Dark Signer

The Dark Signers are a mysterious group of Duelists, who serve as antagonists to the Signers and primary antagonists for the second arc of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

When a person dies, he or she is given a chance to live by becoming a Dark Signer at the time of death. If they display a great will to live or a reason for revenge, an Earthbound Immortal may spare them, turning them into the Dark Signers in the process. As the Dark Signers, those individuals are given a great power and a great lust for revenge. All of the Dark Signers, with the exception of Carly, Roman and Rex, hold some form of grudge against (or connection to, in the case of Devack) a Signer, which would provide an answer to why the Earthbound Immortals chose them. Due to this phenomenon which derives from the Netherworld itself, there's no way to revert the transformation or revert to their former selves, and are said to be no longer of the living world (However, Akiza has noted in her Duel with Misty, that if she beats the Earthbound Immortal without getting rid of the Life Points, perhaps that person will return to normal).

Thus because of this distinctive group of individuals already had died once, it is seen that once they have been defeated in their own Shadow Duel or Shadow Turbo Duel for that matter, their departure from this world would be completely different. As instead of simply dying like a normal human being, they instead would wither until they become dust when they were sent into the Netherworld.

They are capable of using a distinctive new type of monsters known as Dark Synchro Monsters which are black lined. Their signature card are the "Earthbound Immortals", along with the use of Field Spell cards in order to maintain the effects of these powerful beasts in a Duel. There are only five Dark Signers at any given time, each one possessed by a different geoglyph. A total of seven awakened, some other the fall of others.

History
The Earthbound Immortals are evil entities that were sealed in the Nazca Lines by the Crimson Dragon and the Five Dragons. Each one bore a dark mark on to five individuals who are known as the Dark Signers.

The Dark Signers possess an inborn drive to defeat the Signers, whom each has a marking of the Crimson Dragon, over the course of 5,000 years.

The Dark Signers serve as gatekeepers to the door to the netherworld. This door resides within the first Ener-D Reactor, located in Satellite. The Dark Signers plotted to open this gate to release the Earthbound Immortals. Knowing this, Rex Goodwin built the utopia New Domino City away from Satellite and restricted access between the two cities so that only those left in the Satellite would be harmed when this time came.

Rex's older brother, Roman, was placed in charge of the first Ener-D Reactor, developed by Professor Fudo prior to the Zero Reverse Incident. The same incident which released the sealed Immortals from their 5,000 year imprisonment. Presumably killed by the accident, Roman was reawakened as a Dark Signer.

Kalin became a Dark Signer after being sentenced to death but came back, fueled with revenge against his former friend Yusei Fudo.

At a certain point, Misty Tredwell was transformed while suffering in hospital. After being spared, she was told by Ccarayhua to kill the servant of the Crimson Dragon, "Black Rose Dragon". Her hatred for the Black Rose Duelist for allegedly killing her brother easily puts Misty on this task.

After the Crimson Dragon appeared during the Fortune Cup, the Dark Signers began preaching in Satellite that the Crimson Dragon is evil and encouraged the people to stand with them for the sake of Satellite.

Using brainwashed victims, they began targeting the Signers, including Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas, who were made to Duel Dick Pitt and Trudge respectively. Jack, however, Dueled with Carly's assistance. In both cases, the Signers emerged victorious.

Kalin targeted Yusei in Satellite and faced him in a Shadow Turbo Duel. He Summoned his Earthbound Immortal, "Ccapac Apu", which absorbed the souls of many residents. Yusei was unable to finish the Duel due to an injury caused by his Duel Runner failing.

Carly was thrown off the Arcadia Movement building by Sayer, but was spared from death by an Earthbound Immortal. Misty sensed this and proceeded to the Arcadia Movement in order to face the Black Rose, Akiza Izinski. Carly faced Sayer in a rematch. Both Dark Signers Summoned their Earthbound Immortals, absorbing the souls of bystanders. Meanwhile, Devack was able to free Greiger from a police wagon due to the guards' souls having been absorbed. Carly defeated Sayer with "Aslla piscu", causing the building to fall apart and Sayer dropping, past the inside balconies. Misty and Akiza's Duel was interrupted and postponed due to the collapsing building.

The Signers learned from Rex Goodwin about the nature of the Dark Signers Dueling powers. Yusei, determined to save Kalin, questions Goodwin about returning them to normal. Goodwin reluctantly tells them that the change cannot be reverted as they are no longer of this world.



After a dark ritual performed by the Dark Signers in the B.A.D. area, mysterious black fog covers all of Satellite, absorbing all residents near this zone, seemingly including Crow.

After Roman's Shadow Duel against Yusei concludes, the rest of the Dark Signers show themselves to their rivals, the Signers, as their final battle is about to begin. Each Signer is to travel to one of the four control units for the Original Enerdy Reactor, where their corresponding rival is awaiting. However, as Luna and Leo are taken by Trudge to the controller where Devack is, she is instead transported back to the Minus World in order to free Ancient Fairy Dragon. This causes Leo to Duel Devack in her place, trying to fulfill his promise of protecting her. After Devack summons his Cusillu, Luna returns from the Spirit World and takes Leo's place. Once Devack sacrificed Ancient Fairy Dragon, in order to activate Cusillu's effect, Luna uses Respect Synchron to summon Ancient Fairy Dragon to her side of the field thus releasing her and using her and Power Tool Dragon to destroy Cusillu and defeat Devack.

