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The Crystal Calls is the penultimate episode of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, season one. It was released on Netflix with the rest of the season on August 30, 2019.

Synopsis[]

Desperate to save one of their own, the Skeksis make a deal with Aughra. Rian and Deet continue their search for the Dual Glaive.

S1E9

Plot[]

Deet awakens to find the Grottan and Arathim safe above ground. With the Darkening averted, Rian is ready to re-enter the Caves for the Dual Glaive. But it’s actually closer than he thinks. Argot reveals her walking stick to be one half of the weapon in disguise.

Aughra’s sacrifice

With the Hunter clinging to life, three of the most vigorous and powerful Gelfling Seladon, Brea and Fara strapped in to be drained of their essence. SkekZok and SkekOk consider summoning the rest of the Skeksis to the castle, in particular SkekSa, SkekNa, SkekUng, and SkekLi. Just as SkekSo ordered Brea, Seladon, and Fara to be drained, Aughra enters before skekTek can flip the switch. She offers herself in place of the Gelfling, providing them with the essence of Thra itself to save the Hunter. SkekSo agrees to the deal out of fear of the afterlife, freeing all the Gelfling in their prison. But not without a contingency in the form of skekVar

Tavra reveals the Gelfling/Arathim alliance to Brea and Seladon as they make their way through the catacombs. They’re soon met by skekVar and skekLach, with orders that no Gelfling leaves the castle alive. Tavra stabs skekVar as the Arathim arrive incapacitating skekLach allowing the other Gelfling to escape. As Tavra is about to finish skekVar off, skekSil stabs Tavra in response, giving skekVar enough essence to heal his wound. Tavra’s sisters find her and escape the castle with the rest of the Gelfling. When Aughra is strapped in she tries to persuade skekTek to have a change of heart mentioning their past friendship, despite admitting that he wasn't proud to be responsible for Aughra's death; skekTek decided to end his friendship with Aughra when he realized that skekSo was listening to their conversation. Aughra's comments that all that awaits skekSo's future is "nothing but dust" doesn't stop the draining, killing her but failing to resurrect the Hunter.

Argot gives the Dual Glaive to Rian and directs him to find the other half in Stone-in-the-Wood, when it's revealed that Ordon was the original wielder of the sword, hiding it after battling the Arathim. Brea, Sealdon, Tavra, and the Stonewood Gelfing are also on their way to Stone-in-the-Wood and make camp along the way. Brea and Seladon carry Tavra to a place where she could rest. With her health diminishing, Tavra mournfully says "the bonds of sisterhood will not be broken", shortly before succumbing to her wound and dying. Both Brea and Seladon mourned at their sister's death, reconciling with each other in the process.

SkekMal in their “finest armor”

Back at the castle, skekSil pitches a new plan to the Emperor after the Skeksis are left without an army. They can build one by reanimating dead Arathim as soulless warriors. SkekSo agrees, commanding skekTek to build his army allowing the scientist to have access to all resources, he then grants skekSil his place at his side once again. SkekSo orders the Hunter’s body dressed in his armor and prepped to be hung in the throne room for all eternity. 

SkekSo speaks through the Crystal

"Your lives are but a speck, waiting to be swept away!"

Deet and Rian find Stone-in-the-Wood desolate. The only sign of life is the fire of the Crucible where Stonewood warriors deposit their weapons after battle. The other half of the Dual Glaive is hidden inside it. Rian retrieves it without burning himself and reforms the blade. The Dual Glaive restoration causes the forge’s flame to burn blue. All other flames within Thra follow suit, allowing Rian to speak to all Gelfling at once. The Skeksis are able to listen via the crystal. The Hunter’s body twitches as they rush to the crystal chamber. 

Rian informs all Gelfling about the Skeksis crimes, that the Lords of the Crystal have turned against them, against Thra, and that the time to rebel is upon them. He reveals he has the Dual Glaive, to the shock of the Skeksis. Rian calls for all Gelfling to assemble at Stone-in-the-Wood and stand as one against their oppressors. SkekSo warns them of fighting their rulers, but Rian stands unmoved and closes the communication window. SkekSo tells the Skeksis to prepare to crush the Gelfling at dawn. Rian and Deet hope the Gelfing will come.

