1
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 Skeksis.
The gentle Mystics.
Here in the castle of the Crystal,
the Skeksis took control.
Now the Skeksis gather
in the sacred chamber...
...where the Crystal hangs
above a shaft of air and fire.
The Skeksis, with their hard
and twisted bodies...
...their harsh and twisted wills.
For a thousand years
they have ruled...
...yet now there are only 10.
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 Skeksis.
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 10.
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 Skeksis 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.
The 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 Skeksis.
The Skeksis killed
my mother and father.
The story runs deeper
than you know...
...and you are part of it.
I don't understand.
The Skeksis 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.
If not, Skeksis 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!
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 sceptre!
I challenge.
Trial by stone.
Trial by stone!
Trial by stone!
-Slaves, raise the stone.
-Trial by stone!
Get out there! Move!
-Trial by stone!
-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.
He 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.
-Weakling.
-General!
The general's really mad now.
-Come on, general!
-Watch out.
Here he goes.
Me, the emperor!
The emperor lives!
Now, by the law, he must pay.
Stop. Stop him.
Take him now!
Get him.
-Strip him!
-Now, let him go!
The chamberlain is banished.
-Away!
-Away!
Now, bow down to me!
I am emperor!
Hail to the new emperor!
-Hail!
-Hail!
Hail to the new emperor!
-Hail!
-Hail to the new emperor!
Hail to the new emperor!
Listen. The Crystal.
-The Crystal calls.
-The Crystal.
To the Crystal chamber!
Hurry.
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!
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.
But 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?
What do you want of me?
A Shard. A Crystal Shard.
Is that all you want?
A Crystal Shard?
Drop him.
Oh, no.
Aughra?
Aughra?
What's it for?
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 Skeksis 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?
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.
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.
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--
Aughra.
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 dream-fasting,
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 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.
-It makes me cry.
My master is family,
teacher and friend.
And I can nearly forget
everything that happened.
And talk with flowers
and 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.
-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 dream-fasted, you and I.
Fizzgig.
Come on.
Fizzgig!
-You seem very strange to him.
-He seems pretty strange to me.
He's nervous.
Here, Skeksis are watching always.
We must go.
Come.
-Roast Nebrie, my favorite.
-Roast Nebrie. I want the rare piece.
Slaves.
You slime face!
Rotten!
Slaves!
Eat!
It seems to me that Gelfling...
...has escaped, huh?
No Gelfling ever escaped
from my deadly Garthim.
More food. More food!
Something stuck in my teeth.
Enchanting meal.
Dessert! Crawlies!
Dessert!
-Stop it!
-Crawlie!
Not bad at all.
Look. The Garthim return.
The Gelfling.
Release the Gelfling.
-What's this?
-Fools! Skeksis 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!
Mouldy 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 Skeksis 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 Skeksis 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"?
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?
-Skeksis.
Wait! They won't find us here.
-It's all my fault.
-That Skeksis--
He saved us from his own Garthim.
First Aughra's, then your village.
I wish I'd never heard
of this Shard.
No, Jen!
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 Skeksis long ago.
Kira. Kira, look here.
Just look at this.
That-- That looks
just like the Shard.
What does it mean?
And what are those funny marks?
This is all writing.
What's writing?
Words that stay.
My master taught 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've to heal the-- The Dark Crystal.
Prophecy?
-Jen, Skeksis!
-Stay! Stay! No!
Stay. Stay. Am friend.
Stay. Am friend.
Prophecy.
Prophecy cause all this trouble.
-That prophecy?
-Yes!
-That's why Skeksis killed Gelfling?
-Yes!
Yes. Bad mistake.
Skeksis afraid, fear Gelfling.
But you're a Skeksis.
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, please.
-Please.
-Jen! No!
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 them?
-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.
Kira.
Come on.
Kill him! Get him!
-Kira, are you all right?
-Yes, but we've got to get them out.
Hurry!
They're coming!
Fizzgig.
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.
-Skeksis!
-I knew you would come.
Do not be afraid.
I am here to help you. Yes.
Come, we'll show them. Gelflings
live with Skeksis 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.
-Jen.
-Come. Yes.
-Let go!
-Now. Yes.
Gelfling, come.
No, Fizzgig.
You stay with Jen.
-Yes.
-Let go.
Let go! Let go of me! Jen!
I like those grey ones that go mushy
when you put them on your fork.
Chamberlain.
Chamberlain, get out.
Get out.
-Gelfling! Gelfling!
-Gelfling! Gelfling!
-Gelfling! Gelfling in the castle!
-Gelfling!
Come and look!
Such an ugly monster!
Awful. So awful.
Royal sire,
I bring you Gelfling.
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.
Yes. Essence of Gelfling.
Kira, fight them.
Fight them. Fight.
Jen?
Jen!
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!
No! No!
You've come too late, Gelfling.
The Great Conjunction is at hand.
Now the Skeksis will have power
over the stars!
When is the Conjunction?
Very soon, three suns touch.
Jen.
Go, Gelfling...
...I fear, to death.
Get down, Fizzgig.
Quiet.
Yes. Big help you've been.
Oh, no.
Now where am I?
Fizzgig!
Garthim.
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.
-Kira.
-Jen.
The Great Conjunction comes.
Now we will live forever.
We will live forever.
We will live forever.
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.
-Garthim!
-Garthim!
Garthim!
No!
The Shard!
The Shard is mine.
Let go, smelly hairball!
Fizzgig!
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 free.
-No.
-Yes! Just don't harm her.
No, Jen.
Heal the Crystal.
Kira.
Jen.
Kira.
-Gelfling, no!
-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.