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Villain Overview

SkekZok the Ritual-Master was thought to hold all control of the life of the court in his own hands. He had the ear of the emperor, whose wishes were absolute; none could hope for success except through SkekZok. The other Skeksis he sought to control through the prophecies he invented, the false apparitions he conjured. Too late he found that the Emperor raised favorites only to enjoy the pleasure of their fall, caring for them not at all; and that the other Skeksis all practiced their own secret divinations, which they trusted above his.
~ The World of the Dark Crystal

SkekZok is a major antagonist in The Dark Crystal franchise. He is the Skeksis Ritual Master and his Mystic counterpart is UrZah the Ritual Guardian. He leads the Skeksis in their daily rituals of drawing power from the Dark Crystal, enforces Skeksis law and serves as the Emperor's advisor.

In the film, he was performed by the late Jim Henson, with the late Jerry Nelson providing his voice, both of whom also respectively performed and voiced SkekSo in the same film. In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, he was performed by Victor Yerrid, with Keegan-Michael Key providing his voice, the latter of whom also portrayed Pupa in Let's Be Cops, Alpha Wolf in Storks, Kamari in the live-action The Lion King remake, Gustafson in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Bjornson the Cheesemonger in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Honest John in the live-action Pinocchio remake, Wendell in Wendell & Wild and the Chief-of-Police in Wonka.

Appearance[]

SkekZok is notably the tallest of the Skeksis, with "a skull-like head and pale blue hypnotic eyes". SkekZok wears an elaborate golden robe with a large collar and a pellegrina cloak; his regalia is all adorned with golden crescent ornaments and a red interior. He is mostly seen donning a large hook-like horn-shaped hat with an ornate base.

Personality[]

SkekZok has a proud and pompous demeanor, and is the most zealous of the Skeksis, viewing their laws and rules as absolute and immutable. His status among the Skeksis was gained through lies and invented prophecies. Like SkekOk, he behaved much more diplomatically than other Skeksis like SkekVar or SkekLach when in the presence of Gelfling allies, disapproving of his less cultured comrade's disregard for etiquette. Enamored with pomp and ceremony, he sees any event favorable to the Skeksis as an opportunity to invent a new ritual.

He is equally enthusiastic in dispensing punishments, boasting that he had a knife reserved for the sole purpose of skinning SkekTek alive and taunting him when he was subjected to the Peeper beetle. After tasting Gelfling essence, he became much less guarded when a new batch was imminent, uncharacteristically licking his lips in full view of his unsuspecting victims.

After the death of SkekSo, SkekZok becomes less jovial and more single minded in his quest to exterminate the Gelfling, demanding their immediate extermination rather than harvesting them for their essence. He resents being made subordinate to the new emperor SkekUng, and takes every opportunity to tacitly question his authority.

Biography[]

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance[]

When the Dark Crystal failed to emit its rejuvenating energies, SkekZok was the one particularly fearful of this nonperformance, going so far as to say they would all die if nothing was done to fix this. He attended SkekTek's demonstration of the use of Gelfling essence to restore the Skeksis' youth, and is the first to notice Rian, who had witnessed the grim deed.

SkekZok later took the lead of preparing the Scientist's apparent punishment after believing SkekTek to be responsible for letting Rian to escape with the essence vial. Appreciating SkekSil's suggestion of using a Peeper beetle as a castigation, he escorted SkekTek out and, after performing the ritual preceding the punishment itself, assured the Scientist that his pain would last for a brief time.

The Dark Crystal[]

After witnessing SkekSo dying and having to lead the funeral, SkekZok becomes the advisor of the Garthim-Master and General SkekUng following the latter's ascension as Emperor when he wins the Trial by Stone. The Ritual Master has SkekSil banished from the Castle of the Crystal due to losing the challenge, and is among the Skeksis who are mortified of Jen's (a surviving Gelfling) presence. SkekZok later sends out the Crystal Bats when the Garthim fail to capture the Gelfling.

