I saw The Dark Crystal as a little kid. It was epic, wonder-full, and so timeless I gladly shared it with my own kids some years back. Now Netflix created a stunning Series version: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Season 1 is a thrilling prequel to all that unfolded in the original movie.
[Warning: Spoilers]
The Weak Will Defeat the Strong?
I remember two lone Gelflings and the seemingly uber mighty, lumbering, vicious Skeksis. These rash and rude, self-proclaimed rulers of Thra were stealing power from the Crystal to live forever. And the little, almost hopeless Gelflings had the impossible task of defeating them…
But the new Netflix series unpacked more dastardly dealings than I remembered from the original (although now I think I just blocked them out). Some scenes of injustice or cruelty were so rough I had a hard time watching.
One was of the Skeksis trying new technology to steal life essence from a Gelfling. They were brutal, used an IV rig roughly in the back of the small creature, and drained the poor Gelfling girl to death and obliteration. Meanwhile, her precious, irreplaceable life essence was captured in decadent little bottles, and rather than cherished, was chugged, fought over, spilled…
As I watched an image came to mind: The dealings of the current White House..
At what expense does personal glorification and wealth amassing come?
Environmental protection-slashing, human rights-abusing– actual People, fellow Human beings are literally dying, suffering, sick, depressed, in danger, in fear, in despair, in coffins because of policy decisions, signatures, phone-typed tweets.
Do we exist to glorify ourselves, bolster our wealth, make a name for ourselves? Do we think we are Gods?
If our hearts are hard, an easy by-product when/if our focus becomes self or wealth, we may do no better than the Skeksis. Their aim was living high and mighty forever.
When a little child washes up on shore dead, and governments don’t improve human aspects of immigration policies but make them harsher, or when kids are killed in schools, but the weight of funds and comfort in the pockets of those in power is too strong, or when the waters still run dirty from taps in Flint… I wonder, Who Are We??
MUST WE EXPERIENCE SOMETHING FIRST HAND BEFORE COMPASSION AND ACTION FOR GOOD KICK IN??!!
Human Kind?
I watched the new Series with my kids and marveled at the themes of injustice, prejudice among Gelfling clans, and the necessity for (and power from) unity across cultures, creeds, even creation.
Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is just a fantasy series, but it touches serious issues and injustices of reality.
‘.. And the fires of Resistance must be lit..”
Hey, I’m Jasmine, finishing a coffee and wondering how do you see it? Post a comment below or drop me a line. ❤
You can also follow Heart inFormation for an alert whenever I post a heart-shot. (Following via BlogLovin’ also possible here.)Related Posts
–Activate Your Heart: Igniting Heaven on Earth
–Jesus: Homeless, Refugee, “Moocher” not Welcome in Today’s Church?!
– God Wouldn’t Fly First Class: 3 Suprising Reasons for ‘Streets of Gold’
– Goodness Trumps Greatness Every Time
*Ps, I use He & His] as simple pronouns for God, but fully recognize God with male and female “identity” (for lack of a better word) as demonstrated throughout the Bible and most blatantly through humanity.
Related post, Transgender God, here.
Image Credits
Cover: found via google, animation magazine.net
Dark Crystal Trailer via Netflix.
Skeksis gathering around the Crystal, still from the Series.
Poddling being drained, found here, stills from original The Dark Crystal.
Freezing homeless child social experiment, from Moe & Ethan. (Thanks guys for showing this).
