
In the fantasy world of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, every character has a daemon, a physical manifestation of their soul in the form of an animal. These daemons change shape as children but eventually settle into one form as they pass into adulthood. Lyra Belacqua's daemon, Pantalaimon, also known as Pan, takes several forms throughout the series, including a moth, a mouse, a wildcat, and a snow-white ermine. In the series finale, Pan appears to have settled into the form of a European pine marten, though some fans have speculated that he might not settle at all.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the daemon | Pan, also known as Pantalaimon |
| Name of the human | Lyra Belacqua |
| Lyra's age | 12 years old |
| Pan's final form | European pine marten |
| Lyra and Pan's separation | In Season 3, Episode 4, "Lyra and Her Death", Lyra and Pan are forced to separate so that Lyra can travel to the land of the dead |
| Lyra and Pan's reunion | Pan escapes the land of the dead and reunites with Lyra in the mulefa world |
| Lyra and Pan's relationship post-reunion | Though they end on good terms, there is a distance between them. In the sequel, The Secret Commonwealth, set 10 years later, Lyra and Pan are shown to be irritated and at odds with each other |
| Lyra's self-awareness | Lyra gains self-awareness and self-understanding as she grows up, which leads to Pan settling into a form |
| Other forms that Pan takes | Snow-white ermine, moth, wildcat, mouse, red panda |
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What You'll Learn

Pan settles as a pine marten
In the HBO series His Dark Materials, Lyra Belacqua's daemon, Pan, takes several forms, including a snow-white ermine, a moth, a wildcat, and a mouse. In the series finale, Pan settles as a European pine marten, a larger and darker version of the ermine, reflecting Lyra's growth and maturity.
The settlement of Pan as a pine marten holds symbolic value. White ermines are considered symbols of purity in folklore, representing Lyra's journey from innocence to adulthood. In contrast, the pine marten symbolizes luck, bravery, and kinship, reflecting Lyra's determination and agility in the story. This transformation also signifies a loss of flexibility and innocence for both characters, replaced by maturity and a stronger sense of identity.
Some viewers have interpreted Pan's settlement as a pine marten as foreshadowing or a natural development, given his previous affinity for similar forms. This evolution mirrors how individuals select what's most important to them as they grow and evolve, making the pine marten a fitting conclusion for both Pan and Lyra.
While some fans speculated that Pan might not settle at all, retaining his ability to change forms, his final shape as a pine marten provides a sense of closure and a beacon of hope for the characters despite their traumatic experiences.
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Lyra and Pan separate in Season 3
In Season 3, Episode 4 of "His Dark Materials", titled "Lyra and Her Death", Lyra Belacqua and her daemon, Pantalaimon (or Pan), are forced to separate as Lyra travels to the land of the dead. This separation is particularly heartbreaking given how close the two are, with Pan being a manifestation of Lyra's soul.
Lyra is determined to reach the land of the dead to rescue her friend Roger Parslow, who was killed by her father, Lord Asriel. Pan escapes the land of the dead by moving from window to window until he and Lyra converge in the mulefa world. However, he initially keeps his distance from Lyra, remaining out of sight as a form of punishment. Despite eventually reuniting, not everything is the same between them, and in Philip Pullman's sequel, "The Secret Commonwealth", set 10 years later, Lyra and Pan are shown to be falling out and becoming increasingly irritated with each other.
The separation of Lyra and Pan in Season 3 is similar to the trials undergone by young witches, who visit a northern land where their daemons cannot go. As a result, their daemons can travel great distances from them and always settle as birds. While Pan does not settle as a bird, the separation allows him and Lyra to rebound from their traumatic experiences, with Pan's final form as a European pine marten indicating that both have grown and moved on from their past.
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Lyra is Eve
In the book series *His Dark Materials*, Lyra Belacqua is a character with a daemon named Pan. In the series finale, Pan appears to have "settled" into the form of a European pine marten.
Lyra is prophesied to be the second Eve and to make a choice similar to that of Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the Bible, Eve was the first woman, and she was tempted by a serpent to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She then convinced Adam, the first man, to eat the fruit, and their daemons settled.
Similarly, in *His Dark Materials*, Lyra is destined to "fall into the temptation of the serpent", represented by Mary Malone. This choice is also associated with Lyra leaving her childhood behind and losing her innocence, which is reflected in Pan's settlement into a fixed form.
Some fans have speculated that Lyra, as Eve, might be able to undo the original sin, allowing daemons to choose whatever form they want and potentially never having to settle again. This interpretation suggests that Pan's settlement as a European pine marten may not be permanent and that he could still change forms.
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Daemons are a manifestation of a person's soul
In Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials, daemons are a type of fictional being. They are the external physical manifestation of a person's "inner self" and take the form of an animal. Daemons are a personification of a human soul in Lyra's world. They are talking animals that are tethered to a human counterpart.
Daemons have distinct personalities from their human counterparts. For example, Lyra's daemon, Pantalaimon, is a voice of reason, constantly tempering her brashness. They are not extensions of their human counterparts but rather complete them. Daemons have human intelligence and are capable of human speech, regardless of the form they take. They usually behave as though they are independent of their humans.
During adolescence, a person's daemon undergoes "settling", an event in which the daemon permanently and involuntarily assumes the form of the animal that best represents the person's character. This process is an important moment for both the daemon and the human. It is a sign of maturity and a sense of self. The daemon's final form may also give an indication of the human's ability to rebound from traumatic events.
It is considered taboo for a person to touch another person's daemon. Humans whose daemons are touched by others generally feel a strong sense of repulsion. This is because a daemon is a manifestation of a person's soul, and touching one is like petting their soul. However, there are exceptions to this taboo. For instance, when two people touch each other's daemons in a gesture of love, it marks the settling of their daemons.
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Pan's favourite form in the books is a moth
In the world of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, every character has a daemon, a physical manifestation of their soul in the form of an animal. These daemons change shape when their human hosts are young, but eventually, they settle on one shape as the person matures. Lyra Belacqua, the 12-year-old heroine of the story, has a daemon named Pantalaimon, often called Pan for short.
In the books, Pan's favourite form is that of a moth. This is fittingly the first form we see him take in The Golden Compass, the inaugural book of Pullman's trilogy. However, Pan's shape-shifting nature sees him take on many other forms throughout the series, including a snow-white ermine, a wildcat, and a mouse. Each transformation reflects Pan and Lyra's emotions or the demands of their situation.
In the TV adaptation of His Dark Materials, Pan's various forms are also depicted. Notably, he never becomes a moth in the show, likely due to the challenges of portraying this form on screen. Instead, a red panda is created for the series, though it is not one of Pan's forms in the books.
The question of whether Pan settles on a final form is a significant one, with differing opinions. Some sources indicate that Pan does settle, taking the form of a European pine marten in the series finale. This moment holds importance for both Pan and Lyra, suggesting their ability to move forward from their traumatic experiences. However, other sources suggest that Pan might not settle at all, retaining the ability to change forms. This uncertainty adds to the intrigue surrounding Pan and Lyra's journey.
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Frequently asked questions
In the series finale of *His Dark Materials*, Pan, Lyra's daemon, settles as a European pine marten.
In *His Dark Materials*, every character has a daemon, which is an animal familiar. Daemons change shape when their human companions are young, but they eventually settle as the human matures.
Before settling, Pan took several forms, including a snow-white ermine, a moth, a wildcat, and a mouse.























