Marisa Coulter

"I told him I was going to betray you, and betray Lyra, and he believed me because I was corrupt and full of wickedness; he looked so deep I felt sure he'd see the truth. But I lied too well. I was lying with every nerve and fiber and everything I'd ever done… I wanted him to find no good in me, and he didn't. There is none."

- Marisa Coulter to Lord Asriel, The Amber Spyglass

Marisa Coulter is a primary antagonist in Philip Pullman’s trilogy, His Dark Material. Known as Mrs. Coulter throughout the series, she is an icy and sophisticated villainess and makes her first appearance in the first novel, Northern Lights (1995). Her character undergoes several transformations before her reformation in the third book, The Amber Spyglass (2000).

She is portrayed by Nicole Kidman in the The Golden Compass, the 2007 movie adaptation of the first book, Northern Lights. In the 2003 BCC radio adaptation, Emma Fielding plays the role while in the audiobook version read by Pullman, Mrs. Coulter is voiced by Alison Dowling.

Character overview
A long-time associate of The Church and a high ranking official in the Magisterium, Mrs. Coulter was head of the General Oblation Board, an association that performed harmful experiments on children in The Church’s interest of eliminating Dust. In the series, Dust is a conscious material believed to be related to free-thought and Original Sin. Though physically beautiful with a charming and persuasive demeanor, Mrs. Coulter’s character is portrayed as cold, cruel, vicious and power-hungry, written to enjoy the torture and killing of her victims.

For years, Mrs. Coulter pursued The Church’s agenda vigorously with the driven need to advance herself in Magisterium's ranks and successfully achieves her aims. Despite this, Mrs. Coulter’s soft spot is her daughter, the series’ protagonist, 12-year old Lyra Belacqua, whom she is on opposite sides from. Lyra is the child Mrs. Coulter had with her ex-lover, Lord Asriel, as a result of an affair and for a short time after her birth, Mrs. Coulter hid the child away from her husband, Mr. Coulter, with a Gyptian nurse, afraid he would be angry over her illegitimate daughter. After Mr. Coulter discovers the child’s existence and is killed by Lord Asriel when he goes after Lyra in a murderous rage, Mrs. Coulter gives up the newborn Lyra to her father due to the shame of Lyra’s illegitimacy and her own desire to advance her career with The Church. Nonetheless, despite her power-driven desires and described enjoyment over the suffering of other children, Mrs. Coulter feels a maternal urge to save Lyra from The Church and works to protect her throughout the series. Consequently, she experiences a conflict of identity between her career and loyalty to The Church and as Lyra's mother.

Mrs. Coulter is devoted to The Church and zealously pursues its agenda throughout Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife, at the end of which her character starts undergoing her reformation, which continues throughout The Amber Spyglass. Though appearing to intend to destroy Lyra to prevent the fall of The Church upon discovering Lyra is the child prophesized to become the second Eve after torturing and killing a witch for this information, Mrs. Coulter works to save and protect her daughter from The Church. She unites with Lord Asriel to defeat Regent Metatron in their efforts to save Lyra and both die in the process when they fall through the abyss with Metatron between universes.

Description
Mrs. Coulter is described as being 35 years old, slim, ‘beautiful and young’ with ‘sleek black hair’ which ‘framed her cheeks.’ In the movie adaptation, The Golden Compass, the character’s physical appearance is changed to blonde. Author Philip Pullman approved of this change and regretted not making Mrs. Coulter’s character blonde in the novels (Butler, Robert. An Interview with Philip Pullman. ‘Intelligent Life.’ 2007).

Mrs. Coulter is a published academic and scientist, written as sophisticated, elegant, intelligent and wealthy while she possesses an appetite for cruelty. Despite her feeling that Lyra is too much like Asriel, both Mrs. Coulter and Lyra are shown to be impassioned and talented liars. Her dæmon has taken the form of a golden monkey. His name remains unknown in the books but he is called "Ozymandias" in the BBC radio adaptation of the series.

Trivia

 * Mrs. Coulter was named the third top villain by Big Bad Reads after Voldemort (#1) and Sauron (#2).
 * Pullman expressed a firm interest to casting directors to see Kidman in the role of Mrs. Coulter but had no part in final casting decisions (Butler).