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cozcat · 5 years

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His Dark Materials at the National Theatre: a full summary

This is a full summary of the play, as it is written in the script. For a shorter version, which focuses mostly on differences, click here. (Also linked there are some photos, a timelapse clip, and the National Theatre archive information.) This version is somewhat longer. Apologies for any errors or typoes or weird phrasings, as I’ve written this in a blur, and I really don’t fancy proofreading, as it is - as I said - rather long. If you have any questions about it, please let me know!

Part One, Act One

Oxford Botanic Gardens. Lyra and Will, both aged about twenty, sit on a bench. Lyra talks about how happy she was to remember it was Midsummer Day; Will talks about how he dressed up smartly to come, and how his housemates want to meet his date – but it will be difficult for them to do so. They both say they miss each other, even though the other can’t hear. Lyra talks about Jordan – and Mrs Lonsdale appears to change Lyra’s clothes. Lyra reminisces, and Will and his world disappear, Lyra is twelve again, and kids are yelling at each other.

The kids are fighting, and Lyra gets Billy in a headlock. Roger gets there too late – Pantalaimon and Salcilia introduce themselves to each other, and then Lyra and Roger do the same. Lyra shows Roger around Jordan College, specifically pointing out Fra Pavel, who comes to talk to Lyra about her future. She wants to go exploring with Lord Asriel, and the Master denies that it will happen. Fra Pavel and Master discuss Lord Asriel’s impending visit.

Two weeks later. Lord Asriel arrives in Oxford. He greets scholars and either does not see or ignores Lyra. Lyra and Roger sneak into the Retiring Room, and hide when they hear the Master coming – and Lyra sees him poison the wine. She stops him from drinking it – he tells Roger to keep hiding, and then says that he’s trying to convince the college to pay for his expedition to the Arctic. He asks how Lyra is doing, gives her money, and tells her to hide again. Rather than the wine being broken, he just says it’s the wrong vintage, before beginning the slideshow. He explains that dæmons settle as adults but in different shapes, as well as that they can’t touch each other’s dæmons, and that the separation of human and dæmon is lethal, before bringing up Dust. He says that he went to the Arctic to find Jopari, who knows more about Dust than anyone else alive, and shows a photogram of him bathed in Dust, before the Aurora with a city visible. (Jopari is implied to still be alive.) The scholars vote to give Lord Asriel money, though there is a lot of arguing among the scholars about it.

Six weeks later, at Jordan College, Lyra is outside sulking, while Roger keeps her company. Lord Asriel hasn’t written. Lyra swears that when she goes to the Arctic, she’ll take Roger with her. Mrs Lonsdale appears, and they have a conversation about the children being taken in broad daylight. Mrs Lonsdale reveals that Billy has disappeared. They go to the Master’s study, as he wants to see Lyra.

The Master reveals that Mrs Coulter – “a friend of the college, a wealthy widow” – has appeared to take Lyra away. Upon seeing her, Mrs Coulter says, “I haven’t seen you since… well, ever.” She speaks kindly to Lyra, and says that she was exactly like her at her age. She tells Lyra that she’ll be her personal assistant, and the Master reveals that Mrs Coulter is the Chief Executive Officer of the General Oblation Board. He starts to say that oblates refer to sacrifices, but Mrs Coulter silences him with a look, and tells Lyra that it’s a charitable research foundation that studies Dust, which the Church has given them permission to do. Lyra is reluctant, until Mrs Coulter says that she travels a great deal, and tells her about the sights she sees, and the creatures she meets. She also asks if Lyra wants to see Lord Asriel, as he’s in the Arctic, and says “I know him very well”. After Mrs Coulter leaves, the Master stops Lyra, and asks if she was in the Retiring Room that day – he knows she has reason to mistrust him, but he then gives her the alethiometer, and tells her that the college received it from Lord Asriel when he was young. Lyra leaves, and meets Mrs Lonsdale, who hasn’t seen Roger – he was waiting for Lyra, and disappeared.

A bleak collection point. Billy and Roger are among a group of children, who have finished writing letters. Billy’s dæmon is revealed to be Ratter. The children are somewhat curious about where the Gobblers are taking them – they’ve all been given suitcases with pyjamas and toothbrushes. Mrs Coulter tells them they’ll be given chocolatl on board the boat. Roger asks Mrs Coulter to tell his mother to feed his budgie, and that he loves her. The children board the boat, and she burns the letters.

Mrs Coulter’s living room. Lyra is dressed prettily, and talking to Pan about how she’s never been dressed up like this. He insists that Mrs Coulter is turning her into a pet, but Lyra is sure that she loves her – she sits on the end of her bed when she thinks she’s asleep. “And she looks at me, so sad, with those big dark eyes.” She describes the contrast of Mrs Coulter and her dæmon “like she’s evil and good all at the same time”. She then pulls out the alethiometer, and tries to figure it out – she makes the needle move. Mrs Coulter comes in, and Lyra hides the alethiometer. Mrs Coulter tells Lyra to be polite at the cocktail party, and that she especially wants her to talk to Lord Boreal, and tell him how happy she is in London, as the Church is “just the tiniest bit cross” about Mrs Coulter taking Lyra away. She then tells Lyra that after the party, she’ll be told about the work she wants her to do for the General Oblation Board – “You’ll be meeting other children, less well-off than you, and you’ll be giving them the chance to travel.” She inspects Lyra, and tells her to take off the shoulder-bag with the alethiometer in it – Lyra refuses, and the golden monkey attacks Pan.

At the party, Lord Boreal approaches Lyra. He asks her about her life in London, and what she knows about the General Oblation Board. Lyra then realises that the Board is the Gobblers, and decides to run; Mrs Coulter sees her running, but doesn’t catch her.

Oxford. The Master has a pile of suitcases, and sees Fra Pavel, who he thought was in Geneva. The Master is running away – he tried to kill Lord Asriel, then let his expedition be funded, and then let Lyra into the hands of Mrs Coulter. Fra Pavel then reveals that Lyra is important – because she is the subject of the witches’ prophecy, and will either redeem the Church or destroy it. The Master reveals that Lyra has the college’s alethiometer, and Fra Pavel tells him that he will “shortly receive a visit.”

London. Night and fog. There’s a late-night coffee stall. Lyra and Pan buy a cup of coffee and a ham sandwich, and a man in a top hat tries to give her brandy, until she tells him that she’s meeting her father, a murderer, which scares him off. Two Tartars with wolf dæmons appear, and nearly catch Lyra and Pan, before Tony Costa and another gyptian, Ben, kill them with bows and arrows. They take Lyra to their boat, which is en route to the Arctic, to rescue the stolen children.

The interior of a rusty old hulk. John Faa and Farder Coram are there, among other gyptians. It’s pointed out that foreign and homeless kids suffered even more than the gyptians. They discuss what they know of the North and the experiments – they know about the children being cut up, but not specifics. They’re preparing to travel to Trollesund, and to leave Lyra in a place of safety, but she insists on coming, because “they tried to turn me into one of ‘em.” Farder Coram agrees that she should come, and tells her how to read the alethiometer. The spy-fly appears while Lyra is still reading the alethiometer.

Trollesund. Farder Coram heads into the town to send a message to a “notable witch from around these parts”. Lyra sees Iorek Byrnison in the distance, working with iron and then drinking spirits. She approaches him and offers him the job of fighting to save stolen children, and he tells her about his stolen armour, and how he has everything he needs in Trollesund – meat and spirits.

Lyra: You’ve got empty bottles all round you. You even smell of drink. Haven’t you got any self respect?

Iorek: None.

She tells him that it’s in the house of the priest, and he goes to take it back. Farder Coram tells the gyptians – who are reluctant to stay in Trollesund – that he is waiting on a creature sent to guide them by Serafina Pekkala, and that creature is revealed to be Kaisa.

Kaisa: Farder Coram! It’s lucky you called. I wouldn’t have recognised you in a month of Sundays.

Serafina and Kaisa both remember Farder Coram as young and handsome. Kaisa tells the gyptians about Bolvangar, and about the other worlds:

Lyra: Like to the city in the Northern Lights?

Kaisa: That world is one, but there are many… many… others. They are not in our universe, but they’re here, right next to us, close as a heartbeat, linked with the world we know. I spread my wings… and brush ten million other worlds, and they know nothing of it.

The townspeople are angry that they’re losing Iorek, and Lee Scoresby and Hester appear to defend Iorek. They embrace. Lee asks to join the rescue expedition.

