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Don't be frightened, little Podling. Pretty, pretty Podling. We love pretty little Podlings. Sweet, pretty, fat little Podlings... and their essence.

SkekNa, [1]

SkekNa was the Skeksis' Slave Master, and counterpart to urNol the Herbalist.

Biography[]

SkekNa was one of the few Skeksis to show skepticism over the ascension of skekSo as Emperor, but kept his peace upon seeing skekShod beaten for his insubordination. Prior to skekVar's attack on the Makraks, skekNa expressed his concern over the presence of the urRu on the battlefield, but was immediately silenced.[2]

During much of the Age of Division, skekNa kept himself occupied gathering and supervising Podling and Gruenak slaves. However, he did not join his comrades in maintaining the illusion of Skeksis benevolence to the Gelfling, acting with a wanton cruelty which put the Alliance of the Crystal at risk. Shortly before the outbreak of the Gelfling resistance, skekNa's atrocities became so frequent that the Emperor ordered one of his hands cut off. This did not seem to phase the Slave Master, as he refused skekTek's offer to be fitted with a mechanical replacement, and later committed a further offence which cost him an eye.[3] He was not present in the Castle of the Crystal when the rejuvinating properties of Gelfling essence were discovered. After the collapse of the Alliance of the Crystal and the outbreak of the Gelfling resistance, skekZok proposed summoning skekNa to assist in the upcoming conflict.[4]

During the Garthim War, skekNa was no longer required to conceal his true nature and played a key role in rounding up and enslaving the Gelfling.[3] After the death of skekSo, skekNa joined skekTek in supporting skekUng the Garthim Master's bid for the throne against skekSil the Chamberlain. When skekUng won the dispute, he considered rewarding the Slave Master's loyalty by appointing him to the newly created post of Patriarch, though he would ultimately never see his promotion come to fruition, as he was merged with his urRu other after Jen healed the Crystal.[5]

He was revived a century later, with both his hand and eye restored, alongside his seven other comrades and urRu counterparts after the Fireling Thurma took a shard from the Crystal in a misguided quest to restore her homeland's dying Mother Sun. He briefly engaged the Lord Commander in a battle which was subsequently interrupted by Jen, who took control of the Garthim and had the Skeksis incarcerated.[6] After being released by the Crystalline Eminence, he reveled in his freedom by immediately draining any servant in the Castle too slow to escape him.[1] When Thurma returned with the Shard upon realizing the error of her ways, skekNa was once again merged with his urRu other after she healed the Crystal.[7]

Personality and traits[]

Slaves, raise the stone!"

SkekNa, [8]
SkekNa by Mac Smith

SkekNa the Slave Master

He was in charge of the Skeksis' slaves, and chose promising specimens for the Podling slave choir.[5] SkekNa was also responsible for supplying his fellow Skeksis with scraps of food between meals to appease their raving hunger.[9] He was distinguished by his eye patch and hooked artificial hand.[5]

In contrast to his comrades, skekNa never attempted to hide his evil nature.[9] His contempt for skekSo's Alliance of the Crystal continued throughout his career, and he did not care if his actions exposed the Skeksis for what they really were. His lust for carnage was so overpowering that he repeatedly ignored the Emperor's orders to moderate his behavior, even after receiving bodily mutilations as punishment.[3]

He considered the Gelfling to be worse than vermin[2] and had a sadistic sense of humor, mocking his victims with patronizing platitudes.[1] Nevertheless, he claimed to have an ear for music,[5] and shared skekShod's ambivalence towards skekSo's policies.[2]

Personal relationships[]

SkekUng[]

SkekNa & skekUng

SkekNa plotting with skekUng

SkekNa was the only Skeksis skekUng trusted fully, and the two became firm allies during and after skekUng's successful bid for the throne. So reliable was the Slave Master that skekUng planned to promote him to the rank of Patriarch, which would have placed him above both skekZok and skekSil in the Skeksis' hierarchy.[5]

Other Skeksis[]

In his youth, skekNa shared common ground with skekShod in doubting skekSo's ability to lead, considering him to be too arrogant.[2] SkekZok respected the Slave Master's abilities in combat,[4] while skekSil held a low opinion of him, considering skekNa lacking in both nobility and imagination.[5]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Spurrier, S. & Kennedy Johnson, P., The Power of the Dark Crystal, #8, Archaia, USA, October 2017
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 B. Froud, M. Dow Smith, A. Sheikman & L. John (2015). The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. III. Archaia. ISBN 978-1-60886-435-5.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cesare, A. & Compiet, I. (2020), The Dark Crystal Bestiary: The Definitive Guide to the Creatures of Thra, Insight Editions, p. 46, ISBN 1683838211
  4. 4.0 4.1 "The Crystal Calls" The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Netflix. August 30, 2019
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Smith, A. C. H., & Odell, D. (1982). The Dark Crystal. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. ISBN 0030624363
  6. Spurrier, S., The Power of the Dark Crystal, #3, Archaia, USA, May 2017
  7. Spurrier, S. & Kennedy Johnson, P., The Power of the Dark Crystal, #12, Archaia, USA, March 2018
  8. Henson, J. & Oz, F. (dir.); Henson, J., Kurtz, G. & Lazer, D. (prod.); Henson, J. & Odell, D. (writ.) (December 17, 1982). The Dark Crystal (Motion picture). New York City, NY: Jim Henson Productions.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Froud, B. & Llewellyn, J. J., (2003). The World of the Dark Crystal. Pavilion Books. ISBN 1-86205-624-2

External Links[]

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