r/hisdarkmaterials • u/Riccioyv • 23d ago
Season 3 His dark materials ending Spoiler
hey all, just wanted to talk about the ending from season 3.
is it the same in the books? if not, what change?
i honestly just wish i didnt had wasted time watching this series, the ending is horrible.
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u/-aquapixie- 🦦Analytic / 🐇Pullman 23d ago
Yes with some minor changes. Such as Lyra has no clue what happens to her parents; the TV show kinda gives an intimation she knows her mother's dead by the dissolving of the golden monkey in front of her. James McAvoy doesn't blast an angel to smithereens to send a message, some characters are given more screentime than in the books (or given none at all).... But overall the main themes, the main dialogue, and the main events is extremely authentic.
It's a bit of a romantic-idealist with pragmatic ending. Pullman doesn't shy away from the idea the greater good of one's life and actions can require heartbreak/sacrifice, which is the main theme of Lyra's Parents and Will. But it's framed as a 'life worth lived, an experience worth taking'. I personally disagree with that (I don't romanticise heartache, pain and trauma), but what I do appreciate about it was it was a nice break from the "and they lived happily ever after and all is right in the world" ending children's lit usually gets.
Contrast and compare to Stardust by Neil Gaiman, which follows a standardised fairytale of plot-conflict-resolution and all is well and everyone is happy sparkles and fairydust. I'm not in the mood for that when I pick up HDM, I'm in the mood for rebellion and pain lol
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u/Riccioyv 23d ago
the ending is horrible.
5
u/-aquapixie- 🦦Analytic / 🐇Pullman 23d ago
The ending involves a kid being an orphan and having to let go of her First Love. Things a lot of people have to go through in life. I went through a breakup with my First Love. And kind of the real important thing he is stressing is how First Loves feel, how you really think you're each other's one and only and truly and will die together and all your atoms will fuse in the afterlife.......................... Which you then grow out of as you spend more time apart. Yeah you think about them, yeah you remember the good times. But a First Love is just one stepping stone in life and you let them go, you move on, you exist without them, and they just become a memory of a memory.
I absolutely criticise Pullman's belief that romance is a greater accomplishment than action, yes... I don't think falling in love was the most consequential thing I ever did, nor my source of true maturity. And I find it distasteful to even assume my identity is wrapped up in a man I loved lol
But was *loss* a huge source of my personal maturity? Grief? Death? Hell yeah. And these are regular human experiences. Love and loss and developing yourself from beyond those.
I, personally, would've rolled my eyes with a Happily Ever After. That would've been extremely contrived.
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