Heartwarming / The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

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UNMARKED SPOILERS BELOW

End. Begin. All The Same.

• Mira and Rian playing around when they steal food off of the Podling's cart and dreamfast about the first time they met each other.
• Misguided as her affection is, Brea hugging the Scroll-Keeper after he says he'll speak up for her is still adorable.
  • SkekOk the Scroll-Keeper himself is surprisingly warm towards Brea, as he's genuinely impressed by a fellow seeker of knowledge, even if she's a Gelfling. He even promises (and follows through!) to advocate for leniency for Brea. It's undermined somewhat later when skekOk gleefully mocks Brea for not realizing how monstrous the Skeksis were.^note However it's never exactly clear whether his kinder treatment earlier was a Faux Affably Evil facade, or if his later behavior was a sign of him being as drunk on essence as the rest of the Skeksis.

Nothing is Simple Anymore

• Rian going to Gurjin with a knife at first, paranoid his friend would turn on him because of the Chamberlain's lies. Gurjin is at first wary, but knows Rian would never do anything to harm Mira. As Rian offers to dreamfast, Gurjin hesitates for a moment before he accepts it. Afterward, he's nearly breaking down into tears as he gives Rian a consoling hug he desperately needs.
  Gurjin: She was my friend too, and she loved you so much.
  • Showing Gurjin's Undying Loyalty to Rian when he helps him sneak into the Scientists chamber to steal back Mira's essence and performs a Heroic Sacrifice as he distracts the Skeksis so Rian could escape.
• Deet's attempts to befriend every creature she comes across. And her character in general, she's simply the sweetest and most adorable character of the Dark Crystal universe.
• Hup despite his small stature, courageously going up against a Spitter to protect Deet. She was a complete stranger, but Hup would never leave someone in distress to fend for themselves.
  • This then cultivates into Deet and Hup's close friendship, with both being very protective of each other.
• After seeing a poor farming couple forced to give up the wife's precious heirloom necklace as a tithe to the Skeksis, Brea sneaks out late at night and leaves it back at their door for the wife to discover in the morning, in what seems like a miracle. Unfortunately, Mayrim later finds out about it (and her giving Elder Cadia Laser-Guided Amnesia) and sentences her to the Order of Lesser Services (another word for community service).

What Was Sundered And Undone

• Hup beating up a pair of drunk Stonewood Gelflings with his wooden spoon when he sees them bullying Deet. She even returns the favor; when one of the Gelflings tries to attack Hup, she trips him.
• Deet helping a struggling Rian light a fire. Rian, for his part, is just relieved to find someone not running from him in fear.

The First Thing I Remember is Fire

• Deet putting on a disguise of moss to free Hup from his cell. Once she scares away the guards and opens the cell, Hup immediately brightens up when he recognizes Deet.
• The Podling Party. As we've seen, a time of darkness approaches for all of Thra. The Skeksis have learned how to extract essence, Rian is being hunted, and even Thra's Avatar - Aughra - cannot hear its Song. And yet here are the Podlings, a race maligned and ill-treated, simply having fun. It's a little dose of happiness amidst the darkening of the world. They sing, they dance, they drink. And despite the scant regard paid them by Gelfling, they nonetheless welcome Rian and encourage him to join the festivities.
• Naia traveling across the lands to find Rian so she can capture him and exchange him for her brother Gurjin's release.
• When being presented with the offer to dreamfast with Rian after seeing the bottle of essence, Kylan decides to dreamfast with Rian. Naia issues a protest (as the Skeksis have been spreading the story that Rian has been infected with "mind sickness" in order to prevent other Gelfling from dreamfasting with Rian and learning the truth), only for Kylan to state:
  Kylan: The Skeksis may rule the land, but they do not rule my heart.
• After Ordon apologizes to Rian for not believing him about the Skeksis, Rian forgives him as he knows the truth which is all that matters. They then hug each other.
• After the dreamfast, Naia and Tavra put aside their differences to storm the Skeksis castle together.
• SkekTek appears to care for exactly one creature in the world and it's the fuzzy little bird he keeps caged in his lab. He's clearly distraught when the Emperor strangles it to intimidate him and rushes to comfort it.
  SkekTek: [gently] Hush now, hush now. All is well.
• Ordon risking his life to save his son's by counter-ambushing Skek'Mal the Hunter, the deadliest Skeksis on Thra. Then him and Rian teaming up to fight the four-armed monster.
  Rian: Not quite like old times!
  Ordon: (chuckles slightly) Not quite. (looks to Rian and Rian holds his gaze)
  Both: Together! (they attack)
• Even though the fight goes ill (as it would, considering they're going up a quad-wielding killing machine, Ordon pulls the ultimate sacrifice by dive-tackling The Hunter into a nest of carniverous plants. Then, just to add to it all, despite the pain of literally being eaten alive he takes the time to comfort and inspire his horrified child.
  Ordon: (seeing Rian in danger) Not. My. SOOOOONNNN!!
  (later, as his final words) It's all right, Rian. Be brave.

