The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance |
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| Genre | Fantasy-adventure |
| Based on | Characters by Jim Henson |
| Developed by |
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| Directed by | Louis Leterrier |
| Starring |
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| Voices of |
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| Narrated by | Sigourney Weaver |
| Composer(s) |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Ritamarie Peruggi |
| Running time | 46–61 minutes |
| Production company(s) | The Jim Henson Company |
| Distributor | Netflix Streaming Services |
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Picture format |
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| Audio format | Dolby Atmos |
| Original release | August 30, 2019 |
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is an exciting fantasy TV show. It was made by Netflix and The Jim Henson Company. This series tells a story that happened before the 1982 movie The Dark Crystal. It takes place on the amazing planet Thra.
The show follows three brave Gelflings: Rian, Deet, and Brea. They go on a big adventure to unite their Gelfling families. Their goal is to fight against the mean Skeksis. They also want to save their home planet Thra from a dangerous problem called the Darkening.
The series first came out on August 30, 2019. Many people loved it. However, in September 2020, it was announced that the show would not have a second season.
Contents
Story of Thra
On the planet Thra, three young Gelflings discover a terrible secret. Their rulers, the Skeksis, are not as good as they seem. This secret puts the whole planet in danger. So, Rian, Brea, and Deet decide to start a rebellion.
Meet the Characters
This show uses amazing puppets and talented voice actors. Here are some of the main characters you'll meet.
Heroes of the Resistance
These Gelflings and their friends fight against the Skeksis.
| Character | Puppeteer | Voice Actor |
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| Rian | Neil Sterenberg | Taron Egerton |
| Brea | Alice Dinnean | Anya Taylor-Joy |
| Deet | Beccy Henderson | Nathalie Emmanuel |
| Aughra | Kevin Clash | Donna Kimball |
| Gurjin | Dave Chapman | Harris Dickinson |
| Seladon | Helena Smee | Gugu Mbatha-Raw |
| Tavra | Neil Sterenberg | Caitriona Balfe |
| Hup | Victor Yerrid | |
| Kylan | Victor Yerrid | Shazad Latif |
| Naia | Beccy Henderson | Hannah John-Kamen |
| All-Maudra Mayrin | Louise Gold | Helena Bonham Carter |
The Skeksis Rulers
The Skeksis are the main villains. They are cruel and selfish.
| Character | Puppeteer | Voice Actor |
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| The Emperor (skekSo) | Dave Chapman | Jason Isaacs |
| The Chamberlain (skekSil) | Warrick Brownlow-Pike Katherine Smee |
Simon Pegg |
| The General (skekVar) | Kevin Clash Katherine Smee |
Benedict Wong |
| The Scientist (skekTek) | Olly Taylor | Mark Hamill |
| The Ritual-Master (skekZok) | Victor Yerrid | Keegan-Michael Key |
| The Collector (skekLach) | Helena Smee | Awkwafina |
| The Gourmand (skekAyuk) | Louise Gold | Harvey Fierstein |
| The Ornamentalist (skekEkt) | Alice Dinnean | |
| The Scroll Keeper (skekOk) | Neil Sterenberg | |
Other Important Characters
Here are more characters from the world of Thra.
Gelfling Friends
| Character | Puppeteer | Voice Actor |
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| Cadia | Olly Taylor | Eddie Izzard |
| The Librarian | Kevin Clash | Toby Jones |
| Daudran | Olly Taylor | Dustin Demri-Burns |
| Maudra Fara/The Rock Singer | Alice Dinnean | Lena Headey |
| Mira | Helena Smee | Alicia Vikander |
| Onica | Louise Gold | Natalie Dormer |
| Ordon | Dave Chapman | Mark Strong |
| Rek’yr | Olly Taylor | Theo James |
| Lath’N | Warrick Brownlow-Pike | James Dreyfus |
| Mitjan | Victor Yerrid | Charlie Condou |
| Maudra Argot/The Shadow Bender | Louise Gold | |
| Maudra Seethi/The Skin Painter | Beccy Henderson | Kemi-Bo Jacobs |
| Maudra Mera | Neil Sterenberg | Nina Sosanya |
| Maudra Laesid | Warrick Brownlow-Pike | Nimmy March |
| Maudra Ethri | Louise Gold | Beccy Henderson |
| Bobb’N | Alice Dinnean | Beccy Henderson |
| Juni | Beccy Henderson | April Hughes |
| Red Haired Paladin | Warrick Brownlow-Pike | |
Skeksis and urRu/Mystics
These characters are connected to the Skeksis or their peaceful counterparts, the urRu.
| Character | Puppeteer | Voice Actor |
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| The Hunter (skekMal) | Kevin Clash Nick Kellington |
Ralph Ineson |
| The Heretic (skekGra) | Damian Farrell Barnaby Dixon |
Andy Samberg |
| urVa/The Archer | Olly Taylor | Ólafur Darri Ólafsson |
| urGoh/The Wanderer | Bill Hader |
Other Creatures and Beings
| Character | Puppeteer | Voice Actor |
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| Baffi | Dave Goelz | |
| Lore | Damian Farrell | |
| Vliste-Staba | Theo Ogundipe | |
| The Myth Speaker/Narrator | Sigourney Weaver | |
| Gruenaks | Kevin Clash Neil Sterenberg |
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| Podling Servants | Warrick Brownlow-Pike Louise Gold |
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| Core | Katherine Smee | |
| Garthim | Daniel Dewhirst | |
Episode Guide
The first season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance has 10 episodes. Each one tells more of the Gelflings' fight against the Skeksis.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
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| 1 | "End. Begin. All the Same." | Louis Leterrier | Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews | August 30, 2019 | |
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The Skeksis use the Crystal of Truth to live longer. But the Crystal is getting sick. A Gelfling named Mira is taken by the Skeksis. Her friend Rian sees what happens and escapes. Princess Brea finds a secret symbol. Deet, another Gelfling, starts a journey to save Thra from the Darkening.
