Darkmount (Cybertron)

Darkmount is an ancient fortress on Cybertron, the capitol of Decepticon-controlled Polyhex. It was built long ago around the caldera of a great magma plume welling up from the center of Cybertron. For a period of time during the Great War it was the seat of power for Lord Straxus, who fed dissenters to the smelting pool, a cauldron of magma which sat menacingly in Darkmount's shadow. The smelting pool empties through ducts into a canyon which Darkmount overlooks.

Marvel The Transformers comics
Wishing to prove himself to his Autobot comrades, Scrounge infiltrated Darkmount. He was able to intercept a transmission from Earth, but he was caught. Blaster tried to rescue him, but Scrounge met his end in the smelting pool.

Meanwhile, the space bridge was being constructed under Straxus's supervision in a massive chamber located nearby.

To keep the Decepticons from using the new Space Bridge, Blaster's group of resistance fighters, led by Perceptor, orchestrated a siege on Darkmount. The digging efforts of Borebit and Corkscrew loosened Darkmount's foundation, causing it to crumble, while Blaster defeated Lord Straxus on the space bridge.

''The head of Lord Straxus survived, but with the destruction of Darkmount, he relocated to another stronghold in Polyhex. ''

3H comics
Darkmount was turned into a mostly rocky terrain after the Great Reformatting. A force of Predacons led by Galvatron began work on a fortress there, intending to make it the new Predacon capital.

The Quintesson In-Saba Nur tried to take Darkmount by crawling up through the canyon ducts. As he died horrifically in magma, he realized the canyon was unguarded for a reason.

Shattered Glass
Cliffjumper was last seen alive in the vicinity of Darkmount.

During a battle for the Arch-Ayr fuel dump, Sir Soundwave summoned the Mayhem Suppression Squad from Darkmount for assistance. Later, more Decepticon reinforcements arrived from Darkmount to transport the acquired fuel supplies.

Aligned novels
Darkmount was built in ancient times around the natural smelter known as the Upper Pool, to defend it from primitive creatures spun-off from the Transformers own creations. Below it lay the Lower Pool.

In the last days before the great war, Darkmount was basically a large inhabited ruin. The settlement of Polyhex spread out from its flank, separating the Upper Pool of magma from a series of high class upper-caste homes on the opposite cliff face. Below, a community of artisans made their homes around the edges of the Lower Pool.

Prime cartoon
Wheeljack participated in a battle there during the war. The Wreckers were caught between a Decepticon Patrol and the smelting pit. Wheeljack cleared them a path and used the bodies of dead Decepticons as stepping stones to escape via the smelting pool.

When the Omega Lock created a huge fortress on Earth, Megatron dubbed it "Darkmount" in honor of the one on Cybertron.

Bumblebee's team visited Darkmount so they could look for clues as to Shockwave's whereabouts. Unfortunately it was also the first place Unicron went when he arrived on Cybertron, and during the ensuing fight, the Autobots were almost knocked into a smelting pit. Starscream later returned there, believing he could take his place as Decepticon leader, but instead he encountered Predaking out for revenge.

Wings Universe
Darkmount was presumably the name source of the Darkmount Stratagem, an extremely complex training scenario utilized at the Training Academy in New Polyhex. Even among veteran warriors, it had been mastered by few. Cadet Flareup mastered it, earning the respect of many.