Lyra and the gyptians set off through the Northern snows. Kaisa leaves to stave off another spy-fly. Iorek gives Lyra the tin containing the first spy-fly – she says that Mrs Coulter sent it after her, and Iorek reveals that she is the woman who destroyed him, and who manipulated Iofur Raknison, all to get gaolers to keep Lord Asriel imprisoned. Lyra insists on restoring Iorek to his throne after they rescue the children in Bolvangar. They reach a Tartar camp, and Lyra and Pan creep in – they find Billy Costa, who has been intercised. Billy collapses, and the Tartar guards appear and take Lyra away.

Bolvangar. Lyra introduces herself as Lizzie Brooks, and is taken to the recreation area, where she finds out that they run a lot of tests about dæmons and Dust, and also that Mrs Coulter is coming that day. Lyra sees Roger, who tells her that they “Read Your Name Out” before taking children such as Billy away, and they don’t see those children again. The fire alarm goes off for the drill, and Lyra and Roger go to a door outside. Kaisa appears, and tells them that the gyptians have been delayed, but that Serafina Pekkala and her witches are coming to join the battle. Lyra goes through the door alone, and sees the severed dæmons. Kaisa says that “there is no saving to be done”, but two doctors appear and grab Lyra before she can do anything, and take her through the laboratory.

Dr West: There’s only one thing we can do, it seems to me.

Dr Cade: What, now?

Dr West: Why not?

Dr Cade: But Mrs Coulter hasn’t arrived. I thought she had to be there for each experiment.

Dr West: That’s what she says… but there’s no scientific justification for it. She simply enjoys watching.

They enter a laboratory… There’s a machine with an operating-chair and a small cage, and a guillotine-blade between the two. Lyra is thrown onto the chair, and Dr West picks up Pan with plastic gloves on. A dæmon-bond is revealed between Lyra and Pan. Just before the blade falls, Mrs Coulter appears, and tells them to let Lyra out, tells them off for conducting experiments without her present, and tells the Doctors to leave. She embraces Lyra, who is crying. She then blames the gyptians for losing Lyra, and tries to justify the intercision to her, as it keeps children safe from Dust. She insists that Lyra is different from Billy and Roger, and asks if she knows where she came from – and then reveals that Lord Asriel is her father, which Lyra thinks is “incredible”. Lyra then yells at her for imprisoning her father.

Mrs Coulter: The airship accident never happened. It was just a story that Lord Asriel invented to deny the facts of the matter. He loved your mother and she loved him. It was a wonderful love. But she was married already. And when you were born, her husband guessed the truth, and Lord Asriel fought him and killed him. No one ever denied that the fight was a fair one, not even at the trial.

Lyra: The trial?

Mrs Coulter: There was a trial for murder. And the end of it was that Lord Asriel had to give up his estates, his palaces, his enormous wealth… though your mother, of course, knew nothing about this. She was so distressed by all that had happened that… that she wasn’t even able to look after you. And that’s when Lord Asriel did something very wrong and cruel. He put you into the care of Jordan College, and he told the Master that your mother should never be allowed to have anything to do with you. She was banned and shunned from being with her very own daughter. And that’s how things stayed until she came to Jordan College and spoke to the Master…

Lyra: You mean that…?

Mrs Coulter: Yes.

Lyra: You can’t be.

Mrs Coulter: I am. I’m your mother. Do you understand now why I put your father in prison? It was my only chance to be with you, to hug you and love you, to talk to you frankly as woman to woman…

Mrs Coulter then asks about the alethiometer, and Lyra hands her the tin with the spy-fly in it. Mrs Coulter opens it, and the spy-fly attacks the golden monkey. Roger rushes in, as crashes and explosions are heard, and Lyra sets off the fire alarm, before they rush outside. Serafina Pekkala appears, and flies away with Lyra and Roger. Mrs Coulter appears with her golden monkey, and both are wounded in the same place. Mrs Coulter extends her arms upwards, reaching, and calls, “Lyra!”

---

Part One, Act Two

Oxford Botanic Gardens. Lyra and Will are in the same places as at the start of act one. Will talks about how while Lyra was ballooning over icebergs, he was at a bus shelter in Oxford, having just killed a man, and how he needed to run away. Lyra talks about how they didn’t realise how many forces were moving them on

Lee Scoresby’s balloon. The children and Iorek are asleep. Serafina talks about how she can make herself invisible in the sense that witches do – but it won’t work on cliff-ghasts. She then tells Lee about the prophecy.

Serafina: It’s in our poems, our spells, the bedtime songs that we sing to our children. It tells of a child of destiny. A child who has it in her power to bring about the annihilation of death and the triumph of Dust.

She then pulls out an amber spyglass, given to her by Jopari, through which she shows Lee Dust, and explains to him Dust and the fates. Lyra and Pan wake up – though they have been listening. The basket lurches, cliff-ghasts appear, and Lyra and Pan are thrown from the basket. From above, those still in the balloon call to Lyra – Serafina says she will come back and find her, and Iorek says to wait for him.

A group of bears find Lyra – in the script, they are listed as Chief Bear, Stupid Bear, and Disgruntled Bear. The bears complain about the palace being Mrs Coulter’s doing, to make them “more civilised-like”.

Stupid Bear: Mrs Coulter’s gonna make it so that we all get dæmons, isn’t she, Sarge?

Chief Bear: That’s what she tells us, so we gotta believe it.

Disgruntled Bear: Oh, it’ll happen all right. Along with all the rest of her fancy notions. Reading and writing and making us cook our food. What I wouldn’t give for a mouthful of raw walrus.

The bears slaver with desire at the thought of raw walrus.

Lyra sees Lord Asriel’s prison in the distance, and gets the idea to pretend to be Iorek’s dæmon. While she is telling Iofur how she could become his dæmon, Iorek arrives in his armour, and gives Lyra the name of Silvertongue. The bears proceed to fight, and Iorek eats Iofur’s heart.

Inside the palace. Roger tells Lyra how the balloon crashed, and Serafina went to rescue a witch who was taken prisoner at Bolvangar. Thorold appears, and tells Lyra and Roger to go to Lord Asriel’s study – Lyra expected him to be in chains, but as Thorold explains it, “He was both prisoner and prince”.

Lord Asriel’s study. Asriel is horrified that Lyra has arrived, but smiles after seeing Roger, and tells Thorold to run them a bath. Lyra doesn’t leave – she confronts Asriel.

Lyra: I’m not some bloody kid that you can have put in the bath when you feel like it. You’re my father, en’t you?

Lord Asriel: Yes. So what?

Lyra: So what? You should have told me before, that’s what. You could’ve asked me to keep it secret, and I would’ve. I’d have been so proud that nothing would have torn it out of me. But you never.

Lord Asriel: How did you find out?

Lyra: My mother told me.

Lord Asriel: Your mother…? Then there’s nothing left to talk about. I don’t intend to apologise, and I refuse to be preached at by a sanctimonious ten-year-old.

Lyra: I’m twelve! I’m twelve!

Lord Asriel: Well, you would know. If you want to stay, you’d better make yourself interesting to me. Tell me about your journey here. What have you seen? What have you done?

Lyra: I set you free, that’s what I done. You can go.

Lord Asriel: I’ll go when I’m ready. What else?

Lyra: I brought you this. The Master gave it me.

She shows him the alethiometer, and is horrified that he looked at her as though she was the last thing in the world he wanted to see, to which he responds, “But Lyra… you were.” He tells her that she brought him “the key to a door that had never been opened” but doesn’t elaborate, leaving her confused. He explains to her original sin, and how Dust ties into innocence becoming experience. He then says that “cutting in itself is merely random cruelty” and that the dæmon-bond releases a burst of energy when severed. He tells her about the coin toss – in one world, it comes down heads, but in another, it comes down tails. He then tells her that she can ask anything she likes in the morning, because “You’re my daughter”, and tells her to go.

Bolvangar, partly destroyed. Serafina makes herself invisible, and watches Mrs Couter greeting Lord Boreal, who is there to see the interrogation of the witch captured by Mrs Coulter. Mrs Coulter tells the others to let go of the witch, as she is the private property of the General Oblation Board – which Fra Pavel tells her has now been closed down, and its records expunged. In addition, Mrs Coulter’s spy-flies have been decommissioned, and her bank account in Geneva terminated. She’s confused – he tells her about the witches’ prophecy, which states “that Lyra is either the Church’s greatest friend or its darkest foe”. Fra Pavel’s interrogation isn’t working, so Mrs Coulter takes her hand, and tells her to answer the questions – the witch refuses, so Mrs Coulter breaks one of her fingers, and another. She reveals that Lyra has a secret name, but doesn’t say the name, instead calling, “Serafina Pekkala, let me die!” Serafina makes herself visible, stabs the witch, and escapes in the pandemonium that ensues.

