Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, “Nothing is Simple Anymore”, Review!

This episode is written by J.M. Lee, the writer of several Dark Crystal books.  It opens with the sleeping face of a Podling.   He wakes up, gets dressed, and has a bowl what looks like oatmeal.  Then, he heads across a cavern to a circular door that retracts to see the Observatory with the massive planets and machinery.  Underneath it is the sleeping form of Aughra.  She has twin horns that curl around her head, grey hair, and a wrinkled face with a missing eye.  Aughra is voiced by Donna Kimball, for some reason her voice was missing something from the original Frank Oz voice, this is a quality I didn’t notice with the Skeksis.  Kimball voiced Mama in the 2017 Sigmund and the Sea Monsters series and provided voices for Sid the Science Kid.  The Podling dusts up the tables and then Aughra has one eye snaps open and she exhales dust!  She wonders about Thra and is surprised the Podling is old because he was a child before her sleep.  In fact, that was his grandfather!  She wants him to get her scrolls so she can try to help Thra.  Past the tree with the beautiful, pink flowers, we see the forest brightly lit by the sun.  Creatures scurry away as Deet walks with a blindfold.  She sees the forest life through her blindfold.  Then, Deet hears growling, the ball of fur starts to bark at her.  This like Fizzgig from the Dark Crystal film!  She talks to it and begins rubbing its belly. 

Another creature like Fizzgig, though with grey fur, barks at both of them.  The fur balls both roll away.  Tired, Deet finds a patch of grass, and falls asleep.  At the Crystal Castle, the Gormand (Harvey Fierstein) reminds the Gelfling guards that they must find the traitor, Rian who saw too much in the pilot.  Fierstein voiced Yao in the animated Mulan (1998) and played Marty Gilbert in Independence Day (1996).  The General (Benedict Wong) informs the Emperor about the castle security.  Wong plays Wong (not a bio) in Doctor Strange (2016) and he is in Gemini Man.  The Emperor notes that missing Gelflings will be suspicious.  The Chamberlain has a solution.  His cover story is it was Rian who killed Mira!  The Emperor agrees to the plan and sends away the General.  The Scientist enters, the Emperor demands more essence, and he explains that the essence was all used.  The Chamberlain says the Scientist is keeping one vial which the Scientist says is for study.  His machinery was damaged and the Emperor screams for it to be fixed.  The Emperor wheezes so the Chamberlain calls in the musicians.  The Podling musicans on the tier above play drums and horns, but it disturbs the Emperor.  The Chamberlain shushes them and they play lightly.  Tolwyn, who was placed in charge of the castle guards, calls Gurjin by his clan name, Drenchen.  He questions Gurjin’s loyalty to his friend after the Chamberlain said Rian killed Mira.  

When Tolwyn leaves, Rian pulls Gurjin to a safe place in the castle.  Rian dreamfasts with his friend and there is the memory (which is only heard this time) of Mira having her essence taken by the Scientist.  The Dreamfast was an interesting concept from the movie, it reminds me of the telepathic Sending from the comic book Elfquest which started in 1978.  Gurjin wants to help Rian to escape and his friend has a plan.  A misty river, the spider-like Spitter crawls around the forest, toward the sleeping form of Deet!  She is startled by it’s drool and manages to escape it.  She still near-blinded by the sun, nice shot of her pov, Deet stumbles and the Spitter is about to attack!  She hears small feet running and then a shout.  It is a Podling who swings on a vine, but the Spitter spits silk at him.  Deet sees that the Podling is wrapped up and hanging upside down!  She tries to push him away, but instead knocks him into the Spitter.  The Podling (Victor Yerrid) calls to Deet to push him again and he knocks the Spitter which overturns it, the creature skitters away.  The Podling introduces himself as Hup.  Deet introduces herself, she can understand only some words that he may speak in Gelfling.  Hup wields his spoon as what he thinks is his sword and Deet believes he is a Paladin, but he says he is not yet a Paladin, he needs to be dubbed by the All Madra.  Deet has to travel to Ha’rar to see her as well so they become a traveling duo.  Hup ranks up there as one of my favorite Dark Crystal characters, I always wanted a Podling take action.  

DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE -- “Nothing is Simple Anymore” -- ANYA TAYLOR- JOY -- Keith Baker/Netflix. 

At Ha’rar, Brea asks the Librarian about a symbol she is researching.  His babbling leads her to the Sifa clan and also Elder Caldia.  The Librarian tries to warn Bria from going there and accompanies her to the docks.  They enter the tent and met by a woman, Onica (Natalie Dormer), who says Elder Caldia (Eddie Izzard) was waiting for them.  Dormer is known for playing Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones and Anne Boleyn in The Tudors.  Izzzard has a voice part, Burnish, in the Abominable film and also voiced Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).  He is still angry at the Librarian and sends him away.  Brea shows them the symbol in her book which makes Onica gasp. He mentions the Dream Space that makes Dreamfasting possible.  He tells Onica to bring powdered nulroot.  Elder Caldia pours it into a drink. Bria mentions the payment neded by the Sifa and drops blue crystals. Elder Caldia and Onica gather them up so Bria pulls a Dread Pirate Roberts.  Onica will help Brea, but she needs to bring the “brightest jewel” as payment.  Back at the castle, Skeksis are still searching for Rian, his plan is to bring proof of the crime to All Maudra.  Mira’s essence!  They see the Crystal of Truth and that it is corrupted.  The Scientist locks away the essence in a cabinet with a locksnake, a living, and dangerous locking mechanism!  They go to hide when the Chancellor appears.  He entrances the locksnake and finishes it off!  He takes the essence and is interrupted by the Scientist.  They struggle, the vial of essence falls, and Rian takes it.  Gurjin and Rian run, but the Chamberlain catches Gurjin!  One of the sun’s light breaks the Chamberlain’s spell and Rian leaps from the castle!  

At Ha’rar, All Maudra mentions the trouble with the Sifa clan, her sister Seladon mentions that she could be sent to the Order of Lesser Service.  This is exile for Brea and Seladon looks smugly at the order.  The caravan returns to the castle.  The Scroll Keeper and The Collector compain about the tithe and the Gelfling’s excuses about the blight.  Tolwyn reports to Captain Ordon about his son.  Podlings play music as the Skeksis factions discuss the situation.  The music stops as the Chamberlain enters with the Emperor telling him that the Scientist blames him for Rian’s escape.  The Chamberlain accepts blame.  He explains that the Gelfling stole the vial, he captured Gurjin, and the Scientist let Rian go.  The Emperor decides punishment for the Scientist.  Ordon arrives and The Chamberlain says that Gurjin confessed to planning to steal from the Skeksis with Rian and when Mira discovered their plans, they killed her.  Ordon wants to find his son.  The Chamberlain says his mind is sick so he warns against Dreamfasting.  After whispering by The Chamberlain, the Emperor gives permission to Ordon and a promise to heal Rian.  Aughra has searched through all of her papers.  She dismisses talking with the Mystics so decides to journey to see the Skeksis.  The ritual punishment of The Scientist is gruesome and may not be for the squimish!  A terrific voice cast, more familiar characters, and new creatures.  

Five Shards of the Dark Crystal out of Five! 

#DarkCrystalAgeofResistance, #NothingisSimpleAnymore, #DonnaKimball, #NatalieDormer, #EddieIzzard