The Republic of Heaven
A future where no god rules, and every being builds their own destiny.
The Republic of Heaven is Lord Asriel's dream in His Dark Materials: he allies with 'fallen' angels such as Xaphania in an attempt to overthrow the divine monarchy of the Authority and replace it with a Republic of Heaven. The name is also given to the world in which Asriel builds his basalt fortress and citadel, with its adamant tower above a vast arsenal, to prepare the armies and weapons for the war against the Authority.
Quick Facts
- Opposing force
- The Authority and the Magisterium
Lore & Background
Asriel's dream leads him to use his power to raise a grand army from across the multiverse to rise up in rebellion against the forces of the Church. The land of his fortress is mountainous and shows extensive signs of volcanic activity, with only low scrub on the plains. Other than Asriel's forces, its only known large inhabitants are cliff ghasts that followed through Asriel's interdimensional tear to feast on the dead of the coming battle. At the end of The Amber Spyglass, back in her own world, Lyra resolves with Pantalaimon to build the Republic of Heaven.
Reader's Guide
Philip Pullman himself speaks of replacing the Kingdom of Heaven with 'the Republic of Heaven'. In the television series, Asriel recruits Commander Ogunwe and his rebel army into his Republic of Heaven and leads its forces against Metatron's legion.
More in Factions & Organizations
Elsewhere in His Dark Materials
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