Lord Asriel
| Lord Asriel | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Northern Lights/The Golden Compass |
| Last appearance | The Amber Spyglass |
| Created by | Philip Pullman |
| Portrayed by | Daniel Craig, Timothy Dalton and Terence Stamp |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Experimental theologian and Explorer |
| Family | Count Belacqua (brother; deceased) |
| Children | Lyra Belacqua (daughter) |
| Age | late-40s to mid-50s through the main trilogy |
Lord Asriel is a major character in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
Asriel is a member of the in a parallel universe dominated by the Church. He is described as being "a tall man with powerful shoulders, a fierce dark face, and eyes that seem to flash and glitter with savage laughter." Possessed of enormous determination and willpower, he is fierce in nature and commands great respect in both the political and academic spheres, being a military leader and a fellow of Jordan College in his world's version of the University of Oxford.
Asriel is one variant spelling of the Hebraic name Azrael, who, in the Jewish and Muslim tradition is mentioned in the counting of the tribes. "Azrael" is also traditionally believed to be the name of the Angel of Death in some sects of Islam and Sikhism, as well as some Hebrew lore. His dæmon is Stelmaria, a snow leopard, her name is possibly a variant of Stella Maria, a pseudo-Latin phrase that approximates "star of the sea" (see also Stella Maris). It could also derive from Italian, in which case it would mean "Star Mary", which would raise associations with the Star of Bethlehem and the Nativity. Whether these parallels have any significance is unknown.
Prior to the beginning of the trilogy, Lord Asriel had been a highly respected member of the 'Brytish' aristocracy. He had been an explorer and did work in 'experimental theology', through which he acquired much power, land, and money. After having an affair with another politician's wife, Marisa Coulter, that resulted in the birth of Lyra, his life changed. Mrs Coulter's husband, Edward Coulter, attacked Lyra and her foster mother intending to harm and possibly murder Lyra. Lord Asriel intervened and killed Coulter. When the church found out, Asriel was tried and lost all property. Lyra was sent to a convent. Lord Asriel, who hated the church, arrived one day and took Lyra to his alma mater, Jordan College, where she was placed in the care of the Master.
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