First Precis- The Golden Compass

"Somewhere out there is the origin of all Dust, all the death. the sin, the misery, the destructiveness in the world. Human beings can't see anything without wanting to destroy it, Lyra. That's original sin. And I'm going to destroy it. Death is going to die." (Pullman 331)

This statement sets the tone for the rest of the series. Lord Asriel is determined to surmount death, and such a decision will ultimately lead Lyra and Will into the underworld. Lord Asriel eventually amasses an army of angels, thereupon strengthening the parallel to Paradise Lost. After all, someone who would deign himself above death is taking on the grandest power of them, because eventually, everyone must succumb to death. Everyone must succumb to sin, misery, and destructiveness, either by their actions or by others fostered upon them. (This is the case with Angelica and her siblings in The Subtle Knife, where they bring misery upon Lyra and Will and the scientists' discovery of the subtle knife brings misery, death, and destruction upon multiple worlds).

The statement in itself is rather poetic. There is a certain eloquence in the declaration "death is going to die", however ill advised such a venture might become. It, coupled with the second sentence, ascribe realism to what might be seen as an outlandish and fantastical sentiment.

Only in this series is Dust existent, though it is arguably a concept existing in our own universe, just beneath the surface. This quote connects Dust, a major theme in the book, to the almost fantasy element in the series. After all, what is fantasy without the fantastic, even if it can hardly be qualified as such?

As aforementioned, "death is going to die" is eloquent, poetic, and rather catchy. It sounds like a battle cry, something screamed while charging at the enemy on white horses with weapons raised. It is certainly easy to remember and a powerful message throughout the series. Although, by attempting to destroy death, he is doing the very thing he states human beings all want to do- see something and destroy it.