How come WIll never stabs anyone?

[Deadpool]

For me this was the biggest disappointment when reading this series. You'd think that a book with "knife" in the title would be full of stabbings, but no. I mean, I guess it's kinda cool he can move about in dimensions and so on, but could you imagine what would happen if he stabbed at someone with that knife? They would probably implode while traveling to the other world. Man, that would be sweet.

[SexyMetatron]

Because Will doesn't like fighting or killing unless it's absolutely necessary. I have a feeling that he would've killed the witch at the end of TSK had she not have first committed suicide.

[latency]

Gee, I can see you really understood Will's character and purpose in the book...

[ArcT]

It's LM.

[Just_Tom]

Yeah! Will gets the knife, and instead of using his new toy to steal back the alethiometer, he simply knocks on latrom's door and stabs him. Saves Mrs Coulter some effort later.

[Danz]

I don't think it would've been that cool, I didn't expect any stabbing at all.
You're violent :S

[redbaron12190]

Hahaha I really enjoy this topic. I mean, obviously as Latency points out, that's not really Will's character at all, but it would be a bit interesting to see the effect of the blade on the human body. Since it's made to find gaps in the universe, I imagine it'd do a nice number on vital organs and the likes. I doubt we'll ever know because Pullman wouldn't ever write about this, but it's cool to speculate.

[Arizona girl]

Will doesn't like hurting people. Just like in the beginning when that one guy fell down the stairs in front of Will. It made him feel terrible. He wouldn't be able to handle killing anyone.

[redbaron12190]

Well... Will's a very protective guy (i.e. His mother and Lyra). I definately wouldn't put it past him to kill someone who threatened the ones he loves. He might feel a bit upset, but guilty or regretful? I doubt it.

[Arizona girl]

That is true ( Why did I not think of that!) I still believe he would have to be in some crazy rage to get at the point of killing someone. If Lyra or his mother was hurt he probably would do something about it :/

[anybody]

he killed 2 poeple at a distance and that made him feel terrible. stabbing poeple is up close and bloodyand probly would have a 10 times worse feeling then killing someone at a distance

[redbaron12190]

But STILL. If it were Will, and his loved ones were being threatened, I doubt he'd have any qualms about killing somebody. For a split second or so he might feel horror at what he's done... but other than that I can't see him torturing himself over it. Especially when he looks at Lyra. Ya feel?

[latency]

Will does what must be done, but certainly not until there's no alternative.

Contrary to popular belief, violence is always the answer. However, it's very rarely the best answer.

[Torak]

Will clearly doesn't like fighting although he has the capability, he does in fact use the knife on several occasions; killing the angel calling out to the regent and killing specters and cliff ghasts.
If Will had been more violent i doubt Lyra and Pan would of felt the same way about him and it would of ruines the story.

[Kayenne]

I agree with the others that have posted saying that it's not in Will's nature to be that violent towards people. But wasn't he also told by the previous owner of the subtle knife (in the tower in Cittagazze) that one of the rules was never to use the knife for that purpose, I don't remember the exact wording, but I'm sure there was something like that said?

[Arizona girl]

I forgot about that... now that I think of it I believe you are correct.
He still would not hurt anyone, even if he was told he could

[aurora borealis]

I agree with the others that have posted saying that it's not in Will's nature to be that violent towards people. But wasn't he also told by the previous owner of the subtle knife (in the tower in Cittagazze) that one of the rules was never to use the knife for that purpose, I don't remember the exact wording, but I'm sure there was something like that said?

Your'e right, one of the rules of the Torre degli Angeli was:" Never use the knife for a base purpose." So the guild that created the knife did not intend it to be used for violence. However, Iorek told Will at the cave that the knife had its own intentions, that may be opposed to the ones Will has in mind. ("With it you can do strange things. What you don't know is what the knife does on it's own. Your intentions may be good, the knife has intentions too...Sometimes in doing what you intend you also do what the knife intends, without knowing." The Amber Spyglass ch. 14)

As for the initial opinion in the thread, about Will stabbing people being "cool" and so on - No. Just No.
Will isn't a mindless killer. The times he was forced to withdraw to violence were because he had no other choice to defend himself or that he was in grave danger. These incidents show us Will's personality- he is shockes at commiting them and retches right afterwards. Having a powerful weapon doesn't mean it''s owner has to commit heartless crimes.
The book's name is the subtle knife, not the deadly, merciless bloodsheding knife.

[latency]

I think this is another example of Freedom of Choice in HDM.

The Subtle Knife by nature and definition destroys things. But it was Will's choice to use it for good, and not power, despite what it was made to do.

Just like Will is by nature, a fighter, but he chooses not to be.

[Arizona girl]

I think we have covered everything now..... there is nothing more to say

[Knight]

I agree with Deadpool.

[aurora borealis]

I knew it was just a matter of time until you noticed the name of the member who started this thread...

[Knight]

And I wish he would come back.