Review: Heartbreaking His Dark Materials S2 finale sets the stage for war

Ruth Wilson's fiercely feral portrayal of the complicated Mrs. Coulter remains a highlight, and the heartbreaking season finale perfectly set the stage for the final showdown of S3, which has already been green-lit by the studios.(S1 spoilers below; also some S2 spoilers below the gallery, especially for audiences who haven't read the books.)As we've written previously, the three books in Pullman's series are The Golden Compass (published as Northern Lights in the UK), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. A grief-stricken Lyra followed Lord Asriel across the multiverse bridge to another world, just as Will found his own way into that same world through another doorway.S2 picked up from there, covering the remaining events of The Subtle Knife, which establishes Lyra's central quest and sets up the climactic showdown portrayed in The Amber Spyglass. With war brewing between Lyra's people and the Magisterium's forces, both sides are eager to acquire the subtle knife, including Lyra's ally the aeronaut Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda), who teams up with a man named Stanislaus Grumman (Andrew Scott, better known these days as Fleabag's "hot priest"), aka Col. John Parry—Will's long-missing father.If that seems like a lot of narrative threads to weave, it is, and the writers deserve praise for how various storylines flow effortlessly into and around each other throughout the season. War between worlds aside, expect some recriminating father/daughter fireworks should Lyra get the chance to confront the man who killed her best friend.All episodes of His Dark Materials S2 are available for streaming on HBO Max.You must login or create an account to comment.Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox.