Pantalaimon
From His Dark Materials
[edit] Personality
In many ways, Pantalaimon is the polar opposite of Lyra, despite his being her soul. His wariness and supposed cowardice counteract Lyra's rashness and lack of restraint. He acknowledges this difference between himself and Lyra; when in Northern Lights Lyra calls him a coward, he flatly replies "Certainly I am." He is also very loving and close to Lyra, and he generally tries to protect her by keeping her from danger entirely. When he worries that something is wrong (such as when they find Tony Makarios, the boy whose daemon was cut away), he is known to try in vain to push Lyra away from it, often begging and pleading her to not go forward. Generally, however, she continues. This doesn't mean she ignores his opinions; she often looks to him as an emotional guide.
From the point that Mrs. Coulter's daemon, The Golden Monkey grabs him and starts to hurt him so that Lyra will obey her, Pantalaimon has displayed intense hatred of the golden monkey in a similar way to Lyra's animosity for her mother. He displays his own bravery when he declares with great conviction that he would fight next time, and the monkey wouldn't win.
[edit] Abandonment in the World of the Dead
After Lyra leaves Pantalaimon on the jetty at the edge of the Suburbs of the Dead, he is separated from her (though not in the same way as if they had experienced intercision). He spends time with Will Parry's newly physical daemon, Kirjava exploring the different worlds and universes, entering many windows. After the two daemons are saved from death at the hands of specters, Lyra and Will accidentally grab each other's daemons before escaping into the world of the Mulefa. Pan seems to become more introspective at this point, possibly reflecting Lyra's loss of innocence and transition into adulthood. Eventually, as directed by Serafina Pekkala, Pan and the newly named Kirjava return to their humans. After explaining the problem of Dust leaving the worlds, and revealing that Will and Lyra will forever have to separate, the two no-longer-children lie together with their daemons. At this point, a strange thing happens: they touch each other's daemons. Unlike the usual sensation of intrusion and horror that grips those whose daemon is touched by another person, the two felt intense exhilaration and joy. This touch leads both daemons to settle, Kirjava as a cat and Pantalaimon as a rich, strong pine marten.
[edit] Forms
Pantalaimon first appears as a moth. Most commonly, he takes the form of a wildcat, an ermine/stoat, or a mouse. His ermine form is his favorite form while sleeping, and the color of his fur depends on his mood. As a wildcat, he is described as appearing "lean, rugged, and harsh." He often becomes a mouse when he is shy or scared, and will often go into Lyra's pocket in this form. When he takes the form of a bird, he is generally noted as becoming a goldfinch, an eagle, or an owl. At one point in The Subtle Knife, he takes the form of a leopard to intimidate the children in the world of Cittagazze. When he was abandoned, he was described as being a young puppy that was so heartbroken and crushed that he seemed more a manifestation of sadness than a creature.
Eventually, he settles as a pine marten. He has red-gold fur, and is described as lustrous, sinewy, and lean. This form comes to Lyra in a dream; when she sees it, she instantly loves it.
