Woman of the Month: Brea

Brea from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

There was a bounty of riches when it came to the portrayal of female characters in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Its trio of protagonists were made up of the rare configuration of two girls to one boy, a good chunk of the story focused on a High Queen and her three daughters, and the decision to make Gelfling society a matriarchy automatically put dozens of women into positions of power.

The two female leads were very different in personality, status, background and narrative purpose, but as much as I loved Deet’s quiet, understated bravery, it was Brea and her scholarly pursuit of knowledge, in an arc that involved research, problem solving and communication, that I really latched onto.

Brea’s role is to be an information-gatherer, but she also exists at the centre of the show’s family drama as the third daughter of the High Maudra, and one that doesn’t always live up to the expectations laid upon her. But her tendency to always get herself into trouble is the trait that makes her journey possible: she’s always asking questions, seeking answers, burrowing deeper.

So her role in the overarching story is one of discovery; of uncovering hard truths about the world she lives in and sharing them – even with those that don’t want to hear. After being granted a vision of a strange symbol, her curiosity leads her to a sentient rock creature concealed in a cavern under her mother’s throne, which in turn guides her to a desert dwelling where all the answers to the Skeksis’ true nature is waiting.

In light of this role as a truth seeker, I feel it really should have been her and not Rian who puts out the call to arms to the rest of the Gelfling clans through the fire (especially since everyone would have been more inclined to believe the daughter of the slain Maudra). But hey – her notebook, her relationship with her two sisters, and her discovery of the crystal shard all have their part to play.

From a technical point of view, I think Brea managed to have the most expressive face of all the Gelflings, whether she was thoughtful or frightened, desperate or tearful, and at times you forget you’re watching a puppet. That was the real joy of this show, to see an underrated art form once again be brought back into the spotlight, in such a way that expanded and enriched what was already a cult classic.