HIS DARK MATERIALS (S1E8) “Betrayal”: The End

Well, we did it. After 8 episodes of questions, reveals, losses, victories and even more questions, we’ve finally reached the end of His Dark Materials season 1. While the show has already wrapped their shooting of Season 2 (knowledge gleaned from Lin Manuel-Miranda’s twitter) we have a little under a year before the next episode graces our screens. I don’t think there’s much more to say, and I’ve been waiting for this episode for a long time, so without further ado, let’s check out the season finale of His Dark Materials.

The Final Recap

On this episode of His Dark Materials, we finally see Lyra reunited with her father, Lord Asriel (James McAvoy). Together, they discuss Dust, and wonder at the marvels of the north. There’s tension between the two, but we almost get the feeling that they’re connecting, as Asriel makes jokes about the intensity of Mrs. Coulter. In the otherworld, Will Parry remains on the run from the police and seeks refuge anywhere he can. Mrs. Coulter executes an assault on Asriel’s fortress, bringing with her the entire might of the magisterium. Guns fire and polar bears charge into battle. Lyra follows Asriel to the summit of a mountain, where we realize too late that in order to make contact with Dust, he’s going to have to sacrifice Roger.

The episode ends with Asriel and Mrs. Coulter kissing just before Asriel steps into another world. Lyra decides to follow, and heartbreakingly leaves Roger behind. In another world, Will finds Boreal’s portal and steps through, leaving all of our characters in worlds unfamiliar to them and to us, and we must wait until the next season to find out where they have gone.

Let’s Talk About Dust

Dust, next to Lyra, is arguably the most important ingredient of the soup that is His Dark Materials. And that’s a capital “d” on Dust. But what is it? It’s hard to use the term “basically” when talking about Dust, but at it’s basic level, Dust is consciousness. It is what makes humans human, and it is why Dust is so often referenced with Adam and Eve, and why the Church seems to view it as sinful.

Dust is present in the link between humans and their dæmons, a link of consciousness that flows between the two. When people mature, the dust settles. When they go through puberty and begin to have thoughts and urges that the church would deem sinful, the Dust begins to settle. Lord Asriel discovers his city in the sky is swarming with Dust, and seems to be even made of Dust. Asriel believes that Dust is not sinful, and that it can ultimately help him reach the Authority, or God, for lack of a better term. Yeah. Pullman really reaches for the stars with these books. But how much higher can you make the stakes?

Dust is one of my favorite parts of Pullman’s world because of the wonder and mystery that surrounds it. In a world where our fantasy stories often have maps, magic has rules and the creatures have a definitive biology, Pullman’s work has always stood out to me because of its love for the mystery of the world. It reminds me of The Force in Star Wars. Before the prequels brought up one of the most hated words in the nerd dictionary, midichlorians, we had no idea what The Force was, and that was always exciting. Dust is a mystery that we must uncover just as much as Lyra. This story is interactive, so spend the off time between seasons pondering Dust!

Standouts This Season

His Dark Materials certainly made their mark on HBO this season with better performances I expected, top notch effects, and some cinematography that brought a wonderful sophistication to the story of Lyra and her dæmon. I think my reviews turned into me fawning over Ruth Wilson once a week so I won’t take up too much time talking about her, but come on. Wilson sunk her teeth into Mrs. Coulter and didn’t let go for eight entire episodes. She taps into this unhinged character with glee, and slowly slinks away at the exact moments when she knows she can extract some sympathy from us. Mrs. Coulter is without a doubt the show’s standout for me, and I can’t wait to see what she does next season.

I didn’t talk much about the dæmons in this show, but I truly think it’s because they were so often seamlessly edited into the environment that I thought nothing of them. Pan interacts with Dafne Keen beautifully, twitching and sniffing his way around desks and chairs, and looks up at her with pondering expressions, asking question we wish we could ask ourselves. He feels so real that when he’s ever threatened, I lean forward in my seat like I’m watching someone threaten my dæmon.

And I have to give credit to the team behind the overall look of this show, because even if you’re not into the plot, it’s gorgeous to look at. The sweeping shots of Lee Scoresby’s balloon as it travels across mountainous landscapes, the intimate close-ups of Lyra and Pan discussing the mysteries of the aletheometer, and the rigidly centered shots that show the eerily serene nature of the magisterium culminate to one cinematographic language that this show speaks fluently. Tracking shots of Mrs. Coulter hurrying down a hallway as we nervously wait for her to find Lyra, bright strange lights that seem to swallow Lyra as she travels from one world to the next. The show prides itself on its ability to present a story to us in the most accessible and stylish way possible. It toes the line between arthouse and blockbuster in such a confident fashion you’d think that the show was in it’s final season. But it’s not, this is only the beginning.

What’s Next?

We’ve got a bit of time before season 2, wherein we can expect Lyra and Will to finally meet, so that week can watch their relationship unfold. We’ll watch Lyra process the death of her friend Roger, and see how it affects the strain of her relationship with her estranged father. And Mrs. Coulter will continue to search for Lyra far and wide, and she’ll continue to make us wonder just where her loyalties lie.

This was a thrill, and I can’t wait for what comes next. Are you excited for season 2? How are you dealing with our sweet Roger’s death. Coulter: good or evil? Let me know in the comments below, and I’ll see you all for season 2!