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| 2 | "Nothing Is Simple Anymore" | Louis Leterrier | J.M. Lee | August 30, 2019 | |
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Aughra wakes up, sensing trouble on Thra. Deet meets a Podling friend, Hup. Brea tries to understand the symbol she found. Rian tries to prove the Skeksis are evil. He gets Mira's essence, but his friend Gurjin is caught. The Skeksis punish their Scientist.
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| 3 | "What Was Sundered and Undone" | Louis Leterrier | Vivian Lee | August 30, 2019 | |
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Deet and Hup are not welcome in a Gelfling village. Rian escapes capture. Rian and Deet meet and plan to free Hup. Aughra confronts the Skeksis and learns the Crystal is corrupted. Brea finds a secret passage under her mother's throne.
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| 4 | "The First Thing I Remember Is Fire" | Louis Leterrier | Simon Racioppa & Richard Elliott | August 30, 2019 | |
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Deet frees Hup. Brea discovers a secret about the Gelfling clans and awakens a stone giant named Lore. Aughra learns to listen to Thra. The Skeksis fight among themselves. A dangerous Skeksis, skekMal the Hunter, is sent to catch Rian.
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| 5 | "She Knows All the Secrets" | Louis Leterrier | Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews | August 30, 2019 | |
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Rian is saved by his friends. The Skeksis gather Gelflings for a fake rebellion. Aughra, Rian, Brea, Deet, and others connect in a dream space. Aughra reveals the Skeksis' evil deeds. The All-Maudra confronts the Skeksis and is killed. Seladon becomes the new All-Maudra.
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| 6 | "By Gelfling Hand ..." | Louis Leterrier | Kari Drake | August 30, 2019 | |
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Rian's group escapes the Skeksis. The Crystal Guard rebels but is defeated. The Skeksis plan to attack a Gelfling village. Seladon becomes All-Maudra and changes her look to be more like the Skeksis. Rian's group travels to the Circle of the Suns.
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| 7 | "Time to Make ... My Move" | Louis Leterrier | Javier Grillo-Marxuach | August 30, 2019 | |
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Rian's group meets skekGra the Heretic and urGoh the Wanderer. They learn the Skeksis and Mystics were once one being. They need the Dual Glaive to stop the Skeksis. skekMal attacks and captures Brea. The Skeksis trick the Arathim to fight the Gelflings.
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| 8 | "Prophets Don't Know Everything" | Louis Leterrier | Simon Racioppa & Richard Elliott | August 30, 2019 | |
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Rian and Deet go to the Caves of Grot for the Dual Glaive. They find the caves taken over by the Arathim. Rian and Deet convince the Arathim to join them against the Skeksis. Deet gains a new power to remove the Darkening. Seladon learns the truth about the Skeksis and is captured.
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| 9 | "The Crystal Calls" | Louis Leterrier | Margaret Dunlap | August 30, 2019 | |
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Rian and Deet find one half of the Dual Glaive. Aughra offers her life to save the Gelflings. Tavra, now joined with the Arathim, reveals their alliance. Tavra is fatally wounded. Rian puts the Dual Glaive back together and calls all Gelflings to fight. The Skeksis plan an attack.
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| 10 | "A Single Piece Was Lost" | Louis Leterrier | Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews | August 30, 2019 | |
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The Skeksis attack the Gelflings. skekMal is killed when his Mystic counterpart sacrifices himself. Aughra is reborn. Deet uses her power to defeat some Skeksis. Brea finds a lost piece of the Crystal. Deet leaves, scared of her new power. The Skeksis create the Garthim, a new army.
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A special film called The Crystal Calls – Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was also released on Netflix. It shows how the series was made and includes interviews with the actors.
How the Show Was Made
The idea for this show started as a movie sequel to The Dark Crystal. But it was hard to get the movie made. Director Louis Leterrier wanted to join the project. He suggested making a prequel TV series instead, because there was so much story to tell before the original movie.
The team wanted to explore the Gelfling culture and what was lost. They eventually sold the idea to Netflix. Netflix asked if they could make it live-action with puppets, like the original movie. A test was done in 2016, and everyone agreed that puppets were the best way to go.
Puppet Design
The puppets were built in 2017. Many people helped, including The Muppets veteran Dave Goelz and The Dark Crystal artist Brian Froud. They used old notes and drawings from the original film. Other shows like Game of Thrones and Avatar: The Last Airbender also gave them ideas for the world of Thra.
The show used 20 main puppets and 90 more for smaller roles. The new Gelfling puppets needed fewer puppeteers than in the old movie. This allowed the puppets to move more freely. Also, the new puppets had parts that could be controlled remotely, like with a modified Wii controller!
Video Game
A video game based on the show was announced at E3 2019. It's called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics. It was released on February 4, 2020, for many gaming systems like Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
What's Next?
The creators of the show were ready for a second season. They even had a plan for the story. They hoped it would be a more hopeful ending.
However, on September 20, 2020, Netflix announced that the series would not continue. Lisa Henson, one of the producers, said they would look for other ways to tell the rest of the story in the future.
See also
In Spanish: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance para niños