She Knows All the Secrets

• Hup has a breakdown after he and Deet fail to save Rian from skekMal the Hunter. He says he's not a Paladin, just a silly Podling with a spoon; a nobody. Deet cheers him up by saying that it wasn't nobody who saved her from the Spitter, the drunk Stonewood Gelflings, and the gobbles, but Hup.
  Hup: Hup want to protect Deet. (looks at his spoon) Utta nea sword. Utta spoon! Silly spoon! (throws it down, much to Deet's surprise) Hup no Paladin. Hup nobody. (cries)
  Deet: Did nobody save me from the Spitter? Did nobody stand up for me in Stone-In-The-Wood? Did nobody protect me from the gobbles?
  Hup: No. Hup did.
  Deet: That's right. You're on your way to Ha'rar to become a Paladin. But if you ask me... (hands back his spoon) you already are.
• The hitch that comes in Rian's voice when he sees Grujin was freed and came to rescue him along with Naia. Afterwards, he hugs his friend and admits he thought he'd never see him again.
  • Rian saying to one of the Armaligs: "Go on, you've earned a rest."
• Aughra begs the Sanctuary Tree to save the life of an animal succumbing to the Darkening not for her sake, but for Thra's sake. The tree obliges and Aughra thanks it. And it's here Aughra learns her lesson: instead of forcing Thra to sing, she will just sit down and listen.
• And finally, Aughra hears the Song of Thra again. In a beautiful, soaring scene the Avatar of Thra hears the song of her home once more and is filled with such joy that, for all that she's an aged, gorilla-faced battleaxe, she starts dancing for joy. She even loses some of her habitual annoyance at ignorance, excitedly explaining things to Rian rather than simply chastising him for not knowing already.
• Aughra gives (most of) the Gelfling appropriate descriptors: Brave Rian, Clever Brea, Proud All-Maudra, Loyal Seladon etc. What does she call Deet, with warmth and genuine fondness? Gentle Deet.
• All-Maudra Mayrin appointing Hup to her Paladins. Even if, as she says, there's no time for a proper ceremony, you can see the little guy standing just a little bit taller upon realizing his life's dream.
  Mayrin: No time for ceremony now, Podling. Innocent lives are at risk. Stand, and prove the strength of your spoon by my side.
  • It's the way in which she does it that clinches the deal. Deet explains that Hup wants to be a Paladin - something absolutely ludicrous on the face of it because he's a Podling - and the All-Maudra simply accepts him. Even the kindest person would be understandably fixated on saving their people, rather than indulge him, but she does so without question or hesitation. Even if, as she says, there's no time for a formal ceremony, her tone shows that this isn't a matter of making him shut up: to her, Hup has proven himself and truly IS a Paladin.

By Gelfling Hand

• Deet consoling Brea like an old friend after All-Maudra Mayrim dies.
  • Brea also cries into Deet's shoulders after she suggests that they have a funeral of sorts where they've made camp.
  • Both the girls greeting Rian with a hug after he rescues them. Keep in mind that Rian and Deet have only met in person for two brief encounters and Brea only in dreamspace.

Time To Make My Move

• skekGra is innocently insensitive and tells the Gelfling he needs their "Podling slave"to help with their "surprise", Deet immediately interjects that he's their friend. skekGra's response: "Even better!"
• Brea giving Lore a goodbye hug before he is deactivated.
• Deet tells Rian about her home with absolute excitement, feeling a bit self conscious when she mentions her clothes are made from Nurlock rump, asking if Rian thinks she's strange. Rian's response? "Not at all.
  • Deet having two father's is treated like the most natural thing in the world to Deet and it is never questioned by Rian or any of her friends.
• While the others are exhausted by the end of the opera of urGoh and skekGra, Deet is absolutely enthralled and happily applauds when it finishes, even reacting in surprise to her friends boredom by saying "That was GOOD!"
• SkekGra the Heretic and urGoh the Wanderer's obvious affection for each other, especially as they're the only pair who want to be rejoined.
  • They even included a scene of themselves hugging in their puppet show.
  urGoh: We want to be rejoined now. Every moment one are two is too terrible for one to bear.
  • SkekGra, although being insensitive at times, shows he's doing his best to be a genuine good person...er... Skeksis. He even offers his hand to Rian as a sign of peace. Had the Hunter not shot him in the hand, Rian would have accepted it.
  • Brea, despite her initial impatience towards the two, genuinely thanks them for the puppet show, saying that she found it enlightening and entertaining.
• As the Hunter approaches Rian, telling him there was nowhere for him to run, Deet although terrified, immediately jumps in front of Rian and puts her arms out to protect him.
  • Following that, Hup take a large spoon and clashes with the Hunter.
  Hup: No! Hurt! Deet!
  Hunter: (beat) Cute.
• urGoh's joy of seeing the Archer. Despite being exiled by the urRu, it's very clear how happy he is to see his old friend.

