Another world...
another time...
in the age of wonder
A thousand years ago, this land was green and good...
until the Crystal cracked
For a single piece was lost...
a shard of the Crystal
Then strife began...
and two new races appeared:
the cruel Skekses...
the gentle Mystics
Here in the castle of the Crystal, the Skekses took control
Now the Skekses gather in the sacred chamber...
where the Crystal hangs above a shaft of air and fire
The Skekses, with their hard and twisted bodies...
their harsh and twisted wills
For a thousand years they have ruled...
yet now there are only ten
A dying race ruled by a dying emperor...
imprisoned within themselves in a dying land
Today, once more they gather at the Crystal...
as the first sun climbs to its peak...
for this is the way of the Skekses,
As they ravage the land...
so, too, they learn to draw new life from the sun
Today, once more, they will replenish themselves...
cheat death again...
through the power of their source...
their treasure, their fate:
the Dark Crystal
But today, the ceremony of the sun gives no comfort
Today, an emperor lies dying
Today, a new emperor...
must seize the throne
A thousand years ago, the Crystal cracked
And here, far from the castle...
the race of Mystics came to live in a dream of peace
Their ways were the gentle ways of natural wizards
Yet now, there are only ten
A dying race...
numbly rehearsing the ancient ways...
in a blur of forgetfulness
But today...
the ritual gives no comfort
Today the wisest of the Mystics lies dying
Today they summon the one who must save them
In the valley of the Mystics...
there lives a Gelfling, Jen
The Skekses killed his family, destroyed his clan
Only Jen survived...
to be raised by the wisest of the Mystics
But there is a prophecy
A thousand years have passed...
and now once more the world must undergo a time of testing
Now it must be healed...
or pass forever into the rule of evil
At this time, Jen is the chosen one
Today, Jen's pipe gives no comfort...
for today his master lies dying...
and a journey must begin...
a journey of Jen
Master?
At the time...
when three suns meet...
Master, what’s wrong?
You are in danger...
Gelfling...
and I must leave you
Leave me?
Master, no
Gelfling...
I have told you of the Skekses
The Skekses killed my mother and father
The story runs deeper than you know...
and you are part of it
I don't understand
The Skekses will vow...
to destroy you...
for the prophecy says...
you must find the Shard...
the Crystal Shard
The Crystal Shard?
To save our world, Gelfling...
you must find the Shard...
before the three suns meet
It not, Skekses rule forever
Where is it?
Aughra holds the Shard
Follow the greater sun for a day...
to the home of Aughra
There she knows...
all the secrets
Aughra? Follow the greater sun?
But Master, I'm only a Gelfling
I should've told you these things...
long ago
Now it is up to you
Remember me, Jen
We may meet in another life...
but not again in this one
Master
Don't leave me
I hate your whimper
Quiet!
He is not dead yet...
my Lord Chamberlain
Kneel!
Bow!
Mine!
Back!
I...
I am still emperor
I...
Oh, Master, I'll go where you send me...
though I barely understand
Dear friend, be well
Receive your belongings
Receive them serenely
Now we send forth Jen
Watch over his dangerous quest
Dear, dear Master...
I'll find the Shard
I'm not ready to go alone
All right. Alone, then
The emperor is dead
Which one of us will be the new emperor?
Oh, yes, my Lord Chamberlain...
time to choose an emperor
It should be me
- Yes - Yes
Not him. I must rule
You should be the emperor
There's going to be a fight
It’s time to make my move
It's me
We're all with you
Chamberlain, no. Wait. Stop. You can't
Get back, spithead!
Chamberlain!
Lay down that scepter!
I challenge
Trial by stone
Trial by stone!
- Slaves, raise the stone - Trial by stone!
Get out there! Move!
Let's pull that rope!
Come on, slaves! Pull!
Slaves, pull!
Pull, pull!
Harder! Pull!
I'm taking it
Take the first blow, Chamberlain!
You whimpering worm
You can’t beat that
Let's see what you can do
You can do it!
Good hit, Lord Chamberlain!
Lord Chamberlain!
Weak blow! Weak blow
General!
The general’s really mad now
- Come on, General! - Watch out
Here he goes
Me, the emperor!
The emperor wins
Now, by the law, he must pay
Stop. Stop him
Yeah!
Take him down
Get him
N Now, let him go! - The chamberlain is banished
Away! Away!
Now, bow down to me!
I am emperor!
Hail to the new emperor!
Hail!
