Explaining the Skeksis/Crystal Relationship (Dark Crystal Explained)

[@afanwithtoomuchtime4375]

Man, I am feasting on these videos.

[@Savagewolver]

That shoutout to Jim Henson rugged at the old heartstrings. This was his love child. A story that held his focus over other successful projects such as fraggle rock.

[@get_lucky6402]

4:43 "find out about that in season 2" ...if only my friend...if only

[@OJ-2-T0N3]

Literally my first thought too 😢

[@get_lucky6402]

It’s just so sad. It was such an amazing and creative and beautiful story. Loved the art and puppetry. But no let’s have 100 seasons of too hot to handle and love is blind. And not a high fantasy show with a deep lore and a show that’s entertaining for everyone in the family and actually tells a story. The absolute nerve of Netflix

[@jordanelza8806]

I can’t believe that the show has been canceled. I’ll be sad forever if we never again see any more Dark Crystal on TV.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

As with all of my topic-explained videos, the information i've gathered is to the best of my current knowledge. This is a subject widely discussed by all fans, especially new, and i know many of you have your own ideas and theories when it comes to certain elements. So please feel free to leave all of your thoughts and ideas. Share your opinions and get a good discussion going! And don't forget about my new Patreon campaign! When i reach my first $25, i will be starting work on my narration of the Dark Crystal novel. If haven't yet, please consider donating, only $1 a month! Also, i literally can't believe we're closing in on 10K subscribers already! That is insane. Hasn't even been a year yet, and already all of you have bloomed this community into a massive Sanctuary Tree flower! So here's the new goal: Let's see if we can reach 10K subscribers by my 1 year anniversary on September 7th! I was planning on doing a Q&A/Giveaway anyway, but it would be so amazing if we could also celebrate that magic number. So keep sharing and spreading the word my friends, you give me power! Stay safe and well all. For Thra, For Jim!

[@beneisen6982]

From The World of the Dark Crystal (2003), but i recall reading that urSu let his health deteriorate and die at the start of The Dark Crystal to set in motion Jen's quest. This seems to imply that if anything, the urRu were the ones who extended the life of the themselves (and thus the Skeksis). Granted this information is coming from before AoR, so canon might have changed. Awesome video as always!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you! And yes, that is an interesting fact!

[@jordanelza8806]

Yes, I remember that too. I’m glad I’m not the only one who read that. The World of The Dark Crystal has a lot of terrific art. However, it still doesn’t give a lot of details on what happened during the Great Division. It wasn’t until I read the graphic novels that I finally saw actual images of what occurred during the Great Division.

[@jordanelza8806]

Strangely, the death of UrSu and SkekSo came from both sides, in a way. As we all know, each of the UrRu and Skeksis pairs are completely connected, and so everything that affects one affects the other, regardless of which one is the physical cause. I believe that essentially, SkekSo was the physical cause of his and UrSu’s death, due to his experiments on the Darkening, but the ultimate cause was UrSu’s will. SkekSo tried to heal himself, but UrSu decided to let himself die so that SkekSo would also perish and take from the Skeksis their “great” leader.

[@dkscribe8896]

So, if I am understanding this explanation correctly, the Crystal and Gelfling essence doesn't really do much for the Skeksis. The ones that take part in the ceremonies and the consumption of essence seem far more deteriorated than those that don't live at the castle. Perhaps it could be that the residents of the Castle of the Crystal overindulge so much in virtually every aspect of their lives that that is what causes them to greater feel the effects of aging and infirmity. skekGrah, skekMal and skekSa choose to live less excessively, and exercise more (especially Mal with hunting and Sa with exploring) so maybe that keeps them in better health. I don't know if this theory holds any water, it's just something that flew into my mind randomly. Sorry for commenting so late on this one. Saw the video the day it became available but I was (and still am) dealing with a rather heavy personal loss. Good content DwM. As is the norm.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

No worries, those are good points! But remember that we haven't seen skekSa yet, and skekGra does look just as bad as the others. skekMal ist he only one with a real explanation because he's been so active, but i think most of them do look the same. However, your idea could very well be true. Maybe at first it worked, but not anymore.

[@dkscribe8896]

@@DreamfastwithMe Could it be that because skekGra was cast out and possibly left the castle later than skekSa that that is the cause for him to look more decrepit? As for skekSa, I imagine as a treasure hunter and explorer, she would have to be in good shape. Plus, there's no mention of a crew in the books, so she would have to do everything aboard the tortle herself, I'm assuming. Can't wait to see her portrayal in season 2. I imagine her with the wolf god voice from Princess Mononoke, but British.

