Mrs. Coulter

Yeah.

Well, and I would even argue that Mrs. Coulter's purpose in the f- first couple of books doesn't really make narrative sense, especially whenever she just, like, gives it up in the third book because she's like, "Wait, I love Lyra.

JK, everyone."

[laughs]

Like, it actually has everything to do with children, and it's actually really imperative-

Mm-hmm

... for children to understand what this means for them, especially in the years to come with what, um, what Mrs. Coulter is going to do.

Um, and I find that to be really insidious because I think oftentimes we discount how smart kids can be.

Right.

They are actively fighting against the mysterious, cruel Marisa Coulter, played by Ruth Wilson.

So why do we as an audience enjoy both of these?

It's a great question.

Beautifully said.

But even in his dark materials, the villains aren't cartoons.

The critical consensus praises how even the evilest characters like Ruth Wilson's Marisa Coulter, who literally tortures children, are drawn with complex psychological care.

You understand why she is broken.

Asiye, will you read it for us?

She told them what had happened on that afternoon and how Malcolm had spoken to Mrs. Coulter and deflected her questions.

She clearly did know this Bonneville, but she wouldn't admit it.

All right, step two.

She, Dr. Ralph.

She, Dr. Ralph, is finally dry and warm by the fire.

And she is finally... giving the information that she came all this way to say how Mrs. Coulter had come to her house looking for Lyra, most likely because she got some sort of information from the alethiometer.

And she kind of batted away her questions, but Malcolm showed up and Malcolm goaded her by talking about Bonneville.

Her friends get kidnapped.

And then she ends up meeting Miss Coulter.

Or Coulter.

The blonde lady.

Nicole Kidman.

Not book and movie, game and movie.

That's kind of how they both go.

So college to Miss Coulter's, Nicole Kidman's mansion, and then she runs away, gets saved by the Gyptians, and now she's on a boat.