The Crystal
- The Crystal calls - The Crystal
To the Crystal chamber!
Hurry
A Gelfling alive?
- A Gelfling - A Gelfling?
- The prophecy - The prophecy
The prophecy says Gelfling will destroy us.
No. Garthim!
Attack!
Garthim soldiers, find the Gelfling!
Garthim!
The Gelfling!
Bring him to the castle!
Garthim, death to Gelfling!
Go kill the Gelfling!
- ugly - hideous Gelfling
What in the world?
This place is weird
Let's see. Her name is Aughra
Follow the greater sun for a day...
to the home of Aughra
Some directions.
Who is Aughra, anyway?
One of these things?
Maybe she murders Gelflings
What am I doing here?
Are you a Gelfling?
Yes. My name is Jen
The Gelfling all dead. Garthim kill them all
You can't be Gelfling
You look like Gelfling, smell like Gelfling
- Maybe you are Gelfling - I'm looking for Aughra
- Who sent you? - My master, wisest of the Mystics
Where is he? Around here?
- He's dead - Could be anywhere, then
Are you Aughra?
Are you afraid of me?
Think I'm going to eat you? Hmm?
What do you want of me?
A Shard. A Crystal Shard
Is that all you want? A Crystal Shard?
Drop him
Ow! Oh, no
Aughra?
What's it for, hmm?
Is that what you want to know?
You want to know what this is all about?
Is that it, Gelfling? You don't know?
You've never looked at the heavens
Everything in the heavens is here...
moving as the heavens move
This is how to know when, that's what
Suns, moons, stars...
Yes, the angle of eternity
That's how I know it's coming
How else can I make the prediction?
A thousand years ago, there was a Great Conjunction
I was there
Three suns lined up
That's when the Crystal cracked
That's when the Skekses appeared, and the Mystics
Another Great Conjunction coming up
Anything could happen
Whole world might burn up
End of Aughra
Better have your Shard before that, Gelfling
Now, ask what the Great Conjunction is
What's the Great Conjunction?
You tell me
The Great Conjunction is the end of the world...
or the beginning
End, begin. All the same
Big change
Sometimes good
Sometimes bad
Ah, there it is
Gelfling knows nothing
Aughra, what do I do with the Shard?
Heal the Dark Crystal
But how?
Questions, questions. Too many questions
Do you want a Shard? Here
Which one is it?
Don’t know
Listen, Gelfling
There is much to be learned...
and you have no time
Which one? Which one is it?
It's one of these three, I’m sure
You've already taken too long, Gelfling. Hurry
But how do I choose?
Yes!
Now, you don’t know what to do with it
No one told you that, did they?
But Aughra knows
Garthim!
Out! Get out!
Garthim, get out!
Take your hands off...
At last, the Crystal calls
It is time...
time to return to the castle
Now I’ve got the Shard...
but what do I do with it?
What is it?
Am I supposed to take it somewhere?
What's so special about this Shard?
It doesn’t look like any...
I don't like this
Oh, no. Right in the mud
Fizzgig
You Gelfling, like me?
Well, yes
But I thought I was the only one
I thought I was
Here. I'll help you out
- The first thing I remember is fire - Where did it start?
It's a war, I think
A tree. My mother puts me right inside, and we...
Mother! Mother, the monster!
First thing I remember is the kind one
He picks me up. He makes the monsters disappear, and I'd be safe
I am safe
What's happening?
We're dreamfasting, sharing our memories
I’m having a bath
When I was little, I used to get fed by my new mom
- She called me Kira - ... and then bigger
And, Master, you showed me the whole valley stretching out
I thought it went on forever. Kira, watch out!
The Garthim! They capture the Podlings
Then I am happy
My master is family, teacher and friend
And I can nearly forget everything that happened
And talk with flowers and all the living things
He shows me numbers and things called words
Everywhere I go, I learn the shapes of kindness
I learn from them all, except there's no one here like me
I need to find...
I love them all, except I need to find...
- Wait - I want...
- It’s going away - It’s going away
Oh, no. I'm sinking
Don't move
Where would I go?
- What is that? - Just a Nebrie
She won't hurt you
Kira
Your name is Kira
We were dreamtasted, you and I
Fizzgig
Come on
- You seem very strange to him - He seems pretty strange to me
He’s nervous
Here, Skekses are watching always. We must go
Come
Ah, roast Nebrie, my favorite
Roast Nebrie. I want the rare piece
Slaves
You slime face!
