The Liberation of the Souls

Lore & Background

Lyra and Will use the Subtle Knife to enter the world of the dead, together with the Gallivespians Tialys and Salmakia, and are carried across a lake to its gate by a ferryman reminiscent of Charon of mythology. Visitors are forced to leave their dæmons behind, causing Lyra and Pantalaimon enormous pain. After finding Roger, they persuade the harpies to allow them to open a window so the dead can leave: the ghosts will tell the harpies true stories from their lives and in exchange be guided to the window Will cuts into the world of the Mulefa. The dead step through and joyfully dissolve, their atoms becoming one with the universe.

Reader's Guide

The harpies are given the new task of guiding arriving ghosts to the portal, and may deny guidance to ghosts who lie or have nothing of value to tell. When all the other windows between the worlds are closed at the end of the trilogy, the one leading from the world of the dead is left open. The release fulfils the second part of the witches' prophecy, in that there is "an end of destiny".

Did You Know?

• The harpies appear to have the supernatural ability to know when they are being lied to, and the ghosts' passage is paid for with true stories.
• During the final battle the ghosts, including Lee Scoresby and John Parry, hold back the Spectres.