His Dark Materials
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Because you want to and because it’s possible for you to.
(Im not just my dads son, you know, he tells Lyra in the last episode.
My mom always said, If your friend needs help, you should give it.)
For Lyra, the child of tyrants, its a bit more complicated.
From the outset, these characters have had crushingly little physical contact with their dmons.
How much love and respect you and your dmon have for one another is a reflection ofwho you are.
In the TV adaptation, for all its merits, everyones dmon is a trotting little white dog.
Well, it turns out it wasnt Roger.)
The golden monkey can stray far from Marisas side, not because hes severed but because she hates herself.
She hits him as a form of self-harm.
His nonverbal savagery is a product of years of twisted abuse, suffering, and neglect.
Lyras sacrifice should hurt, because shedoesnttreat Pantalaimon like shit.
Without all that, the betrayal instead becomes a fated tragedy.
This Lyra, physically estranged from her soul from the start, is learning a different lesson.
And Im sorry to say that the damage is done.
Beyond this disappointing shift, this episode does offer a few gems.
Chefs kiss, truly, Ms. Wilson.
She even has the unexpected allyship of Agent Roke after he loses contact with Asriel.
In her desperation and haste, though, she has finally made one too many miscalculations.
Now they might use her technology against her to power the bomb that remains fixed on her kid.
(Quick question: Can magic bombs even find someone in hell?)
The other bright light this week: Mary finally meets a zalif!
(Zalifis the singular form ofmulefa.)
A young one, apparently, since theyre on all fours, sans wheels.
(I suppose we should let up on the CG artists at some point.
Apparently, theVFX supervisor reasonedthat it would be too weird.
O ye of littlesraf!)
I am just too happy to finally see these beautiful weirdos to linger on it.
Field Notes
Paddingtoncallback!
Feels like were in a horror film, observes Will.
Why would you want to watch a film that makes you feel horrible?
You make a good point.
I liked the film with the bear.
Finally passed the Bechdel test: Coulter and Dr. Cooper talking about the machines inner workings.
(Lyra talking with her own death shouldnt count, imo.)
