Tags
childhood, doing the impossible, Jim Henson, magic, memories, movie, never giving up, other worlds, self-discovery, The Dark Crystal
“Another world. Another time, in an age of wonder…”
These fabulous words open this movie, one I know by heart, one that left its images, ideas, and feelings etched lovingly on my soul.
The Dark Crystal… Jim Henson and his amazing crew, 1982.
Jen, a Gelfling, the last of his kind, leaves his home on a great journey to heal the crystal, to save his world.
Once again Henson genius gives us marvelous characters and creatures wrapped in a wondrous world. And we all know how much I LOVE other worlds. The creativity. The magic.
Scared and unsure, Jen embarks on his quest without a clue as to what to do. Yet finds friends along the way.
Aughra gives him the crystal shard, what he needs to complete his mission and explains of the Great Conjuction, the meeting of the three suns when the world will end… or begin. For 1000 years ago the crystal cracked, spiraling the world into darkness. The Skeksis appeared, taking over the Castle of the Crystal, using the power for their own selfish purposes.
Kira… WAIT, Jen isn’t the last of his kind!… and her fuzzy pet Fizzgig join Jen on his journey to heal the crystal before the suns meet in the sky. As Jen was raised by the kind-hearted, knowledgeable (and a bit hippie-ish) Mystics,
she grew up in the care of the fun-loving (simple-minded) Podlings.
For the race of Gelflings had been destroyed, taken by the Skeksis, their essence drained, granting immortality to the evil race.
Now they want Jen and Kira, but not just for their essence… because of the prophecy.
I know, there’s always a prophecy. The Skeksis’ power will end by Gelfling hand.
The scheming Skeksis send their henchmen the Garthim to capture the two travelers.
Our two heroes head out on their journey, facing the danger, running from the Garthim, and learning the truth of their race. 
And finally arrive at the Castle of the Crystal.
Even thought Kira is captured, Jen continues, desiring the end of the mission and finds the Chamber of the Crystal.
Kira fights her way to freedom and meets him there. Jen jumps onto the top of the crystal, but loses the shard, the missing piece of the crystal. Thinking only of saving the world and defeating the Skeksis, Kira braves the danger, retrieves the shard, and tosses it to him.
But the Skeksis will not give up so easily. They grab Kira, threatening her life. When Jen heals the crystal, they kill Kira.
The Mystics arrive, knowing the time of the Conjunction is near.
The crystal, now returned to its true form, merges the good with the evil into a new whole, returning the world to its former glory.
And breathing life back into Kira, so she and Jen can begin to rebuild the Gelfling people.
“We leave you the Crystal of Truth. Make your world in its light.”
This is the first movie I ever owned, receiving the VHS tape for my birthday when I was a kid. Of course, now I own it on DVD. The music, the visual effects, the story trapped my heart and imagination and never let go.
Jen leaves his home, the only place he’s ever known and enters the world, a big place full of the unknown. Like we all do. He finds friends and love. He finds himself, completing a task he thought too great for a simple Gelfling to accomplish. He faces the shadows, learning of the evil in the world, and does not give up.
And saves the world.
Maybe in our lives we can’t save the world, but we can save OUR world.
For when things go wrong and life seems to shatter into a million shards, we can put the pieces together.
Until next time, for part three of this wonderful trip down memory lane, sharing all the movies that touched my heart… “The Last Unicorn”.
