So, everyone saw the trailer. You know the one. Huge mechanical dragons, a shield that eats demon skulls, and a vibe that feels more like Army of Darkness than a sci-fi corridor shooter. But among all the heavy metal carnage, one name keeps popping up in the lore community that’s making people lose their minds: Doom The Dark Ages The Old One.
It’s weird.
👉 See also: Solving the Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous Shield Maze Puzzle Without Losing Your Mind
Usually, when we talk about Doom, we’re talking about the Slayer, Daisy the rabbit, or maybe Dr. Samuel Hayden. But this time, id Software is digging deep—like, "pre-Argent D’Nur" deep—into the foundations of the universe. If you've been following the breadcrumbs left behind in Doom Eternal and the Ancient Gods DLC, you know that the hierarchy of gods in this franchise is basically a giant, violent mess of betrayals. Now, we’re finally getting a look at the era where the Slayer wasn't just a force of nature, but a soldier caught in a cosmic civil war.
Who Exactly Is The Old One?
To understand Doom The Dark Ages The Old One, we have to look at the Father and Davoth. For the longest time, players thought the Father was the "top dog," the creator of everything. Then Eternal flipped the script. It turns out Davoth (the Dark Lord) was the original creator, and he was betrayed by his own creations.
The "Old One" is a title that carries a lot of weight in dark fantasy tropes, but in the context of id Software’s new direction, it likely refers to a primordial entity that predates the current Hell/Urdak dichotomy. We aren't just fighting demons anymore. We are fighting the things that the demons are afraid of.
Think back to the "World Spear."
Remember that massive crystalline ship embedded in the planet? That wasn't just a cool level design choice. It was a hint. The Dark Ages is leaning heavily into the idea that there were civilizations and entities—Old Ones—who existed long before the Slayer ever picked up a double-barrel shotgun. Some fans speculate that the Old One mentioned in the lore might actually be a physical manifestation of the abyss itself, or perhaps a rogue Maykr who refused to follow the Father's collective consciousness.
Honestly, it's kinda refreshing. We’ve spent two games killing "gods" that felt like tech-support managers in gold armor. Going back to something primal, something ancient, gives the game a grit that Eternal sometimes lacked with its neon-soaked UI.
The Connection Between The Slayer and Ancient Deities
The Slayer isn't just a guy in a suit in this game. He's a myth in the making. In the timeline of Doom The Dark Ages The Old One, he is likely still being "processed" or utilized by the Night Sentinels. This is the origin story of the weapon.
If you look closely at the trailer footage, the technology is "lo-fi" compared to the Praetor suit. It’s heavy. It’s clunky. It’s fueled by something that looks a lot like raw soul energy before it was refined into Argent. This is where the Old One comes in. In many Lovecraftian or dark fantasy settings, an "Old One" provides the forbidden knowledge or power that eventually leads to a civilization's downfall.
Did the Night Sentinels make a deal?
Probably.
They’re notorious for making bad choices in the name of "tradition." If the Slayer is being pitted against—or perhaps even empowered by—the Old One, it changes the stakes. It's not just about stopping an invasion; it's about the cost of power.
Why id Software is Pivoting to Medieval Horror
Let's be real: Doom Eternal was fast. Maybe too fast for some people. It was a rhythmic dance of "dash, shoot, grenade, chainsaw." It was brilliant, but it was also exhausting. Hugo Martin and the team at id have mentioned in various interviews and streams that they wanted to explore a more "heavy" feel.
Enter the Shield Saw.
By centering the gameplay around Doom The Dark Ages The Old One, they are forcing a slower, more deliberate combat loop. You’re a tank, not a fighter jet. This shift in gameplay mirrors the shift in lore. You can't have a fast, high-tech dance in a world defined by ancient, crumbling stone and primordial entities.
The atmosphere is "dirty." It’s wet. It feels like it smells like iron and old leather. This is the environment where an Old One thrives. Not in the sterile white halls of Urdak, but in the mud.
Navigating the Lore: What's Fact vs. Theory?
A lot of YouTubers are throwing around theories that the Old One is actually a resurrected Davoth or a precursor to the Icon of Sin.
Slow down.
Let's look at the actual Codex entries from Eternal. There is a specific mention of "Nameless Ones" who resided in the deep pits of Hell long before the Maykrs arrived. These entities weren't interested in Argent energy or souls; they were just... there. Pure, unadulterated malice.
If the "Old One" in The Dark Ages is one of these Nameless Ones, we are looking at a brand-new faction of enemies. Imagine demons that don't have cybernetic enhancements. No cannons on their shoulders. Just flesh, bone, and ancient magic. That’s the promise of this prequel. It strips away the sci-fi crutches and leaves you with the raw horror of the pit.
The Practical Impact on Gameplay
When you're dealing with a boss or an entity like an Old One, the scale has to change. We saw the Atlan mechs in Eternal, but we never really piloted them in a meaningful way during combat.
In The Dark Ages, the scale is baked into the world. You’re fighting through a world that is being stepped on by giants. The "Old One" might not even be a boss you fight in the traditional sense—it might be the environment itself.
- The Flail: A new projectile-based melee weapon that feels like it was ripped out of a 1980s fantasy novel.
- The Mechs: Expect to actually control the giant machines this time around to take down entities that dwarf the Cyberdemon.
- The Shield: It’s not just for blocking; it’s a traversal tool and a weapon, suggesting that enemies will have more complex guard patterns than the "just shoot it until it dies" logic of previous games.
It’s bold.
✨ Don't miss: Call of Cthulhu Character Creation: Why Most Players Make the Same Mistake
It’s risky.
But it’s exactly what the franchise needs to avoid becoming a parody of itself.
Breaking Down the "Dark Ages" Timeline
One of the biggest questions is: where exactly does this fit?
We know the Slayer was found by the Sentinels. We know he fought in the arenas of Argent D’Nur. We know he was eventually empowered by the Divinity Machine.
Doom The Dark Ages The Old One seems to sit right in the middle of that "Golden Age" of the Sentinels, right before everything went to Hell—literally. This is the era of the civil war between the Valen-led traditionalists and those who wanted to use Hell’s power.
If the Old One is the source of that power, then the Slayer is effectively the only person who sees the disaster coming. Or, even more interestingly, maybe he's the one who inadvertently lets it in.
🔗 Read more: Why Silent Hill 2 Maria Still Bothers Us Decades Later
Actionable Steps for Fans Preparing for Launch
If you want to be ready for the deep-cut references in the new game, don't just replay the base games. The meat of the story is hidden in the margins.
- Re-read the Corrax Tablets: These are found in Doom (2016). They speak of the Slayer’s first coming in a way that feels very "Dark Ages."
- Analyze the "World Spear" Codex: In The Ancient Gods Part 2, the descriptions of the ship and the entities inside it are the closest "confirmed" link we have to the aesthetic of the new game.
- Watch the "Art of Doom Eternal" Interviews: Hugo Martin often lets slip details about "The Mysterious Voice" (which screamed 'NOOOOO' when the Khan Maykr died). Many believe this voice belongs to the Old One.
- Master the "Heavy" Combat Style: Go back to Doom 2016 and try to play without the dash. Get used to positioning and using the environment. The Dark Ages will likely punish the "airborne" playstyle that Eternal encouraged.
The wait for the release is going to be long, but the shift toward a gothic, medieval origin story is the most exciting thing to happen to the series since the 2016 reboot. We’re finally going to see the "Old One" that started it all. It’s gonna be brutal. It’s gonna be loud. And it’s definitely going to change how we see the Doom Slayer forever.