The third season of His Dark Materials is a gorgeous adaptation of Philip Pullman's novel The Amber Spyglass.
The land of the dead, tiny spies, rollerskating elephant creatures, and more are just some of the things that The Amber Spyglass has to offer. The novel ends with a discussion of free will and individuality in the face of religious oppression. The "let's kill God" plot line is included.
Fans of Pullman's books will be happy to know that His Dark Materials doesn't stray from the themes of the novels. While not without its own flaws, the season proves to be a rewarding end to a show that was often overlooked in a crowded fantasy TV landscape.
Mulefa alert! Credit: Courtesy of HBO
Our characters are scattered at the beginning of the third season. Mrs. Coulter keeps her daughter asleep as a form of protection from the Magisterium. Roger calls for help from the land of the dead in her dreams. Will uses the Subtle Knife to look for Lyra across worlds, and Dr. Mary Malone goes into a new realm where she'll meet new people. Lord Asriel's final assault against the Authority will bring together angels, witches, and humans.
From Asriel's bustling battle camp to the austere yet grand kingdom of heaven, there are several new fantasy locations to enjoy. The land of the dead, with its fascinating industrial feel and terrifying harpy guardians, is one of two worlds that stand out. Book fans, we finally get to see the muleFA and their seedpods. Applause!
Lord Asriel on his way to fight God. Credit: Courtesy of HBO
The first two seasons of His Dark Materials chose to split time more evenly between Lyra and other characters, which felt like a gamble, but it was worth it. The show felt like it was treading water. The characters in non-Lyra and Will storylines spent a lot of time talking about Dust and prophecies, but they were often redundant and focused on Lyra and Will's journey.
Most of the stories get the chance to go full speed ahead with the third season. Asriel, who was absent from Season 2 due to COVID-19 shooting, rallies his troops and Mrs. It's like a bolt of lightening when the two paths cross. McAvoy and Wilson play the layers of Asriel and Coulter's relationship with a perfect mix of love, hate, and ambition that will keep you guessing throughout the season. The rebellion against the Authority gets its proper payoff as His Dark Materials ends.
His Dark Materials doesn't completely fix its pacing problems in the third season. Most of the stories get more interesting because the Magisterium scenes are hard to get through. The introduction of fanatic Father Gomez does bring our villains in a slightly more dynamic direction, but the constant returns to the Magisterium pull time away from stories that deserve much more of our attention. There is a main victim here. His Dark Materials touches on key plot points but never lets us really sink into the world of the muleFA. It's both a shame and a missed opportunity, since the passages involving Mary and the muleFA are some of the most memorable from The Amber Spyglass.
Season 3 of His Dark Materials most comes to life when it focuses on the relationship between Will and Lyra. While a divine war rages around them, their main focus is helping each other find Roger or bring the Subtle Knife to Lord Asriel. Wilson and Keen are cementing themselves as young performers to watch because of their excellent chemistry. Their scenes are the most emotional of the season. The journey to the land of the dead is a quietly moving rumination on the beauty of life's small truths, and it was reduced to tears by a heart-wrenching conversation between Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon.
The most devastating part of His Dark Materials is about to be built up. It's the perfect conclusion to the story of Lyra and Will, even if it will leave you teary eyed. It's a good idea to read the books if you haven't done so already. The show does justice to those final scenes.
His Dark Materials has its fair share of bumps in the road, but it's all worth it to see the stunning weirdness, maturity, and heartbreak of The Amber Spyglass.
The third season of His Dark Materials will premiere on December 5th. Every week there are two new episodes on the show.
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