His Dark Materials (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - The Idea of North - full transcript

Lyra, it's your uncle.

Don't do anything stupid.

The city in the sky.

A myriad of worlds of which the
Magisterium controls only one,

a myriad of worlds made visible

only through that most distasteful
of substances - Dust. What's Dust?

These are heretical discussions.

Asriel clearly
got the better of him.

They've given him an enormous amount
of money to travel north

and continue with his work.
Take me north!

The north is no place for a child.



Lyra, this is Mrs Coulter.

She may be of some interest to you.

We could make quite the team.

We'd go to the north?
We'll go to London.

You'd have to be prepared
to leave tomorrow.

It's an alethiometer.

It tells you the truth.

Egyptian boy, Billy Costa,
is missing.

It's got to be the Gobblers.
The Gobblers?

Billy, you out here?

The Gobblers are a myth, Roger,
they don't exist.

The Gobblers are real.

Roger?

Roger?!



We're going to London.
We will get our children back.

In every child's nightmare
there's an element of truth.

Children can just...

FINGERS CLICK
..disappear.

Ma'am.

Lyra, this is your new home.

Is this all yours?

Goodness, no.
Just the one floor.

ELEVATOR BELL DINGS

Go on.

Can't believe this is our new home,
Pan. Look how shiny the floor is!

Right. Let me show you around.

This is the living room.

Wow...

The terrace...

Now, up here is my bedroom.

And that's my study,

which I'd rather
stayed my private space.

Then, here is the room
I prepared for you.

I'll let you get settled.

THEY CHUCKLE

Oh, I'm drowning!

MUFFLED: I'm drowning.

It is a lot more comfortable
than Oxford.

And it's our new home.

Roger's too -
when she finds him.

A home for us all.

WHISPERING

DOOR BANGS SHUT

Billy? Roger! Billy Costa!

# Susurros immortales audiunt

# Haruspices incipite parvuli

# Incipite parvuli

# Procedant menses magni

# Incipite, incipite. #

How are you with heights?

They don't scare me.

Never have.

I used to live on the roof
of Jordan College.

I slept out there
every other Sunday.

No, you didn't.

I did!

Roger was there, too. On the roof.

I've got my best people
looking for him.

We'll find him, Lyra. Soon.

I've never been sure about them -
heights.

I could never get away from
the occasional urge to jump.

Right. Let's get to it.

Plenty to do before we lunch
at the Arctic Institute.

We're lunching at the Arctic
Institute? Yes, of course we are.

Now, chop chop. Plans to make,
clothes to get, lots to do. Come on.

Wow!

Is that the Skraeling

who mapped the currents
of the Great Northern Ocean?

Hello.

You know him?
Of course. Now come, Lyra.

Oxford only had so much,
but this...

Now, what will you eat?

I don't care about food.

Well, you might care about food
if you were starving.

Is that an armoured bear skull?

I've heard so much about them.
Lyra. It's huge. Lyra.

Sit down.

Sweetbreads. Oh! courtesy of
the chef, Mrs Coulter. Thank him.

Mrs Coulter,
I've been thinking about Roger,

and I think I should help you
with the search.

Like you said in Jordan -
child's eyes...useful.

Lyra, look around this room.

How many women do you see?

In every room, there are those
that would belittle you.

With my help,
they won't lay a scratch on you.

For you will have knowledge
that they won't.

I can teach you to wield power
over all of them,

but you must let me mould you.

You must trust me.

I trust you.

Then, will you let me find Roger
for you?

He's my best friend.
Lyra, I won't let you down.

All right. Good.

Now, who do you want to be
introduced to first?

A van has been seen leaving
and entering here.

We've not confirmed
children on board.

We've not confirmed?
We need to be confirmed.

The Gobblers are efficient,
well-protected and well-funded.

So good that people think
they're a myth.

So you're saying we know enough?
I'd state good odds that the van

is Gobbler and it's being used
to transport them.

We've been searching for days.
This is the best lead we've got.

So tomorrow we attack. In the
morning we gather our best men.

Go in fast through the front door.

Take on whatever
lies on the other side.

Prepare the men.
We strike with force.

SHE CHUCKLES

Have you ever considered doing
something different with your hair?

I like my hair.

No, I don't think
it accentuates your face.