The Palace at Svalbard by night. The bears are celebrating. Thorold appears to Lyra, to tell her that Lord Asriel has taken Roger away. Lyra and Pan join the bears as they all march to the mountains, and Lyra crosses the snow-bridge alone. On the mountain-top, Salcilia is in a cage, and Roger is tied up, being guarded by Stelmaria. Lyra releases Roger, and Pan attacks Stelmaria, while Salcilia is freed. The fight continues, until Stelmaria catches Salcilia again, and Lord Asriel severs the bond. Roger is unsteady on his feet, and Stelmaria holds Salcilia up in triumph – to which Lyra says, “He’s killed him!” Mrs Coulter is heard approaching and calling for Lyra – Lyra and Pan hide. Mrs Coulter sees Lord Asriel, and approaches him, asking if he cut Lyra. They stand in the light of the city in the Aurora, and they kiss, as their dæmons move closer together. He asks her to come with him, to destroy the Authority; she says that she has to stay in their world to protect Lyra. He laughs at her, and says that he doesn’t blame Lyra for running away from her. Mrs Coulter leaves, and Lord Asriel yells after her, “I don’t need you!” and walks into the Aurora. Lyra and Pan decide that they need to follow him – taking “heads in one world, tails in another” to mean that there could be another world where Roger is still alive. They walk into the Aurora.

Lapland, an assembly of witches. Serafina addresses the gathered witches and Lee Scoresby, telling them that the Church is after Lyra. The witches refuse to say her name in front of Lee.

Serafina: Have you children of your own, Mr Scoresby?

Lee Scoresby: No. I never married. I’m childless and… well, it seems to me that this little kid had a lousy deal from her true parents, and somebody ought to make it up to her.

They discuss the prophecy, and their hatred of the Church, but do not give Lyra’s prophesied name. Ruta Skadi protests them protecting Lyra, as destiny will protect her, and suggests that they join the war, as Lord Asriel has already gone to kill the Authority. Serafina passes her amber spyglass around, so that the witches can look at the Dust flowing away through doors and windows that were never there before. Lee says that he can help the witches find Jopari, as he can take them to Lyra. Ruta says that she cannot follow, as Jopari once rejected her, and if she sees him, she will kill him.

Cittàgazze. Lyra and Pan walk in, having been walking for days.

Lyra: There’s one good thing. We’re probably safe from my mother and father.

Pantalaimon: The two most treacherous, lyingest people on all the earth.

Lyra: Wasn’t it awful when they kissed like that?

Pantalaimon: We made some friends though, didn’t we?

Lyra: Yeah… Iorek… Serafina…

Pantalaimon: … Kaisa…

Lyra: … Mr Scoresby…

Pantalaimon: …Hester…

They hear a noise, and see Will, who charges them – a fight ensues, and then they introduce themselves to each other. Lyra wonders why Will doesn’t have a dæmon, and Will is shocked that Pan is talking. They keep arguing, and Will says that he’s going to cook an omelette.

Lyra: Boys can’t cook.

Will: Well, this boy’s had to.

Lyra: In my world, servants do the cooking.

Will: In my world, the Coke is brown.

He produces a couple of bottles of green Coke. Gives her one.

Angelica and Paolo appear, and tell Lyra and Will about Cittàgazze, and how the adults have to run away from the Spectres. Angelica and Paolo leave, and Lyra and Will talk about what they’ve run away from – Lyra from her mother, and Will from “some people”. They keep talking, and realise that they come from two different Oxfords in two different worlds. Lyra says that she’s going to go with Will back to his Oxford, they argue about the dishes, and he leaves. Lyra reads the alethiometer and discovers that Will is a murderer – it also says that she should help Will, and stop looking for Roger.

Geneva: the Consistorial Court of Discipline. Mrs Coulter, Lord Boreal, and Fra Pavel are there with the President, while Brother Jasper takes notes. The President thanks Mrs Coulter for persuading the witch to tell them about the prophecy. Fra Pavel says that “To harden one’s heart is the first step to holiness,” but the President does not agree.

President: … But I have never once hardened my heart. I feel the lash on the heretic’s back as keenly as he does. I do it to save his soul. I do it for love.

Mrs Coulter says that the Church has made a mess of trying to find Lyra, and why should they not trust her to find her own daughter? Fra Pavel is in opposition, but Lord Boreal sides with Mrs Coulter. Lord Boreal then brings up a knife that is powerful enough to kill the Authority, but it is in a city infested with Spectres, and there is a boy called Will Parry who can get it. The President asks if Brother Jasper can read the alethiometer – he can, and claims to have a gift for it – so Fra Pavel is ordered to give Brother Jasper his alethiometer.

Cittàgazze window. Lyra and Will watch through, and can hear traffic. Lyra jumps through, and is surprised by how busy it is. They argue about how best to hide from attention – Lyra hides behind making herself stand out in an unexpected way; Will hides altogether.

The Botanic Gardens, on the bench. Lyra shows Will the alethiometer. Will tells her about his missing father, and shows her the green leather writing-case, and the letters. He then tells her about the man he killed, and the contents of the letters. They swap the alethiometer and the letters – Lyra taking the letters, and Will taking the alethiometer, as a show of trust, before promising to meet back at the bench.

Will’s Oxford, in a cuttings library. Will is reading something and taking notes, and clutching at the alethiometer bag. Lord Boreal asks about cuttings he requested – which are currently being read by Will. Lord Boreal asks if Will would mind sharing his table, and Lord Boreal asks him about the cuttings, before revealing that he knows who Will is, and that he killed a man. He then tells him that he needs him to do something – Will refuses, but takes Lord Boreal’s card. Lord Boreal then produces a cutting from his wallet: “Legends of the Arctic by Major John Parry”. Will reads the cutting with single-minded interest, and Lord Boreal takes the alethiometer bag while he’s distracted.

Cittàgazze, in the mountains. Jopari creates a circle in the ground, which is safe for the witches to descend into. He reveals that he is dying, and tells the witches to go, as they won’t be safe from the Spectres for very long. Jopari tells Lee that he was summoned, and that there is a man called Giacomo Paradisi, who he needs to give an order to, via Lee’s balloon. As it will be good for Lyra, Lee agrees.

Will’s Oxford. Lyra is angry that Will let the alethiometer be stolen. Will realises that he has Lord Boreal’s address – Lyra suggests that they rob him, but Will says they should go visit first. At his front door, Lyra and Lord Boreal recognise each other instantly, and Will says that Lord Boreal stole the alethiometer. Lord Boreal reveals that he thought that what he stole was the letters – but he is fascinated by the alethiometer, and wants to keep it as a bargaining chip, to force Will to get the knife.

The Torre degli Angeli in Cittagazze. Giacomo Paradisi is at the top, fighting with Tullio. Tullio and Will fight – Will gets the knife, and Tullio is consumed by Spectres. Paradisi says that he is the Bearer, and Lyra notices that Will’s fingers have been cut off. Paradisi points out that ownership of the knife has passed onto him, and tells him not to pass the knife onto Lord Boreal. He teaches Will how to use the knife, and warns him that, “If for a single moment your thoughts should waver, the knife will break”. And after that: “Then I shall wait on this rooftop, out of the Spectres’ range, until I die.” He teaches Will to close the window, and says that he is the bearer.

In the sky. Serafina and the witches appear, and see Angels.

Lord Asriel appears in his fortress.

Lord Asriel: Into this wild abyss the wary fiend / Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while / Pondering his voyage.

Mrs Coulter appears with the golden monkey.

Mrs Coulter: Lyra, where are you?

On the tower.

Will: Father! I’m coming to find you!

The President and Brother Jasper meet. Brother Jasper says that he has discovered Lyra Belacqua’s secret name, and hands the President a sheet of paper.

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Part Two, Act One

Opening montage. Lyra and Pan running. Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter looking into the Aurora – she says she can’t be a part of his plan. Roger dying in Lyra’s arms. Serafina addressing the witches about the prophecy. Lyra meeting Will. Mrs Coulter asking the President for permission to find Lyra. Will telling Lyra about his father – “John, John Parry”. Jopari and Lee Scoresby talking about the knife. Will and Tullio fighting, and Will losing his fingers. Ruta Skadi confronts Serafina Pekkala – she says she will fly to the battlefield, to fight for Lord Asriel, and that she will kill Jopari if she sees him. Brother Jasper tells the President he has discovered Lyra’s secret name, and the President summons the council.

