not that anyone asked but mrs coulter's relationship to lyra (and how it changes) remains one of my favourite dynamics in fiction,,,
analysis under cut bc it got a bit lengthy. spoilers for the amber spyglass!
its just the way that she didnt even know she loved lyra until it was almost too late. "THATS MY DAUGHTER" ringing in her head when she sees lyra about to be Cut from her daemon. she didn't care for lyra when lyra ran away from her in london, she just cared that lyra as disobeying her. she hadn't realised it yet. but that moment when lyra's about to be separated from pan, that moment when she realises that the awful things she's been organising and allowing are going to happen to her daughter, it's. it's a moment.
and i think thats when we first peek at the weird love that she has for lyra, but i dont think that's when coulter herself realises that she loves lyra so much. i think, for a bit, it's just fear that something so awful could happen to her own child, her own blood - but then. lyra disappears again, following asirel, and marisa is left to pick up the pieces of her failed experiments and realise just how awful it could have been if she had been a moment later, and while i dont necessarily always agree with this sentiment, i do believe that this is a time when the heart truly does grow fonder.
in stk we see her asking all abt lyra everywhere n like. we can think its for neferious motives, but it turns out she really is just interested in where lyra is. i guess u could say that her motives are nefarious in the end, since she kidnaps lyra azxcvbnsf but like. she's not asking out of anything other than a desire to know that lyra is safe and that she will keep being safe.
and ultimately thats why she kidnaps her, isnt it. its fucked up, clearly coulter has never seen a healthy parental relationship with a child before asdghjsfd but like, in her ever-plotting mind, it makes the most sense. she can keep her safe. she's capable of protecting her daughter.
she hides from the Magisterium!! like. i have a lot of emotions abt how pullman develops characters and while lyra's arc throughout the 3 books is perhaps the clearest, it's marisa's thats most interesting (to me). she started the trilogy as a devout member of the magisterium, powerful in every single way, powerful in a world where it's harder for women to have power. and then, gradually and then all at once, she gives it all up. she gives it ALL UP for LYRA.
and dont get me started on the war in tas.,,, the ultimate sacrifice. she literally saves lyra again. i might not remember much from my last reread but i believe i remembeer that she and asriel explicitly talk abt how they're giving their lives for lyra.
Not only have we just had the release of La Belle Sauvage, but it seems like things are starting to move in the TV department as well! And Pullman is involved and is getting to look at the concept arts for the show!
Also, His Dark Materials TV now have an official twitter, HisDarkMatTV! (Thanks from us to @clarabosswald who’s always the first to know everything, and who found the account.)
@milfcoulter, @thenightisfullofangels and myself found where these gif promo shots are from!!! theyre all from the bbc’s giphy profile: https://giphy.com/search/bbc?sort=recent
look, as much i as though boreal was a creepy, arse of a man, i’m truly gonna miss him being around simply because ariyon was SUCH a good actor that he made boreal a joy to watch. thank you ariyon for your service to this slimeball of a character, your performance was one of my favourites.
