His Dark Materialshas one of the greatest all-time endings for a fantasy television series. Adapted from Philip Pullman’sHis Dark Materialsbook trilogy,the series starred Dafne Keen as the courageous protagonist Lyra Belacquafollowing Keen’s breakout role inLogan.His Dark Materials' star-studded castalso included James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, and Andrew Scott as John Parry.
With an84% critical score and 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes,HBO’s fantasy showHis Dark Materialswas well-received by critics and general audiences, being seen as a significant improvement on the lackluster 2007 film adaptation ofThe Golden Compass. Over the course of three seasons and 23 episodes, the series had room to be an overall faithful and rewarding adaptation of Pullman’s trilogy. It ended on a high note that is rare to achieve for any series, let alone one as ambitious asHis Dark Materials.
His Dark Materials Has A Near-Perfect Ending
The Ending Is Deeply Emotional
His Dark Materials' endingis equally bittersweet and satisfying.The story’s ultimate villain, Metatron, is defeated, with his downfall sealed by Lyra’s parents, Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel, who sacrifice themselves as they cast their selfishness and ambition aside to save their daughter. While these are integral pieces of the ending, what truly definesHis Dark Materials' conclusion is how the stories of Lyra and Will Parry (Amir Wilson) culminate with the devastating revelation that the pair cannot continue living in the same universe, and that they must live without each other in their original universes.
They are forever bonded, and they honor that bond by returning to the bench in their respective universes at the same time every year.
Lyra and Will’s final scene together on the bench is beautifully directedby Harry Wootliff and is bittersweet, as the two young adults who have come to truly know and love each other have to say goodbye. Nevertheless, both of their lives continue, and there is hope for their bright futures. They are forever bonded, and they honor that bond by returning to the bench in their respective universes at the same time every year. Afterthree seasons ofHis Dark Materials, this finale is an effective way to end the fantastical coming-of-age story with an effective balance of finality and hope.
His Dark Materials Is The Rare Fantasy Show To Go Out On Top
Many Fantasy Shows Are Unable To Stick The Landing
Unlike many other recent fantasy series,His Dark Materialsended when it was still at its best. The biggest fantasy television series ever,Game of Thrones, was unable to achieve this with its divisive and rushed ending. Some of Netflix’s best fantasy series, includingShadow & Bone, were unable to accomplish this as well.Shadow & Boneseason 2 was a significant step-down from season 1, and it was canceled before the main story could finish and before theSix of Crowsspinoff could come to fruition. Even Netflix’s fantastical superhero seriesThe Umbrella Academywas unable to stick the landing.
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His Dark Materialsdid not collapse under the narrative weight of its many storylinesand intricate world-building and was given the opportunity to finish its story, with season 3 being the best out of the entire series. Pullman later beganThe Book of Dusttrilogy that continues Lyra’s story, with two of the three installments already published. While this does leave potential for aHis Dark Materialssequel series, it is arguably better to leave Lyra’s onscreen story be, as nothing can top season 3’s brilliant ending.
His Dark Materials Deserved A Bigger Audience
An All-Time Great Fantasy Series Should Have Been A Bigger Deal
Despite its positive reception and star-studded cast,His Dark Materialsnever became a major domestic hit, nor did it dominate popular culture discourse. It had stronger ratings in the United Kingdom, where the series aired on BBC One. Given the high quality present in the acting, direction, cinematography, and writing,His Dark Materialsshould have been a much bigger hit, especially with it being an HBO fantasy series released afterGame of Thrones' disappointing ending.
Game of Thrones' series finale was released in May 2019, whileHis Dark Materialsdebuted in November of that year.
Keen is primarily known in mainstream popular culture for playing X-23/Laura Kinney inLoganand inDeadpool & Wolverine,and now also as Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon inStar Wars: The Acolyte.She deserves just as much recognition for her stellar portrayal of Lyra, a truly compelling and relatable protagonist. While it deserved a bigger audience, the reception from those who did watch kept the discourse aroundHis Dark Materialspositive, and enough of an audience watched to ensure that the series got to tell its full story, including the incredible ending.
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His Dark Materials
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Based on author Philip Pullman’s beloved novel trilogy, His Dark Materials is a fantasy/drama television series that follows Lyra, a brave young woman from another world. Lyra’s quest to find her kidnapped friend leads her to uncover a sinister plot of a secret organization, encounter extraordinary beings, and protect dangerous secrets. Lyra will find that her life is inextricably linked with another as they discover they may be the ones to change the world.
