A Dark Ending for “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance”

Evil puppet overlords ruling over the world with a powerful crystal; why would Netlflix cancel a show like that?

Netflix decided not to produce a second season of the epic fantasy show, “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” to the disappointment of fans.

Jim Henson, creator of “The Muppets,” introduced fans to the make-believe world of “Thra” full of the evil “Skeksis” and gentle “Gelflings” in his 1982 movie “The Dark Crystal.”  The movie picked up a cult following which only grew larger over time.

Netflix aired “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” as a prequel to the movie.  With Henson’s company creating the show and a cast with names like, Mark Hamill, Simon Pegg, Helena Bonham Carter, Andy Sandberg, and many more, it did not take long for 2019 rendition to win praise for the masterful storytelling and puppetry.

The movie received a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.5 on IMDb.

After winning an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program, Netflix announced it would not renew the show for a second season despite its big success.  Since the cinematography was praised as well as the seamless weaving between puppetry and CGI, the reason behind Netflix cancelling remains a mystery.

In the world of Thra, the nature loving Gelfling species are called to action to fight off the Skeksis, a species from outside of Thra who have been trusted to protect the beloved “crystal of truth,” which is deeply connected to the planet.  The Skeksis corrupt the crystal turning it into the “dark crystal” which they use to drain the unsuspecting Gelflings of their essence.  The Skeksis’ quest is to be immortal and reign with absolute power.

The whole show is an allegory for the corruption that inevitably follows when power goes unchecked.  The Gelflings face impossible odds in the battle against the powerful Skeksis, and season 1 ended on a cliff hanger long before the movie takes place.  For now, fans only hope to find out what becomes of the beloved characters is that another network picks up the show.