Prophets Don't Know Everything

• Aughra befriending one of the tiny Arathim after healing it. As she puts it, she is kind to all creatures of Thra, even the foolish ones.
• Shockingly, the Skeksis get one with their horror at the Hunters wounds. They immediately rush to his side declaring that they must help their "brother". When skekAyuk weakly complains that they should not use all their essence as the Emperor demands, skekSo makes it clear that they must use every drop and bathe the Hunter in essence if they have to to save him. While it's clear the Emperor is primarily interested in covering up the idea that Skeksis can die, the others come across as surprisingly genuine.
  • skekEkt The Ornamentalist is the only one who dares actually go up to skekMal to see what's wrong with him, despite previously being terrified just to hear the Chamberlain blowing his horn. One of the other skeksis ^note  skekAyuk in the background tells them to be careful.
• Hup tries to get up from his bed to continue his journey with the others, but is still too injured to move. Deet then has to say goodbye to her friend, kissing him on the forehead.
  • Hup even asks for Rian to be careful as they leave and Rian calls Hup his friend.
  Rian: I'll see you soon, my friend.
• Deet and Rian flying through the Breath of Thra.
• Deet refusing to hurt her brother Bobb'N who's under control of the Arathim. Luckily, her kindness in saving him from a Nurlock convinces the Arathim to let Deet talk to the Ascendancy and join the Gelfling in the fight against the Skeksis.
• Once Bobb'N is free of the Arathim's control, the childling immediately runs to his fathers, shouting, "Dadas!"
• “My sisters! Brea and Tavra, spare them if no others!” Downplayed as Saladon had just tried to sell out her people for the price of peace but when she has every reason to panic she tries to protect her remaining family, including the sister she’s spent the series so far fighting with.

The Crystal Calls

• Aughra's return to the castle is not just to save the Gelfling, but also to pay her respects to the dying skekMal, who she names as the most beautiful of the Skeksis.
• Aughra willing to give up her life in exchange for the Skeksis releasing all the Gelfling they've captured. Aughra loves the Gelflings so much she'd give up all of her essence and possibly never return to Thra just to protect them. Brea, heartbroken, begs Aughra to reconsider and telling her they weren't worth the sacrifice.
  Aughra: (warmly) Yes, you are.
• Brea and Seladon run into Tavra, who still has the Arathim attached to her. She assures them that she still has her own independent consciousness, and doesn't seem that bothered to be bonded to the creature. However, Seladon asks how they were supposed to believe it was really their sister. Once Tavra proves it's still her, Seladon and Brea giddily embrace Tavra.
  Tavra: You should hear what it says about you.
  Seladon: ...Did you just make a joke?
  Tavra: I am the funny one.
• When giving his speech to the other Gelflings, Rian says that the Dual Glave was "forged by two halves of a great being" (referring to skekGra the Heretic and urGoh the Wanderer), this shows he has a great deal of respect for them despite their eccentricities.
• A villainous example, but while skekSil's last second saving of skekVar from Tavra was skekSil manipulating skekVar, the latter upon drinking some(real)essence and then him heartily clapping the former on the shoulder and telling him he misjudged him is clearly genuine. He even accepts and urges the Emperor to follow Skeksil's idea of another clever plan(when originally, he believed action was more important). This helps Skeksil regain his place among his brethren.

A Single Piece was Lost

• Deet and Rian seem to share a small moment together, but is ruined by Deet excusing herself when she notices the veins of the Darkening appearing on her skin.
• When Brea arrives at Stone in the Wood, she happily greets Rian with a hug. Then when Deet notices her, she's quick to run towards Brea with a large smile on her face.
• While urVa heals, urGoh does a healing chant, and skekGra vocalizes along with him.
• It's a short moment, but when one of the Gruenak's cuts the stitches on his friends mouth and hears him proclaim "Good!", he embraces his friend happily. This moment is quickly interrupted by skekTek discovering them, unfortunately.
• Rian and Brea scared for Deet as she takes in the Darkening, with Rian yelling at the Skeksis to stop and that they were killing her.
• Deet's Pre-Mortem One-Liner as she manages to reign in the Darkening.
  Deet: Get away... from my FRIIIIEEEEEENNNNDSS!
• Many would probably be happy to see that Lore will have another role to play in the next season as Hup picks up the stone that activates him.
• Seladon hugging Aughra, with the ancient avatar stating "Guess you just wanted a hug. Alright!" and embracing her back.
• Gurjin starts hugging all of his fellow soldiers after the battle, when an Arathim comes up to him. He hesitates...and then hugs the giant spider anyway.