Despite Devack's defeat and the apparent destruction of Cusillu, the Dark Signers prove to have a contingency plan. Greiger soon becomes his replacement, using a sixth Earthbound Immortal, Chacu Challhua. Later Greiger Duels against Crow, whom had managed to escape the fog. Later during the Duel, as the new Dark Signer summons his correspondent God, he ultimately finds out the truth about his village: the ones responsible for the destruction of it are actually the same individuals he now works for. Discovering this Greiger loses his will to continue the Duel, but suddenly a dark and evil voice known only as an "Envoy of the Underworld" intervenes. The entity possesses him in order to force the Duel to continue. In the end, the possessed Greiger is defeated by Crow in the Shadow Turbo Duel, during which Chacu Challhua is destroyed as well.

With his detours settled, Yusei finally reaches the Giant's control unit, and Kalin. Their Duel is intense as Yusei tries to save him while Kalin just wants revenge. As more of the Enforcers' past is revealed, including Kalin's final moments before becoming a Dark Signer, he Summons Ccapac Apu and tries to destroy Yusei with it. However, as he manages to fend off from the Earthbound Immortal's assault, the Nazca God itself begins to trash the ground where the Duel is taking place. As Kalin starts experiencing difficulties with this, Yusei tries to save him by summoning "Majestic Star Dragon" and taking down Ccapac Apu. Kalin makes peace with him before he withers into dust.

After the battle, Roman speaks to Yusei through Trudge as he challenges him. Therefore he, along with Crow, Luna, Leo and Trudge goes to the Original Ener-D Reactor. As they meet with Roman inside, he detonates the Enerdy Reactor, thus releasing the negative energy inside. As it fills the room, the two of them, who are above it, finally begin their rematch. During the Duel he reveals to him some unfortunate events which occurred between the Dark Signer and Professor Fudo. Roman also reveals his identity as the fifth Signer. After Yusei finally manages to defeat Uru, and thereby Roman, Roman detonates his left arm as he's disappearing, blowing up the bridge and sending Yusei falling into the depths of the Ener-D Reactor.



Meanwhile Jack, who has finally reached the Hummingbird tower, is surprised by Carly, who appears riding her own Duel Runner before engaging in a Shadow Turbo Duel. Carly depletes most of his Life Points, and through the card Enlightenment, shows Jack a vision of the future where he lost the Duel and became a Dark Signer, reigning as King over a dead world. Jack, who is at first caught up in the vision, drops Carly's glasses and realizes that they are still in the present. He is able to turn Carly back briefly into herself, before the "Envoy of the Underworld" possesses her and forces the Duel to continue. Carly summons Aslla piscu, however Jack turns the Duel around by summoning "Majestic Red Dragon". However, as he attempts to end the Duel in a tie and theoretically destroying them both, Carly informs Jack that he has another destiny as King and breaks the control of the Envoy of the Netherworld, destroys Aslla piscu and takes damage because of it. She loses the Duel and vanishes in Jack's arms.

Finally Misty who is guarding the last Control Tower is waiting for Akiza while mourning for her dead brother, Toby. Eventually Akiza and Mina arrive where the Lizard Tower is situated, in an old and abandoned carnival. Thus Akiza finds Misty, and has been guided by her into a House of Mirror where they finally commenced their rematch. As it begins Misty recounts the events that lead up to Toby’s death that undoubtedly involves Akiza, through the use of her Sad Story Spells and Bad End Trap. Because of this Akiza who is now tormented by the truth, loses the will to continue the Duel. However Sayer appears to save her from landing into a shard of shattered glass, but has now deviously has awakens her powers as the Black Rose once again.

However while Misty in the end has summon her powerful "Dragon Queen of Tragic Endings", Akiza in the other hand has not only unleashed her Black Rose Dragon, but also ultimately has shattered every mirror in the vicinity and finally confronts face to face with her opponent. Akiza and Misty's Duel continue while Misty manages to gain the upper hand by summoning Ccarayhua. While she does that Yusei tricks Sayer in revealing the truth behind her brother's death. Upon hearing this she commands her monster to devour him and avenges her brother's death. Before she could surrender the Envoy of the Underworld takes control and is about to finish Akiza off with a direct attack. But Akiza pulls through by blocking the attack and summoning Black Rose Dragon again to destroy everything on the field. Misty tries to counter by inflicting damage through card effect. But Akiza counters the damage and deals it back to her ending the Duel with Misty feeling at peace. She vanishes leaving her music box, containing Toby’s and her picture on it.

Later, right after Akiza’s Duel against Misty concludes, before the Signers are able to seal the last Tower, the King of the Netherworld appears from the Original Ener-D Reactor, and is moving toward New Domino City. At that time Goodwin who has acquired the powers of a Signer with Roman's arm, reveals to be the last of the Dark Signers. As the dark mark of the Condor appearing on his back, revealing his Dark Signer nature and giving him supernatural powers, he declares that a Shadow Turbo Duel will be held within the Condor geoglyph as a ritual to welcome the King of the Netherworld.

