His Dark Materials Review: Armour (Season 1 Episode 4)
Heading north by sky and by sea leads to an exhilarating episode on His Dark Materials Season 1 Episode 4, “Armour,” as Lyra starts to find her confidence, and new allies open the world up.
This episode does two things in particular with vibrancy and excitement in its bones: it broadens the scope, and allows Lyra to be the instigator. Up to this point, Lyra has mostly been on the sidelines of the action, things happening to her or around her and leaving her to react; here, the episode is driven by her, and her need of bringing Iorek and Lee into the fold.
photo: Courtesy of HBO
Lyra’s use of the alethiometer is cleverly treated as though it’s a cakewalk for her, while the man Boreal less-than-affectionately calls Ratty needs weeks to uncover anything from the Magisterium-sanctioned alethiometer. It’s not quite clear yet if this is because Lyra is special in some form, or if she knows the means of using it better than others, as she describes to Coram during their talk in the street.
Mrs. Coulter’s standing always feels as though it’s on a razor’s edge, and that her tenacity is her best weapon. The Magisterium and her usefulness to them may end up falling on Lyra’s shoulders, especially now that Coulter has placed a request upon the alethiometer that the Magisterium use. While she appears rather fine with disposing of Lyra initially, she is starting to see her worth.
Though Serafina the witch is only mentioned so far, receiving her blessing for the travel north and the oncoming war opens up more potential allies for Lyra and her friends. With how the town operates, showing the reach of the Magisterium and how powerful they can be far from their headquarters, it places a lot of heaviness on the fight ahead, and the need for Serafina and others like her.
The episode manages to create fear of the enemy through the fear they place on others, which is an effective way to show their sway beyond their fortress.
photo: Courtesy of HBO
The introduction of Lee Scoresby is certainly the most fun moment, not only because Lin-Manuel Miranda gets to sing away, but by introducing a character with undeniable spirit. Nothing against some of the other characters, but he’s one of the very few so far who sports a lightheartedness in a gloomy story. He also brings out an excitability in Lyra during their scenes together.
It is a season about rescuing kidnapped children, after all, and so some levity is much appreciated. Miranda brings a cheeriness through his performance as a swindler seemingly with a heart of gold.
There’s also Iorek, the more iconic image and character that goes with His Dark Materials. The trickery and drunkenness that leads to Iorek working off his debt creates this sense of uncertainty and danger to his character, though it’s used to elegantly portray how Lyra takes risks and will do all she can to help those in need.
The set-up of Iorek regaining his armor, and of the current bear king Iofur wishing to gain the same standing with the humans while holding Asriel, places a potential battle of the ages when both bears come face to face. If Iorek can demolish most of a town simply passing through it, he will prove a formidable ally as Lyra and the gang face a potential legion of armored bears.
While there is more of a narrative push now, there are some moments of character development that help cement some emotion and humanity. Coram’s recollection of his love affair with Serafina and the loss of his child allows for us to see a little more beyond his kindness and big, bushy beard, and it’s a tale of heartbreak and sorrow.
Coram, and by extension James Cosmo, is quickly becoming a favorite on the show, where he clicks incredibly well with Lyra and follows her lead without question.
“Armour” also happens to be the most eye-popping episode of the series so far, its gorgeous use of color and special effects used to effortlessly mold the fantastical with the realistic. It’s especially apparent during Lee’s first scene, with those wonderful use of magenta in the clouds he sails through, and with Iorek’s rampage through town, able to impressively make the massive bear so realistic during his rage.
His Dark Materials Season 1 Episode 4, “Armour,” does the remarkable job of building on what’s come before and opening the doors to the great, wide north. For an episode set in a small sea village, the show uses an expansive canvas to show a new walk of life while still retaining the familiarity of the world we’ve seen to this point.
The hold of the Magisterium has a draining effect, and this town shows that more than ever before.
The show has been getting so much right with its characterizations, by allowing characters to grow in short bursts through the knowledge they gain by the world around them. Lyra’s quickness and the small windows into these characters helps to see how important this quest is, to return the children home.
It’s a fun, adventurous episode, but still knows to keep the darker elements just on the edges, so that the fun is short but sweet, and the hardships ahead make the growing friendships that much more potent.
What did you think of this episode of His Dark Materials? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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His Dark Materials airs Mondays at 9/8c on HBO.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.