Major spoilers ahead for Netflix's The Dark Crystal and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

By now, hopefully you've watched the new prequel series to The Dark Crystal. We have. A bunch of times. And we're borderline obsessed. So we've put together a character ranking that sums up just how useful (or deliciously deceitful) each of the characters was in these 10 episodes. Hopefully there are more coming in the near future, but this should suffice for starters.

We toyed with the idea of doing one big ranking from The Worst of the Worst (which would 100% be a Skeksis character at their best) to the Best of the Best (which may be a Podling, a Mystic, a Gelfling, or whatever the Thra Aughra is), but instead, we're going to do a few different rankings. So below you'll find a definitive ranking of the Skeksis, with the ones who left the least impression at the bottom/first and those who we loved to hate at the top/last. The same goes for the Good Guys, including the Gelfling and their allies throughout the tale. But we're saving a few gems for the Top 3, and anything goes here since all creatures of Thra (and beyond) deserve a chance to shape the destiny of the Dark Crystal. YMMV.

If you’d like to watch The Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and/or The Crystal Calls: Making ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’, be sure to click the relevant links.

And for more on all things Dark Crystal, check out our own write-ups below:

Gelflings and Good Guys

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Image via Netflix

Kylan - Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) - Who? Exactly. With so many Gelfling, it's hard to keep track of the more minor characters. Take, for example, this Spriton who once broke up a bar fight and later learned to wield a sword, kinda. Kylan was the first Gelfling outside Rian's trusted circle to dreamfast with the outcast, which led to rebellion against the Skeksis, so all due respect for that decision.

Naia - Hannah John-Kamen (Game of Thrones) - Drenchen warrior and Gurjin's sister, Naia at least has a little more agency than Kylan. She may have attempted to apprehend Rian as a wanted criminal, but Kylan's dreamfast with Rian, followed by her own, convinced her of his innocence. She also joined with Tavra to free Bold Gurjin before he could be drained of his essence. That earns a +1.

Baffi the Fizzgig - Dave Goelz (The Dark Crystal, voice & puppeteer) - We want more Fizzgigs in the future, that's a given. We also want more of this eyepatch-wearing fierce ball of fuzz that's always by the side of Maudra Fara. It's a combination of Baffi's mysterious war wounds and unflappably loyal nature that elevates the fearsome fluff a few positions.

Cadia - Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s Thirteen) - Though Cadia may not remember much anymore after a deceitful attempt to wipe Brea's memory backfired on the former Sifa elder, Izzard's performance is a memorable one. He doesn't do much to advance the plot, in fact Cadia actively acts against Brea's wishes to learn more about her Vapran ancestry and mythology, but without Cadia's guidance and hubris, we wouldn't have Onica.

Onica - Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) - Cadia's apprentice spent many years in the service of her elder but took advantage of a fortuitous event to take her rightful place as the Sifa clan's new elder. Onica's knowledge of the unamoth allowed the Vapran princess to discover answers to the questions she sought and to find a powerful ally in the stone giant, Lore. She also knocked her elder unconscious to save Brea, which is worth a few points.

Mira - Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider) We don't get to spend much time with Mira at all, sadly. What little we do see of her reveals a fierce fighter and a charismatic character that Rian is absolutely smitten with. In a heartbreaking turn, it's Mira's run-in with the Skeksis that gives the evil leaders their first taste of essence, after which nothing in Thra will ever be the same.

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Image via Netflix

Librarian - Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) Though we lose track of the Librarian relatively early on--at least until he shows up at the end of the series to announce the Vapra Clan's late arrival--his early encouragement of Brea's inquisitiveness is key to getting the story started. He does try to limit the princess's curiosity once she starts to delve into things he thinks are beyond her, it's a misguided attempt to protect her rather than simply silence her.

Ordon - Mark Strong (Kingsman) At first blush, Ordon is simply a scarred and battle-born hardass who exists only to make his son Rian's life regimented and miserable. Loyal to a fault, Ordon even believes the Skeksis' lies about his son and follows their orders to bring him in for the greater good. It's not until we see the Stonewood captain of the castle guard sacrifice himself in battle against The Hunter to save his son's life that we feel a bit more sympathy for him. We double down on that when it's revealed that Ordon was a hero of the Arathim war in the past and that he once wielded the Dual Glaive, an artifact that holds the key to the Gelfling's victory.

Rek'yr - Theo James (The Divergent Series) - Rek'yr makes the most of his limited screentime by not only giving the Gelfling rebels a one-way flight to the Circle of the Suns but also delivering some powerfully flirtatious vibes with Princess Brea. More please. We'd also like to know more about the Dousan Clan member and his past dealings with The Hunter...

Gurjin - Harris Dickinson (Maleficent 2) - Now we get into a group of Good Guys who made solid contributions to the fight against the Skeksis but were still relegated to the ranks of supporting characters. None exemplify this better than Gurjin, Rian's brother-in-arms. The Drenchen guard was the first to dreamfast with Rian to see the truth of the Skeksis' evil, sacrificing himself to allow Rian a chance to escape. Gurjin refused to give into Skeksis torture and survived to be freed by his sister Naia and the Vapran princess Tavra. Plus, he's the only one brave enough to hug an Arathim.

The Archer - Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (True Detective) - One of only two Mystics in all of the prequel series (so far), The Archer has few moments on screen, but they're important ones. An early bit of sage advice helps Aughra reorient herself with the heart of Thra while a battle scene a bit later has The Archer fending off The Hunter at the risk of his own life. It's his ultimate sacrifice that claims both his life and that of The Hunter that not only buys the Gelfling time, it also resurrects Aughra through the magic of Thra.

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Image via Netflix

All-Maudra Mayrin - Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech) - A classic leader blinded by her own power and allegiances, the reigning All-Maudra is more than happy to be in the thrall of the Skeksis ... until she isn't. The Gelfling ruler gets a lot of things wrong along the way. Ultimately, it's her willingness to stand up to The General and the Skeksis rule that helps to spark the revolution, even if her own flesh and blood don't necessarily follow suit.

Maudra Argot - Louise Gold (voice & puppeteer) - Another leader of the disparate Gelfling clans, this diminutive elder of the underground Grottans brings a lot of personality in a small package. She sends Deet on her quest aboveground and, surprisingly, reveals that she's been using one half of the legendary Dual Glaive as a cane for years. Those are just a few reasons why Maudra Argot's impact far outweighs her presence and her screentime.

Lore - I mean, who doesn't love a big, sentient stone giant who can act as both transport and defender? Brea's manner of awakening Lore had a strong impact on the way the Vapran princess saw the other Gelfling clans, but it also led her to The Heretic and The Wanderer, a necessary step on the path from resistance to outright rebellion.

Tavra - Caitriona Balfe (Outlander) - The middle child of the Vapran royalty, Tavra often comes between her super-serious sister Seladon and her childlike sister Brea, all while honoring their mother and Gelfling queen, the All-Maudra. That doesn't give Tavra a whole lot of wiggle room, but she does her best to support both of her sisters along the way since there's little relationship stronger in the series than that of the family bond. She did lead the captured Gelfling out of the Skeksis catacombs however and was the liaison between the Arathim Ascendancy and the Gelflings themselves. So while Tavra may relegated to Supporting Sister, her prowess as a warrior makes her much more than that. Unfortunately, we won't get to see any more of Tavra and her selfless ways because her clash with The General was too ambitious; The Chamberlain took advantage of the situation and dealt the princess a mortal blow. RTT (Return to Thra), Tavra.

Maudra Fara - Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) - One of the seven maudras--the matriarchs of the seven Gelfling clans--this tough-as-nails leader of the Stonewood clan has stones, indeed. She may have captured Rian with the aim of handing him over to the Skeksis early on, but Maudra Fara soon became a lightning rod for the resistance. She challenged Seladon for the crown of All-Maudra (and failed), rallied the Stonewood soldiers and remaining castle guards in an attempt to overthrow the Skeksis (and failed), and fought her hardest during the final battle (and fell to a blow meant for All-Maudra Seladon, which ended up killing Maudra Fara). She was pretty badass for her part in the story. I just wish she would have actually won a battle or two.

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The Heretic - Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine Nine) - What's this? A Skeksis among the good guys?! Yes, if you've been paying attention, one of the original Skeksis--paired with the Mystic known as The Wanderer Bill Hader (Barry)--attempted to course-correct the rest of his fellows but was cast out for doing so. Once an imposing warrior known as The Conqueror, The Heretic changed his ways and partnered up with The Wanderer in order to find a way to get the Shard of Division into the hands of Gelflings who would restore order and reform the crystal. Together, they not only pieced together the lore needed to give the Gelflings the story from Thra's vision--also literally piecing together Lore, the rocky robot guardian--they also guided them to the Shard hidden within the legendary Dual Glaive.

Seladon - Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Cloverfield Paradox) - The eldest sister of the Vapran princesses, Seladon has a tough job. She's constantly under pressure by the demands of the court and endlessly weathers criticism by her mother over every little thing. She's in line to be the next All-Maudra, after all. But even the death of her own mother at the hands of The General didn't shake Seladon's confidence in Skeksis rule. She went so far as willingly merging with the Ascendancy in order to forcibly recruit her fellow Gelflings to be drained by the Lords of the Crystal in order to fulfill their demand of "seven of the strongest" from each clan. It took the Skeksis literally strapping her to the essence-draining machine with Brea, as an Ascendant Tavra followed their orders like a zombie, to bring Seladon to her senses. It's too little, too late for both Tavra and Maudra Fara, who lay down their lives to save Seladon as the rightful All-Maudra, but at least she's still alive to lead the surviving Gelflings in the battle ahead. (Plus, Seladon gets bonus points for her Goth Gelfling phase, short-lived though it may have been.)

Rian - Taron Egerton (Kingsman) - Hard to argue against the traditional hero of the story being one of the best characters in this series. Rian is the classic heroic archetype here: He starts off a bit naive and Skeksis-may-care, but a heartbreaking loss and tragic series of betrayals force Rian to start his hero's journey from the bottom. Along the way, he makes allies from blue-collar Gelflings, members of forgotten clans, and high-class royalty, all with the single-minded goal of ending Skeksis rule. But the same thing that makes Rian a great hero is the same thing that holds him back from being the greatest character: He's constrained by that hero's journey. Other characters get to bend and flex a bit more within that framework, but in order to make the story work, the core needs to remain solid. That's Rian's job, and he does it remarkably well.

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Image via Netflix

Brea - Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) - As far as Gelfling go, Brea is a match for just about any of them. She may not be as talented a fighter as Maudra Fara, Tavra, or Rian, but she's as brave as any of them. She's more curious than your average Gelfling, dancing circles around supposed mentors like the Librarian and Cadia, with only Onica and the Maudras being more learned. And from curiosity comes cleverness, a necessary spark for uncovering corruption and building a resistance movement. It's because Brea asks the right questions and dares to follow through on the ones she's told not to investigate that she's able to pull back the veil that so many Gelfling are fooled by, willingly or otherwise. Brea follows many of the same steps on the hero's journey as Rian, but her choices are what separate her. She brings Lore to life by discerning that the seven Gelfling clans are equal, manages to reunite with her sisters in order to help unify the clans, and holds aloft the Shard of Division after a victorious battle to rally the survivors, knowing how important it is to their cause. Brea's full part to play in The Dark Crystal has yet to be revealed, but at the moment, she's one of the best.

Aughra - Donna Kimball - It's hard to beat Aughra. She's basically the Gandalf of this story, acting more like a surrogate author to help move the story along than an actual character within the narrative. She has a laundry list of pivotal moments in the series because, most of the time, she's literally moving from place to place and positioning characters like chess pieces in order to bring about a desired outcome. And this is the most active she's been in trines, having been woken up by the wailing of a dying Thra. Aughra is as much a creature of Thra as Thra is a part of her, as the planet itself created her simply to have someone to talk to. It's how Aughra was able to live so long, return from the dead, and walk into the Skeksis' castle like a boss with no misgivings. She's a wizard and will be treated as such.

Skeksis & Their Minions

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Image via Netflix

The Gruenak - These poor creatures. Previously the victims of a Skeksis-led genocide, the two remaining members of their race act as slaves for The Scientist and as foreshadowing for the future of the Gelfling. Their mouths sewn shut, the Gruenak help The Scientist to repair his essence-draining machines and by strapping victims to said device. Sure, they're doing awful things under the orders of even awfuller bosses, but they're also biding their time in the hopes of escape. The Chamberlain dangles that hope out in front of them in order to use them for his own ends, but it's The Scientist, left behind while his buddies are out doing battle, who murders both Gruenak for their attempt to escape: One gets tossed into the fiery core of Thra, the other gets bludgeoned to death. RTT (Return to Thra), poor souls.

Arathim - Though they once warred with the Gelfling and event spent some time terrorizing the smallfolk in this very series under the orders of the Skeksis, these sentient spider-like "SilkSpitters" also became necessary allies to the Gelfling. That makes them a little tough to pin down. But as far as Age of Resistance goes, they make better allies than enemies. Factor in the small spider-like/plant-like creatures known as CrystalSingers that take over Gelflings and patch them into the Ascendancy against their will (for a time) and these critters become pretty powerful and influential, depending on just who or what they ally themselves with at any given time. Expect some more Arathim lore to come, we hope!