Therefore Goodwin faces off against Yusei, Jack, and Crow in one final Shadow Turbo Duel. The Duel rages fiercely upon them and Goodwin. Though both Jack and Crow are unable to continue due to Wiraqocha Rasca's deadly effect, Yusei manages to win with their help.



After the King of the Netherworld is finally destroyed by the combined power of Yusei, Majestic Star Dragon, and the Crimson Dragon, all of the other Dark Signers were returned to life, leaving only the Goodwin brothers to pass on to the afterlife.

As for the former Dark Signers, its unknown if the others do or don´t have recollection of ever being one, judging by Carly's statement and Kalin's current state. (Although it appears that Kalin and Greiger are the only ones with any recollection of their crimes as Dark Signers).

Order of reappearance:
 * Misty: It is shown that she and Akiza become close friends, and are now pen pals. She reappears in many advertisements in Season 2, but has yet to make a physical appearance.
 * Carly: She appears by throwing off her old man disguise a short while after Akiza mentions Misty. She continues to be friends with everyone, normally helping Jack out of any tight spots. It is unknown if Carly is still friends with Misty.
 * Kalin: He went on a trip and ended up in Crash Town. His "new life" didn't seem to be as successful as the others; he wears a ragged black cape, is physically exhausted, and has lost all emotion, joining a large group of Duelists that Duels against "Malcolm´s" group, with lifelong slavery as the loser's penalty (Even then, he is still admired by the kids of the town.). He Duels Yusei one more time, so that he can leave the world of Dueling behind him (It is revealed, he kept his Dark Signer memorys, and wanted to die for those actions). However, after a series of events, Kalin's will to live changes, making sure that the town and its inhabitants live peacefully from now on.
 * Greiger: He returns to his hometown, where he reunites with Annie and Max. Since then, his family moves to Nazca where they build a shrine to pacify the Earthbound Immortals and spends the rest of the series tending to it. He also kept his memorys as a Dark Signer, and wants to repent for that crime.

In an information file that Z-one reads in Episode 149, in the "original" timeline before he and Yliaster caused the Zero Reverse to split the cities, there were only five Earthbound Immortals that fought the Signers - Uru, Ccapac Apu, Cusillu, Aslla Piscu, and Ccarayhua. This would seem to suggest that Rex Goodwin and Greiger did not originally become Dark Signers, and that it was Z-one's interference with the timeline that caused them to become such.

Brainwashing
Roman had the ability to brainwash other people, by having a black spider latch onto a victim. The victim believes themself to be a Dark Signer, gains the spider dark mark and does the bidding of the real Dark Signers. While brainwashed, the victim's Duels become Shadow Duels and their Deck is changed to one more fitting to a Dark Signer. In the English version the brainwashed person is known as a Shadow Drone, while in the Japanese they refer to themselves as actual Dark Signers.

The spell is lifted when the victim loses a Duel. At this point the spider is ejected from their body and erupts in a powder. The victim's Deck is then restored to normal and they have no memory of what happened while they were brainwashed.

People who become real Dark Signers are believed to be brainwashed. Their motives are fueled by revenge. While some accept it to be their own free will, it appears that when this hatred motives are no longer pursued, then that the Dark Signer will become possessed by their corresponding Earthbound Immortal. This has happened in Greiger, Carly and Misty's Duels, forcing them to continue against their wills.

Shadow Duels


When a Dark Signer engages in a Duel, the arena is surrounded by a forcefield of dark fire, taking the shape of the Dark Signer's respected geoglyph and becomes a Shadow Duel (However it has been proven that they can choose weather or not to make the geoglyph appear. This is evidenced by Misty in episode 60, whom Duels Akiza, but the flames do not appear until she makes it). When a brainwashed Dark Signer servant engages in a Duel, the arena is instead surrounded by a purple glow.

During a Shadow Duel, players suffer real damage when attacked by monsters. The blasts from the attacks are fatal and often cause damage to the surroundings. Also, according to Sayer during his Duel with Carly Carmine in episode 39, the effects from a Shadow Duel are more powerful and deadlier than that of Psychic Dueling.

Dark Synchro Summoning
The Dark Synchro and Dark Tuner monsters are exclusive to the Dark Signers and Shadow Drones. Dark Synchro Monsters are Synchro Summoned by sending to the Graveyard 1 Dark Tuner monster and 1 non-Dark Tuner monster. The non-Dark Tuner monster's Level minus the Dark Tuner monster's Level must be equal to the Dark Synchro Monster's Level, which is negative.

Members

 * Carly Carmine (Defeated By Jack Atlas)
 * Misty Tredwell (Defeated By Akiza Izinski)
 * Kalin Kessler (Defeated By Yusei Fudo)
 * Devack (Defeated By Luna and Leo)
 * Greiger (Defeated By Crow Hogan)
 * Roman Goodwin (Defeated By Yusei Fudo)
 * Rex Goodwin (Defeated By Yusei, Jack and Crow)