[@TheRogueCommand]

It could be the Crystal does rejuvenate the Skeksis, or at least feels like it, but maybe it's like a drug high to them? They can exist without it, but the more they consume, the more they need/become dependent on the rush.

[@ΚωνσταντίνοςΚατσίμπελης]

​@@dkscribe8896 skekSa left the castle completely and grew old but because she was not close to the crystal she still had hair and colour and was acrobatic ,skekMal left but was summoned by skekSo maybe a few times and stayed acrobatic but lost his colour and skekGra for the first 600 trine was the conqueror so i suppose he lived in the castle and came to the ceremony of the sun and as for the other 13 they stayed in the castle and the ones that we didn't see in the AOR where probably in villages like skekShod in sami thicket

[@billvolk4236]

Maybe the others living in the castle were affected passively by being so close to the center of the Darkening, even if they weren't touching it like skekSo was.

[@sherlynnhauser5870]

I totally get this. I remember my father taking me to a movie theater to see the original. It was quite impressive. Our culture in the USA could be dieing. We are all locked in the castle. This imagined world which is so vital to military strategy in whom they are appointing as leaders overall.

[@Sawrattan]

6:18 interesting that the the Mystics had accepted dying on Thra. My interpretation was they were actually holding out for the Conjunction just like the Skeksis, but unlike the Skeksis they wanted to reunite into the UrSkeks and return 'home', whereas the Skeksis selfishly wanted to stay and rule Thra forever.

[@MoonBeamsChild]

Excellent theory and explanations. Thanks!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you so much!

[@denises9120]

We need more of this series.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

I have another video coming up about the Crystal itself soon!

[@Gigas0101]

After watching Age of Resistance, I started to think the Ceremony of the Crystal was a way to empower themselves through the darkening. I'm just loving all the conversation this video's generating, thanks for this!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you!

[@markdeardry9764]

Been looking forward to the next vid

[@paulhunter6742]

The Skekses reminds me of many People today who overeat, smoke and indulge in alchohol and drugs yet except to live for extra 20 years. The Ur/Mystics were more intuned natural living and healthy lifestyle. They accepted eventually all living creatures die, so were not afraid of passing on next phase.

[@TekTih]

Thank you so much! You really helped me with a problem that I've had with this! You are amazing! Keep it up!

[@Griffin24712978]

You do know its not real dont you.

[@MoonBeamsChild]

@@Griffin24712978 😒😒😒😒😒😒

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you!

[@doumathebestboi3859]

Thank you so much for this yet another amazing video! 🤩

[@The_PokeSaurus]

I think SkekMal, SkekSa, and SkekGru where the wisest of the Skeksis. They sure show it with their life styles.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Very true!

[@anditwasknownas]

Or perhaps they also are inmortal, but not eternaly young. Not knowing anything of their own species, as Aughra said, so only knew is almost all beings around them age, and then die. That's what scared them.

[@spacepiratejacen2258]

Very fascinating and intriguing! Thank you for sharing! 👍🏻

[@nathantaylor6759]

Season two?! I hope there will be one!!! Excellent video.

[@owenchristensen3752]

Season two was green lit

[@numawurst2381]

I like this channel. Is it possible to make a video about the other creatures, such as Makrak or Gruenak? That would be really interesting!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thats coming very soon! Probably early next month.

[@skesiskeeper7961]

Amazing video!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you!

[@hollowidiot5208]

I love your videos

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Thank you so much!

[@mirandar.cortez2889]

Wait, there is a confirmed season 2 !?!?!

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Not yet, everything is just a theory. But we all assume Season 2 is obviously coming, and we will get this information when it arrives hopefully.

[@infjelphabasupporter8416]

No, it's canceled 😥

[@shaggymcdaniel3216]

Even if there is no season 2, I’m very happy with what we got. I will keep coming back for more information.

[@jordanelza8806]

This video (although not in these exact words) says that the UrSkeks lived as long as they did because they were divided into UrRu and Skeksis. I believe that as UrSkeks, they were immortal, due to their spirit-like appearances. When they were rent asunder, it’s true that both halves were fit to live a long time, but still they were spirit like as a whole and flesh/bones as split beings. Plus, by dividing themselves in half (although it was a mistake) made them twice as vulnerable, because they are two halves trapped in separate bodies. And as we know, whenever either half dies, the other one dies as well. So again, I see where the narrator is coming from with his thought on the Great Division prolonging the lives of the UrSkeks, but because of what I just said, I have to disagree with him on that one. Also, I noticed that the look of the Skeksis did not change on the show when they consumed essence of Gelfling, while it did in the film, (however briefly) when SkekUng consumed the Podling essence. This is interesting because Gelfling essence is the best essence, while Podling essence only had very brief effects.

