The most authentic adaptation of Philip Pullman’s renowned trilogy has finally come to an end, and fans have a number of questions; the most important, of course, being whether His Dark Materials will be renewed for a Season 4.
For those who do not know, the TV adaptation of His Dark Materials was developed in such a way that each season would cover one book in the series. The first season of one of HBO’s most popular shows covered The Golden Compass, the second season adapted The Subtle Knife, and His Dark Materials season 3 covered The Amber Spyglass. Therefore, His Dark Materials will not be renewed for Season 4, but since the series has covered pretty much everything from the books, fans won’t be left with any unanswered questions. With that being said, let’s delve deep into some of the main things covered in His Dark Materials Season 3.
RELATED: What is Dust in ‘His Dark Materials’?
The Destruction of The Subtle Knife
The short, dual-edged blade, made from two different metals, in His Dark Materials, is symbolic of nuance and discernment. As Lyra (Dafne Keen) and her group of friends are controlled by forces beyond the folds of their comprehension, Lyra must be able to tell one thing apart from an almost similar thing. While one edge of the knife, also known as Æsahættr, could cut through any substance, the other was capable of slicing through the fabric that separated the different worlds of the multiverse. Will (Amir Wilson) and Lyra used the subtle knife to travel between their worlds, but each time they cut a window to open a portal, a Spectre drew up from the Abyss, resulting in the loss of Dust.
All the windows connecting the different worlds of the multiverse had to be closed by the angels. The angels reasoned that one window could remain open. And although Lyra and Will naturally believed it to be their chance at a happily ever after, the two realized that the World of the Dead still needs a window to allow souls passing through to pass on rather than be trapped in purgatory. Moreover, people from one world could not survive in another for long, and eventually they realized that they had to destroy the Subtle Knife in order to prevent people from cutting through different worlds again.
How Does Mary Malone Become the Serpent
When they are together in the world of the Mulefa, which allegorically refers to the Garden of Eden, Mary Malone (Simone Kirby) tells Lyra about her experience of romantic love, the sensual nature of which leads Lyra to finally give in to her feelings for Will. In doing so, Lyra commits the Original Sin and Mary Malone becomes the serpent who lures Eve to give into the temptations of worldly pleasures. Just like the awakening of Will and Lyra’s love is not a Fall, as demonstrated by the smooth cascading of Dust, in the same way, Mary Malone’s role in allowing Lyra to not only realize her feelings but also acknowledge them is not satanic in nature. If anything, she plays a major role in helping Lyra realize her love.
Why Can't Lyra Read the Alethiometer Anymore?
One of the special things about Lyra is her ability to comprehend the compass-like device that reveals the ‘truth’ via a combination of complicated symbols. The reading of the alethiometer is a skill that requires time and dedication but for Lyra it comes naturally. By the end of the series, Lyra can no longer read the alethiometer. In the book, Lyra asks the angel Xaphania (Chipo Chung) why she does not possess the gift anymore. Her answer is simple but less than satisfying: ‘You read it by grace, and you can regain it by work,’ she says, suggesting that Lyra’s ability to read the alethiometer without any training was a gift. Now that the gift has been taken from her, she will have to dedicate her life to learning the ropes of reading the compass-like device again like the average person.
Now the ‘grace’ that enabled Lyra to read the alethiometer is linked to Dust, which in turn is attracted to Lyra’s innocent understanding of the world. When Lyra undergoes two of the most dominant experiences of adulthood, love and sexual awakening, the clarity disappears, but the fact that Lyra can regain her understanding of the device illustrates that it is only through maturity and loss of innocence that one can attain wisdom.
Why Does Dust Stop Flowing When Will and Lyra Kiss?
After Mary Malone plays her role as the ‘serpent’, Lyra finally acknowledges the fact that her feelings for Will are more than just platonic. This realization leads to the much-anticipated, passionate expression of love, and the moment the two kiss, Dust stops flowing and instead falls straight down the way it is supposed to.
In realizing her feelings for Will, Lyra fulfills the prophecy about her being the new Eve. In other words, her love for Will and her experience of romantic love is as strong as that of Eve, and with love being the strongest force in the multiverse, Dust regains its natural balance and falls the way exactly as it is supposed to.
However, in order to keep this balance intact, Will and Lyra must stop jumping between their worlds and close all the windows in the multiverse, which means, despite their experience of love being universe altering, the two can’t stay together.
Mrs. Coulter & Lord Asriel's Sacrifice
While admitting the significance of prophecies may not be in character with Lord Asriel (James McAvoy), he always had a fancy for ‘saving’ all the worlds. However, he soon realizes that it’s Lyra, his daughter, who really has a shot at saving the multiverse, and, in keeping with his vision, Lord Asriel sacrifices himself for the greater good. As for Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson), who has spent the whole show struggling with her complex and deep feelings for her daughter, she sacrifices herself for Lyra.
Lord Asriel's War Was Not as Important as Lyra's Story
Given that so much of Lyra’s life has revolved around the fact that her father has a ‘mission’ — or more like a penchant for saving the multiverse — it was natural for fans to expect Lord Asriel’s war to be the endgame. However, his highly-anticipated war against Metatron (Alex Hassell) and the Kingdom of Heaven was limited to one episode: ‘The Clouded Mountain’ – Season 3, Episode 7. With the season only featuring eight episodes, it’s understandable why the showrunners didn’t explore Lord Asriel's War in too much detail. Moreover, His Dark Materials was always about Lyra and her journey as the new Eve – the Eve whose ‘Fall’ brings back the natural order of the world, instead of incurring the wrath of God.
