Humor can serve as a powerful tool in balancing the darker aspects of a story by providing moments of levity and relief from tension. It can help to lighten the mood, create contrast, and offer a break from the intensity of the darker themes. Additionally, humor can also humanize characters, making them more relatable and multidimensional. By incorporating humor into a story, it can add depth and complexity, allowing for a more nuanced exploration of both the light and dark aspects of the narrative.