His Dark Materials season 3, episode 2 recap: The Break

In His Dark Materials season 3 episode 2 “The Break”, Will finds Lyra but he’s not alone as Father Gomez and a small army arrive. Meanwhile, Lord Asriel is making some questionable decisions that may affect whether or not the angels will aid in the war.

His Dark Materials Season 3 Episode 2 recap – The Captured Angel

As Lord Asriel, Ogunwe and Ruta begin planning the next phase of their war, they notice angels fighting in the sky. The angels collapse onto the ground, one being Baruch.

After trying to deliver a message to Lord Asriel, he tragically dies. The other angel, who some are assuming is an archangel survived.

Captured, the angel refuses to answer any of Lord Asriel’s questions that mostly center around the location of the Authority. As the angel remains silent, Lord Asriel is able to use a device that affects “dust”, essentially torturing the angel.

Lord Asriel’s methods do not go unnoticed. Especially when he decides to use Lyra as bait.

Xaphania, the angel who discovered the truth and led the first failed rebellion, is unhappy that he’s willing to sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of saving all the worlds from the Authority and The Magisterium.

Ogunwe, as well, isn’t too pleased but seems to understand. Xaphania decides to visit with the angel, saddened that he killed one of their own.

He, however, shows no sympathy and refuses to tell her where the Authority is located. He does leave her with the thought that Lord Asriel may not be the best to ally themselves with considering how he treats angels.

His Dark Materials Season 3 Episode 2 recap – The Magisterium Arrive

Meanwhile, Will, Iorek and Balthamos arrive to where Lyra and Mrs. Coulter should be. Both Will and the angel meet Ama, the little deaf girl who tells them where to find Lyra.

Will goes in alone, meeting Mrs. Coulter. Cautious, Will listens to her as she explains why she’s been hiding Lyra.

Mrs. Coulter believes she is doing what is best for her daughter, even going as far as to describe their bond as unbreakable. This makes Will wonder about his own mother, whom it’s obvious he misses terribly.

Belieivng that Mrs. Coulter can keep Lyra safe, Will leaves to go to Lord Asriel. Of course, Will doesn’t believe Lyra will be safe with her mother and comes up with a plan just as The Magisterium arrive.

As a small but deadly army led by Father Gomez arrive, Mrs. Coulter has her daemon hit her with a rock as she begins to conjure a plan. Will’s plan is to count his steps and open a portal into the abandoned church where Lyra is sleeping.

Balthamos, whom is heartbroken over the death of Baruch, does not agree with the plan and sees all of it as a waste of time from the beginning and leaves. As Father Gomez meets Mrs. Coulter outside the abandoned church, she tells him how Will already came and took Lyra.

Not buying her story, Father Gomez essentially forces Mrs. Coulter to tell the truth and she leads him inside. As the two of them discuss the matter, which is Lyra’s death, Will is able to enter through the portal and wake Lyra with a plant Ama had been gathering.

Mrs. Coulter uses the opportunity to kill Father Gomez with the rock she had her daemon hit her on the head with. As Will gathers Lyra, he demands that Mrs. Coulter stay away.

She however tries to provoke him by mentioning his mother. Will tries to focus on cutting another opening to another world when the blade breaks.

His Dark Materials Season 3 Episode 2 recap – Lyra’s Escape

Shocked and angered, Mrs. Coulter attempts to kill Will, as he no longer serves any purpose to her. However, Lyra stands between them and orders her mother to let them go.

A small fairy, who has been helping Lord Asriel spy on the enemies and find Lyra, knocks her out with a small dart. Lyra and Will escape outside where they dodge heavy gunfire while Iorek kills the soldiers.

Ama helps them escape one last soldier but decides to stay behind. As Lyra and Will escape through a portal he was barely able to make with the broken dagger, Lord Asriel arrives in his flying contraption.

He is too late to find his daughter; however, he does find an unconscious Mrs. Coulter. Earlier in the episode, Dr. Mary Malone makes a brief appearance as she’s continuing to go where the angels tell her to.

She meets two young girls who are dressed for war and discovers that they have been hiding ever since they disagreed with their world’s version of The Magisterium. They joined the war but have stayed back as the army moved onward.

While at first, they did not trust Dr. Malone, they come to enjoy her company and ask that she stay with them for a little bit.

His Dark Materials Season 3 Episode 2 review

Although we did notice it in the first episode, the issue of odd scene cuts became more obvious in this episode. We don’t quite understand why scenes are cut the way they are at times.

One moment we’re seeing the outside of where Lyra and Mrs. Coulter are hiding, the next we’re shown a villain pondering in silence before we go back to the same abandoned church. It’s odd.

Aside from that, it would have been nice to see more of Dr. Malone. We barely see her and when we do not much is really established beyond that she remains a warm and inviting presence that could calm even the most irate and distrusting child.

We’re hoping to see more of her in the next episode. Lyra’s rescue was quite an exciting, action-packed moment but we are also kind of sad that Iorek seemed near forgotten until he was needed to attack the soldiers.

While the scenes with Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are few and far between, it makes us desire a spinoff that covers their relationship from the beginning to the evitable end. Their relationship is so mysterious but addictive.

You can tell they once had a strong love for each other but when it fell apart, so did they, themselves. We’re not entirely convinced Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter were like this before their relationship.

Will they manage to work together? Will any part of their past relationship be salvaged?

We look forward to finding out!

What did you think of the His Dark Materials season 3 episode 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

His Dark Materials season 3 episode 3 airs on HBO December 12, 2022.