SkekSil

PERFORMER	Frank Oz puppeteer
	Barry Dennen voice
DEBUT	1982

The Chamberlain, as he appears in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

SkekSil is the Chamberlain of the Skeksis. As Chamberlain, skekSil was second in line to the Skeksi throne. SkekSil's Mystic counterpart is the Chanter urSol. The wheedling Chamberlain emits a unique "hmmm" sound, and has also appeared in prequel and sequel comic stories.

“Between skekUng the Garthim-Master and skekSil the Chamberlain there was bitter rivalry, for skekSil hoped his smiling poison and suspicious craft would lead him, not skekUng, to succeed to the Emperor's glory. Both were deceived.”
—The World of the Dark Crystal

Jim Henson noted in The World of the Dark Crystal that many of the Skeksis were based on the seven deadly sins. Pre-production notes described him as representing Envy.

Role in the film

After the death of the emperor, his greed for power led to a challenge by the Garthim-Master, SkekUng the General, when he decided to crown himself the new self-appointed emperor. Without hesitation, SkekUng confronted SkekSil and issued the challenge for supremecy. The Chamberlain responded by declaring the challenge be a Trial By Stone. After the battle, the Chamberlain was outcast by the High Priest as punishment for losing to the new emperor, SkekUng.

Just as soon as the Chamberlain lost his place among the Skeksis, the remaining clan learned that the Gelfling, Jen, had escaped. As SkekSil saw it, this was his chance to prove himself to his fellow Skeksis. With the unauthorized help of the new emperor's Garthim, he traveled to the the home of Aughra, where the Garthim tracked the gelfling's location. After the Garthim demolished Aughra's home in an attempt to capture the gelfling, SkekSil plotted to lure Jen to the castle.

Later, as one of the Garthim attempts to capture Jen and his new companion Kira, SkekSil holds off the Garthim long enough for the Gelflings to escape. After the Gelflings find the ruins of their lost civilization and read the prophecy, SkekSil tries to convince them to go with him to the castle in order to "make peace" with the Skeksis.

The Gelflings reject the offer; however, after Jen and Kira sneak into the castle, SkekSil corners them and attempts to force them into going with him to the throne. As a last resort, Jen stabs the Chamberlain. Angered by this action, the Chamberlain tries to kill Jen by burying him in a pile of stones. While seemingly ending Jen's life, he grabs Kira and takes her to the throne to redeem himself and show his dedication to the emperor. After presenting his prize to the emperor, the Chamberlain is reinstated, and remains in favor until Jen heals the crystal, and the Mystics and Skeksis are reunited as urSkeks.

Appearances

Legends of The Dark Crystal

While skekVar pledges allegiance to the emperor, when The Emperor begins to choke the general reaches to take the scepter. The true intentions of the general are revealed to the emperor, much to the amusement of skekSil who is watching the events through a hole in the wall.

The Power of the Dark Crystal

In this comic series, after the young Fireling Thurma breaks the Crystal in hopes of helping her dying world, the Skeksis and Mystics are separated again. The Skeksis's immediately begin to argue amongst themselves as to who was to blame for their defeat ages ago, they decide it was SkekSil who led to their demise and banish him again with the aid of The Crystal Bats.

Age of Resistance

SkekSil appears in the Netflix prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, puppeteered by Warrick Brownlow-Pike and voiced by Simon Pegg.

SkekSil gives SkekTek the Scientist the idea to use the Dark Crystal to drain the essence of other lifeforms. Mira is selected as their first subject, and she is ultimately drained of her essence, most of which is then consumed by the other Skeksis. When they discover that Rian has witnessed their act, SkekSil assures the Emperor that Rian would not be believed even if he tells the truth, and later suggests framing Rian for Mira's murder.

Trivia

• Pre-production notes for the film describe the Chamberlain as "resembling an overstuffed chair, with springs, sawdust, horsehair, webbing, sacking, and underfelt layered under a carapace of carved animal limbs and a collar like a headboard."