skekSil convinces skekMal to let him take Rian back to the Castle, consuming the vial's contents before smashing it, only for Rian to be saved by Naia and a freed Gurjin while Tavra remains in the Castle. In Ha'rar, skekVar and skekZok gather seven volunteers under the guise of recruits for a new Arathim rebellion. The All-Maudra is convinced by Brea to meet Lore, while Seladon encounters Hup and a disguised Deet who have infiltrated the Citadel. At the Sanctuary Tree, Aughra eventually realizes that she must listen to Thra to hear its song again and succeeds, with Rian's group, All-Maudra Mayrin, Brea, Deet and Seladon all ending up in the Dream Space while dreamfasting. While forced to send Seladon back to the physical world due to her blind faith in the Skeksis, Aughra reveals their actions against Thra and rallies the gathered Gelflings to stop them. The All-Maudra confronts the Skeksis and is killed by skekVar, with a bereaved Seladon allowing the Skeksis to take the "traitors" away as her first decree as the new All-Maudra.
Tropes featured in this episode include:
- Actor Allusion: Possibly a coincidental one, given how long ago the other episode aired, but this one is not the first time a character played by Simon Pegg has asked "Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?" Rian seems to find the argument more convincing than the Doctor did.
- Authority in Name Only: The Skeksis reveal to the All-Maudra that she has no authority to challenge or oppose them: she's only All-Maudra because they let her be, to keep the other Gelflings in line.
- Cutting the Knot: When Seladon protests the "treason" Aughra proposes in the shared Psychic Link, rather than endure her self-rightous rants about the Skeksis or try to reason with her, Aughra just shoves her out of the Psychic Link. This leads to tragic consequences.
- Clothesline Stealing: In Ha'rar, Hup steals some clothes and a Pimped-Out Dress from a nearby outdoor shop so Deet can disguise herself as a Vapran noblewoman to get past the palace's outside entrance and have an audience with the All-Maudra. Unfortunately, Seladon sees right through the disguise.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: skekVar and skekZok inspecting the Gelfling volunteers looks very similar to a livestock auction, right down to inspecting their teeth.
- Don't Think, Feel: Aughra's epiphany of how to reconnect with the song of Thra more or less becomes this. She tries all kinds of complex rituals to make it work, only to realize (after invoking Greater Need Than Mine to the Tree of Sanctuary to save a distressed creature) that she shouldn't try to force it, but let things come naturally.
- Gone Horribly Right: The All-Maudra taught Seladon to always put her duties as All-Maudra and service to the Skeksis before all else, even her feelings for her family. Seladon learned the lesson too well.
- Greater Need Than Mine: After trying unsuccessfully for hours to "make" Thra sing to her with rituals, Aughra sees a little critter consumed and killed by the Darkening, and begs the Tree of Sanctuary to lend its power, not for herself, but to save the creature.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Seladon's betrayal is partly fueled by her jealousy of the trust and affection her mother always shows her sisters Tavra and Brea but never her.
- Hypocritical Humor: The General and Ritual-Master reject a volunteer for looking old even though they are both nearly a thousand and aren't in the best shape themselves.
- Evil Laugh: skekSil gives a really good one after he consumes the last of Mira's essence.
- From a Certain Point of View: Rian tries to give the Chamberlain a "Reason You Suck" Speech, but the Chamberlain gives such convincing arguments for why Skeksis are not evil, why rebellion would do more harm than good, and how sacrificing a few Gelflings to ensure The Needs of the Many, that Rian can't think of a convincing counter-argument.
When you’re pretty much raised to be a soldier, philosophy debates with the evil lords aren’t something that come up in your education. - Ironic Echo: Aughra calls Seladon "loyal" when they first meet. Later, the Skeksis and Seladon herself repeat that she is "loyal" after she betrayed her family to the Skeksis, resulting in her mother's murder and her sister's imprisonment.
- Kick the Dog: The Chamberlain drinks the vial containing what's left of Mira's essence in front of her boyfriend Rian (who's tied up), then smashes it to pieces for good measure.
- Magic Dance: Aughra performs a ritual dance to project herself in the Dream Space to "hear the Song of Thra" again, and summons the Gelflings who are dreamfasting there.
