His Dark Materials Review: The Spies (Season 1 Episode 3)

The lengths Mrs. Coulter is willing to go to is tested on His Dark Materials Season 1 Episode 3, “The Spies,” as Lyra’s new friends prove to be more cunning than expected.

It’s a slower episode by design, but does wonders through developing the Gyptian characters and their lifestyle, and tying them to Lyra in surprising and heartwarming ways. The care given to growing Lyra closer to the Gyptians makes the loss of even one a hard moment, as they are just trying to do right by their people.

The Gyptians turn out to be a rather ideal ally, both through their means of travel and through their absolute kindness in accepting Lyra into their lives. It’s mutually beneficial, as Farder explains to John Faa about her ability to read the alethiometer, as she will be able to help them navigate the difficult road ahead in the north.

But it’s through Ma Costa’s motherly nature, accepting Lyra and helping her, where the episode finds a lot of its deepest emotional core. Anne-Marie Duff’s portrayal of the character, along with Jack Thorne’s writing, manages to bring out this caring, warm, defending nature of Ma, and so her protection of Lyra throughout the episode makes for one of the strongest bonds that hopefully will continue on.

The rest may have some issues doing the same because of Mrs. Coulter’s intense search for Lyra. She’s a liability in their midst, and yet their paths are crossed on the same trajectory. The meeting of the Gyptians is an intriguing manner of split decision, some for Lyra and some against, but Lyra’s urge to fight unites them, because it’s not about her in the end: it’s about those lost children.

The episode holds onto hope and optimism, something His Dark Materials has been lacking a little so far. Being unable to trust someone leaves Lyra with a lot to fight against; with the Gyptians, though, she finally finds the kindness she’s needed so far. Farder’s encouragement, and Lyra deciding to trust him, is a moment that comes as a big step for Lyra, as she struggles to find who is on her side.

The Gyptians, at least so far, are certainly those she has been looking for.

The revelation Ma provides changes the show yet again, with the reveal of Mrs. Coulter being Lyra’s mother. The two large figures in her life being her parents fits a lot of backstory together, and why Lyra is considered so important. The man studying Dust and other worlds, and the woman trying to silence it, are opposing forces that will likely send Lyra down a difficult path.

Mrs. Coulter’s cruelty reaches new levels, with torturing Benjamin before he ends his own life. She is unstable throughout the episode, testing the limits of her own life on the edge of the balcony and tearing apart Lyra’s bedroom; it’s as though she wants every excuse to hurt things. Benjamin, though, robs her of the chance in a last bout of heroism.

What’s interesting about this moment is that Benjamin’s daemon dissipates into Dust after he perishes. Is death the key to Dust? It’s the first time we see this phenomenon, as during His Dark Materials Season 1 Episode 2, “The Idea of North,” Lord Boreal kills the journalists’ daemon first rather than the other way around.

Speaking of Lord Boreal, the snippets of crossing worlds and seeking out those in the north appears to be a long game that is off the radar of the Magisterium. Is he up to something larger that is yet to appear? He’s a rather mysterious figure, his use of crossing and integrating in both worlds with ease a worrying thought if he’s infiltrating both worlds for darker reasons.

His Dark Materials Season 1 Episode 3, “The Spies,” speaks to character by bringing them together and allowing kindness into their heart. Lyra is being torn this way and that, and so for an episode to set up a bond with the Gyptian people and to live in their plight allows for a stronger bond for what comes next, as they search for their children and Roger.

But now that Mrs. Coulter and the Magisterium know where Lyra and the Gyptians are headed, it will be a long, hard journey toward those children and Asriel. Hopefully the alethiometer proves a useful help ahead.

 

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His Dark Materials airs Mondays at 9/8c on HBO.

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