Consistorial Court of Discipline. Brother Jasper reveals to the President and the gathered Church dignitaries that Lyra’s secret name is Eve: “The fount of original sin and the cause of Dust’s invasion of the world.” Clerics discuss Lord Asriel’s plans, and the need for the knife – the Authority is noted to not have talked to anyone since someone called Saint Teresa. The clerics leave, and the President tells Brother Jasper to find out where Lyra is hiding, and to gather a band of warriors who are ready to kill and to die for the sacred cause.

The air over Cittàgazze. The witches fly, looking for Lyra.

Will’s Oxford, at night, outside Lord Boreal’s house. They cut through the gate, and try to figure out how to rob his house – Will decides to cut a window into Cittàgazze, and then back into Oxford in Lord Boreal’s study. They hear Mrs Coulter approaching, and Lyra follows Will back into Cittàgazze.

Mrs Coulter: So this is your secret world? It’s charming, Charles.

Lord Boreal: I hardly believe its charm is what made you insist that I brought you here.

Mrs Coulter: Of course it isn’t. I want my daughter. Will I be sharing a room with her?

Lord Boreal: No, certainly not. I’ve asked my manservant to make up the guest room for you.

Mrs Coulter: The guest room? Well, we mustn’t upset him. I must remember to rumple the sheets in the morning. You really are the most delightfully old-fashioned host.

Will makes a window through the ceiling of Lord Boreal’s study – Lyra joins him, and they see that Lord Boreal still has the alethiometer. Lord Boreal insults Will’s mother, and Mrs Coulter insults Roger, so both children are livid. Lord Boreal says that Will is unique, because of his father – John Parry discovered the window into Cittàgazze, and is still alive and in hiding. They’re interrupted by Lyra throwing stones at the window. Lord Boreal runs outside with a gun, that he insists he will only use on Will, before calling to Will that “I’m not going to harm you”. Mrs Coulter tries to find Lyra, and Will finds the alethiometer. The children escape, and Mrs Coulter insists that they will follow them into Cittàgazze via another window – Lord Boreal is scared, but Mrs Coulter is insistent, as she knows of Lord Boreal’s orders.

Cittàgazze. Will is shocked that his father is alive, and exhausted – he quickly falls asleep. Lyra insists that they don’t snoop on Will, and they talk about what would have happened had they never snooped. Serafina appears, able to land safely as Will has the knife. She tells Lyra about how witches, with their long lives, find it hard to understand how short-lived girls like Lyra might feel for a boy, as their own experience is so different. Will wakes up to listen, unseesn, as Lyra asks if Farder Coram was in love with Serafina.

Serafina: He was, and I loved him. I’d fallen to earth in the Fenland marshes, where Coram was fishing, and he hauled me into his boat, or I’d have drowned. He was twenty and I was pushing two hundred… Well, I lay a week in his cabin, with the light blocked out, while I was mending from my fall. But it was summer outside, and the light was calling. One afternoon we strolled across the fields. We picked fruits from the hedgerows… we sat, we talked, we watched the river… and I lifted a blackberry and pressed it against his lips. It was only then, that I knew I loved him. Nine months later, I bore his child…

Serafina tells Lyra about their dead son, and that she hoped Coram would have moved on – though he never did. She says that their destinies were bound – like Lyra’s and Will’s may be. The rest of the witches appear, intent on guarding and guiding the children. Lyra checks the alethiometer, and finds out their path, as well as that Mrs Coulter is after them.

Lord Asriel’s fortress. Lord Asriel addresses his troops, telling them about all the worlds, and how they will use Æsahættr to kill the Authority. Lord Roke arrives, and suggests “the Chevalier Tialys and his spouse, the Lady Salmakia” to spy on the Consistorial Court of Discipline. He wants every detail of their plans, and Stelmaria suggests that Lyra also be reported on, though Lord Asriel considers her of less importance.

The Torre degli Angeli in Cittàgazze. Mrs Coulter addresses the Spectres, and a terrified Lord Boreal drags an equally terrified Giacomo Paradisi out. The Spectres consume Paradisi, and the children of Cittàgazze watch with an unhealthy interest – once he is consumed, they pick his pockets. Mrs Coulter says that she and the Spectres have reached an understanding. Lord Boreal asks the children if they have seen Lyra and Will, and the children tell them where to go. Angelica and Paolo ask Mrs Coulter to kill Lyra and Will – Mrs Coulter tells them to carry their bags until they’re out of the city, and then they might consider it.

Cittàgazze, in the mountains. The witches, Lyra and Pan, and Will are walking. They stop to rest, and Lyra and Will curl up under a blanket – Will lifts a corner for Pan, who pointedly goes the long way around to Lyra’s side. The children talk about dæmons in Will’s world, and Will talks about how he thinks Spectres manifest in his world. He then says that he always wanted to find his dad, and that his mother “used to say I was gonna wear his mantle”. Ruta Skadi arrives, having seen Lord Asriel’s fortress and his army – and having been asked by him to join him. The witches note that they can’t fix Will’s wound, and Ruta sees his eyes.

Ruta Skadi: I’ve seen those eyes before.

Serafina: If you have, it’s best for us all that you forget them.

They see Jopari and Lee Scoresby arriving, and Ruta is angry that Serafina brought Jopari into that world – Serafina says that all she cares about is the prophecy coming true.

Mrs Coulter’s camp in Cittàgazze. Lord Boreal is preoccupied by the Spectres lurking close by, but Mrs Coulter and the golden monkey are quietly realising that they don’t need him any more.

Mrs Coulter: What will you do, when we find the children?

Lord Boreal: I’ll get the knife, and hurry back to Geneva as fast as my legs will take me. What about you?

Mrs Coulter: I’ll keep my daughter quiet and safe. That’s all I want. When she lived with me in London, I used to sit at the end of her bed and watch her, and my heart would burst with love. Then she’d wake up and… oh… the racketing round and the noise and nuisance. I’d have to remind myself of what she was like before, and then I’d love her again. What’s odd is that I still don’t know what the most important thing about her is.

Lord Boreal: What might that be?

Mrs Coulter: Remember the witch I tortured? ‘It is the name of one who came before…’ What is that name?

Mrs Coulter is insistent that Lord Boreal must know what the name is, that the Church must have told him, but Lord Boreal insists that he doesn’t know. She says that unless he tells her, he will die “a revolting death” – and then she calls the Spectres closer. She says she believes him, and that makes him useless to her, so she calls for the Spectres to devour him.

The witches’ camp, by night. Lyra and Will are lying on the ground. Serafina leaves, as Ruta Skadi has left in a rage, and she is worried as to what she will do. Will isn’t sleeping, as his hand is now septic and gangrenous – Pan licks his hand, to comfort him, and they talk about how brave Lyra thinks he is. Will gets up to go for a walk – Lyra wakes up, just in time to see him go, and then the golden monkey and Mrs Coulter appears. Mrs Coulter tries to get Lyra to go with her, but the witches awaken and prepare to attack – and the Spectres attack the witches, while Mrs Coulter carries Lyra away.

On the mountain in Cittàgazze, by a rock in the shape of an eagle. Will appears, in pain, and Jopari appears out of the darkness, instantly recognising Will as the bearer of the knife. He anoints the wound, and it stops hurting as well as bleeding. Will shows Jopari the knife, and Jopari tells Will about its history, and what it means to be the bearer, and that being the bearer makes Will a warrior. Jopari tells Will to take Æsahættr to Lord Asriel, and then that he is dying. He then lights a match, recognises Will as his son – and is struck with an arrow, and falls down, dead. Ruta Skadi appears, blames Jopari’s rejection of her on Will and his mother, and stabs herself. Will goes to his father’s body.

Will: Father… Dad, Daddy… Father. You loved us. I’m sorry I doubted you. I’ll do what you want, I swear it. I’ll be the man that you want me to be. I’ll fight. I’ll be a warrior. I’ll take this knife to Lord Asriel, wherever he is.

In the distance, Lyra can be heard calling for Will. Will runs back to the camp, and sees the witches standing dead, and Serafina and Kaisa, who have returned to see the rest of the witches dead. Serafina tells Will that Mrs Coulter has taken Lyra; Will tells her that he found his father, who is now dead.

Serafina: So the choice is yours. Either save the world, or save your friend. I know which I would do… Kaisa stops her continuing. But I can’t help you to decide. Ruta Skadi was right. I meddled in human lives, and brought destruction on my sisters. If all goes well for you and Lyra, we’ll meet on the battlefield. Farewell.

