The Skeksis are a fictional species that serves as the main antagonists in the 1982 film The Dark Crystal and its related franchise. The word "Skeksis" serves as both singular and plural form for this species, with the singular being pronounced and the plural . They are described by concept artist Brian Froud as "part reptile, part predatory bird, part dragon". The Skeksis are represented by puppets engineered under the direction of Jim Henson. Henson said that in the development of the Skeksis, the creators drew inspiration from the seven deadly sins.
Concept and creation Jim Henson was inspired to design the Skeksis by an illustrated edition of a Lewis Carroll poem showing two elegantly dressed crocodiles in a bathroom. He became intrigued with the idea of a reptilian race assuming control over a formerly splendid past society, and developed the Skeksis with the concept that they represented the darker side of human nature. Numerous names were proposed for the species, including Skekses, Reptus, Karackt and Skek-sis. Henson himself commented on the difficulty of performing as a Skeksis:
There were days I could work 'inside' my Skeksis character, the High Priest (Ritual-Master), without noticing the weight. But if I was feeling the least bit tired or run down, it was as if a building had caved in on me. Conceptual designer Brian Froud designed the Skeksis as looking like "part reptile, part predatory bird, [and] part dragon," with a "penetrating stare." The design of the Skeksis' robes was supervised by British artist and painter Sarah Bradpiece. The robes were fabricated with expensive materials (silks, furs, velvet, etc.) and exotic feathers, and decorated in jewels made from melted toy soldiers; skekTek the Scientist's bionic eye was made from a die-cast TIE fighter model's cockpit. To give the Skeksis their grubby appearance, the robes were then ripped and stained with fake dirt and paint. According to Froud, the robes were meant to reflect the Skeksis' unique personalities and functions within the castle. Skekse was originally the singular form of Skeksis in the script.
Performance Each Skeksis puppet was controlled in the original film by as many as six puppeteers. The main puppeteer, wearing a heavy, robe-covered costume with a puppet head, would be assisted by a second performer operating the creature's right hand from inside the costume, and a team of four technicians in charge of its facial features. For wide shots of the Skeksis walking or running, actors of short stature were sometimes used as doubles. skekSil the Chamberlain's puppet, operated primarily by Frank Oz, was built with over 20 mechanical components. Similar to Big Bird of Sesame Street, the lead puppeteer inside the Skeksis costume would wear a television monitor around their waist to gain a better sense of vision. The Skeksis hands were operated using a handheld trigger device that controlled the flexible rods serving as its fingers. For Age of Resistance, the technical crew devised simpler ways to puppeteer the creatures, including the Skeksis. For wide shots of the Chamberlain, for example, his head was placed on a mechanical neck. This reduced the need for several performers and allowed the numerous animatronics in his head to be controlled from offscreen.
Characteristics
Appearance The Skeksis are tall bipeds, possessing both avian and reptilian features. They dress in elaborate (but threadbare) garments and robes of lace, velvet, and brocade to conceal their frail, rotting bodies while also appearing large and more intimidating. Their heads are beaked and vulturine in form, while also sporting sharp teeth (some Skeksis have more or less teeth than others). Their gluttony gives them enlarged bellies, and they have long, lizard-like tails, as well as curved quills on their backs. Despite possessing four arms, like their urRu counterparts, the Skeksis have only one functional pair as the other has become vestigial. This second pair of arms were, initially, wing-like before eventually withering and atrophying; however, skekMal is one of the few Skeksis to utilize these extra arms in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Despite their frail appearance, Skeksis are physically powerful, as skekUng mustered his strength to cut through solid stone during the 'Trial by Stone' duel, while a provoked skekSil single-handedly slammed pilaster rock onto protagonist Jen.
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