‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ Recap – ‘A Single Piece Was Lost’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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It is quite rare in this era of peak television to settle in and enjoy a truly flawless season finale. Because with so many shows out there competing for our attention, one is often treated to quite the wild variety of finales when all is said and done. For some finales are all using about gimmicks and odd surprises in order to catch our eye, while some worry more about setting up their next season, all in the hopes of keeping us hooked upon their story. But the shows that know what they’re doing and know how to properly tell a story are the ones that provide us with the perfect balance of story and surprise and resolution when the season comes to a close, and it just so happens that the season one finale of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance executed those particular elements in flawless fashion.  
 
For ‘A Single Piece Was Lost’ delivered everything the audience has been waiting for and more. Because this particular tale managed to provide its fans with one thrilling and exciting fight between the Gelflings and the Skeksis, something that’s been brewing and building for quite some now, and watching Rian lead his people into battle was simply magnificent and satisfying. Because seeing the Skeksis be put in their place was long overdue, as was seeing the clans unite and put their prejudice behind one another and I know I’m not the only one who shouted with glee at the screen when the rest of the clans arrived to support Rian and the cause. But while the fight was epic in its own right, what truly made it so powerful and so memorable, is the sheer fact that it pulled at our heartstrings since it was a costly battle for certain.
 
Because heroes died in this tale, honorably of course, but that didn’t make the departure of Maudra Fara any less moving since her sacrifice in combat demonstrated how much she believed in the cause for freedom and we also saw a brave Mystic say farewell in this tale as well. For the Archer came to realize that the only way to save Rian from the Hunter, was to sacrifice himself since the two halves could not survive without the other present somewhere on Thra and ironically, we felt other emotions outside of sadness, when it comes to some of the characters that passed on in this tale. Because there’s always a sense of satisfaction present when the bad guys get their just desserts and watching the General be dispatched in this story alongside the Hunter and the Collector somehow felt right, since the Skeksis finally got what was coming to them, and now all of Thra knows that the Crystal Lords can perish.
 
Yet while the fight was the focal point of this finale, and offered up resolution and surprise, the setup for the future is something that I also found equally as intriguing in this tale. Because a lot of important moments in regard to the movie were featured in this story since we saw our first glimpse of the missing shard that will eventually make the Crystal whole again, and the birth of the Garthim came to fruition here as well, in the most tragic way imaginable. But what matters a little more in this story, is that it worked hard to set the stage for a second season. For Deet is now in a strange place with the power of the Darkening surging through her veins and her path remains unknown at this point, and there is a genuine danger surrounding the Gelflings now that the Skeksis have their super soldier and well, perhaps the greatest wonder when it comes to this finale, is that it leaves you hungry for more.
 
Because you’re dying to know if Hup will be quickly reunited with his friends, and how Deet is going to handle this change to her life and her future and of course, you also cannot help but wonder how ugly things are going to get for the newly hopeful Gelflings, since we know their story ends in tragedy. Which means at this point, all we can do is wait and hope for a second season announcement from Netflix and I really hope they grant this saga another year or two. Because this is just a magnificent prequel, one that is truly fleshing out the fascinating world that The Dark Crystal introduced to us so long ago, and it is also a technical marvel that will hopefully revitalize stories that feature puppetry since that is in fact, a lost art. But more importantly, this is a powerful story that genuinely needs to reach its logical conclusion, so that we can properly appreciate the tragedy and the wonder of this powerful saga. Until next time.

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