Sincerely, Me

I have sooo many feelings about this episode that I may end up writing about at some point, but for now I just want to say that I am so happy and relieved about how Nicki was written. The way his mental illness was acknowledged and named, the way he was given more agency in his fate (to cut off his own hand!), the way that Lestat felt culpable for his decline and death. The way that Armand wasn't spun as a villain but someone who once again had to clean up a mess, who wanted to help Lestat. The way we felt the full emotional impact of Nicki's death as it played out on Lestat's fate but we didn't see it's horror. The warmth in Lestat and Nicki's first meeting. The way Lestat acknowledged that their love was real. The way that Lestat's little white lies turn from something kind ("your father said he's proud of you") to something worse ("you have typhoid, there are no vampires") but don't lose their gentleness. The way we get little glimpses of their first night together but mostly Lestat guards that scene from Daniel and the audience, like it's something precious. The way that Nicki smiled again as Lestat sung about making peace with the horrors of his death. He burned alone but there's closure. He burned alone but Lestat isn't carrying that by himself anymore.