The stage is set for a war between the worlds in the His Dark Materials S3 teaser

[embedded content] The Final Rebellion begins in Season 3 of His Dark Materials.

Those (like me) who have been eagerly awaiting the third and final episode of HBO's His Dark Materials will appreciate the release of a Season 3 teaser giving us a first look of what is happening in store. Based on Philip Pullman's hit trilogy, S3 will see our heroine, Lyra (Dafne Keen), finally accept her fate, even as her father, Lord Asriel (James McAvoy), declares war on the Authority.

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(Spoilers for the first two seasons below.)

As we wrote earlier, the three books in Pullman's series are The Golden Compass(published as Northern Lights in the UK) , The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. They follow the adventures of a 12-year-old girl named Lyra, who lives in a fictional version of Oxford, England, circa the Victorian era. Everyone has a companion demon in the form of an animal - a part of their spirit that resides outside the body - and Lyra's is called Pantalaimon. Lyra uncovers a sinister plot that sends her on a journey to find her father in hopes of foiling said plot. This journey takes him to different dimensions (the fictional world is a multiverse) and eventually to his own majority.

The first season primarily covered the events of The Golden Compass, although it also included characters and events from The Subtle Knife. Most notably, S1 introduced the character of Will Parry (Amir Wilson), who only appears in the second book of the series. He befriends a runaway Lyra and possesses the Subtle Knife, which can cut the curtain between universes.

Initial reviews were mixed, but the second season amply rewarded those who stuck with the show. "Free from the creative burden of establishing an elaborate fictional world for viewers unfamiliar with the books, S2 was a fast-paced, yet still emotionally resonant experience," I wrote in my S2 review. "Ruth Wilson's fiercely savage portrayal of the complicated Mrs. Coulter remains a highlight, and the heartbreaking season finale set the stage perfectly for the final showdown."

Enlarge / Will (Amir Wilson) and Lyra (Dafne Keen) face their biggest challenge yet.

In the S1 finale, Lyra followed Lord Asriel across the Multiverse Bridge to another world, just as Will found his own way into that same world through another doorway. S2 picked up from there, covering the remaining events of The Subtle Knife, which establish Lyra's central quest and set up the climactic showdown depicted in The Amber Spyglass. Both strangers in a strange new world, Lyra and Will teamed up to reunite him with his own father, a quest they believed tied to all the destinies they were meant to fulfill. They also discovered the Subtle Knife (formerly known as Æsahættr), which can cut through the fabric between worlds.

In the heartbreaking S2 finale, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Lee Scoresby sacrificed himself so Will's father could briefly find his son and ask him to bring the Subtle Knife to Lord Asriel. Mrs. Coulter has kidnapped Lyra, believing her daughter to be the prophesied Second Eve that will cause...