![]() I hadn’t done an actual character before. It was really terrifying because at that point I had only about five years of assistant puppeteer experience. I was just delighted to have been able to be in that room. I did not expect anything from it at all. They held this massive audition list, with what seemed like every puppeteer in the world. So The Dark Crystal was kind of a marriage of Jim Henson and Brian Froud. I was very obsessed with Brian Froud’s Goblins book and drawing goblins and stuff. How did you first get involved with Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance? It is about embodying the character you are bringing to life. For her, puppeteering is more than technical perfection. Beccy Henderson, a puppeteer and actor of several years, is the hand behind Deet and Naia, as well as an assistant for many other characters. ![]() And this is owed to the hands behind the puppets – the people bringing these characters and world to life. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019) succeeds in staying true to its legacy while pushing forth a new story. ![]() And even though CGI and film technology has drastically changed since 1982, the creative team and Henson family would not abandon the legacy of puppetry. With a Hollywood-rich cast of voices such as Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Natalie Dormer, and Mark Hamill and a cultural craving for fantasy following the success of Game of Thrones, Netflix attempted to not only revive the movie, but make it something new. Until, that is, it was announced that Netflix would be reviving it – this time as a series. Amidst these two groups on Thra are many others, all puppets who are brought to life through the intricate puppeteering and the elaborate sets that makes Thra feel real.Īlmost 40 years since the initial release of The Dark Crystal, the movie has fallen, mostly, into the memories of odd movies we watched as kids or sits collecting dust in the pile of VCRs in our parent’s basements. Instead of brightly coloured frogs like Kermit, we see the Gelfling, a race of spiritually connected beings, rebel against the Skeksis, a terrifying bird-like race that have overtaken Thra and the crystal. While the style of puppets slightly resembles Henson’s Muppets, the creatures of Thra – a made-up world ruled by magical forces – are darker, more realistic. It's fitting that the three main protagonists would be the parents of the original Dark Crystal characters who ultimately fulfill the prophecy.If you grew up in the ’80s or are old enough to still remember VCR tapes, you may remember The Dark Crystal (1982): the Jim Henson fantasy drama with a cast of all puppets. Knowing this should give fans hope that Deet will be cured of the sickness brought on by The Darkening, as it would be necessary for her romance with Rian to progress and result in Jen's birth. This could be considered an indirect confirmation of who is Jen's mother. Having the grandfather, father, and son each play a role in Thra's history would add another meaningful layer to already rich storytelling.Įverything comes full circle with The Jim Henson Company's admittance during the behind the scenes commentary about Rian and Deet's love story being the core of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Ordon is hailed a great warrior during the Arathim Wars, and Rian bravely leads a rebellion against the Skeksis in Stone-in-the-Wood. There would be three generations of Stonewood clan heroes. Meanwhile, Deet's vision shows Rian trying to heal the crystal with the shard in a way similar to how Jen did in the movie.Īnother thoughtful tidbit is Jen completing the family circle with his heroic legacy. In the Age of Resistance, Deet is gifted with a vision from the sanctuary tree, offering a glimpse of a young female gelfling who looks remarkably like Princess Brea, and is also escaping with a baby. In The Dark Crystal, Jen & Kira are the two key figures, so it makes sense that the prequel would make some reveals about who they really are and where they come from.Īlthough Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance doesn't outright confirm who their parents are, it does drop some intriguing hints that make for strong evidence as to who they might be. In The Dark Crystal, during a dream-fast, Kira shares her earliest memories with Jen, which reveals her mother carrying her as an infant while fleeing the garthim. The three central characters in Netflix's prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance could be parents of The Dark Crystal's characters Jen and Kira.
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