[@yamitoazilla9577]

I love your video and show very interesting things about this beautiful and original universe. The Skeksis who live at the Crystal Castle are a methaphore to the people who live all the time at home and who do nothing while the Skeksis who live outside represent the people who care about their physical health.

[@Kenzieryan10]

First! I love your videos ☺

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Love you! Thank you so much!

[@cinnamongrader6608]

This is my third time watching season 1 of the dark crystal. I am obsessed.

[@AROBASPARK]

The Trial by Stone Podcast has release images for the Dark Crystal Bestiary book due to come in October, and has given a bio on urSen the Monk, as well the concept of his unused design. Is really sad: he chose to also leave the valley, according to urSol the Chanter, he saw a vision of his death and move to a cave on the outskirts of the valley region to await his fate in the last Thrines of his life.

[@steinberg4272]

Oh no T.T he/she was sitting there alone, waiting to explode?! This is dark ....

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Can't wait to get that book!

[@kennethsatria6607]

So Skekmal survives because of his very passionate and active lifestyle, Skeksa lives freely unthethered sailing the seas, And Skegra survives just fine cause he's always high. XD

[@chennysstudios8006]

I think the problem with the skeksis is that they fear and hated death, but never tries to escape that fear and live happily, every murder, every sin that caused by the skeksis, it’s just so they will live longer but they need sacrifices. If they escape their fear, and fix everything up,they can get back being the Urskeks.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Very well said!

[@mr.objective2007]

Now I want to when does the movie take place like what are alive by then

[@mr.objective2007]

Who are alive by then

[@nosorab3]

Interesting theory, though it's always been my headcanon that the crystal ceremony allowed them to undo all the damage their constant feasting and decadent lifestyle did to them, whereas SkekMal, SkekGra, and SkekSa lived much more wholesome, active lives and, therefore, were much healthier. It's not so much their lives they were committing atrocities to preserve, but their lifestyle.

[@zachsku]

New to the channel so idk if you've talked about this yet but I have some questions I didnt know if anyone had answers to? Since skekSo has been experimenting with the darkening would the damage its caused on his body do the same to urSu? Like when the arrows hit skekMal, urVa could feel them too. My other question is, since the mystics don't seem to do anything to prolong their lives, are they just aware that the Skeksis are trying to prolong theirs and just ride that wave? Or could a mystic die of old age and the Skeksis counterpart dies with it? I hope that made sense😬

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Hello Zachary, welcome and thank you for being part of this amazing community! For your first question: Yes, absolutely skekSo inflicted damage to urSu, in fact many believe the Emperor's experiments with the darkening is what caused his death. Second, the Mystics probably were not aware, but like i had said, they both live very long lives anyway. And yes, if one dies, the other dies.

[@zachsku]

@@DreamfastwithMe AWESOME! Thank you!!

[@KingBearmane]

I heard a theory that Jen and Kira are brother and sister. The father is Rian and Brea is the mother, the theory is at the end of the Garthim war they were separated forced to go different directions. What do you thank?

[@DreamfastwithMe]

Could be true! It might make for a very interesting video!

[@rogermustache9956]

If this theory is true, then incest is going to be taking place as it looked like they were catching feelings for each other.

[@JMObyx]

@@rogermustache9956 But even if it's not true, it'd still be incest, the only difference is in a generation. Although since the Crystal is a living thing and has control over life itself, Augra can easily have the Crystal give some of Jen and Kira's children a little more genetic diversity to offset the inbreeding.

[@WarlockGhorst]

What happened to the essence of the dead Gelfling when the Ur-Skeks where returned to their home?

[@weldonwin]

We can assume it was released back into Thra, in the same way the Podling slaves in the castle had their own essence returned to them, undoing the zombifying effect the draining process had on them

[@WarlockGhorst]

@@weldonwin Still dead though. Or does Thra have an afterlife?

[@DreamfastwithMe]

I would assume they do go back to Thra.

[@WarlockGhorst]

@@DreamfastwithMe Their souls or just their energy?