She leaves, and Will picks up Lyra’s rucksack, and looks at the alethiometer. Balthamos and Baruch appear, having been following Jopari until he found Will, and ready to lead Will to Lord Asriel. Will tells them that he is going to find Lyra first, and Balthamos and Baruch have no choice but to follow him.

A cave. Roger’s ghost appears while Lyra sleeps, and she half wakes up. Roger begs for help, but Mrs Coulter forces the sleeping medication on Lyra.

Mrs Coulter’s camp in Cittàgazze. Will is putting things in a bag, as Lord Boreal stands, still dead. Balthamos watches Will, and tell him about their determination to see the Authority killed. He then tells Will about the world of the dead. Baruch appears, with a map to show where Lyra is being kept. Balthamos and Baruch embrace and say goodbye, and Baruch flies away.

Oxford Botanic Gardens, on the bench. Lyra and Will are adults again. Lyra talks about her fear that she would never wake up, and would be stuck in the world of the dead – but how she swore she would find Roger. Will talks about how he wanted to say so much to his father – “It was my task… it was my mantle.”

A message is heard from Lord Roke, contacting his agents in Geneva.

A corridor in the Consistorial Court of Discipline. The Chevalier Tialys and the Lady Salmakia are seen eavesdropping on Brother Jasper, who is telling the President that Lyra is being kept captive in a cave. The President gives Brother Jasper the medallion of Saint Martin Luther, which absolves its wearer from every crime, and tells him to wear it when he kills Lyra, to save her soul.

Lord Asriel’s fortress – the war room. A message is relayed from Tialys and Salmakia about what they have just seen.

Salmakia, in a message: … Lyra is in a cave in the Northern mountains… her mother is keeping her in a trance…

Lord Asriel: Her mother? Stuck in a cave? I don’t believe it. This is a woman who has her hair done twice a week at six in the morning.

Tialys: … the Church will send a band of assassins to the cave by zeppelin. Their orders will be to eliminate Lyra without delay. Transmission over.

Lord Asriel: Eliminate Lyra? Why? She’s not important. She’s just a foul-mouthed brat with grubby fingernails. Why are they trying to kill her?

Stelmaria: You’d have killed her yourself, at Svalbard.

Lord Asriel: No, I would not! I thought I’d have to kill her, for the sake of my experiment. When the boy walked in, I was vastly relieved and I let her go. But I can’t help wondering now if that was a fatal error. Should I have kept her with me? Should I have brought her here?

Baruch arrives, to join Asriel’s army, but he is wounded. He says that Jopari’s son is bringing Æsahættr, but he has gone to find Lyra. Baruch cries, “Oh, Balthamos!” and dies. Lord Asriel decides to fly to the cave, to capture the knife and rescue his daughter.

Stelmaria: So you do care about her?

Lord Asriel: Yes I do! It’s like a chess game, when you suddenly realise that your opponent is concentrating all his energies on capturing some insignificant little piece to which you never attached the remotest value. You don’t know why he wants it. But if it matters to him, then it matters to you. You have to defend it.

Lyra’s world, in snowy foothills. Balthamos realises that Baruch is dead, and flies away. Will is left alone, and turns to see bears. Iorek appears, as ready as his comrades to kill Will, but Will challenges him to single combat. Iorek gives Will his helmet, and Will destroys it with the knife. Will says that he will only show the knife to Iorek Byrnison. Iorek studies the knife, and tells Will that the bears are trying to find a new place to live. Balthamos returns.

The Consistorial Court of Discibpline in Geneva. Brother Jasper addresses an assembly, telling them how the world is suffering environmental consequences because of the hole in the Aurora. He tells the audience about Lyra’s path – following Lord Asriel through Cittàgazze and into the other Oxford, and then to the cave with Mrs Coulter. Lord Asriel is leading a force towards the cave, Will and Iorek are arriving from another direction, so his newly-named Brotherhood of the Holy Purpose are arriving from another direction, expecting a battle. They plan on killing both Lyra and Will.

Near the cave. Will, Iorek, and Balthamos arrive, alongside other bears. Brother Jasper’s zeppelins are approaching from the south, and Lord Asriel’s gyropters from the north. Will is certain that he will not be enchanted by Mrs Coulter, unlike so many others. Mrs Coulter is determined that Will will help them all escape, and he refuses to show her the knife, despite her interest. Mrs Coulter is well aware that Lyra hates her, but is determined to protect her in any way she can – she asks will, “Wouldn’t your mother do the same for you?” Will tries to take Lyra away, and Mrs Coulter pulls a revolver on him. The Chevalier Tialys and Lady Salmakia appear beside Mrs Coulter, and sting her. Lyra starts to wake, and Will tries to find a snag for the knife, but the cave is invaded – first by the Brothers of the Holy Purpose, and then Lord Asriel and his soldiers. Mrs Coulter is shocked to see Lord Asriel, and begs Lyra to stay, not to leave her to die. Lord Asriel then tells Will to think of what his father told him – and Will, thinking of his father, shatters the knife. In the ensuing fight, he picks up the pieces of the knife and pulls Lyra from the cave.

Lord Asriel: Lyra! Lyra!

---

Part Two, Act Two

Lord Asriel’s fortress. Lord Asriel is alone, and talks of a dream in which he met the angel who challenged the Authority.

Lord Asriel: …I was falling with him down an endless abyss, into a blackness so intense it seemed to invade my brain.

The war room in Lord Asriel’s fortress. Tialys and Salmakia report that heavy losses were suffered on both sides, but Lyra and Will escaped, and Will has the pieces of the knife.

Lyra’s world, near the cave. Will tells Lyra that Jopari was his father. They meet Tialys and Salmakia, who tell them that they have been searching for Lyra at her father’s command, and that they are there to take her to his fortress. Will tells them that Iorek is there, but Lyra interrupts to say that the knife is useless, and that they just want to say goodbye to Iorek. Once the Gallivespians leave, she tells him off for being useless at lying. Lyra then says that she has to rescue Roger – she knows he’s somewhere, even though he’s dead. Will says that he’s in the Land of the Dead. Iorek comes, and the Gallivespians follow – they’re angry at Lyra and Will for lying, and Lyra and Will are angry at them for interrupting and for concealing themselves. The Gallivespians withdraw to tell Lord Asriel that the knife will be repaired; Lyra asks the alethiometer if it should be repaired. Iorek builds a fire.

Lord Asriel’s fortress. The Gallivespians tell Lord Asriel that Lyra and Will are planning on repairing the knife and going somewhere unspecified. Lord Roke points out that once the knife is in working order, they will all be in a deadlock. An officer appears saying that the prisoner insists on seeing Lord Asriel – he asks for her to be sent away, but Mrs Coulter comes in anyway, her hands tied. The room is emptied, and they proceed to argue about Lyra. She asks why he abandoned them in the middle of the battle, and he insists that they fled. He says that he knows Lyra is in danger, and she says that she tried to convince him of it at Svalbard – he wasn’t convinced, as it was a single zeppelin, rather than an obsession of the Church. They talk about the prophecy, though neither of them knows the name given to Lyra. Lord Asriel insists that all he can think about is to protect Lyra; Mrs Coulter says that she doesn’t know why she believes him, but she knows that something has changed in her, too. They talk about Brother Jasper, and Mrs Coulter asks if the Gallivespians could spy on him – but they’re still in the cave, not in Geneva. She says that she has grown to hate the Church, but she is willing to fly to them to spy on them. The monkey makes stabbing gestures to indicate that she needs to ask about the knife after it broke – and then she snaps at Lord Asriel for only being interested in the knife, not in Lyra. They get back to arguing about Lyra.

Mrs Coulter: How would you know what’s worthy or not? You tried to exploit my motherly love for your own selfish purposes! [Lord Asriel laughs] Don’t laugh!

Lord Asriel: I can’t help it! [He laughs] Your motherly love! You hated Lyra! You abandoned her!

Mrs Coulter: I did not! You stole her from me…!

Lord Asriel: I had to! You were raving mad! You’d have throttled her in her cradle!

Mrs Coulter: Then you ignored her, you neglected her, year after year, she had no decent company, no education…

Lord Asriel: You only loved her in that cave because she was fast asleep.

Mrs Coulter: What if I did? It’s still love.

Lord Asriel: No it’s not. It’s fantasising. So that you won’t have to pretend to love the tedious little creature that she really is.

Mrs Coulter: You know nothing about her! She’s unique!