Maybe I should grow it.

I had long hair.
That was really useful.

Like, this one time when Roger and I
were caught in this grain silo,

he turned my hair into a rope,

he climbed up me and out,
and then pulled me out.

Lyra, please don't lie to me.
I wasn't. Yes, you were.

Lyra...

..I think you can be extraordinary.

But being extraordinary
takes application.

It means being prepared to change.

And that takes guidance. Hm?

We shouldn't change
just so we can fit in here.

She's being very kind to us, Pan.

She's nice.

She treats me nice.

Don't we deserve to have
nice things?

For once. Of course we do.

No-one's ever said I could be
extraordinary before.

FAINT CLANGING

Lyra. Lyra.

What? Lyra, wake up.
Listen to that noise.

What is it?

It's just the pipes. It's fine.

It's something. Listen.

It's nothing.

I don't think it's the pipes.

Hey, stop.

Stop at nothing.
We will rescue these children.

We're in, sir.

That's Billy's.

This proves they were here.

The Gobblers must have known
we were coming and moved them.

What do they want the children for?

You see anything? No, nothing.

Just a brick wall.

I miss my ma.

I don't have a ma to miss.

My aunt brought me up for a bit.

And then she found a good job
for me in Jordan College.

And then I met Lyra.

I know she won't leave us here.

She'll be looking for us right now.

Wherever she is.

I will be having a party for a few
friends and fellow explorers

and, Lyra, I'll need your help
serving drinks.

Stop.

That's it. Perfect.

There ain't much give in it.

I like running around, you know.

The clothes you wear
determine the way people see you.

Now, come. Look in the mirror.

I like it.

I think. Blue is quite your colour.
Did you know that?

I didn't know I had a colour at all.

To allow me to wield power.

Looks like it'll allow you
to wield a cake knife.

SHE GIGGLES

If my uncle could see me like this.

Oh, he'd be delighted. I'm sure.

I heard your request
and I'm unable to grant it.

I simply ask to examine what remains
of the head Asriel presented to you

before it's treated
and placed in your crypt.

Grumman was a scholar
of this college.

Word is you've already allowed
his head to be thawed and treated.

Vital information
might have been lost.

Boreal, as you are aware,
scholastic sanctuary...

As an executive
of the Consistorial Court,

I must understand where he's been.

They say that he crossed
between the worlds.

That's heresy.

That's an interesting word
for you to use,

especially considering
what I've heard of Asriel's visit

to this college.

Is it true he spoke of Dust

and that you're funding
his investigations?

Whatever you are threatening...

BIRD CAWS
I threaten nothing.

What do you hide?

The only rights
the Magisterium has here

are the rights I grant it.

His skull is in our crypt.

It will stay there.

As is his right.

And our responsibility.

Of course, Master.

Lyra, you're still not
concentrating.

Books aren't what I'm best at.

And what ARE you best at?

Can't you mould me into someone
who...reads SOME books

but who travels mostly,

who adventures,

who looks for people
when they're lost?

Lyra, did you not agree to trust me?

Now, where were you?

Yes. Electrons.

Now, the thing about electrons
is that they are...

Negatively charged particles,
sort of like Dust,

but Dust might not be charged.

Dust? You know, from-space Dust.

That Dust.

You see, I do know some things.

Well, what do you know about Dust,
Lyra? It comes from space,

it lights people up if you have
a special camera to see it by.

And...

Ah, yes.

It doesn't affect children.

Who did you learn this from?

Just a visiting scholar from
New Denmark who came to Jordan.

He was talking to the chaplain
and I was passing by.

I couldn't help but listen.

Is it right? will you tell me?

Well, I'm sure you know
much more about it than I do.

Now, let's get back
to these electrons, hm?

CLATTERING
Damn it!

Ma, I'll clean it.

No, you won't. I want to help.

Next time they go out.
The answer is no, Tony!

Can I help? You can find my son.

We were so close, though, Maggie.
If you would have seen...

We never should have left Oxford.

He's probably still there,
lost, looking for his ma.

He's not in Oxford.
He's in London.

The Gobblers took him.

And we'll find him.
And if you're all wrong?

We are not wrong.

SHE SOBS

Tony.

We're going to get him back.

Please.

Please.

