Skeksis

The **Skeksis** are an ancient race and the main antagonists of *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance*.

They wish to cheat death and gain immortality and they absorbed the power of the Crystal to replenish themselves.

## History

Once known as the urSkeks, the Skeksis came to be when they were ultimately split between the Skeksis and the Mystics when the urSkeks attempted to cleanse their soul with the Crystal of Truth, but created the two separate entities instead. Where the Mystics were peaceful, good, and wise, the Skeksis were cruel, selfish and evil. They were originally eighteen, but two of the Skeksis were killed and the Crystal was cracked by one of the Skeksis, who caused a shard to fall off.

The Skeksis rejected the Mystics and did not desire to rejoin their counterparts and refused to listen to Aughra. While the Mystics his themselves away until they were needed again, the Skeksis remained in the castle. After bewitching Aughra with tales of the Stars, they befriended her and built her and observatory so she could explore the cosmos for herself. Tricking Mother Aughra, she entered the Skeksis in charge of the Crystal. However, the Skeksis began ruling over Thra and began extracting power from the Crystal when the three Suns headed over it and beamed into the Skeksis eyes so they may replenish themselves and cheat death over and over again.

When SkekGra and his Mystic counterpart UrGoh saw visions of them being one day reunited, the duo tried to convince skekAyuk and the other Skeksis and Mystics but they refused to listen. They went to live in the Crystal Desert as outcasts.

During their reign, the Skeksis were led by an Emperor, SkekSo, whose reign was initially a benevolent one, allowing Gelfling to join the Guard and throwing lavishing parties for Gelfling who were visiting the Castle. Ultimately, their darkness had gotten worse as they aged. They began posing as the benevolent rulers of Thra, they lied to the races of Thra and kept their true personas hidden from the public. At the beginning of the Age of Division, SkekSo established the Alliance of the Crystal with the Gelfling, offering them their protection. However, in fear that the Gelfling would rise up against them one day, the Skeksis began to scheme how to keep the Gelfling divided and prevent them from discovering their strength of overcoming the Skeksis if they ever united. They split the seven Gelfling Clans and made the Vapra Clan rule over the other six clans. They attempted to make the Arathim Ascendancy loyal followers as well but when they refused, SkekSo forced them out of the caves of Grot and gave it to the Gelflings, whom the Skeksis saw as more obedient subjects.

Soon, the Skeksis' experiments on the Crystal would lead to the unleashing of the Darkening, causing the world of Thra dying due to them stealing life from the Crystal. The further the experiment, the furthered the Darkening spread

Eventually, the Gelfling learned of the Skeksis' treachery through one of their own. The young Gelfling, Rian, saw them drain his girlfriend Mira of her essence. With Princess Brea of the Vapra Clan and Deethra of the Grottan Clan, they united all the seven clans against the Skeksis, who lost their first conflict However, hope was not lost for the Skeksis, as SkekTek the Scientist created the Garthim for their war. When SkekSo heard of a prophecy that one day, a Gelfling would end the Skeksis' rule, leading the Skeksis' to have the Gelfling exterminated with the Garthim. Two Gelfling, Jen and Kira were the ultimate survivors.

They continued ruling Thra with an iron fist until they were defeated when Jen healed the Dark Crystal and restored the Skeksis with their Mystic counterparts, becoming the UrSkeks once again.

## Personality

While posing as benevolent rulers to the Gelflings, the Skeksis were in truth where cruel, selfish and evil. They hated everything and everyone, including themselves. They were considered rude with no etiquette, such as having horrible table manners, letting most of their food to fall on the ground or leave their placemats a mess. However, two of the Skeksis, SkekEkt and SkekZok appeared to have table manners.
They were also very cruel and sadistic, taking pleasure in the misery of other Gelfling when they were drained and when they mercilessly attacked Seladon.

## Appearance

The Skeksis were reptilian-like birds with scaly bodies, beak like jaws and hooded eyes. Their appearance was similar to that of their good halves, the Mystics, having four arms and a tail like them.

When the Skeksis first appeared, they were brightly colored and beautiful creatures, with four arms, and wings. However, their second pair of arms withered and atrophied and their bodies decayed.

Unlike the Mystics, who evaporated after they died, the Skeksis would crumble to dust.

They were highly thanatophobic and, according to Aughra, Thra would reject them once they died, becoming obsessed with prolonging their lives.

## Culture

The Skeksis valued power above all else, considering enlightenment as ridiculous and that power is dominating others. They also wore nothing but metallic crests. While their bodies were rotting away, they used more robes to make themselves look more intimidating. Because of their fear of death and prolonging it, it was revealed by SkekZok, there are no rites for the dead, as no Skeksis had died since the Great Division.

The murder of another Skeksis was considered inconceivable and against their customs, but it was only to instill their illusion of immortality.

## Members

* skekAyuk/The Gourmand
* skekEkt/The Ornamentalist
* skekGra/The Heretic (formerly skekGra the Hunter)
* skekHak †
* skekLach/The Collector
* skekLi/The Satirist
* skekMal/The Hunter
* skekNa/The Slave Master
* skekOk/The Scroll Keeper
* skekSa/The Mariner
* skekShod/The Treasurer
* skekSil/The Chamberlain
* skekSo/The Emperor †
* skekTek/The Scientist †
* SkekUng/The Garthim Master/General/Emperor
* skekVar/The Ambassador/General
* skekYi †
* skekZok/The Ritual Master