Welcome to The Authority, Slate’s deep dive into the world(s) of HBO’s His Dark Materials. Each week, Slate’s scholars of experimental theology Dan Kois and Laura Miller discuss the HBO series and Philip Pullman’s original trilogy. This week, they cover Episode 5 of Season 2, “The Scholar,” in which Will and Lyra steal back the alethiometer, Mary Malone makes a big decision, and a monkey wears a seat belt.

Email: [email protected]

Further reading: Archive of Our Own: Temptress - Chapter 1

Podcast production by Phil Surkis.

Dan Kois on Twitter: @dankois

Laura Miller on Twitter: @magiciansbook

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