Garthim - So why mention both the Gruenak and the Arathim? Because they combine in The Scientist's lair to form the Garthim, the massive beetle-like creatures responsible for eradicating the Gelfling population. Mindless and subservient, these manufactured horrors wreaked havoc in the original movie, destroying most of the sets seen on screen. So while we only get to glimpse one of these abominations in the prequel, it's scary enough on its own since we know what's to come.

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Image via Netflix

The Ritual Master - Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele) - Being honest, Key's voice was one of the very few that didn't work for me in Age of Resistance. It actively took me out of the story. And beyond that, what exactly did the Ritual Master do during this prequel? Sure, he appreciates a good "peeper beetle" torture as his favorite of the five ocular castigations, and yes, he created the new ritual around the untimely death of The Hunter, but most of his antics are relegated to the background.

The Ornamentalist - Alice Dinnean (voice & puppeteer) - Speaking of background, this most bejeweled of the Skeksis did little more than look "pretty" in the group of relatively more revolting fellows in the Castle of the Crystal. Along with her companion, The Scroll-Keeper - Neil Sterenberg (voice & puppeteer), this Skeksis didn't add much to the story other than some color commentary and the occasional one-liner. However, if they were just included to give acclaimed puppeteers and performers Dinnean and Sterenberg a little more screen-time, I'm very fine with that.

The Gourmand - Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy) - Look, Fierstein brings a particular charm to each and every character he plays. I never thought I wanted a Fierstein version of a Skeksis, but The Gourmand is exactly that, and it's delicious. A good thing, too. The Gourmand doesn't do much else in this series besides prepare the feasts (off-screen). Now the feasts themselves are impressive and grotesque, but The Gourmand's role is a minor one.

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Image via Netflix

The General - Benedict Wong (Avengers: Endgame) - Now we're getting to the Skeksis who actually had major parts to play in the story. Wong brings an imposing presence to her performance as The General, which has to be one of the biggest puppets in the production. The General offers brawn when more cerebral solutions fail or when the situation calls for it. So while slashing the All-Maudra, killing her in front of her daughter, wasn't the smartest move, who better than The General to lead a raid against the Gelfling and to enter into one-on-one combat against Rian in the Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood? But if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. The General got stabbed numerous times by numerous enemies over the course of the series, but it was his longtime nemesis The Chamberlain who dealt the final blow. The General became the first Skeksis to die in 900 trine.

The Collector - Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) - While The Collector may have had less of a part to play in the main plot than some of the others at the top of this list, Awkwafina's incredible performance as the whining, snotty, pustule-afflicted Skeksis is one of the show's best. The combination of the super-gross effects work, Awkwafina's acting, and the final moments that see The Collector absorbing Deet's Darkening energy and exploding into pieces makes this Skekesis one of the most memorable in the bunch.

The Scientist - Mark Hamill (Knightfall, Star Wars) - But here's where the Skeksis start to separate themselves from the pack. Hamill is a cartoon character at the best of times, and I mean that in the best possible way; he turns this dial up to 11 to bring The Scientist to life. Adding some fun and flavor to The Scientist is the vaguely scientific and occasionally medically accurate script that works in phrases and tech-speak to show how much smarter this character is than his cohorts. It could also be argued that this character is the worst of the bunch since his mad "science" not only turns the Skeksis onto the path of draining Thra's lifeforms for life-giving essence, it also births the horrific genocidal monsters, the Garthim. Even when The Scientist is left behind while the others go off to do glorious battle against the Gelfling, he still manages to be impossibly cruel by killing his two Gruenak servents in brutal fashion. He's about as nasty as they come and Hamill handles it remarkably well.

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Image via Netflix

The Hunter - Ralph Ineson (Game of Thrones) - Hands down my favorite design for a character in all of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance has to be The Hunter. The combination of bone armor, blood-red (or just blood) accents on his costume, and his stealthy, athletic form of movement gives The Hunter all the qualities of his title. I also love the way this character moves, whether he's scrambling up and down trees and across limbs like a lizard (in hyper-smooth CG) or unfurling multiple swords to do battle against Rian and Ordon. The Hunter is a bit removed from the pack of castle-dwelling Skeksis and is only called in for The Chamberlain's machinations, but I also dig that aspect of the character, that of a lone (if sadistic) hunter. Unfortunately, the time we got spend with him was too short since The Archer's own sacrifice also took out The Hunter due to the creatures' dual nature as one being split between two bodies.

