder of the Darkness, Nemesis plotted to combine both the Dead Universe and the living in to one, to enable a return - those who had been tainted by the Darkness were unable to suffer the living universe for long, else they truly be dead (with the sole exception of Galvatron, who could function without a time limit) - and him with the power to remold the combined dimension and its survivors as he saw fit.
This did require that the current Prime be destroyed. By now, the Matrix of Leadership had passed from Nova Prime's successor Sentinel Prime, to Optimus Prime, who was deep in war with his own species. Autobot against Decepticon. Nemesis and Jhiaxus planned for a sleeper agent to assassinate Optimus, because Nemesis recognized that the Darkness...was similar to the Matrix. It was drawn to him, as Prime. Would it not be drawn to another Prime were he able to stand in their way?
As Galvatron and the others set things in to place, Nemesis and Jhiaxus continued to prepare. However, their agent, Nightbeat, failed to complete his mission, killed by a friend when Jhiaxus made to take him over...and Nemesis realized he would have to kill Optimus himself.
Ergo, when the time was for action, Nemesis and the others stepped out from the Dead Universe and in to the living, Nega-cores working to merge the two as Nemesis confronted Optimus. At first, it was clear that there was not even a chance for the other Prime to survive...Nemesis was powerful in himself, but with the Darkness he was unstoppable. He was poised to kill Optimus and ensure nothing was in their way.
But even the best laid plans...
The Autobots, having caught wind of the Dead Universe's plans, went to destroy the Nega-Cores and their guardians. Jetfire confronted Jhiaxus through servers, distracting him long enough to be distracted by Arcee - the very femme that Jhiaxus had experimented upon, so long ago. And Nemesis...Nemesis...
His worst fear came true, and the Darkness made to surge in to Optimus. Nemesis barely held it back, instead relying on brute strength to defeat the other. But brute strength cannot make up for betrayal, and when Galvatron shot him in the back at full strength...he fell, the Darkness abandoning him.
Nemesis Prime is taken at the very crux of his final death.
Character Personality:
First and foremost, we will start with his name. Nemesis Prime is a Nemesis. He names himself as a foe to others because he knows that there are so few who understand his vision. Mind you, he is fully convinced that what he is doing is Right - he does not see himself as 'bad'. Rather, he understands that concepts such as 'good' and 'evil' are pitiful at best, impossible to understand at worst. They are names that others put to ideas in hopes of justifying their own - there is no such thing as them, when you get down to it, only what is there.
He is a Nemesis to all that is life. Certainly, he wishes to rule over all forms, but the Darkness is strong within him and he cannot ignore it and its desires. The Darkness wishes to destroy all life, and it makes Nemesis far more willing to take steps against life in his campaign(s). Even as Nova, he only had so much empathy - now it is all but gone. If he has to destroy entire planets to obtain what he wants, he will. He is perfectly willing to destroy three-fourths of reality in the Expansion; what is a little more? Only the strong will survive, those worthy of living will be left for him to rule.
Nemesis is prepared to stand against you. He is prepared to defeat you. He is prepared for anything. But he is also Prime.
There is some nobility left within Nemesis; it is shown most strongly in his confidence. Certainly, such could be called arrogance, but the thing is Nemesis Prime has so very few self-doubts. He has no fear, his cause is clear - the most he is worried is when he does not know where to go, but when he does know where to go he cannot be set off it.
Every piece of him says 'Prime'. He is power, he is leadership. He has an intelligence charisma that draws others to him, in hopes of leeching off even a slightest bit of his power. He is smart - the worst part of this is that he can be blind to details that could go wrong, but this is what he delegates for. He isn't afraid to delegate, either, but he demands perfection from his underlings in return for his perfection to them.
He does not break his word. He has no reason to break his word, and it is all the more powerful when he says something and others know it will be upheld. If his word is broken, he will seek to amend it, not out of any guilt or shame but to regain the power that having his word trusted holds. They say that honor is a sight of power, that those who claim foul upon theirs are only angry because their power would otherwise be diminished in the sight of others...and this is very true.
Nemesis Prime understand power. He craves power. But if he has to obtain it by losing power...it is a bitter taste at best. He would prefer to obtain his goals honorably, but it is important to understand that his thoughts of honor are not quite the same as others. It is not dishonorable to experiment upon a fellow Cybertronian if knowledge is gained that will help the others evolved. It is not dishonorable to commit xenocide. What is honorable is what leads to helping Cybertron - but with how strongly he identifies with Cybertron, he may as well be Cybertron.
