Archetypal Themes In The Movie, The Dark Crystal

Though it may seem like just a children’s movie, The Dark Crystal possesses many fundamental events and themes that are present in an archetypal story. Right from the start, we see the appearance of duality. The fictional society was created from the splitting of a crystal which created two races: one good, the UrRu (Mystics) and one bad, the Skeksis. When the crystal was united, they were of one race: the urSkeks. This concept of good and bad is a representation of people; we all have our good times and our bad.
The film is almost a perfect representation of the hero cycle. The story centers on Jen, a Gelfling; supposedly the last remaining member of his species. Jen’s family was killed because there was a prophecy saying that a Gelfling will end the rule of the Skeksis. Though his physical birth was his introduction to the world, Jen’s real birth is represented when it was established that he had to be the one to fulfill the prophecy. Again, duality is represented here with Jen’s birth coinciding with the other Gelflings’ deaths.

Throughout the movie, the scenes change between Jen and the Skeksis. The scene changes gives viewers a glimpse into the shoes of the antagonists, which doesn’t frequently appear in films.
Additionally, the dual points of view allows the viewer see the presence of the hero cycle in Jen’s story as well as aspects of the hero cycle through Chamberlain (a Skeksis) as well. The dual point of view juxtaposes the story lines and events in the characters’ lives as well as amplifies the presence of duality in the film. For example, Jen and Chamberlain’s “call to adventures” are very similar. Jen’s mission to unite the crystal is kick-started by the death of his mentor UrSu. The death of the Skeksis’ emperor causes Chamberlain to be exiled from his tribe which begins his journey