Black Materia (Final Fantasy VII)

The Black Materia (黒マテリア, Kuro Materia) is a mysterious and incredibly powerful Materia, as well as one of the oldest, having existed since the time of Jenova and the Ancients in Final Fantasy VII. It and its counterpart, the White Materia, are the largest and most unique of all Materia on the Planet, there being only one of each. It is used to summon the "Ultimate Destructive Magic", Meteor, which possesses the power to destroy the entire Planet. Few knew truly of its existence, let alone how to use it. It is a counterpart to the White Materia.

Story
After Sephiroth fell into the Lifestream and spent a year in half-dead isolation in the Northern Crater, he began his plan for ultimate domination of the Planet. Immersed in the flow of the Lifestream, he learned of the existence of the ancient and dangerous Black Materia, and formed the crux of his plan around this great artifact. He would use the Black Materia to cast Meteor upon the Planet itself, and then absorb the Lifestream energy as it rushed to the wound Meteor would create. The power of the Planet's life force would enable him to find a new planet on which he would be the dominant force, just as JENOVA had tried to do.

Upon learning of this plan, AVALANCHE rushed to the Temple of the Ancients where the Black Materia rested to try to stop Sephiroth from obtaining it. Arriving there, they discovered that the temple was really the Materia itself, transfigured by the Cetra. It is assumed that the Cetra who accomplished this were the few last survivors after sealing Jenova, as the murals in the Golden Hall depict the story of Jenova as if to warn those wishing to obtain the powerful stone. It could only be shrunk back into Materia by solving its puzzles from the inside, at which time, the person attempting to obtain the Materia would be crushed inside the Black Materia, as a final defense against any evil trying to use it.

However, Cait Sith offered to use his mechanical body to solve the puzzles. Unlocking the Black Materia, he was crushed inside (however, a second Cait Sith promptly arrived to take the first's place). Cloud retrieved the Black Materia, but Sephiroth was able to bend his will through the Jenova cells in Cloud's body and force Cloud to give it to Jenova-disguised-as-Sephiroth, undoing the entire process. After defeating Jenova∙DEATH in Whirlwind Maze, the party reclaims the Black Materia (which seems to indicate that it was this piece of Jenova that had stalked the party in the Temple of the Ancients). Cloud here can entrust it to either Barret Wallace or Red XIII, although no matter which he gives it to, the ending is still the same. Jenova, disguised as Cloud or Tifa, will trick them into giving it up, so that it may then be delivered to Sephiroth. Sephiroth uses it to summon Meteor before the WEAPONs awaken, and the Materia falls into the center of the Planet, never to be heard of again.

As Meteor falls, it has progressed so far along that Holy is unable to unleash its full power to stop it, and the Lifestream itself bursts out of the Planet to push the conflict back out, so that Holy may unleash its full power and destroy Meteor. However, this assistance unknowingly aided Sephiroth by spreading the plague Geostigma around the planet, allowing him to put into motion a plan for his eventual revival in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

Appearance
As its name suggests, the Black Materia is dark in color, appearing purple, blue, or black depending on the light. The Materia is so large it fills the holder's palm, compared to most other Materia which can be grasped between a person's fingers, perhaps as a way of representing its immense power.

In its transfigured form, the Temple of the Ancients, it is in the shape of a step pyramid, with its entrance at the top of a long staircase in a manner similar to the pyramids of the Aztecs. Within it are several passages, some of which have carved murals telling the story of the White and Black Materia, and the coming of Jenova.

Power
As told above, the Black Materia is easily one of the strongest known Materia pieces, able to cast the ultimate black magic spell. So great is its strength that, according to Aerith, "one person isn't enough" to cast it. Sephiroth can only use it by utilizing the great amount of Lifestream Energy at the Northern Crater.

Final Fantasy Tactics
In Final Fantasy Tactics, there is an artefact that can be obtained from an Errand called Black Materia. Its description is the following:
 * These stones, developed by the ancient Saronians, are the result of experiments in storing knowledge within gems for later generations. They are said to enhance the abilities of the possessor.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
The Black Materia is visible during one of Sephiroth's HP attacks, also called Black Materia. After a period of time, the attack summons a large meteor from the sky to strike opponents.

Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring
Sephiroth uses an attack called Black Materia which shares the animation with Cloud's Meteorain and Zack's Meteor Shots. Though there is no physical Black Materia seen in the attack, it summons meteors towards the opponent.

Kingdom Hearts II
When using his Meteo attack, Sephiroth rises into the air and extends a hand, at which point a deep red orb of energy with a black aura appears and summons a barrage of meteors to attack Sora. Due to the orb's color, dark aura and power to summon meteors, this may be intended as a reference to the Black Materia.

Merchandise
Because of its ties to Sephiroth, the Black Materia has often been released in merchandise as an item related to him, and is the focus of several Final Fantasy pendants and keychains.

Antimateria