Lord Asriel: Oh, she’s unique all right. To win you round… you of all people… the steely-eyed fanatic, the persecutor of children, the inventor of hideous machines to slice them apart… to turn you into a fussy red hen, clucking and settling your feathers over her… that’s quite an achievement.

Mrs Coulter: It is.

Lord Asriel: And you’ll go to Geneva?

Mrs Coulter: I will. For her. [She turns to go.] Who won that? You or me?

Lord Asriel: We both got what we wanted.

Mrs Coulter: So we did. But I’ll be back. And let the battle commence.

She leaves, and Lord Asriel tells Lord Roke to hide in the aircraft with her.

In the cave. Iorek, Will, Lyra, and Pan are mending the knife. Iorek asks what Will is planning on doing with the knife – he eventually says that they want to go down to the Land of the Dead, but he’s scared. Lyra joins them, and she is still determined to go into the Land of the Dead. She says goodbye to Iorek, and he leaves. Will prepares to cut a window to the Land of the Dead, but they stop, to figure out which part of them has to go through. The Chevalier Tialys and Lady Salmakia appear, and insist that they have to wait for the gyropter. Will cuts a window anyway, and they stare in amazement.

A lodestone resonator signal. Tialys relays that the children have escaped to the Land of the Dead, and Lord Roke relays that Mrs Coulter was placed in a cell in Geneva, where the President intends on interrogating her.

The Consistorial Court of Discipline. Mrs Coulter is about to undress when she sees Lord Roke. He tells her that those on the grounds are preparing for war, and the priests are taking it in relays to warn the Authority. The President and Brother Jasper arrive, and she tells them that she escaped from Lord Asriel by stealing a gyropter, and that Lord Boreal was killed by Spectres, as that’s what happens in Cittàgazze – she attributes her survival to “the power of prayer”. They ask if she knows where Lyra is, and she asks why they haven’t asked the alethiometer – they have, but the answer is too obscure to read. The President is angry that she disobeyed the Church, hiding Lyra in a cave; Mrs Coulter loses control, and tells them that she was protecting her daughter from the Church – “From a body of men with a feverish obsession with sex… Men whose furtive imaginations would crawl over my daughter like cockroaches. Men reeking of ancient sweat!” She then says that it doesn’t matter if Lord Asriel plans on killing the Authority, as he is useless – unseen, unheard. “Wouldn’t it be the kindest gesture to seek him out and give him the gift of death?” The President says that she has condemned herself in saying this. They leave, saying that it is imperative that they find Lyra, and that Mrs Coulter will die tomorrow. The President orders that Brother Jasper returns to her cell after the Council of War, to hear her final words.

Outskirts of the Land of the Dead. Lyra, Will, and pan arrive, and an official gives them papers, as they are still alive. They continue through, until they meet a man called Jeptha Jones, who asks them where their deaths are. They join Jeptha and his family, who give them soup, and point out their own deaths, gathered far away – except for their gran’s death, who is with them. Deaths are explained, and they are told that they need their deaths to guide them to the boat. The family ask them about where they came from, and Lyra lies about her parents, a king and queen. Partway through her story, the actor playing Pantalaimon appears as Lyra’s death, and tells her that he can guide them to the Land of the Dead, but not back out.

Lyra and Will reach the shores of a lake, with Pan having returned. Lyra’s death disappears, and a rowing boat appears. The Boatman indicates that Pan has to stay, and that the same thing always happens – everybody struggles and fights, but everybody goes in the end. Lyra and Pan embrace, before being parted.

A message from Lord Roke, reporting that the children and the knife are completely unknown, war preparations continue, and Mrs Coulter is under the sentence of death.

Mrs Coulter’s cell in Geneva. Lord Roke appears in the window to warn a pacing Mrs Coulter that Brother Jasper is on his way to see her. She feigns being newly awake when Brother Jasper comes in, offering her the medallion to absolve her of all crimes past and present, if she can help him find Lyra. He wants to know where she is – he knows she is in a world of endless grey and misery, with Roger, but Mrs Coulter tells him that Roger is dead. He is appalled, and falls to his knees, as it means that nothing he believes is true. The golden monkey moves seductively towards his dæmon, and Mrs Coulter tells him that she always knew he was different – he can’t bring himself to put the medallion around her neck, and she stays uncomfortably close to him, with him unable to move away. He tells her that Will is with Lyra, and that Lyra’s prophesied name is Eve – they want to kill her, because Dust will triumph if she falls. Noises are heard, and Lord Roke appears: “The rescue party’s arrived!” Mrs Coulter and the golden monkey instantly switch from seduction to throwing Brother Jasper to the ground and fixing his dæmon in a paralysing grip. Soldiers hustle Mrs Coulter to the door, and Lord Roke is wounded, but insists on staying at his post.

The Land of the Dead. No-Name the harpy appears, and taunts Lyra and Will, who are still working through the pain of having their dæmons torn from them. Lyra tells a lie-filled story to No-Name, who taunts her as “Lyra the liar!” Will slices through a door, and they run into a vast grey plain, filled with ghosts. Lyra realises that she was sent to annihilate death. Will tries to find a place where they won’t be stared at, and the ghost children approach Lyra, talking about their dæmons. Roger appears, and runs to Lyra, but they can’t touch. Lyra tells Roger about how Will is her best friend, who she can still touch, or hug, or get into fights with, or share an apple with, or race up a hill, or sit in the sun. The ghost children cluster nearer, listening to stories of a world they’ve nearly forgotten, with Roger joining in.

In another part of the Land of the Dead, Will is trying to find a place to cut, but the knife keeps snagging. Jopari appears, and tells him that if he does it again, the knife will break. They return to Lyra, who is finishing her story, with ghost adults having joined the children, and No-Name and two other harpies listening. No-Name and the other harpies are nourished by the stories, but attack Lyra for planning an escape from the Land of the Dead. Will and Lyra then bargain – the harpies will show the ghosts how to escape, if every one of those ghosts tells them stories about “the things they saw and heard and loved in the life that they left behind”. Some ghosts are anxious about what waits for them – Jopari tells them that they will dissolve, like their dæmons did, but that they will all drift apart, and be a part of everything that’s alive. No-Name leads the way.

Mrs Coulter’s cell in Geneva. The President and Brother Jasper are there, being watched by Lord Roke, who creeps out to listen to the clerics who come in. The clerics tell of the Authority’s arrival, and they start to go, although Brother Jasper stays.

Brother Jasper: Father President, let me speak. I have sinned. I had evil thoughts.

President: You are not the first young man to have been corrupted by Mrs Coulter. Make up for it on the battlefield.

Brother Jasper offers to follow Lyra using the alethiometer. The President gives him a rifle to kill her.

Lord Roke sends a message: Lyra and Will are expected to leave the Land of the Dead, but Brother Jasper will find them once they have returned to the living world. The Clouded Mountain will soon be visible. And Lord Roke is dying.

The Land of the Dead. No-Name leads the way, and the abyss appears, with Dust streaming into it. Lyra walks along the edge, and slips in, before No-Name rescues her. Rogers calls out – he can see daylight.

Lord Asriel’s fortress. Officers are watching the Clouded Mountain get closer, and Lord Asriel appears to check that the troops are in place. Mrs Coulter appears, and tells him that Lyra’s name is Eve. They look at the Clouded Mountain, and he tells her that even though they don’t have the knife, they have flesh, and can brush away the angels like smoke. He tells his troops that this will be the last rebellion and the best, and that they’ll be free citizens of the Republic of Heaven.

The mouth of the Land of the Dead. Lyra gives No-Name the name of Gracious Wings, in thanks. They say goodbye. Roger is the first to walk back into the world, and other ghosts follow. Jopari stops, to tell Will that they can only survive in the world they were born in. “We must build the Republic of Heaven where we are. Because for us, there’s no elsewhere.” His final line in the play:

John Parry: Well done, my son. I’m proud of you. No one on earth could have done better than this. Now go. Cut your window.

He disappears. It’s the first time he’s referred to in the script itself as John Parry, rather than Jopari.

Will cuts a window into the battlefield, where Brother Jasper is stalking through the melee, but is attacked by Iorek, who is then wounded by him. Iorek swears that he will do what he can to hold back Brother Jasper. Lyra and Will find the crystal casket, lying where it fell on the battlefield. Inside is an angel, older than anyone they’ve ever seen. He’s scrabbling his fingers and crying, and Will cuts the casket open. Air rushes in, and he starts to fade – as he fades into nothing, he smiles. Lyra and Will are still set on getting the knife to Lord Asriel, so that he can kill the Authority, and they run. Lord Asriel appears, and sees the empty casket. Serafina appears, and tells him that the children freed him. Mrs Coulter appears, and Serafina leaves, as she knows that she will kill Mrs Coulter, if she sees her. Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter agree that they need to save Lyra – at the cost of everything, even their own lives. The abyss appears. Lyra and Will come running, but don’t see her parents. Will cuts a window, and Brother Jasper is about to fire, but Mrs Coulter steps forward and distracts him, giving the children enough time to escape. But he laughs.