When Kira is captured by the Chamberlain, the Ritual Master advocates in killing her, as they have sworn to kill all Gelflings on account of the Prophecy. To his consternation, the General-Emperor instead heeds the advice of the Scientist, that they should drain Kira's life essence first. However, he promises him they would kill her after.

Later, during the ceremony of the Great Conjunction, Kira (who has escaped the Scientist) and her fellow Gelfling Jen appear. When Kira picks up the dropped shard and throws it to Jen, it is the High Priest who stabs her in the back with a dagger, killing her. Shortly afterward, when the Skeksis and Mystics recombine, the High Priest joins with the Ritual Guardian to form the UrSkek ZokZah.

Quotes[]

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance[]

SkekVar: The Emperor will skin the Scientist alive if this fails.
SkekZok: I have just the knife for such an occasion.
~ SkekZok to SkekVar.

The Dark Crystal[]

Now! By the law, he must pay!
~ SkekZok declaring SkekSil's loss from Trial by Stone.
Kill her! We are sworn to kill all Gelfling!
~ SkekZok suggesting to kill Kira.
SkekTek: But sire, you could drink her essence.
SkekZok: Because of the prophecy, we must kill the Gelfling!
SkekUng: No! First we take her essence, then kill!
~ SkekZok suggesting his proposition again, only for SkekUng to agree to SkekTek's instead first.

Trivia[]

  • The novelization depicts SkekZok as being power hungry and constantly plotting to overthrow SkekUng after the latter became emperor. This is in direct contradiction to the film wherein SkekZok seems uninterested in taking the throne for himself, and allies himself with SkekUng early (despite SkekUng's refusal to heed his advice).
  • According to pre-production notes from the film, the Ritual Master was influenced by Rasputin, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Bishop Sheen and Eric von Stroheim, and of having robes and relics evocative of those seen in the 1944 Soviet film Ivan the Terrible and the 19th century Russian opera Boris Godunov.
  • In the Marvel Comics adaptation, SkekZok's hat is incorrectly drawn as being part of his head.

External Links[]

Navigation[]

           The Dark Crystal Logo Villains

Skeksis
SkekSo | SkekUng | SkekSil | SkekZok | SkekTek | SkekAyuk | SkekNa | SkekShod | SkekOk | SkekEkt | SkekMal | SkekVar | SkekLach | SkekLi | SkekHak

Gelfling
Tolyn | Seladon | Crystalline Eminence

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Oscar the Grouch | Lefty the Salesman | Bad Barney | Bad Bart | Sinister Sam | Mean Manny | Frazzle | Wicked Witch of the West | The Evil Prime Minister | Big Bad Wolf | Manny (Agent) | Miss Finch | Sam and Sid Sleaze | Ronald Grump | Zaftig | Underlings | Fairy Godperson | Groana Lisa | Professor Albert Einslime | Don Doola | Richard Belzer | Sparky | Huxley | Bill the Bug | Pesties | Humongous Chicken | Elmo's Stepmother | The Surprise Monsters | Donald Grump | Fairy Shoeperson | A. B. C-more | Nikola Messla | Chewie the Cookie | Museum Guard | Irwin | Davy Jones | Darth Baker | Bon Bon | Crumbies | Cookiesaurus | Macaroni the Merciless | Zester and Shredder

Creature Shop
Skeksis (SkekSo, SkekZok, SkekUng, SkekSil, SkekTek, SkekAyuk, SkekNa, SkekShod, SkekOk, SkekEkt, SkekMal, SkekVar, & SkekLach) | Tolyn | Seladon | Gruenaks | Darkened Creatures | Crystalline Eminence | Jareth | Goblin Army | Witches (Grand High Witch, Susan Irvine, Nicola Cuttle, Pamela, Lois Leffour, Mildred, Elizabeth, Henrietta, Jacqueline & Beatrice) | WESAYSO Corporation (B.P. Richfield, Mr. Ashland, Winston & Elliot)

Commercials
Wilkins | Mr. Wilkins | Wheel-Stealer | Flute-Snatcher | Crown-Grabber

The Happytime Murders
Jenny Peterson | Sandra Jakoby

Miscellaneous
Smoke | Bjornson the Cheesemonger

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