Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: The series gets darker with “The First Thing I Remember Is Fire”
The fourth episode of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance takes a dark turn, with the Skeksis making decisions that speed up the Darkening.
The plot of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is undoubtedly wrapped up in corrupt politics that could easily be compared to real-world tensions between the haves and have-nots. But the fourth episode of the series takes it to an increasingly dark place, emphasizing how quickly and carelessly the seeds of genocide can be planted just from the ideals of a few.
And those few members of the Skeksis are so obsessed with the power of the Crystal that they’re willing to sacrifice countless Gelfling lives to maintain their hold over the object’s essence. Even with some of their own objecting, the higher-ranking Skeksis lords — including the Emperor himself — decide to feed as many Gelfling to the Crystal as they need to in order to remain immortal. It’s a chilling moment, and it’s bound to lead to devastation as the series moves forward.
Brea remains the light in the darkness as she continues her attempts to find the origin of the symbol she saw in her vision. And during “The First Thing I Remember Is Fire,” her search leads her to another revelation: that the Gelfling aren’t powerful divided. In fact, their division could be the cause of so many of their problems.
And the Gelfling actually do take a small step toward bridging their divides after dreamfasting with Rian and discovering that he’s been telling the truth about the Skeksis. Of course, only a small group knows this — including Brea’s sister, Tavra, and a couple of guards from Fara Maudra’s contingent. Still, they agree to work together against the Skeksis lords, which is certainly a start.
Rian’s father also finally joins in and accepts his son’s truth, though the joy of it is shortlived. Sadly, despite his newfound innocence, even Rian can’t escape the pursuit of The Hunter, the powerful Skeksis who has been sent to drag him back to the other Skeksis lords. It costs Rian’s father’s life for the young Gelfling to get away from the trained warrior, a sad loss, especially when you consider how much the Skeksis have taken from Rian already.
“The First Thing I Remember Is Fire” offers viewers their first true taste of the darkness that’s to come during Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, but it also ignites the sparks of hope. After all, if some of the Gelfling are starting to come around, surely others can too.
Next. Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: Episode 3 review. dark