A battle between good and evil is the central premise for many films, whether fantasy or otherwise, but what makes a film stand out is how different the battles are compared to other movies. When a film or series can take familiar tropes and make them new, that’s when something remarkable and worth mentioning is made. His Dark Materials is a trilogy of books written by Philip Pullman, and in 2019 we saw the release of the series adaptation that garnered praise worldwide. However, the 2007 film The Golden Compass and the first adaptation of the books was released but didn’t gain the same stardom as His Dark Materials.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The series follows a mischievous, headstrong but brave 11-year-old, Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen), who lives in an alternate version of our world. She lives in Oxford, England, under the care of the Jordon College, a fictional college within the real Oxford University you can find right here in our world. When the study of a mysterious particle called Dust triggers tension within the university and beyond, Lyra is pulled into a life-threatening power struggle.
The world-building in His Dark Materials introduced truth-telling devices, talking armored bears, and traveling the multiverse, not to mention its controversial take on religion and politics. The books were published over 20 years ago, and in 2022 we’re now awaiting the third and final season of His Dark Materials.
Many wish this fantastical series wasn’t coming to an end, but here’s why it will be deeply missed.
His Dark Materials Appeals to All Ages
BBC Studios
While the lead star, both in the books and on screen, is a child, that has not lessened the interest of adult audiences. Pullman did a brilliant job of making a children’s fantasy book appeal to readers of all ages with its central plot. It includes a feud between explorers who wish to travel the multiverse and learn more about the particle, Dust and the Magisterium, Britain’s authority, and religious group that covets control and the suppression of the masses.
During an interview with Slate, Pullman confirmed he didn’t write the trilogy for a specific audience, saying:
Lyra plays a significant role in the series as the only person capable of reading the alethiometer, a compass-like device used to communicate with Dust, which always reveals the truths to one’s questions. Only six alethiometers were made, and as expected, the Magisterium went out of their way to either destroy them or make it so no one else could use them. But using the alethiometer takes skill, and Lyra naturally possesses that skill although only a child, making her an asset and an enemy.
RELATED: Percy Jackson Disney+ Series Finds its Annabeth and Grover
Throughout the years, the religious and political aspects of the trilogy have remained a controversial topic. Fingers have pointed at Pullman that the Magisterium resembles the Catholic Church’s beliefs and doctrines. That, however, is not the case. The lesson from His Dark Materials is acknowledging the risks of using religion and faith to take away freedom or justify cruel actions. In His Dark Materials, Lyra uncovers the truth that the Magisterium has been conducting experiments on children, severing their bond to their deamon, a corporal animal form of one’s soul, in an attempt to stunt curiosity that might grow into defying the Magisterium’s laws. The blow wasn’t made lesser after Lyra discovered that her mother, Marisa Coulter (Ruth Wilson), a member of the Magisterium, was involved in harming innocent children.
Adults can enjoy the world of His Dark Material for its creative and easy-to-follow plot. Children and young adults proved to be insightful, resourceful, and capable with the heavy but relatable political aspects.
His Dark Materials Explores the Multiverse
Surprise, Marvel heroes aren’t the only ones capable of traveling the multiverse. Lyra’s world is a part of the multiverse, a collection of worlds, including ours, with each being very different from the last while some are pretty similar. The most significant difference between Lyra’s world and ours is that in her world, one’s soul lives outside their body in the form of an animal called a Deamon. Many of us have pets and sometimes wish they could speak. In Lyra’s world, that’s a reality.
With the discovery that there are other worlds, the Magisterium wishes to expand their rule. Considering their ruthlessness and suppressive hold on Lyra’s world, many, including Lyra, take it upon themselves to prevent the Magisterium from setting foot into worlds. However, one man, Lyra’s father and explorer, Lord Asriel (James McAvoy), defy the Magisterium at every turn to try and travel to other worlds in his pursuit of understanding Dust, something seemingly present in everyone, everything, and every world.
RELATED: Doctor Strange 2: Every Cameo in Multiverse of Madness
Season 2 took Lyra to other worlds, including ours, where she met Will Parry (Amir Wilson), a young man tied to Lyra’s journey to bring about the end of destiny. Will’s revealed to be the final bearer of the subtle knife, a knife capable of opening windows to other worlds and cutting through any physical material. Will joined Lyra’s quest for answers, and no surprise, the subtle knife is yet another powerful artifact the Magisterium wishes to possess because it threatens their authority.
Even so, the knife poses a significant threat to every world because each time a window is opened, Dust escapes from one world to the next, and that comes with its own set of unseen threats until it’s too late.
Should You Read the Books or Watch the Series?
It depends on your preference, but we’d say do both if you can. Books from which movies or series adaptations are made tend to hold more details than their film counterparts. After all, films have to compress what’s written, and often changes are made to the onscreen adaptations that can be better or worse than their written version. So take that with a grain of salt, but His Dark Materials is one of few masterpieces that are argumentatively great whether you watch or read it.
For those who haven’t read the books but wish to know the ending of His Dark Materials before season 3 is aired, start reading and for those who want to see Lyra travel the multiverse in live and living colors, stay tuned. The final season is on its way.