Brother Jasper: They won’t get away! There are windows everywhere. I know them all.

Mrs Coulter: Jasper, look at me. What do you see?

Brother Jasper: Sin. Corruption.

Mrs Coulter: Touch it. You wanted to, from the moment you saw me.

She kisses him. Unseen by Brother Jasper, Lord Asriel moves towards them.

Mrs Coulter: Come with me, and you can touch it until you die. We’ll fall forever, like the brightest and best of angels.

He pulls away from her.

Brother Jasper: No.

Lord Asriel seizes his hand. Mrs Coulter seizes the other.

Brother Jasper: No! No!

Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter leap into the abyss, taking Brother Jasper with them.

An unknown world. Lyra and Will reminisce, about knowing at once when you like somebody. She crushes a blackberry against his mouth, says that she loves him, and they kiss.

An unknown world. Serafina looks through the amber spyglass, and sees that Dust is moving differently, because of Lyra and Will.

The same world, the next morning. Pantalaimon and the as-yet-unnamed Kirjava appear, both as cats. Lyra wakes and sees them, and embraces Pan. Serafina appears, and has already named Kirjava. Both of them have settled. Serafina says that they went through the same thing that witches have always done – they can be apart, but still be one being. She then tells them that all the windows need to be closed, and they can’t open any more. One window is allowed – for the dead to escape by. Lyra argues that she could stay in Will’s world, but he doesn’t want to see her dying as he grows up. Lyra tries to ask the alethiometer, but she can’t – Serafina tells her that she has lost the “childlike grace” that allowed her to read it, but that she will be able to study it and learn to read it again. She tells them that they will have to go to their own worlds, and that Will must break the knife.

The Botanic Gardens in Will’s world. Lyra and Will profess their love for each other: “Every atom of you, every atom of me.” They promise to come to the garden again, every year, on Midsummer Night at midnight, until the following dawn, for as long as they live. He cuts a window. Balthamos appears, and tells Will to close it. Lyra tells him the same. Balthamos tells Will, in order to break the knife, “Think of whatever is most important to you”. He thinks of Lyra. The knife shatters.

Dawn breaks. We’re in the present day.

Will: I wanted to go through after you.

Lyra: I wanted to stay.

Will: But then I remembered what my dad said. There’s no elsewhere…

Lyra: You must be where you are…

Will: …and where you are is the place that matters most of all…

Lyra: …‘cause it’s the only place where you can make…

Will: …where you can build…

Lyra: …where you can share…

Will: …what you’ve been looking for all along…

Lyra: The Republic of Heaven.

Two clocks are heard striking. Lyra picks up Pantalaimon. She and Will pass each other and walk out of sight.

#his dark materials #hdm #national theatre #just so you know this is over 10000 words #so don't click for a quick read #but it's honestly super interesting looking at what they've changed #myhdm

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littletayyswriting · 5 years

Text

Title: The Sun Still Waits Here (With the Moon and Stars Beside It) (8/?)

Author: LittleTayy

Rating: Mature

Characters: Marisa Coulter, Lord Asriel, Lyra Belacqua, Ma Costa

Summary: Marisa Coulter and Lord Asriel aren’t typical parents but they certainly try their best. Raising their child isn’t as easy as they thought it would be; professional ambitions and personal vices getting in the way.

( Snippets of an AU story, set in our modern world. )

AN: This is based off the TV Show.

Read On: AO3

Chapter Six

of broken bones and guilt

At nine years old, Lyra is enjoying her summer break. It's been four months since she's seen her father and two since she's seen her mother in person. FaceTime however is a wonderful invention and one her mother employs regularly and Lyra is at least grateful her mother remembers her. It seems as if her father has forgotten all about her while he’s been away and it shouldn't be a surprise but it does sting a little.

Lyra loves her father very much and he always brings her back interesting presents from his expeditions. Gifts she treasures and are placed around her room with pride and care. But sometimes she wishes he'd just stay or even let her go with him! Lyra’s never gotten to go travelling with her father, and she doubts her mother would let her go all the way to the Arctic either. Still, Lyra dreams of being an explorer and adventurer and maybe a scientist like her father.

His life, what she hears about it at least, sounds exciting. Much better than her mother's boring job bossing people around; even though Mother is apparently an engineer, which she always claims is like a scientist. Lyra isn't sure if she believes that but, then again, her mother always understands exactly what her father is talking about and even corrects him at times. Plus father always says she is brilliant .

Mother doesn't get to travel like father though. And that's really what Lyra aspires to do. She wants to see the whole world, she wants to have adventures and trek through snow and scale mountains and investigate jungles. She wants to explore. Not be a boring engineer or scientist like her Mother and Father.

She knows her father wouldn't care. It'd be mother she'd have to convince.

But her mother isn't here right now, to stop her from exploring the countryside. London had been easier to explore because her mother had barely paid her any attention and there'd been new and exciting things all around her. The countryside wasn't exactly new territory but with neither parent around to scold her and only Mrs. Costa, who she didn’t really have to listen to, around to warn her to be careful; Lyra had free reign over her summer.

It is because of this freedom of course, that has her running around with Tony and Billy Costa, scaling the balconies of the Manor and climbing trees. It is also this freedom and lack of supervision, unfortunately, that has her tumbling from the high branches of a tree at the front of the Belacqua Manor.

“Shit!” Tony Costa exclaims as he watches Lyra’s foot slip and her hand struggle to grip a branch above her, doing his best to try and catch the girl but failing. Her head hits a branch on the way down and there’s blood and when she lands, she stretches her arms out towards the ground to stop the impact; only for a sickening crack to be heard.

“Billy! Go get Ma!” Tony orders his younger brother, pushing him away from Lyra and the tree and back towards the Manor. His little brother takes off in a run as Lyra starts to cry, cradling her arm.

Tony isn’t sure what to do, flustered as he tries to calm Lyra down. It seems like forever before he can hear his Ma shouting to them, asking what was wrong. Her tone is worried and angry and Tony vaguely wonders what his little brother had said.

Lyra is still crying, breathing fast, eyes squeezed shut as she holds her arm tightly. Even at 11, Tony could tell that Lyra’s arm was not right and he worried for the younger girl. He also worried for the smack he was no doubt going to get when his mother got him alone.

“She was climbing the tree and then fell! I tried to catch her ma, I swear,” Tony told Mrs. Costa as she finally got close, her eyes wide as she took in the scene at the bottom of the tree.

Mrs. Costa took charge then, wiping away the blood on Lyra’s face with the tea towel she’d been carrying before pressing it to the small gash on the child’s forehead. She held it there as she talked to Lyra, trying to calm her down. Once the girl had gathered herself together a little more, Mrs. Costa slowly helped her stand up, her keen eyes gazing over Lyra to make sure she wasn’t injured anywhere else.

“Alright Lyra. We best get ya to a hospital…” Mrs. Costa told her calmly, voice comforting, a hand rubbing Lyra’s back.

“I want my mother!” Lyra exclaimed, lips trembling and eyes watering as she accidentally jostled her injured arm.

“I know girl, I know. We’ll call her and she’ll meet us at the hospital in no time,” Mrs. Costa reassured her, guiding the injured Lyra towards the car. Of course she’d said that but Mrs. Costa wasn’t even sure if Marisa was in the country and then hastily wondered if she could get in contact with Lord Asriel either. “Come on now,” Mrs. Costa cajoles, cradling Lyra as delicately as she can. There’d be time to think about informing the girl’s parents later.

The car ride to the hospital feels longer than it really is, Lyra feeling the pain more and more as each minute passes by. By the time they get to the hospital, Lyra is bawling once again and squirming around in pain, Mrs. Costa trying to comfort her as best she can but it doesn’t seem to be working.

“Where is my daughter?” Marisa Coulter exclaims, striding into the hospital, barely stopping herself from crashing into the reception desk. “Lyra Belacqua. She came through A&E,” Marisa insisted, slightly breathless and laser focused.

