His Dark Materials – The Lost Boy

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

Kaisa (voiced by David Suchet) narrates as he soars above the travelling Gyptians. He mentions that the witches talk about a child who is destined to bring the end of destiny, but if she’s told what she must do she’ll fail. She won’t walk alone for there is a boy whose fate is bound with hers and together they will change everything.

Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda) is taking it easy on the Gyptian’s trip, relaxing his balloon being towed by a tank. Lyra (Dafne Keen) questions whether it would be better for Lee to be up in the air in his balloon as he might see more of what’s ahead. Lee tells her that Kaisa will be of more use. Lee tells Lyra that they probably won’t get the children back.

John Faa (Lucian Msamati) admits to Lyra that they did need Iorek (voiced by Joe Tandberg). He asks her to consult the alethiometer to find out how Bolvangar is being defended. It turns out it’s being guarded very heavily. It tries to warn Lyra of something else, but she can’t quite figure it out. There’s a village next to Bolvangar troubled by a ghost. She says she needs to go to the village to work out how it’s connected to their task. Farder Coram (James Cosmo) tells her that she can’t go as they need her to help them search for the children.

The Gyptians have set up camp in the snowy woods. Lyra asks Ma Costa (Ann-Marie Duff) if she trusts her. She explains that there’s somewhere else she needs to go, but Farder Coram won’t let her as they need to keep going and get Billy back. Lyra explains that something awful has happened in the village and the ghost might be a vital clue. She asks Ma Costa to trust the alethiometer. Ma Costa says she needs time to think.

In our world Will Parry (Amir Wilson) is in the school corridors being called a freak and laughed at by the other pupils. At their home his mother Elaine (Nina Sosanya) is approached by Boreal (Ariyon Bakare) who claims to be someone called Charles Latrom. He explains he was lieutenant when he and John were in Glasgow. As Boreal pretends not to know about John’s death Elaine notices his associate waiting in the car. Boreal hands Elaine his number should she ever need him.

Will is getting beaten during his sparring session after school when Elaine comes to tell him that she had a visitor. His sparring partner teases him and calls him mental, which earns them a punch in the face. Elaine erratically explains to Will that she was being followed and proceeds to count the stones in the schoolyard. Will’s gym teacher Mr. Hanway (Ray Fearon) asks if Elaine is okay and says that she might need proper care.

Kaisa says Lyra is wise to look to the skies for Asriel. Kaisa also explains that the Magisterium think Asriel is trying to use Dust as a way of connecting with the world beyond the Aurora. He reveals that Iofur is still allowing Asriel to continue his research. Lyra asks Kaisa if he knows what she should look for at the fishing settlement. He says not but she’s right to look into it. Ma Costa tells Lyra that she had better talk to John Faa in the morning.

Farder Coram has gone to meet Serafina (Ruta Gedmintas). She tells him he doesn’t look that old considering she’s over 300 years old. He asks her for help and she remarks that he’s found his fight since she last saw him. He says he’s duty-bound to try and save the children. Serafina tells Farder Coram that Asriel is right to search for other worlds as the witches have known about them for thousands of years. They can only be seen in the Northern Lights because the particles of their world are made thin. Serafina tenderly kisses Farder Coram and tells him that she will help where she can as she can see what Kaisa sees. He tearfully tells her that he’s never stopped thinking about her or their son. She tells him goodbye and flies away.

John Faa asks Lyra if she’s sure about the alethiometer and reminds her that she only calls him “Lord” when she wants something. He tells Iorek to take Lyra to the village and says that Lyra she needs to be back with them by the following night. Lyra tells him that she won’t let him down. Lee questions if going to find a ghost is sensible and Iorek says he’s one to talk about being sensible. Iorek tells Lyra to hold tight since he won’t be gentle. We see that as he races away through the snow.

Elaine tells Will that he’s just like his father and she loves him. She wishes she wasn’t like she is but Boreal set her off. Will tells his mum that he loves her, too. Elaine states that he is to follow in his father’s footsteps and take up his mantle since he had more battles to fight. Elaine notices that the rug has been moved and there’s marks on the carpet. Will tells her she’s not herself. With relief she finds John Parry’s letters that she has hidden in the bottom of a sewing machine. She doesn’t want Will having them yet, though, as she needs to keep him safe.

Lyra and Iorek have stopped by some caves to eat. Iorek lets Lyra use him to keep warm. He explains to Lyra that he was once a prince, but after killing another bear he was banished. He tells Lyra that Asriel won’t escape if he’s a prisoner of the Svalbard bears. Lyra says he’ll trick them like he tricked her, but Iorek says bears can’t be tricked and Lyra is not a bear. She says that some part of her is bear and that he’ll see.

Will contemplates reading the letters from his father when his mum finds him and tells him he can read them since he might need them soon. He decides not to though. Lyra and Iorek have reached the fishing village. Iorek can sense that something is wrong and it appears that the place is deserted. Pan (voiced by Kit Connor) whimpers as they approach a lit cabin. Lyra is clearly frightened, but she doesn’t want Iorek to know. Pan begs her to turn back. She plucks up the courage to enter and finds Billy (Tyler Howitt), but he’s without his Daemon Ratter. Billy is barely responsive as Lyra asks him to let her take him to his mother.

Iorek and Lyra arrive back at the Gyptian camp with Billy.  Ma Costa is distraught when she realizes his Daemon is missing. Lyra says that Billy was the ghost as he was without his Daemon and he couldn’t even hear her. Lee tells her that this is what the Oblation Board must be doing. If they can remove someone’s soul they can do anything. He tells Lyra that he’s proud of her for trusting her instincts and being brave. Ma Costa sings to Billy, trying to get through to him. Tony (Daniel Frogson) watches on, tears running down his cheeks. Ma Costa tells Billy that he can go to Ratter. He does.

Whilst letting the cat in Elaine notices that she is still being watched. Meanwhile, Thomas (Robert Emms) is showing Boreal how John Parry set up an account to pay a small amount into Elaine’s every month which is still paying out now. He must have known that he was going away for a long time. Thomas theorizes that John knew about the window or something similar. He tells Boreal to search the house for clues on how he crosses worlds. In the house it appears as if Will is having night terrors as a light shines on him.

Lee breaks the news about Billy to Lyra. He lets Lyra see Billy before the Gyptians ceremoniously burn his body. As Ma Costa holds Lyra she tells John Faa that they don’t just have to fight – but kill. The Gyptians harmoniously chant as Billy’s body burns. The same night the Gyptians come under attack. Pan alerts Lyra after three Gyptians are killed. Lyra and Pan go outside of their tent to investigate and Lyra is attacked from behind. She is taken across the snowy plains and is interrogated by Doctor Cooper (Lia Williams). Lyra says her name is Lizzie Brooks. Lyra is cut free and is taken for “treatment.” As she is made to undress, she soon realizes that she is going to be made to wear the same jumpsuit that she found Billy in. She’s in Bolvangar.