Rotten!
Yuck!
Slaves!
Eat!
It seems to me that Gelfling...
has escaped, huh?
No Gelfling ever escaped from my deadly Garthim
More food. More food!
Something got in my teeth
Enchanting meal
Dessert! Crawlies!
Ooh, dessert!
- Stop it! - Crawlie!
Not bad at all
Look. The Garthim return
The Gelfling
Release the Gelfling
- What's this? - Fools! Skekses fools!
What do you want with me?
This is no Gelfling!
Of course I'm no Gelfling, you putrid lizards!
I'll get my eye to you
She was with him. She helped him. Where is he?
Gone! Gelfling gone. Stupid Garthim
You want Gelfling, why not ask me?
Easier to send your crab-brained soldiers, burn my home!
Now home gone, Gelfling gone. Nothing but Aughra!
Moldy mildew mother of mouthmuck!
Dangle and strangle to death!
Oh, how crude!
Watch your tongue, harridan. We are lords of the Crystal
Lords? Not for long
What about the prophecy...
that a Gelfling will end Skekses power?
He'll come, make you crawl, like the worms you are
Find that Gelfling now!
Crystal bats, fly!
Search the land! Search the water!
Search the sky!
Jen, get down. Down
- What was that? - A Crystal bat
What they see, the Skekses see too
- Did it see us? - No, I don’t think so
Aren't these the people from your memory?
When the Garthim killed my parents, the Podlings adopted me
They're my clan
Come
How do you say "thank you"?
Yeah!
You know the three suns in the sky? They're going to come together soon
It's called the Great... the Great something or other
It's a prophecy. He told me that I must find the Shard...
and that everything must be done before the three suns join in one
And that’s all. And then he died
Jen, what's the Shard for?
That's just it. I don't know. I found the Shard
But you don’t know what to do with it
Jen, this way!
Through here! Hurry!
Come on. Run
- What was that creature? - Skekses
Wait! They won't find us here
- It's all my fault - That Skekses...
He saved us from his own Garthim
First Aughra's, then your village
I wish I'd never heard of this Shard
No, Jen!
Oh, Jen, they hurt your arm
Here. This moss'll make it better
It wasn't your fault
The Garthim have always come
Oh, Master, I remember the valley
I didn't understand
I miss the other masters with the old, old magic and chants
I never loved them enough
Out here in the world, look at me
I'm not a hero, not the way you wanted
Master, nothing is simple anymore
Master? Master?
Where are we?
- Safe - Safe?
I don’t think anywhere is safe anymore
These are ruins
They're the houses of the old ones
You mean, our ancestors?
Jen? Here's the Shard
I can feel something
Hear it almost
We don't go in here anymore
Bad things happened in here once
But they were Gelfling...
like us
Yes
They were all killed by the Skekses long ago
Look here
Just look at this
That... That looks just like the Shard
What does it mean?
And what are those funny marks?
Oh, this is all writing
What's writing?
Words that stay. My master told me
"When single shines the triple sun...
what was sundered and undone...
shall be whole, the two made one...
by Gelfling hand, or else by none. "
By Gelfling hand? Do you know what that means?
Wait
This is a piece of the Dark Crystal
- Then that's what my master meant - Yes
- I have to put it... - You have to heal... the Dark Crystal
Prophecy?
- Jen, Skekses! - Stay! Stay! No!
Am friend
Stay. Am friend
Prophecy. Prophecy cause all this trouble
- That prophecy? - Yes!
- That's why Skekses killed Gelfling? - Yes!
Bad mistake. Skekses afraid, fear Gelfling
But you're a Skekses
But I am friend, save you from Garthim
- Why? - Don't listen to him. It's a trick
No! Please! Must listen
Am outcast
If I make peace, am outcast no more
- Will you stop the Garthim attacks? - Yes!
Please, come to the castle. Please!
Show them you want peace
Show them Gelflings will not harm us. Please
Come. Please
Please. Yes. Please?
- Yes - No!
Come on, Kira
No! Wait!
Wait, please?
Please? Wait!
Please make peace!
Now I know what I have to do. How do I get to the castle?
I'll show you
Over here!
What's that?
It's a landstrider
- How did you learn to call 'em? - The Podlings taught me
Don't be afraid
Let's go
- They'll take us - But...
Kira, you don't have to go
I know
All right. Together, then
No, Fizzgig. You stay here
Oh, all right. Come on
Hang on, Jen. They go fast
Yes
The prophecy didn't say anything about this
Prophets don't know everything
Silence, animals!