Let's take the fight
to these Gobblers. I've got a plan.

Do you want to be part of it, Tony?

I made it clear
I wasn't to be disturbed.

I apologise for disturbing you.
My needs were too great.

BUZZING

Cardinal.

The General Oblation Board
is causing trouble again.

A recent Gyptian raid
trying to find those damn children.

Did they? No. Give them credit,
the General Oblation Board's policy

of moving them constantly and
quickly seems to have borne fruit.

But they risk so much.

The fathers and I are worried

that they might present
future concerns for us.

Give me the honour
of telling them, sir.

Ah, that's why I'm here. Hm?

Now, tell the Oblation Board

to control it or...

..or they'll lose everything.

Cardinal.

FAINT CLANGING
Lyra. It's happening again.

That noise.

FAINT CLANGING

That is definitely not the pipes
making that noise.

It's moving.

CLANGING MOVES

CLANGING CONTINUES

SHE GASPS

Lyra.

Lyra? Lyra.

Lyra.

I THOUGHT I heard you.

What are you doing out of bed?

It's very late.

Mrs Coulter, how are you able
to be so far away from your daemon?

It's too painful. I'm not.

It's not natural.

He was in the study.

You were down the hallway.

You're mistaken.

He was with me the entire time.

Aw. Lyra. So sleepy.

Best get back to bed now.

Goodnight.

Sleep tight.

SQUEALS

WHIMPERS

I could never be
that far away from YOU, Lyra.

What IS she?

I don't know, Pan,
but we need to find out.

So where are you,
Stanislaus Grumman?

Which one of these looks to be
the most recently freighted?

Asriel was lying.

It's not him.

We need to cross.

TRAFFIC ROARS, CHATTER

HORN TOOTS

SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE

VEHICLE PASSES

What do all of these
symbols mean, Pan?

Lyra? I have some guests arriving.

Can you please stay in your room?

BELL TINGS

Mrs Coulter. Father MacPhail.

What a lovely surprise.

May I have a word with you, please?

In private. Yes.

Of course. This way.

Lyra, that man is Magisterium.

Would you like some tea?

Thank you, I don't drink tea.

No, of course you don't.

May I fetch you some water?

I'm not thirsty.

Hm. Please, take a seat.

Thank you.

Mrs Coulter,
we are excited by your work,

by the discoveries you promise.

But... Oh, such a shame.

There always has to be a "but"

attached to a compliment.

The Cardinal has concerns.

..this rumour mongering
around your work

has brought it to a head.

Well, if the Cardinal
has something to say,

I'd prefer he did so in person.

Well, he sent me.

To warn you that if your activities
draw too much attention,

then the Magisterium
will not protect you.

Should you be outside this door?

And who are you...exactly?

LYRA: I'm...
Excuse me.

Lyra? Run along.

The grown-ups are talking.

I don't... Lyra!

Lyra, we can't let them find
the alethiometer.

The master said to keep it secret,
particularly from her,

and the Magisterium.

I'll see you both out.

Hm.

Here it is.

It stays with us from now on. Good.

We have an opportunity
to understand Dust.

The Cardinal cannot be telling me
to slow down,

he should be telling me
to speed ahead.

Whispers become weapons
in the wrong hands.

Now, I am sure you will agree
the Magisterium is more valuable

than any of us. Any sacrifice
that we have to perform

to preserve its power...we do.

Gladly.

Part of your outfit for tonight?
What?

The shoulder bag.

Well, it's perhaps
a little old for you.

I'm sorry if I was short with you
in front of them. You lost control.

No, I wouldn't say I lost control.

You were angry, I could see it.
No, I wasn't angry.

And you still are.

It looks absurd to be carrying
a shoulder bag in your own home.

It's the only thing
I really like wearing.

SHE SNARLS

LYRA SCREAMS

SNARLING AND HISSING

Stop!

Stop that! You're hurting us!

If you behave in this vulgar
and coarse way,

then we will have a confrontation.
Which I will win.

This isn't who you are.
Those men just upset you.

Whenever any guests
arrive in the future,

they are going to find you
perfectly sweet,

charming, innocent, delightful.

Just as children should be.
Do you understand?

You can't treat me like this,
my uncle won't let you!

When has that man
ever done anything for you?