What benefits him, benefits his people. What slights him, slights Cybertron. His loyalty to Cybertron is second only to his loyalty of the Darkness, and even that is a bare slip at best. It is possible that such could be used against him - that this is the strongest bit of Nova left, if anything. Nemesis himself certainly believes Nova is dead...
Powers:
Nemesis Prime is a very strong character. He is the Herald of the Darkness, and capable of wielding its incredible destructive force - he can erode, decay, and even kill with but a touch. Being so tied to the Darkness held a heavy cost, however; he was, for all intents and purposes, more dead than he was alive. He could not stay within the 'living' universe for more than a limit, else his systems would be dead.
The Darkness is still with him, in this dimension, but it is nowhere near as strong as it was before. It is with him enough to keep him alive and from not locking up, but...
By all standards, Nemesis is still dead. Anyone sensitive to such things will be able to tell such, and that he wields a form of anti-life. He is capable of using this anti-life to decay and destroy that which he touches, however, to do so now requires actual focus and strength on his part. Any time he uses the Darkness's power, he is also using his own - that which is left with him is in inextricably tied in to him, and cannot be removed without killing him as well. It also cannot be used up without using him up as well. Arguably he could use enough to kill himself - one presumes he has enough of a survival instinct not to do so.
Nemesis could likely find many uses for the Darkness, such as a simple act as summoning it as small wisps about him for intimidation or display, to use as a destructive beam of energy, to absorb the light in an area, but, again - the stronger the usage is, the more it will drain him, in turn. Nemesis's control will also weaken when around other Matrix-linked Primes/characters (Animated and Shattered Glass Primes do not count for these purposes - however, it is possible someone such as Sari might, due to her connection with the Allspark and the Allspark pieces being turned in to the Animated Matrix, BASICALLY IF I CAN RATIONALIZE IT-), due to the Darkness wishing to flow in to them.
The Darkness can communicate its desires to Nemesis, and can notice things on its own. In this vein it grants Nemesis an extra sort of sense, allowing him to perceive things that might not immediately meet the eye. It is, however, much less than what it once was - and may not always wish to protect Nemesis, if it sees a way for it to flow in to another. For if Nemesis dies and the Darkness is not handled properly, it will try to flow in to the nearest possible vessel. Even if Nemesis claims to command it, the Darkness may as well be considered more to a parasite or symbiont than a simple power boost. It is complex and it is beyond understanding, and it will not hesitate to try and move in to another if it believes Nemesis is of no further use to it.
The Darkness also requires sustenance. As noted, it keeps Nemesis from locking up, but this was within the Dead Universe - there was plenty to draw upon. In the Nexus, not so much. Therefore, the Darkness requires to consume the life force of other living creatures - Sparks, Souls, whathaveyou - in order to power both itself and Nemesis. This can be accomplished by simply enveloping the victim in the Darkness...and then pulling it all back. This does, however, leave a 'taint' - any character capable of noticing the Darkness at all, would notice such left behind on the remains. Those not sensitive could nonetheless feel uneasy at such an unnatural death.
Darkness aside, Nemesis Prime is very strong in himself. His armor is quite thick and durable, and - mind you - has an additional set of armor over it. Not unlike Ultra Magnus. If this outer armor (which is what he wears most of the time) is destroyed, the true inner robot can survive and continue fighting. If the armor of that is destroyed...well...that's not good.
Nemesis is capable of ripping through walls with his bare hands, but by far the most powerful part of his armor are his wings. More like parts of a cape, as he cannot fly, each of the single 'feathers' has an output comparable to Megatron's fusion cannon. The energy battery pack is centered at his back, which is likely what Galvatron shot at to kill him in his timeline even through the protection. And when removed, the entire armor set can be used as a battle station.
It's not technically a power, but it's probably worth noting that Nemesis holds a strong knowledge in scientific fields. With his close relationship with Jhiaxus, it can also be assumed he knows enough to at least understand what the scientist speaks of if not be able to hold intelligent discussion and debate. It can also be assumed that if he did not have his outer armor before becoming Prime, he played a strong part in its design, development, and construction. Nemesis is by no means stupid - if knowing is half the battle, then he is twice a dangerous an enemy, and twice as powerful an ally.
Finally, as a Transformer, Nemesis Prime can transform. His armor turns in to his trailer, automatically assembling upon his form when he changes in to robot mode. Even if he's an undead robot, he is a robot, with all the things that entails.