IWTV-theories & analyses

 Posting this to save people time looking through my posts (and to help me find my own posts easily too XD).  Most (not all) of these posts are Armand or D.M heavy so take that into account , if that's not your thing. I'll put (*)next to the ones that aren't focused on that.

my fav analyses /meta/theories:

-*How lestat's past relationships intersect with other characters' arcs and stories

-*The names of IWTV characters and their symbolic significance*

-*The theme of economic exploitation & vampirism*

-*Analyzing the plays and their significance in IWTV *

- Armand being misperceived as Romani does impact his backstory

-Is Armand lying about his bio age (claudia/Armand analysis)

-Daniel molloy's sexuality (analysis/headcanon)

* 1 of the reasons Loustat disliked Daniel's book was because it focused on Claudia's pov & how they failed her

-Armand mentioning the painter Tintoretto alludes to his backstory

-What did Armand die of?

*How Claudia's character will remain in the story in s3 and beyond

*How the show may adapt 'tale of the body thief'

In both scenerios loumand and a human victim are entrapped in a room. And while Louis is physically incapacitated - the humans are unfairly used as proxys for Armand's anger towards Louis. Then Armand lets both humans go. Armand erases Daniel's memories of the event (but leaves the physical scars of the encounter). Regina retains her memories (but Armand erases the physical scars of the encounter).

It's possible Daniel went missing after s3 and Armand just assumed he abanddoned him after he gained his powers .So what do you think Armand is going to do with no one to occupy his time - and when he left someone alive with all their memories intact . He's going to watch them to make sure they don't talk.

Regina , be safe... for all we know she may be another surrogate to sybelle. She was (mostly) mute due to trauma. And this whole experience may have caused her to not want to talk anymore . Especially with the line: “bad things happen to girlies who TALK”.

Armand: " Arun, I cannot be SURE, the abuse at the brothel was such he cannot be SURE that's what his parents named him." Armand in this same ep says he wants Louis more than anything in the world. Louis in response : “You SURE about that, Arun?" Armand, stops smiling: "yes, Maitre (master)". Armand in this episode, put the Stein photos in the pile to fuck with Louis' head and ask him : "You SURE about that?" The same episode a photographer looked at Louis' photo of Armand and said Armand was fragile. YEAH ... when people say the role play was consensual , I'm like yeah , but 'dubious consent' is a thing too. Armand at the very least had subconscious resentment for the whole thing.

"Who am I Louis? Am I the past I've endured? I do not know anymore". Louis AFTER hearing this, then instigates the arun- role play. Louis the very next episode: "I'm the vampire Armand and my daddy groomed me into a little bitch." .

Armand: "Louis' tri-annual, fuck off ... with apologies to follow." Louis laughing back sarcastically: "I'm sorry". Armand (after Louis flung himself into the sun): "you said the worst things you ever said to me". Louis : "so-sorr- sorry". Armand: "meaningless word." Because Louis before the sorry said he didn't remember their verbal argument before he went into the sun. Louis: "Arun, you need a love that will cradle you. you should have that .And I was never that for you. And I'm sorry.

Louis (inadvertently or not ) even got a doppleganger of the white washed Amadeo from the painting , and said he was superior to Armand. Louis literally found a guy who looked like Amadeo, was the same age as him in the painting, and even did sex work. Armand psychologically snapped trying to figure out how he could be more like Daniel (aka the white washed Amadeo, since Louis was picking at an old racialized wound ). Louis also said: “Tell the boy your story. I'm Armand and my daddy vampire groomed into a little bitch." Cause Armand didn't technically tell his story to Louis. He told the boy in the painting (because Armands’ back was to Louis as he faced Amadeo ) . After Louis’ comment , Armand almost tells Daniel (Amadeo) his story . So Armand decided to use a doppleganger to also psychologically mess with Louis' psyche in the same way Louis did to him.

Armand wanted an apology for how Louis instigated his age-regression via 'arun' ( and introduced the master/pimp-slave dynamic). Armand shared his past because he wanted empathy from Louis. Armand dealt with the brothels, then his own vampiric lover Marius became his literal master who pimp-ed him out . He didn't want to role-play that dynamic with Louis because it traumatized him. Louis was lashing out at Armand for his sa: because Armand's human past was a constant subconscious reminder of Louis "sins" in his human life.

