Keep behind me, Metatron-wait here-Asriel is suspicious-let me lull him first. When he's off guard, I'll call you. But come as a shadow, in this small form, so he doesn't see you-otherwise, he'll just let the child's dæmon fly away. The Regent was a being whose profound intellect had had thousands of years to deepen and strengthen itself, and whose knowledge extended over a million universes. Nevertheless, at that moment he was blinded by his twin obsessions: to destroy Lyra and to possess her mother. He nodded and stayed where he was, while the woman and the monkey moved forward as quietly as they could.
In Philip Pullman's "The Amber Spyglass," a tense moment unfolds as a character instructs Metatron to remain hidden while they approach Asriel, who is wary and potentially dangerous. The character plans to distract Asriel, ensuring Metatron can act without being detected. The intent is to protect a child's dæmon, which Asriel might otherwise allow to escape if he feels threatened.
Despite Metatron's immense intelligence and knowledge gained over thousands of years, his fixation on destroying Lyra and seizing her mother clouds his judgment. In this critical moment, he complies with the directive to stay concealed while the others proceed cautiously, highlighting the precarious balance of power and manipulation in the story.
