DOOM (2016) rebooted the series much the way DOOM 3 did back in 2005. While DOOM 3 was a horror-themed retelling of the original DOOM, DOOM (2016) reimagined the style and gameplay without wiping the slate clean, narratively speaking.
DOOM, traditionally, hasn't been particularly story focused. The reboot, on the other hand, packs a ton of dense lore into the codex entries and cutscenes scattered throughout the game. DOOM Eternal delivers even more world-building and backstory than DOOM (2016) and, for those who actually care to know why they rip and tear, fills in the gaps and plot holes left behind by DOOM (2016). Like any good series, DOOM Eternal asks more questions than it answers, but it does manage to clear up many of the big questions fans have been asking since the reboot. Here is everything we learned about the world of DOOM in DOOM Eternal and all of the things we still want to know.
Is DOOM (2016) A Sequel Or A Reboot?
DOOM (2016) begins with the Doom Slayer escaping from a sarcophagus within the UAC facility on Mars. During the course of the game, we learn that the slayer had been trapped in the sarcophagus by demons at an undetermined time in the past, but had been recovered by Samuel Hayden, chairman of the UAC, during a trip through hell to investigate a powerful energy source called Argent Energy. The UAC discovered Argent Energy during a geological survey on Mars and eventually traced the source back to Hell. They began harnessing the energy and routing it to both Earth and Mars. Eventually, the forces of hell took control of the UACs Head of Biochemical Research Olivia Pierce and used her to launch an invasion on Mars. Samuel Hayden released the Doom Slayer to help repel the forces of hell from mars.
During the final mission, the slayer travels to a realm called Argent D'Nur to retrieve a weapon powered by Argent Energy called the Crucible. Here we learn a lot more about the Slayer's backstory.
The slayer was a member of the Night Sentinels, an elite fighting force sworn to protect the Argenta people. While fighting against the forces of hell (they're everywhere) the Night Sentinels were betrayed and trapped in hell. The Sentinels were all killed while the Slayer was trapped in the Sarcophogas until the events of DOOM (2016).
While it isn't made explicit that the Slayer from Argent D'Nur who fought with the Night Sentinels is the same person as the Doomguy from the original games, many fans speculated that to be the case. In DOOM Eternal, we learn through a flashback cutscene that the Slayer arrived in Argent D'Nur mid psychotic break, ranting about demons and wearing his armor from the original series. Through codex entries, we learn that the Doomguy was teleported to Argent D'Nur and was allowed to join the Night Sentinels when the demons first attacked. He was the only one who knew of the demons and Hell. It is then safe to assume that after being trapped in hell for some amount of time (possibly a millennia) at the conclusion of DOOM 64, the marine was eventually sent to Argent D'Nur.
However, it would seem as though the events of the original games never occurred on Mars and Earth, so although this is definitely the same Doomguy, he is almost certainly in a different dimension. Therefore, while DOOM (2016) is definitely a reboot, the main character is absolutely the same person from DOOM, DOOM II, and DOOM 64.
What Is Argent Energy?
The big reveal in DOOM Eternal is the true source of Argent Energy. Throughout DOOM (2016), the codex entries, and most of DOOM Eternal, we learn a lot of very contradicting facts about Argent Energy. In DOOM (2016) we learn that Samuel Hayden and the UAC discovered Argent Energy on Mars and found out the energy comes from Hell, but from the codex entries, we learn the Argent Energy is actually much older, originating instead from Argent D'Nur.
In one of the codices, it is said that Argent Energy comes from the Elemental Wraiths, Argent D'Nur's first sentient life and a godlike trio worshipped by the Argenta. The first Night Sentinels are created to defend the Elemental Wraiths. It is said that the forces of hell invaded Argent D'Nur and, with the aid of a betrayer with the ranks of the Sentinels, bound the Wraiths in The Well and harnessed them for unlimited energy. Freeing the Wraiths and cutting of the energy source to hell is a major plot point in DOOM (2016).
The DOOM Eternal codex entries would appear to retcon that story to some degree. While the Wraiths are briefly mentioned in one entry, they instead tell the tale of Kahn Maykr, another godlike being from a realm called Urdak that seduced the Argenta with the promise of life everlasting. Shortly after the Doomguy's arrival in Argent Prime, demons started attacking Argent D'Nur. Unable to defeat the demons, the Argenta turned to the Kahn Maykr for answers. Her priest captured a demon and discovered the Essence that gives them power. They use this Essence to form weapons and fight back against the demons, eventually fighting into Hell where they build factories to siphon the energy back to Argent D'Nur, now called Argent Energy.
The Night Sentinels now had the power to beat back the forces of hell, while the Argenta benefitted from the unlimited power of the Argent Energy (sound familiar?) but it wasn't long until the true source of that energy was revealed. The energy is actually created by the suffering of the dead in hell. Their souls are tortured and tormented and the energy is extracted from them, leaving behind shambling zombies that bolster the demon's ranks. The Kahn Maykr knew this all along, in fact, struck a deal with Hell to continue harvesting the energy in exchange for access to more worlds to destroy. The Argenta were split by the revelation and a bloody brutal war commenced. Eventually, a faction of Sentinel rebels led by the Slayer assaulted hell with the intention of destroying the Argent Energy factory, but they were indeed betrayed and trapped there, leading to the Slayer's incarceration inside the sarcophagus.
Lingering Questions
There are still many questions left to be answered. Who is the Seraphim Maykr Samur and why did he turn the Doomguy into the Doom Slayer? Why are there different versions of Argent D'Nur's story? And, perhaps most importantly, What happened to The Father, the creator of the Maykr and Urdak? Hopefully, these questions will be answered in the Year One DLC planned for DOOM Eternal.