You're next, little Podling
This won't hurt
We just want to drain your living essence
Then you can be the same as the other Podlings here:
a slave
Open the wall!
Now, Podling
Out there is the great shaft of the castle
Position the reflector
The reflector will capture the beams...
of the Dark Crystal floating high above
Look into the reflector, Podling
Feel the power of the Dark Crystal
Yes! And now the beam will rid you...
of your fears, your thoughts...
your vital essence
You're very lucky, slave
Only the emperor can drink your essence
He's here! Close it, slave!
- Is it ready? - Very fresh
Very strong, sire
Oh, it will make you young again, sire
Young!
Yes, young!
You fraud!
Wait. Please, sire
Liar!
Slave squeezer!
It always worked...
better when we used Gelflings
- Look - The ones who raided your village
Let's go
Come on
- Kira, are you all right? - Yes, but we’ve got to get them out
Hurry!
They’re coming!
Hang on
Wings
I don’t have wings
Of course not
You’re a boy
Yes. A way into the castle
This must lead into the lower part
- Come on - I don't want to go in there
We have to go on
Fizzgig, come on
Careful
Which way now?
I want to go back. I smell death here
I know, but we have no choice
- Skekses! - I knew you would come
Do not be afraid. I am here to help you. Yes
Come, we'll show them. Gelflings live with Skekses together in peace
Please
- No. Don't! - Let go!
I'll show them
My hand!
So, my hand
Gelfling, you die!
Jen! Let go
Let go of me
Come. Yes
- Let go! - Now. Yes
Gelfling, come
No, Fizzgig. You stay with Jen
- Yes - Let go
Let go of me! Jen!
I like those gray ones that go mushy when you put them on your fork
Chamberlain. Chamberlain, get out
Get out
- Ah, Gelfling! Gelfling! - Gelfling! Gelfling!
Come and look! Such an ugly monster!
Awful. So awful
Royal sire, I bring you Gelfling
I... I have done this
I have caught her. I bring you the Gelfling
I was wounded
I suffered horrible, searing pain
A live Gelfling
Kill her! We are sworn to kill all Gelflings!
No! She's mine!
But, sire, you could drink her essence
Because of the prophecy, we must kill the Gelfling!
No. First we take her essence, then kill
- Drain her first, then kill her - Drain her!
Let's take her essence. Yes
Essence. Drain her essence
Take her essence
As for the whimpering Chamberlain, return his robes to him
Silence. Silence, animals
There
Yes
Ah, yes. Essence of Gelfling
Kira, fight them
Fight them. Fight
You, Kira, call the animals
You have the gift. Call them to freedom. Loud
Quiet, Gelfling. Be quiet
Quiet, all of you
- Stop. Stop. I warn you - Gelfling, free me
All of you, get down!
You've come too late, Gelfling
The Great Conjunction is at hand
Now the Skekses will have power over the stars!
What is the Conjunction?
Very soon, three suns touch
Go, Gelfling...
I fear, to death
Get down, Fizzgig. Quiet
Yes. Big help you've been
Oh, no
Now where am I?
Is that the Crystal?
- Aughra, you’re alive - No time
No time. "When single shines the triple sun... "
Where's Kira?
The Great Conjunction comes
Yes. The Crystal
This is what I came for
The Dark Crystal
The Three Suns
The Shard
The Great Conjunction comes
Now we will live forever
We will live forever
- Gelfling - A Gelfling
Down, down. Fizzgig, no
The Gelfling must die
Kill her!
She will destroy us!
Gelfling, you die!
Two Gelfling
No!
The Shard
The Shard is mine
Let go, smelly hair ball!
She has the Shard
Take it from her. Now
Watch out, Kira!
Kira, behind you!
Get off!
No! Leave her alone!
Give us the Shard, and you can go tree
- No. - Yes! Just don't harm her
No, Jen. Heal the Crystal
Gelfling, no
How did you get out there?
Come on, then
"What was sundered and undone...
shall be whole, the two made one. "
And now, the prophecy...
is fulfilled
We are again...
one
Many ages ago...
in our arrogance and delusion...
we shattered...
the pure Crystal...
and our world split apart
Your courage...
and sacrifice...
have made us whole...
and restored the true power...
of the Crystal.
Hold her to you
She is part of you...
as we all are part of each other
Now we leave you...
the Crystal of Truth
Make your world...
in its light