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A show being labeled “the next Game of Thrones” is pretty much a running joke at this point. Networks are desperate for anything with swords, shields, and sorcery to fill the hole left by HBO’s epic, which was capped off by Game of Thrones season 8 earlier this year. Netflix’s new release, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, however, may do just that.
Filled with magic, an unparalleled sense of wonder, and a rich, vibrant world for the colourful cast of characters to inhabit, the prequel series is uniquely positioned as the original movie, Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal, came out some decades before Game of Thrones, in the ‘80s. Still, the similarities remain.
Right from the first episode, the nefarious vulture-like Skeksis’s visit to the Vapran homeland carries eerie similarities to the Lannisters turning up at Winterfell in the Game of Thrones pilot. Comparisons are bound to be drawn, especially as the story spirals out into a familiar tale of backstabbing, betrayal, and royal politicking.
Sitting down with Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays Deet in Age of Resistance but is best known for portraying Missandei in Game of Thrones, I asked how the two shows compare.
“Obviously, it’s got that social-political thing going on,” Emmanuel explains. “Groups of clans and families and traditions and what have you. Power struggles. Yeah, you can absolutely see the similarities there. And the fantasy elements of creatures that don’t exist in the real world that we know anyway – or as far as we know! That definitely comes through.”
Emmanuel also refers to the sheer amount of “badass women” present in both shows. No spoilers here, but they get to shine just as much, if not more so, than their Westerosi counterparts.
While the two shows share some aspects, those who have already binged Age of Resistance will know the Netflix series ultimately forges its own path, while remaining true to its original franchise. You never know, in a few years we could be talking about shows trying to becoming “the next Dark Crystal”.
For more from the prequel series, be sure to read our extended Dark Crystal cast interview.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance launches on Netflix on August 30.
