A Brief Introduction the "The Subtle Knife"

This post will cover the aspects of The Subtle Knife that need explaining in order to avoid a huge summary post.


Will: Will is one of the main characters in this novel. He is 12 years old and is from our world. His father disappeared while exploring in the North and his mother seems to be schizophrenic. He is the care giver for his mother, although he leaves her with his old piano teacher when he searches for answers about his father at the beginning of the book. Later in the book he becomes the bearer of the subtle knife. Because he is from our world he has no external daemon. Will travels with Lyra throughout the novel and they become friends.

Dust: More information is given about Dust in this novel. It is revealed that in our world, Dust is also studied, but in the form of studies on Dark Matter. Dust is conscious and can communicate with humans if the right tools are used. Dr. Malone has created a device (that Lyra perfects) that allows a human to communicate with Dust. As suggested in the previous novel, Dust clearly has a religious significance and plays a role in one's spirit.


Specters: Specters are creatures that exist in an alternate world that Lyra and Will travel through. Specters seem to feed on the human spirit, but only feed on adults. They are able to fly and have taken the spirits of the majority of the adults in this world. They are said to have appeared in the last few hundred years, as a result of humans using the subtle knife, a device that can cut through worlds. The specter infestation in this world is also said to have gotten worse right after Lyra's father bridged the worlds and opened up a door from his world to other worlds. It is not clear what

Angels: Angels appear to the witches and several other characters in the novel, flying in the sky. Their physical forms are tall, naked and human like-but with wings. They are connected with Dust-it seems that they might even be Dust, although it is not clear (yet). They are assisting Lord Asriel with his task, which is killing the Creator. We do not know much about this task either or why the Angels wish to destroy the Creator.

Dr. Mary Malone: This character is the scholar that Lyra goes to in our world, at Oxford. She is a scientist (who is a former nun) that is investigating Dark Matter. It is clear that she is important and will play a role in the final novel, although it isn't clear what that role will be. She is the scientist that has developed a device that allows communication with Dust.

Sir Charles Latrom: This character is a man from Lyra's world that exists in our world. He is friends with Mrs. Coulter and is seeking the subtle knife. He attempts to force Lyra and Will to retrieve the knife for him by stealing Lyra's golden compass and demanding the knife in trade. Lyra and will do end up retrieving the knife but are able to steal the golden compass back and now have both tools in their possession.

The Subtle Knife: This knife is a device that can create doors to other worlds. It is not quite clear what the back story is behind the knife, however it is clear that the knife is the reason that the specters came into one of the worlds. This knife is also the only object that can be used to kill the Creator. There can only be one bearer of the knife at a time, it is currently Will who had to fight for it and lost two fingers (all bearers of the knife loose these two fingers while trying to get the knife).

Alternate Worlds: There seem to be countless worlds in this universe. They can be traveled to by using the knife or flying through doors high in the sky (how the Angels travel). The worlds we have seen so far are our world (the one that Will is from), Lyra's world and the world with the specters.

Dr. Grumman/The Shaman: Dr. Grumman is Will's father. He got trapped in Lyra's world 11 years prior to this story while on an expedition in the North. He is killed at the end of this novel, just after being reunited with Will.