The Story

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The Story

“Like all coming of age stories The Dark Crystal gives the young hero a task much greater than he thinks he’s capable of. It’s the test he must face, not just to find his way in the world, but to find himself. It's a story of good and evil, of Jen's growth, of meeting a new world." - Frank Oz

The story of THE DARK CRYSTAL is the story of a land unplaced in time or space, dominated by an evil breed called The Skeksis. Once a tribe of exalted thinkers and creators ruled the land from a glittering castle in the heart of which a great Crystal glowed with power gathered from the world's Three Suns. But a thousand years ago, a terrible and mysterious convulsion shook the world. The Crystal cracked and darkened, the reign of the Skeksis began, and gradually the castle, the land, and its new rulers degenerated until all became dominated by greed and decay. The corrupted Crystal became the key to the Skeksis' power and the center of their strange rituals. As the story begins, a mighty astronomical occurrence is about to commence. If it is allowed to proceed uninterrupted, the rule of the Skeksis will be confirmed forever.

The castle is guarded by Garthim, fierce warriors encased in shell-like armor who enforce the Skeksis' rule. There is only one thing the Skeksis fear: an ancient prophecy that the Gelfling, a race of elfin creatures, will somehow destroy their power. To save their dynasty, these cruel rulers have tried to eradicate the Gelfling race and believe that they have succeeded. But unknown to them one Gelfling boy, Jen, was saved from the Garthims' claws. Plucked from death, he has been raised by the urRu, a clan of strange, unworldly, and impractical mystics, for the day when he will be assigned the task of discovering the secret of the Dark Crystal and restoring its light . . . and true balance to his world.

Jen is brought up by urSu the Master, wisest of the urRu, certain he is the last of his race. His sheltered life is shattered by the death of his Master who, with his last breath, sets Jen a task. He shows him the image of a small shard of crystal, and tells Jen this must be found and returned to its rightful place before the imminent Great Conjunction, when the world's Three Suns will come together as one. If Jen fails, all things whole and good will forever be destroyed.

Even as Jen's urRu Master lies dying, so too, does the Emperor of the Skeksis, creating within their ranks rivalry, anger, and dismay. In a power struggle between the strongest of the Skeksis, the Chamberlain and the Garthim Master, the Chamberlain loses his challenge to win the throne, is stripped of his power, and is banished from the castle.

Meanwhile, Jen, wrenched from the tranquility of the valley of the urRu, is thrust into an adventure filled with danger and excitement. As he travels through the alien wilderness landscape alive with strange, chattering creatures, a Crystal Bat bearing a seeing crystal betrays his existence to the Skeksis. Terrified that the ancient prophecy will be fulfilled, they send their Garthim warriors to track Jen down and destroy him.

Reaching the astonishing observatory of Aughra the astronomer, Jen finds the crystal shard and learns something of his destiny.

The terrible Garthim attack, and to escape Jen plunges into the swamp, lost and frightened by creatures of bizarre appearance. There Jen is astonished to meet Kira, a Gelfling girl, and realize that another of his kind is alive.

Kira has been sheltered by Pod People, simple peasants who live hidden in the depths of the forest. She guides Jen to her village; and during a happy, roistering feast Jen is so entranced that he wants to abandon his quest and stay forever with Kira and her friends.

This moment of happiness is destroyed by a Garthim attack. Some of the Pod People are captured for transportation to the castle, there to become slaves of the Skeksis. Jen and Kira flee into the forest, where Jen, believing himself at fault, vows to give up his task. He and Kira stumble into the ruins of an old Gelfling village. Wall carvings tell the story of the Gelfling prophecy, and Jen and Kira discover the true meaning of the crystal shard and the urgency of Jen's mission.

The Skeksis' outcast Chamberlain surprises them there and offers his hand, promising friendship in place of fear. Jen is tempted, but Kira is quick to mistrust: she urges Jen to heed his Master's dying words and reject the Chamberlain.

The confrontation hardens Jen's resolve, and he is determined to return the shard to the Dark Crystal. On strange, long-legged beasts that Kira has befriended, they race at incredible speed to the castle. In a vicious fight with Garthim guarding the entrance Jen and Kira are forced over the cliff and fall to the base of the castle, where, dragging themselves over the mountainous rubbish, they find an entrance through the castle sewers.

Climbing up through the sewers they again come face to face with the disgraced Chamberlain. Once more he tries to persuade them to come with him, but when he is again rejected, he attempts to kill Jen and drags Kira to the Council Chamber. The Garthim Master orders her taken to the Scientist's laboratory, where she will be drained of her life-force. Imprisoned among hundreds of creatures of the forest and fields, Kira calls on all her power and incites them to break out of their cages to freedom. With time running out Jen fights his way to the Crystal Chamber. There the Dark Crystal floats shining purple, and the castle dome is open to the sky where the Three Suns are poised to form the Great Conjunction. The Skeksis gather for their power rejuvenation; and Jen, in on final desperate attempt, lunges forward to try to complete his quest and fulfill the ancient prophecy.

Synopses

The Mithra Treatment

The Crystal

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