The Emperor - Jason Isaacs (The OA) - Hail to the king, baby. Fans of the original movie well know that we only get a few brief moments with The Emperor before the decrepit old crone turns to dust. So if the only thing to come out of Age of Resistance is a glorious 10ish hours spent with Isaacs as the leader of the Skeksis, that was money well spent. Isaacs manages to make The Emperor both menacing and manipulative while also somehow getting us to feel the slightest bit of empathy for the villain. Like any leader worth their essence, The Emperor is not above doing anything and everything he can to maintain his own position but also that of Skeksis superiority above Mystics, Gelfling, and especially Podlings. If that means tapping into the powerful magicks of Thra at the risk of expediting his own decay, so be it. So while the buck ultimately stops with The Emperor when it comes to all the atrocities carried out in his name, you've got to at least respect someone who will literally put his body on the line to protect his own.

Top 3 Overall

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Image via Netflix

Hup the Podling Paladin - Victor Yerrid (voice & puppeteer) - Oh, did you think I forgot some characters? That's because the best of the best are represented here: One Podling, One Skeksis, One Gelfling. If you aren't 100% on board with Hup the Poding Paladin, then I honestly don't know how you made it this far into the article. Hup is one of the gems of AoR. He's surprisingly endearing for a fuzzy-haired hand-puppet with a penchant for wielding wooden spoons. But he's also surprisingly valiant, a rarity in Thra.

We may not be able to understand him all the time, but phrases like "Podling justista!" are easy enough to grasp. Hup's actions prove out over his words anyway. He's always the first into the fray, especially when it comes to defending Deet (who's saved Hup's life on more than one occasion as well). Hup is the only thing purer than the Deterge and we can't wait to see more of his adventures as soon as he's mended and ready to mingle.

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Image via Netflix

The Chamberlain - Simon Pegg (Mission Impossible) - Pegg somehow managed to channel Frank Oz's original performance for this seedy character from the film while adding his own spin to things. (The Chamberlain also comes close to having a catchphrase of sorts and is the only character to do so.) He's got his fingers in every pie and expertly knows how and when to stir every pot. He's this world's version of Varys the Spider mixed with Littlefinger, or any unsavory yet eternally electable politician that you happen to despise. And he's essential to the story even as he ultimately brings about his own end as a Skeksis.

Without The Chamberlain, much of the action in the plot never would have kicked off; he's a master manipulator but also a worthwhile plot-starter. He plays Skeksis and Gelfling (and Gruenak) equally well, feigning ignorance, or injury, or submission, or strength as the situation demands. He's a chameleon. So while the original movie shows how duplicitous and "diplomatic" The Chamberlain can be when he's at his lowest (having been cast out from the castle), the series lets us see him at or near his height of power. Nothing sticks to The Chamberlain; he's able to pass the blame onto just about any of his fellow Skeksis or underlings with a turn of phrase or a properly timed show of flattery or "honesty." He's a fantastic character to watch; both the writing for The Chamberlain and Pegg's performance for the role are second only to one.

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Image via Netflix

Deet - Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones) - I had no idea that Emmanuel was going to be such a good voice actor. I also never expected to be so emotionally invested in such a cute little cave-dwelling Gelfling with a brother and two fathers. But Deet is part of the family now and, by extension, so is Emmanuel's performance in the role.

Deet is far from the biggest or the strongest, not so much bigger or stronger than even Hup the Podling. But her endearing nature, unfailing optimism, and innate sweetness make her an absolutely delightful character ... which also makes what happens to her all the more heart-breaking. Deet embarked on a hero's journey of her own, starting out in the forgotten underground caves of the Grottan clan as a sort of shepherd for giant grazing worms called Nurlocs. But the Darkening was already encroaching on the surface world. Deet found herself threatened by it and simultaneously tasked with traveling above-ground to warn the surface-dwellers about it, along with a bit of vision-craft thanks to the Sanctuary Tree. It would be the first time she experienced such sight but definitely not the last.

Over the course of the series, as Deet made friends and allies just about everywhere she went despite the prejudice of most Gelflings across Thra, snippets of her vision comes true. The last and cruelest truth that is revealed to Deet come courtesy of the dying Sanctuary Tree which gifts her its remaining power, whether as blessing or a curse, it doesn't know. With this power, Deet is able to harness the Darkening wave conjured by The Emperor and turn it back upon the Skeksis, killing The Collector. Though the Skeksis flee and the Gelfling are temporarily saved, Deet is now corrupted by the Darkening. She seeks a similar sort of isolation to the one she originally came from, though Rian and Deet's other friends and allies likely won't rest until they can find a cure.

Deet's sacrifice for the greater good is the most heroic thing to take place in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. But this is just the story so far. Could another character rise to take Deet's place as the best character in the series? Stay tuned!

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