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- "All that is yours is rightfully mine... and mine it will be!"
- —The Dark Prince[2]
The Dark Prince (also known as the Sand Prince) is one of the antagonists in The Two Thrones and the alter-ego of The Prince, born after being partial corrupted by the Sands of Time.[1]
Official Description
- "The unexpected spreading of the Sands of Time as the Prince returns to Babylon has tainted the Prince and given rise to a deadly Dark Prince, whose spirit gradually possesses him. The Dark Prince is a corrupted version of the Prince: ruthless, reckless and sadistic."
- —Instructional Manual[3]
Biography
Warrior Within
The Dark Prince made his first appearance in the true ending of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within as a hooded figure who picks up Sharaman's crown and proclaims everything the Prince owns by birthright is his as well.
The Two Thrones
Early in the game, the Prince chases Kaileena's kidnappers into the palace, only to be stopped by one of the Vizier's generals, Mahasti with the Daggertail, a serrated weapon, embedding it deep into his left arm. The Prince is then forced to watch the Vizier kill Kaileena, which releases the Sands of Time again. As the Prince lacked any protection this time (he had thrown away the Medallion, and the Vizier was in the possession of the Dagger of Time), he was infected by the Sands as well, albeit at a much slower rate than anyone else.[1]
Retrieving the Dagger of Time, the Prince contained the corruption, albeit temporarily, within his left arm. The infected arm gained a glowing, golden spiral design, along with the Daggertail which fused itself with it.[1]
As time passes, the Prince hears a voice within his head, giving him advice and urging him along. The extent of the Sands' taint eventually starts to grow as the game progresses, covering the Prince's entire left arm and part of his back. The exact reason for his mutation being resisted in the first place is ambiguous; the Dark Prince tells him later that he may have grown a resistance to the Sands: perhaps from extended use of the Sands or the Dagger of Time or perhaps from the nights he spent with Kaileena.[1]
Eventually, he begins sporadically transforming into the Dark Prince, whose unique skills allow the Prince to continue in his quest. Upon touching water, the Prince reverts to his normal form.[1]
The Inner Struggle
At first the Prince accepts the Dark Prince's help without question, but his increasing interaction with Princess Farah leads him to question his other side. Eventually, he realizes that the Dark Prince is only looking out for his own selfish avarice, and that vengeance, conquest, and subjugation, rather than constructive goals, are topping his goals. The Prince rejects this malevolent presence and finishes his journey without the Dark Prince's help.[1]
The Final Battle
After slaying the Vizier and apparently losing the Sands' taint, the Prince encounters the Dark Prince once more, saying the words he had heard in Kaileena's vision, who pulls him into a strange dream-like realm. The Prince chases his dark counterpart down as the shifting landscape changes; shifting to various locations from the past games, such as the magic fountain room from Sands of Time and the ship and time portal from Warrior Within.[1]
As the Prince chases him, the Dark Prince reveals indirectly that he is the embodiment of the dark traits the Prince has, manifested by the Sands when he resisted direct infection. Everything that the Dark Prince is was already present in the Prince before the transformation. In effect, the Prince has two souls inhabiting his body.[1]
The Dark Prince intends on distracting the Prince and overcoming him, but he is thwarted again by Farah, who urges the Prince to let go of his hatred and turn away. The Prince ascends a staircase leading into a bright light and the Dark Prince is left behind once and for all, shouting into oblivion, as the Prince wakes, finally free of his influence.[1]
Trivia
- The Dark Prince was voiced by Michael Rudder in Warrior Within and comedian Rick Miller in The Two Thrones.
- A TV Spot for The Two Thrones, a cinematic features the Dark Prince fighting and killing Klompa in the arena and the Axe Warrior.[4]
- Some of the yellow markings on the Dark Prince's arm are similar to those in the Time Portals on the Island of Time. This design aesthetic was later used for The Hunter in the 2008 Prince of Persia reboot.
References
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