He's done everything.
He's done nothing!

He's a failure of a man
and a failure of a father!

SHE PANTS

A father.

He... He...
He's my father, isn't he?

I never understood why he kept up
that ridiculous pretence.

My parents died
in an airship accident.

It was all a lie.

He's a liar.

He's a liar.

My mother...who is she?

Could've been anyone.

He was never in one place for long

and he always had a woman
on his arm.

It was Asriel that took
you to that college

during the Great Flood.

He thought they would protect you.
Another ridiculous idea.

Couldn't protect a painting
if it was drawn on the walls.

No. Lyra.

Lyra.

Our origins don't define us.

It's what we do with what we have.
Please leave me alone.

I need help.

Tell me what she is.

Tell me where Roger is.

Tell me where my...

..Lord Asriel is.

Why didn't he tell me
who he really was?

Please.

Tell me anything.

Please. Something.

BELLS CHIME IN DISTANCE

PEDESTRIAN CROSSING BEEPS

I was expecting you last week.
What kept you?

There's been some...things,

complications, back home.

Scary things? Fun things?
Interesting things?

Nothing you're going to tell me.

You have better coffee than WE do.

Where's the snake? We don't always
feel the need to have our daemons

on show all the time, Thomas. Two
worlds, both alike in so many ways,

and you only seem to care about
what this world can do for yours.

You might be better to think about
what your world can do for this one.

NOW he comes out. She.

And I don't pay you to advise me.

Sure.

I was just trying to help.
I can wait.

I need to find this man.

A man with an osprey for a daemon.

It's not exactly discreet.

I think someone would have seen him
if he was hanging around here.

He's been investigating
multiple worlds for some time.

I believe he's here.

So he's done what you've done.

He's crossed into our world.

Did he use the same window?

Do you think there are others?

I'll see what I can do.

Your friend, Roger,
perhaps you WERE right -

perhaps he was at Jordan College
the whole time.

Sorry?
All the digging that I'm doing,

and it seems like
he just can't be found.

I suspect he didn't leave Oxford,
after all.

Someone at Jordan
would have told me.

Something you'll learn, Lyra -

if you're not in people's lives,
they can forget you quite quickly.

Jordan has moved on.

Roger has moved on.
Now you need to move on.

You're lying.

Interesting...that
YOU would accuse ME of that.

Eat up.

Lyra, I don't think she's been
looking for Roger at all.

We have to find out
what she's doing.

What were those Magisterium
officials doing here?

ELEVATOR BELL DINGS

Is she leaving?

ELEVATOR BELL DINGS

It's locked. Without her key,
we can't open it.

So what do I do? Her study.

Let's find out what she's hiding.

It's locked.

Like everything in this apartment!

And what does that tell you?

Doesn't matter what it tells me,
Pan. When did a locked door stop us?

DOOR RUMBLES

SHE GRUNTS

That's weird.

He CAN separate from her.

Now do you see
why I don't trust them?

This is how he moves around.

He can listen to us the whole time,
Pan. So? Let's use it ourselves.

Children...
QUIET MURMURS

..you have a visitor.

How lovely to see you all.

You have quite cheered me up.

I have an announcement to make.

We're going to have
an adventure together.

We're going to go on a voyage

to the best place
you could possibly go to.

ALL: Where? Where?

My ma... ..will be worried.
Of course she will.

And that's why I'm here -
to write a letter for your mother.

"General Oblation Board Of London...

"General Oblation Board
Of London..."

Pan, what's
the General Oblation Board?

I don't know.

"All my love...

"..Billy." "Billy."

General Oblation Board...

Now, I think it's your turn.

I ain't got a family. Oh.

So, I'll write to my friend, Lyra,

from Jordan College.

How nice to write to a friend!

"Dear Lyra, you must be wondering
where I am.

"We're about to go on a trip,

"all the way to the North..."

What have you found, Lyra?

"..to a place called The Station."

The Station...

"You'd be surprised
who's taking us."

The station of what?

"But I hope you know
that I'd never want to go

"on an adventure without you.
I miss you.

"All my love...

"..Roger."

"Roger."

Pan, these letters are about
building something in the North.

LOCK CLICKS, KEYS JANGLE

FIRE CRACKLES

Hm.

