His Dark Materials (2×03) Theft Review

For our review of the last episode of His Dark Materials, click here.

Synopsis: Lyra ignores the alethiometer’s advice leading to dangerous consequences. (HBO)

Well wasn’t that an elaborate way to get the characters to finally explore that mysterious tower in the inbetween world. That being said, the episode wasn’t all one big set up as a particular bear made an appearance and Scoresby got closer to the man he was looking for while also seemingly turning Mrs. Coulter.

Theft began with the witches letting us know that their focus was still on Lyra despite their home just having been destroyed (they later learned of Lyra going through the portal). Meanwhile, Lyra was determined to go back to the other Oxford and learn more about dust despite all the evidence that she should stay with Will. Therefore she snuck out, leaving Will alone (she left him a note that took him an abnormally long time to find for whatever reason). Also, a mysterious man who we know is Will’s father John (Andrew Scott) called out to Scoresby (perhaps casting some sort of spell) which appeared to work as the wind brought his balloon to a particular city.

Suffice it to say that Will was confused with Lyra’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Malone tried to figure out her mission on her own but was getting nowhere (although the Cave continued to work while she was gone). However, we received a new development as an inspector was in her office to inquire about her earlier visitor (someone gave them a tip that connected Lyra to Will, many were looking for them). This happened just as Lyra arrived so she was pulled in before managing to escape thanks to an assist from Malone. Her escape led her to the mysterious man for whom she and Will have come across countless times prior, Carlo Boreal (Ariyon Bakare). Lyra got into his car but things got uncomfortable when she wanted to leave. As soon as she got out, she realized that her alethiometer was gone.

Scoresby got a tip on the man he was looking for, someone named Dr. Stanislaus Grumman (Will’s father), at a nearby observatory. News varied, considered alive or dead depending on who he asked. He was allegedly a heretic who was last seen down river. Scoresby’s source was a man who worked for the magisterium thus he was not keen on the questioning, shooting at him as he left. Scoresby shot back, killing the man but got arrested by the Magisterium for his trouble. On the pursuit, Mrs. Coulter got a tip that led her to Scoresby. In the end, he stood up to her and the punishment she dished out because of the hope Lyra gave him. They were more alike than she thought and he appealed to that and her love for Lyra which worked as she let him go (she saw he loved her) after making him promise to keep Lyra safe,

Once Will joined Lyra, she informed him of the news and they made a plan to go after the man. They hid in a movie theatre until nightfall (they watched Paddington which was a nice moment). Upon arriving to Boreal’s house, he made it clear that he knew who Will and Lyra were. He was going to keep the alethiometer until they retrieved a knife found in the Tower of Angels in the inbetween world. The Tower of Angels was full of wise men who were part of an organization known as The Guild who left as soon as the spectres showed up though Will was adamant he saw someone up there (they will know for themselves soon enough).

Besides a great scene between Ruth Wilson and Lin-Manuel Miranda, this was just a set up to get to the Tower of Angels. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter may have a heart. It was nice to see Ruth Wilson show some depth to the character. Whenever Scoresby finds Grumman/John Parry, things will start to come together. Is the infamous knife he’s looking for the same as Lyra and Will? It was a compelling watch but the stakes look to be ratcheting up fairly soon.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.