Characters[]

In order of appearance:

Character Voice Puppeteer
Deet Nathalie Emmanuel Beccy Henderson
Rian Taron Egerton Neil Sterenberg
Maudra Argot Louise Gold Louise Gold
Mitjan Charlie Condou Victor Yerrid
Lath'N James Dreyfus Warrick Brownlow-Pike
Bobb'N Beccy Henderson Alice Dinnean
SkekMal the Hunter Ralph Ineson Kevin Clash
Seladon Gugu Mbatha-Raw Helena Smee
Gruenak #1 Kevin Clash Kevin Clash
Tavra Caitriona Balfe Neil Sterenberg
SkekTek the Scientist Mark Hamill Olly Taylor
Maudra Fara Lena Headey Alice Dinnean
Gruenak #2 Neil Sterenberg Neil Sterenberg
SkekSo the Emperor Jason Isaacs Dave Chapman
SkekVar the General Benedict Wong Kevin Clash
SkekAyuk the Gourmand Harvey Fierstein Louise Gold
SkekEkt the Ornamentalist Alice Dinnean Alice Dinnean
SkekOk the Scroll Keeper Neil Sterenberg Neil Sterenberg
SkekZok the Ritual Master Keegan-Michael Key Victor Yerrid
SkekLach the Collector Awkwafina Helena Smee
SkekSil the Chamberlain Simon Pegg Warrick Brownlow-Pike
Aughra Donna Kimball Kevin Clash
Red-Haired Paladin Warrick Brownlow-Pike Warrick Brownlow-Pike
UrVa the Archer Ólafur Darri Ólafsson Olly Taylor
UrGoh the Wanderer Bill Hader Olly Taylor
SkekGra the Heretic Andy Samberg Damian Farrell
Hup Victor Yerrid Victor Yerrid
Kylan Shazad Latif Victor Yerrid
Ordon Mark Strong Dave Chapman
The Librarian Toby Jones Kevin Clash
Gurjin Harris Dickinson Dave Chapman
Naia Hannah John-Kamen Beccy Henderson

Additional Puppeteers: Derek Arnold, Don Austen, Daisie Beattie, Sue Beattie, Mikey Brett, Lynn Robertson Bruce, Sarah Burgess, Carl Chadd, Tim Cherry-Jones, Sheila Clark, Marcus Clarke, Patrick Comerford, Aiden Cook, Leah Cross, Fred Davis, Callum Dixon, Ronnie Le Drew, Phil Eason, Josh Elwell, Iestyn Evans, Cecily Fay, Julia Frost, Lesa Gillespie, Joe Greco, Claire Roi Harvey, Richard Hay, Andy Heath, Sarah Jane Honeywell, Mark Jefferis, Nick Kellington, Chris Kendall, Steven Kynman, Matthew Lyons, Mark Mander, Lewis McCabe, Alison McGowan, Laurence Moran, Steve Nallon, Wim Oppenheimer, Angie Passmore, Kerris Peeling, Colin Purves, Hugh Purves, Andy Robb, Trovy Simpson, Andrew Spooner, Yvonne Stone, David Taylor, Chris Thatcher, Dilpreet Kaur Walia, Mark Whitaker, Victoria Willing, Michael Windsor, Phill Woodfine and Fran Wright.

Additional Voices: Isabella Laughland, Omar Malik, Mark Restuccia and Irfan Shamji.

Title[]

Listen, the Crystal. The Crystal calls! To the Crystal Chamber!

  • The title of this episode is a line spoken by skekUng when the Crystal calls to him and the other Skeksis in The Dark Crystal. The exact same line along with the command for the Skeksis to enter the chamber is also spoken by skekSo in this episode.

References[]

  1. Henson, J. & Oz, F. (dir.); Henson, J., Kurtz, G. & Lazer, D. (prod.); Henson, J. & Odell, D. (writ.) (December 17, 1982). The Dark Crystal

External Links[]

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