#crystal bats

[tdc-incorrect-quotes]

Kira: Making my way through the swamp.

Kira: Walking fast.

[Garthim and Crystal Bats appear]

Kira: Walking faster.

[sifanjewel]

Why Jen & Kira really are the only two Gelfling left

Here’s another headcanon! Be warned, this is a long one, and it does contain slight spoilers from Tides of the Dark Crystal

Obviously, the Power/Beneath the Dark Crystal comics show that the Gelfling race thrives once again after the Crystal is healed, in the Age of Power, but I have my personal doubts that this is because clusters of Gelfling were able to come out of hiding and resettle across the land.

While there is that possibility, I’m certain that the Skeksis had gone to great lengths to make sure there were absolutely no Gelfling left alive; it was a prophecy, after all, that only the Gelfling would defeat them. Therefore, they would go absolutely mad with the desperation to kill every single Gelfling on the face of Thra, no matter what. This was ensured with the invention of the Crystal Bats. While the Garthim were incredibly lethal and dangerous monsters, it wasn’t outright impossible to hide from them, which is why the Skeksis created the Bats to serve as their scouts and spies, to search the land for any Gelfling attempting escape.

In a video on his youtube channel, Dreamfast With Me listed the clans that had the best chances at survival during the Garthim Wars: the Sifa (who could sail to distant lands across the Silver Sea), the Drenchen (who can breathe underwater), and the Dousan (whose terrain is difficult to cross with the ever-shifting sands). While he does make valid points, and I am still open to the possibilities, I’m positive that the Skeksis recognized these advantages and used the Crystal Bats as a way of making sure their efforts were pointless. 

Even though the Swamp of Sog is a rough area to navigate, the Garthim could still cross it to get to the Drenchen (it’s said that the Skeksis designed them in a way similar to that of sea creatures from their home planet, so we can’t rule out the possibility that they can breathe underwater and snatch them up even there). Plus, even if the Drenchen manage to escape to the sea (we know from Tides of the Dark Crystal that they can breathe in salt water as well as fresh), they are still under a serious threat, the same faced by the Sifa: the Mariner. SkekSa may be one independent, single Skeksis, but she is undeniably strong and can easily fight off a small group of Gelfling, not to mention her behemoth sea monster, Vassa, that can literally swallow entire ships (which we have also seen in Tides). Getting pointers from the other Skeksis with what they’ve seen through the Crystal Bats, she could track down any seafaring escapees and take them out. There’s also the matter of other ocean dangers; Vassa surely can’t be the only one of her kind, and especially if these creatures and other ocean predators are darkened, it’s easy to assume that any Drenchen, Sifa, and others who go with them, are totally screwed even if they manage to deter the Mariner.

I’m not sure about the Dousan, because the Crystal Desert is impossible for anyone to cross on foot (minus the Hunter who obviously knew the terrain well enough to reach Rek’yr). But again, with the Crystal Bats, and their unwavering motivation to keep the Prophecy from coming to fruition, the Skeksis will surely find a way to get to them.

I pointed this out under Dreamfast With Me’s video (obviously dramatically summarized lol), as he didn’t mention the Crystal Bats once, but someone replied to me saying that the Bats would only be able to cover so much ground; after all, regular bats can’t fly across the ocean and are nocturnal. That is a good point, but listen: if the Skeksis can build a gargantuan crab monstrosity out of two previously dead creatures with 10X the strength (or more) of said creatures, they can easily manipulate the DNA of another animal (say a hollerbat from the Caves of Grot) to surpass its previous form and be more powerful than ever, able to fly anywhere at any time.

Jen and Kira are the only Gelfling able to avoid the Crystal Bats, because Jen lived under the sanctuary of the Mystic’s hidden valley (though I really wonder why the Skeksis or their bats were never able to find that place), and Kira can easily spot them and take them out with a bola. She also wears green clothing that basically serves as camouflage and makes her difficult to see in the forest.

Again, I am not close-minded to the idea of refugee groups hidden away in various regions of Thra, far, far away from the Castle of the Crystal, but remember that the Skeksis are dead set on living forever (pun not intended) and keeping the land under their control. Knowing the Gelfling will eventually end their dominion, SkekSo above all will not stop until this is made impossible, and if that means committing complete and total genocide, he will see it done.

This is why I think it is possible that Jen and Kira really are the last of their kind, and it was the Crystal that helped them restore the Gelfling across Thra (after all, it was the very thing that created them in the first place).

[ben-the-hyena]

I also just read the power of the dark crystal and the funniest part for me was when the first thing SkekUng did after materializing was to attack SkekSil with bats what a petty gay legend. The other Skeksis are panicking and he just wants to kick his ex-boyfriends ass

AJDKZOZK SEEN LILE THAT YES

The Skeksis "OMG we are free ! We can take our revenge-"

SkekUng "ON THE CHAMBERLAIN ! IT'S HIS FAULT OBVIOUSLY !"

SkekSil "WHAT !? I DIDN'T LOCK US UP AND NOW WE ARE FREE !!!"

SkekUng "YOU BROUGHT THAT GELFLING AND HER BOYFRIEND CAME TP SAVE HER WITH HIS CRYSTAL SHARD AND THIS MADE THE URRU COME !"

SkekSil "I'm pretty sure the UrRu were on their way already anywa-"

SkekUng "ENOUGH ! YOU ARE BANISHED AGAIN !"

SkekSil "OK NOW THIS IS ABSURD AND HARRASSMENT" about to leave

SkekUng being emo and dramatic " CRYSTAL BATS ! ATTACK WHO I THOUGHT WAS WORTHY AGAIN" faint sniffle

SkekSil "WHAT THE F-"

[roomwiththewind]

No, I need more on the Crystal Bats. They don't appear to be MADE of crystal, so are they merely the Bats of the Crystal? Do they have little shards in them, too? That would probably overcomplicate the heroes' journey.

[salachenvko]

(Crystal Bats)

[purpleishcipher]

so my friend made a purple guy fanart and.veg

i guess now tumblr will see my real obsession over fnaf, especially over a certain purple fucker

> inspired by smollerei; fanart & persona by keltter

[vaporxghost]

crystal bats is an excellent 80s poplike band a friend had showed me and they fit perfectly with the 80s vibe i put out here. take some time to listen if you would!

[iheartmoosiq]

Crystal Bats takes us back in time with their luscious new tune, Killing Me, featuring smoky seductive chanteuse Whinnie Williams on guest vocals and co-writing duty. Its 90′s R&B, coruscant funk riffs, and plush 80′s synths are killing me alright.... killing me with pure luxuriant bliss. Killing Me is almost like a Fleetwood Mac and TLC collaboration, with a bit of a HAIM kick. You’ll want to slow groove the night away to this melting jam. Killing Me hits major retailers on August 4th.