The Skeksis abusing the Crystal
The Age of Division was Thra's third millennium, taking place between the Age of Harmony and the Age of Power. It began with the second Great Conjunction, which saw the division of the UrSkeks into Skeksis and urRu, and ended with Jen's quest.
This age saw the formation of the Skeksis Empire and the Gelfling achieve the pinnacle of their cultural development. In its closing trine, the Age of Division was characterized by the ecological damage wrought by the Darkening and the collapse of the Alliance of the Crystal, culminating in the near extermination of the Gelfling race during the Garthim War.
History[]
Rise of the Skeksis[]
Elder Carn and Emperor skekSo proclaim the Alliance of the Crystal.
After the Great Division, the Skeksis took control of the Castle of the Crystal while the urRu retreated to the Valley of the Stones. The Skeksis, taking advantage of the Gelflings' fear during the Makrak crisis, formed the Alliance of the Crystal[1] and began expanding their empire, eradicating any race that opposed them, among which were the Gruenaks.[2] Aughra grew to trust the Skeksis and entrusted them with caring for Thra as she went into a centuries long astral projection into the Uni-Verse.[3]
Gelfling segregation[]
The Skeksis promoted and codified the already existing divisions between the various Gelfling Clans, resulting in the appearance of several distinct Gelfling cultures, with the Vapra Clan being selected as the prime beneficiary of Skeksis patronage.[4] A small band of Gelfling exiles of the Dousan Clan lead by Chal made their home in the subterranean caves of Mithra, eventually giving rise to the Fireling race.[5] The ancestors of the Grottan Clan were rewarded for their loyalty with the ancient Arathim homeland of Grot, which lead to tension between Gelflings and Arathim for centuries to come,[6] culminating in the Arathim Wars.[7]
Spread of the Darkening[]
From the moment the Crystal lost its Shard, the Darkening spread from it like an infection throughout Thra. The Great Trees held it in check for 1,000 trine, but were gradually overcome as the Skeksis continued to leach off of the Crystal's power in order to reinvigorate themselves.[8] This resulted in numerous crop failures in Gelfling settlements, though the Skeksis decreed that the mysterious blight didn't exist.[9]
Resistance and war[]
After a thousand trine of abuse, the Crystal was exhausted of its energy, prompting the Skeksis to find a new source of rejuvenation in their Gelfling subjects, whom they drained of their essence.[4] This further encouraged the spread of the Darkening, as Gelfling essence would normally return to Thra and restore it on the death of its owner.[2] Aughra awoke from her slumber and rallied the Gelfling to form the Resistance.[10] After their defeat at the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood, the Skeksis started the Garthim War,[11] which resulted in the near total extermination of the Gelfling race after a prophecy revealed that a Gelfling would bring about the downfall of the Skeksis Empire.[12]
Restoration of the Crystal[]
The conclusion of the Garthim War left two Gelfling survivors, Jen and Kira, who were adopted by the urRu and Podlings respectively. The two eventually came into possession of the Shard and made their way to the Castle of the Crystal, where they healed the Crystal and brought about the reunification of the urRu and Skeksis into their original UrSkek forms. The UrSkeks departed from Thra, leaving it once again verdant and fertile in Jen and Kira's care.[12]
References[]
- ↑ B. Froud, M. Dow Smith, A. Sheikman & L. John (2015). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. III. Archaia. ISBN 978-1-60886-435-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "What Was Sundered and Undone" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "Nothing Is Simple Anymore" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "End. Begin. All the Same." The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ Spurrier, S. & Kennedy Johnson, P., The Power of the Dark Crystal, #9, Archaia, USA, December 2017
- ↑ "Time to Make...My Move" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "The Crystal Calls" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "Prophets Don't Know Everything" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "The First Thing I Remember Is Fire" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "She Knows All the Secrets" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ "A Single Piece Was Lost" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Henson, J. & Oz, F. (dir.); Henson, J., Kurtz, G. & Lazer, D. (prod.); Henson, J. & Odell, D. (writ.) (December 17, 1982). The Dark Crystal (Motion picture). New York City, NY: Jim Henson Productions.