“The Dark Crystal” universe emerged in 1982 along with many fans, yet this addition introduces the wonder to a whole new generation.

“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” is a prequel to the cult classic “The Dark Crystal.” The Henson Company, which created the movies, yielded some of the most memorable films and franchises, such as: “Labyrinth,” “Fraggle Rock” and “The Muppets.” The show on Netflix is an official prequel made entirely of puppets and a dash of animation, which was the right choice.

From the original movie Thra—the dark crystals world has been populated with age-old art of puppetry and in a world of animation that is hard to find these days. The puppets brought a whole new weight to the show; they almost seemed real, like viewers could reach out and touch them. The physical aspect of the puppets brought the show to life with the detail and craftsmanship a world like this needs. Puppets were everywhere, from the main characters to every little creature of Thra. Although, the best part of the show is new generations don’t need to see the original film to jump in and explore this magical world.

The original movie “The Dark Crystal” featured two Gelfling, the Gelflings are small elf childlike creatures with big eyes and are gifted with unique features and abilities. The Gelflings, Jen and Kira set off on their fantastic adventure to heal the crystal of truth and save Thra. The movie leaves a lot of very large questions unanswered, yet this brilliant prequal is here to mend the unfinished business of the past. 

The show depicts the rebellion of the Gelfling clans against the protectors of the crystal the Skeksis. The Skeksis allowed the heart of Thra to crack and now a sickness spreads across the Gelflings world. Gelfling messengers from the seven clans come together to restore the heart of Thra. One of the main protagonist, Rian, of the Stonewood Gelfling and other main characters seek to end the sickness and take back Thra from evil claws of the Skeksis.

The visuals of the show are enamoring; the beauty and the creation of new creatures brings this fantasy to a new level. The creation and set of the music to each scene is perfectly conducted. The rustic and earthy music sounds like it came from a simpler world. The action, adventure and friendship along the journey lets viewers fall into the world of curiosity. 

The prequel still honors the same details of how the original movie and books depicted the world. From the way the Gelfling looked to the attitudes of Thra’s residence, like the podlings everything was authentic. Falling into the world of the dark crystal is vast and mysterious and makes this one series viewers won’t forget. 

This prequel rates a five out of five stars.