[@weldonwin]

@@WarlockGhorst Their souls and energy are kind of one and the same. According to Augra, Gelfling return to Thra after they die and are eventually reborn. If the Gelfling were originally born from Thra itself, in the same way Augra was (She basically came fully formed and already old from a fissure in the ground), then Gelfing could be reborn in the same way, starting a new Gelfing race

[@Coleeutsey7530]

I have a theory that Skekeer is banished from the Skeksis home planet and arrives on Thra during the garthim wars and becomes spy master because there were only 18 urskeks

[@gamrr_NERD]

I feel like an aging Skeksis every Monday morning, lmao.

[@owenchristensen3752]

Season 2 was green lit I think

[@lisadooley3872]

Does anyone know when the second season of AoR premieres???

[@Jammerstelthzoe]

They say late 2021

[@lisadooley3872]

DarkhorseKC better be sooner than that

[@DreamfastwithMe]

@@lisadooley3872 I'm with you! But it takes so long to create, so this is probably true.

[@lisadooley3872]

Dreamfast with Me they did the first season in 10 months and since all the sets are done it should not take them more than a year

[@_Zabbor_]

Kinda funny that the once that aren't doing the rituals or staying at the castle seems to be the healthiest and most active

[@8158bolga]

Please do a video where you explain how the Skeksis are able to use the Crystal during the Ceremony of the Sun in the original movie…yet it doesn’t work for them in Age of Resistance. I never understood why they use it in the prologue of the movie if it doesn’t give life anymore.

[@MiyuSawai]

How long, in years, is 1000 trine?

[@plumpydayz]

It's the same, Trine is the fantasy word used in place of years

[@MiyuSawai]

@@plumpydayz So 1000 trine is 1000 years?

[@sherlynnhauser5870]

@@plumpydayz yes I agree we have another word for it in this world a Millenia. Henceforth, the term millenials because we saw the 2000 new year, new millennium. I started this millennium with three traumatic divorces. The other males were not my true twin flame. The other half of my universal being's self.

[@plumpydayz]

@@MiyuSawai Exactly :)

[@rogermustache9956]

They use the word "trine" due to Thra having three suns.

[@C.D.TruthTeller]

First for first time

[@davidsalas7372]

Why don't you do a bio of skekgra and skekshod

[@mrlopez-pz7pu]

I don't want to seem unappreciative, but you have a whole lot of incorrect information in this video. The notion that the Skeksis's use of the crystal is largely a placebo effect is absurd! The Skeksis have command of the Crystal - this is the reason why they are called "Lords of the crystal"....in other words, the crystal does exactly what they tell it to do (u can recall the scene where the scientist screams commands at the crystal when it begins to take his essence, but it doesn't let him go and that's because he has the machines on it, requiring the Chamber to turn it off). The Skeksis have spent nearly 1000 trine commanding the crystal to give them it's power or to command it to use its abilities to suck power from elsewhere, all the while enriching themselves. The Skeksis have aged over time as a result of the fact that the Crystal's power has itself been dwindling over time. Although the TV show has not gotten into it, it is the great conjunctions that replenish the powers of the crystal every 1000 years. The skeksis want to do two things: they want to take the power of the great conjunction into themselves in order to live forever.....they also want to use the great conjunction to split their life force away from that of the Mystics/Urru.

[@juanisol8275]

😍👍

[@DerivativeWorker]

I just heard that there will be a season 2.

[@mateen1073]

Where tell me please

[@gracekim1998]

🤩where?!

[@goodbye7236]

WHO SAID THAT PLS TELL ME YOUR SECRETS

[@mateen1073]

Who is the next skeksis biography you are doing next, please tell me or I shall die like SkekSo.

[@carlopannone5281]

Mateen Bahador well the only one that he hasn’t done yet is skekshod. So yea

[@mateen1073]

He hasn’t done skekgra yet.

[@idontknow4869]

He has made a video on skekGra its a pretty old video

[@mateen1073]

Sorry, what I meant to say was which skeksis are you doing next, please tell me or I shall die like SkekSo

[@shikiriki_the_death_tree]

Sooooooo...........dowe get a prize for finding out the puzzle? Lol jk though would be suprise if it was, like a prize to be the next voice actor of new/old characters in age of resistance S2 or something else

[@DreamfastwithMe]

The prize is the journey;)

[@shikiriki_the_death_tree]

Meh, good point

[@Nrex117]

I always figured the crystal acted more like a placebo and made them think it was extending their lives but was in actuality degrading them.

[@DreamfastwithMe]

This is one of the most popular theories. It may have just simply been a ritual.