- Magical Incantation: Aughra's repeated incantations to "hear the song of Thra", which projects her and a number of dreamfasting Gelflings in the Dream Space."Deatea! Deratea! Kidakida! Arugaru!"
- Manipulative Bastard: The Skeksis in Ha'rar quickly figure out Seladon's "Well Done, Daughter!" Girl damage, and give her the praise and validation she always wanted from her mother in order to manipulate her into siding with them.
- My Friends... and Zoidberg: Aughra addresses the Gelflings as "brave Rian", "clever Brea", "gentle Deet", "proud All-Maudra", "wise Kylan", "fierce Naia", and "Gurjin".Gurjin: That's it? Just "Gurjin"?
- My God, What Have I Done?: Aughra and the All-Maudra both get a turn this episode.
- Aughra laments abandoning Thra to travel the stars, and leaving the Crystal of Truth to the Skeksis.
- The All-Maudra is distraught when she learns the Skeksis's true nature, how she helped them rob and oppress Gelflings with "tithes" for years, and how she just delivered new Gelflings for them to consume as "war volunteers."
- Never My Fault: After the All-Maudra is murdered by the Skeksis partly due to Seladon ratting out her planned rebellion against them, Seladon tells Brea "It's all your fault."
- Noble Demon: The Hunter agrees to honor the Chamberlain's "hunt" and to claim his "prize" by allowing him to take Rian back to the castle to restore his fallen status with the other Skeksis, before the Hunter claims his own "prize" by cutting out Rian's tongue. Compared to how pernicious and chronically backstabbing most other Skeksis are (who often sabotage each other's goals just for petty spite), this is downright noble of him.
- The Pig-Pen: This episode confirms that Deet has never washed her hands in her life, and probably never bathed either.Seladon: When was the last time you washed your hands?
Deet: Why would I ever wash my hands? - Pet the Dog: When Deet explains Hup's dream to become a Paladin, the All-Maudra curtly informs him there's no time for ceremony... danger is afoot and she needs him to come to her service right away, with his spoon at her side.
- Psychic Link: Several groups of Gelflings are all dreamfasting at the same time, and they all unexpectedly get to meet each other and Aughra in the Dream Space, which is the occasion to make things clear for (almost) everyone about the Skeksis' intentions and the Crystal's current state. Seladon however wants none of it...
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: The All-Maudra tells the Skeksis how much they suck and how done she is turning a blind eye to how they bully and steal from the Gelflings... and the General kills her for it.
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Averted. Hup steals some Vapra silks for Deet to disguise herself as a Vapra noble lady, and while she looks nice in a Pimped-Out Dress, it's clear she's still the same Unkempt Beauty underneath, and in Hup's words, "Deet always beautiful."
- Spotting the Thread: Seladon isn't fooled by Deet's disguise as a Vapra noble woman, since she is wearing the dress all wrong and still covered in dirt.
- A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: When Seladon alone protests "treason" against the Skeksis in the shared Psychic Link, Aughra just shoves her out in order to give the others their instructions rather than try to convince her. This leaves Seladon feeling so angry and rejected once again that she goes straight to the Skeksis to warn them of said plan before they're even done dreamfasting.
- Unkempt Beauty: Deet may not be well-groomed or wear a Pimped-Out Dress like Vapra Gelflings, but she is still very pretty. Hup himself remarks that Deet is always beautiful.
- "Well Done, Daughter!" Girl: Seladon's desire for attention, affection, and appreciation from her mother reaches its most tragic extreme when she goes to the Skeksis to inform them of her mother's and sister's planned rebellion, in order to get approval from the Skeksis that she can't seem to get from her mother.
- You Are in Command Now: After the death of her mother, the Skeksis make Seladon the new All-Maudra.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Hup feels unworthy to protect Deet or be a Paladin, Deet points out that he saved her from the spitter, he defended her honor in the Stone-in-the-Wood, and he saved her from being eaten up by gobbles. Not only is he worthy of being a Paladin, but in her eyes he already is one.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: All-Maudra Mayrin ends up killed by skekVar, who is the first Skeksis to overtly drop the pretense of being a benevolent but firm ruler to the Gelflings.