The nurse at the desk faltered for a moment, the intensity and desperation radiating off of Marisa intimidating the poor woman. Despite the fact, the nurse was no doubt older. “Now, please ,” she continued, trying to control herself, forcing a smile onto her face. There was no point in taking her worry and anger out on the staff. Not until she’d found Lyra, at least.

Her expression was stony, harder than it usually would have been in any other circumstance outside their home. But there was an overwhelming worry that was engulfing her, the likes she’d never felt before. Lyra was hurt, she was lying somewhere in the hospital injured and Marisa hadn’t been there. The thought sent a sharp pang of self hatred through her; she had been away too long, Lyra never would have been injured on her watch.

The nurse gave her Lyra’s room number and she stormed through the hospital, a hand clenched tight and nails digging roughly into her skin. It took her only moments to find Lyra’s private room, bursting through the door with haste. Her eyes found her daughter instantaneously.

Lyra was pale but she was sitting up in the hospital bed, her arm already in a cast. Marisa’s brow furrowed in concern as she stepped closer, eyes flicking over her daughter quickly, looking for any other signs of injury. Her eyes stopped on the two, delicate stitches on her daughter’s forehead and curled her hands into tight fists. She took a deep breath, releasing her fingers and trying to keep herself calm.

“Oh, Lyra, darling!” She exclaimed, stepping closer to the hospital bed and reaching her hands out to cup her daughter’s face. She had barely looked at Mrs. Costa and her sons, sitting on the opposite of the hospital bed. She would deal with the other woman later.

“Mum!” Lyra whined, going to wrap her hands around Marisa but wincing as she jostled her broken arm.

Marisa’s frown deepened as she saw her daughter wince and smoothed her hands over her daughter’s dark hair soothingly. Her eyes glanced down at the cast, a hand dropping down to hold Lyra’s uninjured one tightly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here… I got back as soon as I could. What happened?” Marisa asked her, trying to assuage her own guilt at being so far away from her child.

“Was climbing a tree and slipped,” Lyra replied tiredly, taking a moment to yawn before fixing her eyes back on her mother.

Marisa inspected her carefully at the words, hand flitting up to Lyra’s forehead, a finger touching featherlight around the stitches. She resisted the urge to press down, pulling her hand away and resting it on the bed. “Oh, you must be more careful Lyra,” Marisa intoned, a frown still lingering on her lips.

She was so focused on her child that she tensed when she heard the voice of Mrs. Costa from the side of the room. The anger was back then, as she turned slowly towards the other woman, gaze heated as her eye’s met the blonde woman’s. She had trusted Costa to care for Lyra while she and Asriel were away for work, and she didn’t trust easily. She should have never allowed Lyra to be hurt, let alone injured and in hospital.

“-doctor said she could go home in the morning,” Marisa heard Mrs. Costa say.

The other woman seemed to realise quickly however, that Marisa was in no mood to hear her and quickly stopped talking. Marisa resisted the urge to curl her lips into a snarl, already deciding that she was going to fire the useless woman. If she couldn’t prevent Lyra from climbing a tree and breaking her arm, then she was of no use to her. She wasn’t going to acknowledge that her anger had turned outwards unnecessarily.

“You may go, Mrs. Costa,” Marisa replied sharply, forcing a tight smile the other woman’s way. “I’m here now and Lyra needs her rest,” she continued, making it clear that her words were not a suggestion.

“Of course,” Mrs. Costa nodded, standing and gathering her youngest son in her arms. “We’ll see you soon Lyra. Let’s go,” she directed her sons out of the room, grimacing.

Instantly, Marisa’s attention was back on Lyra, lips pursed as her daughter watched the Costa’s leave, giving them a wave with her uninjured hand. She looked sad about it and Marisa huffed. She had just arrived and Lyra was hurt; weren’t children supposed to want their mother’s when they were sick or injured? The very notion that Lyra would’ve preferred Mrs. Costa’s presence to hers created an irrational anger to burn inside her.

Her hand clasped around Lyra’s injured one, squeezing tightly. “Ow,” Lyra grumbled, flinching, brows furrowed as her eyes snapped back to her mother.

Immediately Marisa cooed at Lyra, expression turning concerned and motherly. “Does it still hurt?” She questioned, not giving Lyra the chance to speak. “Would you like me to get the nurse for you? I assume they gave you painkillers,” Marisa mused, wide eyes and sweet smile directed at her daughter.

Lyra nodded, a little pout forming on her lips at her mother’s words. “Yes, please. It’s aching a little,” Lyra told her, moving her arm up carefully against her chest. She could sense that her mother wanted to take care of her and after months of not seeing her, sh wanted her to as well.

Marisa smiled wide and genuine at Lyra’s words, nodding as she stood up from the hospital bed, fingers caressing Lyra’s chin. “Alright, my darling. I’ll be right back,” Marisa told her, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple.

She made her way out of the private room, finding a doctor quickly. She explained the situation and then asked about Lyra’s condition. The doctor told her that they’d send a nurse in to administer the pain medication and gave her a basic overview of Lyra’s injury, though they hadn’t been the doctor that fixed or cast the break. Marisa pursed her lips, unimpressed but chose instead to get back to Lyra instead of insisting she speak with the doctor that had treated her daughter.

With a huff, she stepped back into the private room to see Lyra resting back against the elevated bed. Her daughter was nine and growing quickly but laying in the stark white hospital bed, Marisa was reminded of the little girl that she had once been. She didn’t want to admit it but the rate at which Lyra grew at times made her sad and wish she was a baby once again.

“The nurse will be in, in a moment, darling,” Marisa told her daughter, making her way around to the opposite side of the hospital bed to sit in the now vacant seats. She unbuttoned her blazer, slipping it off and folding it over the back of the chair as she did so, straightening out her silk blouse as she perched on the edge of the seat.

“Thank you, mummy,” Lyra told her, fidgeting a little as her arm started to ache.

It wasn’t long then, until a nurse came in and administered pain relief to Lyra. He did so silently, under the watchful, eagle-eyed glare of Marisa. Once he was gone, Lyra shifted in the bed again, trying to get comfortable and knocking her arm painfully. She let out a little cry and Marisa was up and by the bed in an instant.

“Lyra, you must try and be more careful,” she admonished lightly, helping to settle the girl.

“I just wanted to turn over so I could sleep,” Lyra complained, frowning up at her mother and looking so much like Asriel that Marisa couldn’t help but soften. She tucked a strand of hair behind Lyra’s ear, looking down at her lovingly, wanting to help her and mother her in some way.

“It might be better if you stay on your back Lyra. I’ll put the bed down,” Marisa suggested, eyes already glancing around for the remote to lower the bed to a more even position.

Lyra simply nodded, much too tired to think of anything else or argue with her mother. It had after all been an exhausting day for the nine year old. “Thank you, mum,” Lyra murmured, as Marisa found the device and lowered the bed, watching as Lyra settled herself. “Can you turn the light out please?” Lyra asked softly, turning her head to gaze helplessly at Marisa.

A smile settled on her lips as she nodded, moving to turn the lights off in the room. Of course, Marisa could still see but the darkened lights would help Lyra sleep better and give her a sense of calm. Though, as she gazed over at her daughter, eyes already half closed, Marisa could see that maybe the girl didn’t need that much help to sleep after all.

She made her way around the bed, intending to settle on the seat when Lyra held out her good hand to her. “Can you lay with me?” Lyra asked sleepily. It was clear to Marisa, that Lyra wanted a cuddle and comfort and she felt her heart swell that her daughter needed her.

“Of course, my darling,” Marisa cooed, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. She sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping off her heeled shoes and swinging her legs up onto the bed. She shuffled into a comfortable position beside Lyra, turning on her side, careful not to bump into Lyra, a hand stroking Lyra’s hair. “Mama’s here,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her had.

Lyra smiled, snuggling into her as she closed her eyes. Marisa watched her, hand still stroking her head, until Lyra’s breathing slowed and she fell asleep. Her mouth dropped open a little as she relaxed into sleep and Marisa smiled; Asriel slept the same way. It still amazed her at times just how much Lyra was like her father. If she hadn’t birthed her, Marisa would’ve worried she wasn’t Lyra’s mother.

Marisa relaxed a little more on the bed, pulling the blanket further up over Lyra and smoothing it down. The day and the worry and guilt were finally catching up with her. Suddenly, she felt exhausted and she couldn’t imagine how Lyra had felt. With a final kiss to Lyra’s temple, she closed her eyes and snuggled into her side, letting herself drift off to sleep alongside her daughter.

#marisa coulter #lyra belacqua #hdm fanfiction #his dark materials fanfic #his dark materials #ma costa

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