Is that a human and his daemon, Pan?

Looks like it...

What are you doing?

I don't understand.

Lyra, we should go!

LIFT BELL DINGS

Lyra, the lift has been called.

She'll be on her way up soon!

Come on, come on, come on...

Lyra, quickly! Quickly!

Come on, come on...

Hurry! We've got to get out of here!
Quickly, Lyra!

FOOTSTEPS, LYRA BREATHES HEAVILY

HER BREATHING CALMS

That's lovely to see. Oh!

I was just reading about the North.

Well...

I'll leave you to it.

Hm.

Dinner in an hour.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

WHISPERS: Did you see the equipment?

A blade...

..to cut what?

Where are we, Pan?

And what is she?

What do you think the Master meant
about this and my fath...

..Lord Asriel? Perhaps we've got to
keep it safe and give it to him?

But wasn't the Master...

..going to poison him?

I don't think I understand
any grown-ups at all.

HUM OF CONVERSATION

PIANO PLAYS SOFTLY

Thank you, Lyra.

Ah! Hello, darling.

You must be Lyra.
We've heard all about you.

Lots of people here, aren't there?

She's so good
at keeping everyone happy.

And you look so restless.

Like you're desperate to escape.

Shall we sit? No, I've got to...

Do you know what's happening here?

Come on.

LIFT BELL DINGS

No need to look so pleased
with yourself.

HE CHUCKLES
You're late.

I've been busy.

Where?

Oxford.

Hm.

Tell me what you know. I think
it's a good strategy, actually.

Best was to stay safe from the
Gobblers - move in with one of them.

That's what they call it, isn't it?

The initials you see -
"General Oblation Board".

PAN: Gobbler!

She's involved in the...

She IS the Oblation Board.

It's entirely her own project.

You didn't know?

Who's that with Lyra?

She's a journalist.
We need to get her out of here.

I've got to go.

Lyra! Lyra!

Papers, letters -
anything could be hugely useful.

Lyra...

Lyra? I'm all right.
I'm just getting some ice. Lyra!

PAN: You're doing brilliantly.
Just stay calm.

Lyra, look!
There's too many people here.

She hasn't locked the lift!

We can't leave without it.
We can't leave without it.

Now, what would you, a journalist,
be talking to my assistant about...

..at a party
you weren't invited to?

Come this way.
SHE WINCES

Come on!

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

I'll handle her.
You concentrate on the girl.

You're coming with me.

Lyra!

PAN: Be careful, Lyra!

BIRD CHIRPS

Lyra?

MONKEY CHATTERS

Lyra!

MONKEY SCREECHES

Please...

Such a delicate face you have
for such indelicate matters.

If you know who Mrs Coulter is...

..then you know who I am.

Correct?

Please don't hurt me.

SHE GASPS
Beautiful.

Quite, quite beautiful.
SHE WHIMPERS

CRUNCHING, SHE GROANS

Girls to the left.
Boys to the right.

Girls to the left...

Boys to the right.

Where are you taking us?

We're going on a trip...

..to the North.

To the best place you could
POSSIBLY go to.

Lyra! Lyra, slow down!

We haven't been followed.

How do you know
we haven't been followed?

We need to get off the streets, find
a place to settle for the night.

We need to find Roger. What use
is there, looking in the dark?

WOMAN: Are you ready?

Let's go.

We'll try to keep warm.

SHE SHIVERS

And then we'll... ..find Roger.

Find Roger...

He liked her, Pan.
I know.

And she's...

She's so...

You're tired. Try and sleep.

DISTANT WHISTLING

Lyra!

Can you hear that?

Pan!

No, no!

Where are you going?

SHE GASPS

SCREAMING

Is this because of my father?

Because he's Lord Asriel?

Start in there.

I trusted you to look after her.
You'll tell me everything...

..or I will destroy all of this.

BIRD SCREECHES

What are you looking for this time?

We've finally got a clue to
where Billy is.

Grumman isn't who you think he is.

I want to know what he knows,

what he has seen.

Now is the time for action.

I'm asking you to ready
yourselves to fight

and bring our children home.

Have you any idea
how much pain I can cause you?

MONKEY SHRIEKS

Tear everything apart!

Why am I so important to her?!

Tell me...

..where she is.