Armand to Louis in s3 : "I think I'm a room without walls , floors, or ceiling an infinite nothing." Armand laughing at Louis' life philosophy in the 40s: "Evil is just a perilous gulf one falls into after the FIRST SIN? Only one sin is needed? That's your argument?" Louis: "kind of... it's dark and it's empty and I can't see the bottom of it. Armand in the 70s: "My FIRST memory I was being rundown by slavers , my second... a black hole. " Armand post-paris adopted Louis' bleak philosophy, but his initial rebuttal in paris to Louis was :" Aren't there gradations to evil... surely there are degrees and variations to goodness?" Louis in s3 admits Armand's life philosophy was a better philosophy to live by. There's variations/gradients to good and evil in every person. Louis : " I didn't want to look at my own sins... You have reason to be dark-sided... but I did see good in you." Armand then immediately heals Regina's wounds and lets her go -then gets Rashid to reattach Louis' head.

So starting off with the good.There's some interesting loose ends in the finale:

Lestat is shown refusing to do the concert but he most likely does so in s4 due to the Talamasca forcing him to do so (since he now owes them a favor after they saved him & Louis). Then Akasha probably comes back and gives him the sun gift (as he can now walk in the sun post-armageddon). So in the end , gabby still got what she wanted ironically . At least Lestat finally stood up to her.

Daniel also attacks Raglan's faction of the talamasca after they said they want the great conversion and for Lestat to"play big boss first". Aka the song that disparaged Armand . Then Daniel's fate is left ambiguous so I'm curious where that leads. Was he thrown into one of those Talamasca prisons, dead, body swapped? Meanwhile Armand leaves Louis and we don’t know what will happen. It's possible Armand/ Daniel have a misunderstanding . Armand may assume Daniel left him (once he got his power-up and revenge on Lestat ) . Because Lestat left Armand (after he taught him new abilities ). And Louis only stayed with Armand to get revenge on Lestat. So Armand may assume Daniel did something similar- and left him like Louis and Lestat did.

Raglan is now in Lestat's good graces which could be leading to the body-thief storyline . Which I'm a little concerned if they'll be able to pull off well.

I was happy to see Regina made it out alive ! so I'm curious if she'll be brought back in some capacity in s4. The writers probably want an excuse to keep Delainey around. Honestly, same XD. She seems like a very interesting character so I hope if Regina is brought back she has a storyline outside of loustat .

They said Armand was 12 when sold to the brothel. The same age Benji was. Benji was a Palestinian 12y old who was sold into slavery abroad (and Armand saves him). Hopefully we get him in the future. There's been a few Palestinian refs in the show so hopefully we get him in the show. Armand even watched a film where the main character adopted a 12 y old who reminded them of their past self (post here) He's pretty important in Armand's character progression. Benji could show Armand is capable of "good" (as Louis said). But i'm holding my breath tbh because our culture is getting more conservative and s3 seems symbolic of that. Even if the writers wanted to add Benji would the higher ups allow it?

The bad/questionable....

The amount of racial micro-aggressions in s3 just left a bad taste in my mouth. They didn't add anything to the show , like how the racism portrayed in s1 was period accurate (and added depth to the setting and a better understanding of the power imbalance between louclaudia & lestat). Claudia calling Louis "nappy-headed" had nothing to do with his behavior towards her. Daniel calling him "Louis-iana fried chicken" was just racist and made me dislike Daniel tbh. Don't get me wrong he had some messed up prior comments from s1-2 . But, the comments from him in s3 are so much worse (and almost cartoonish) . Now he's just throwing homophobic, racist, and abelist remarks around for fun. While Lestat is misgendering people . They need sensitivity readers and black writers cause a lot of lines/ scenes were not it. Speaking of which…

The fact that they made Louis apologize under-duress , and physical torture was just a messed up writing choice. Felt like it was there purely for exploitative shock-value (this wasn't even in the books). The black characters were physically brutalized for no reason. Louis & Regina got tortured and the white vamps got off mostly scot free (and Lestat's body got more dignity as we didn't even see his severed head in the episode). I wish Louis & Armand both had an emotional scene where they admitted how they wronged each other and apologize ( without having to decapitate Louis).

If the season genuinely tackled HOW BOTH louis & Lestat harmed others (including other vamps) I could get behind that. But this treatment was mostly targeted toward Louis. And even then... they didn't really delve into HOW he mistreated people like Claudia or even Armand. It was left vague (which I thought was cowardly). I feel like the season also tried to victimize Lestat without also tackling the wrongs he committed towards Louis and others .

so claudia is in hell/purgatory but Lestat almost made it to heaven with Paul??? Yeah, I'm writing that off as a hallucination (cause that's wild). Not a single man in this show deserves to go to heaven 😂. Not only does he not deserve heaven but he hasn't given Louis the type of love (to justify Paul thanking him for it). I'm assuming that the paul moment was just another hallucination . He hallucinated the whole episode: so I consider 'the paul / heaven vision' symbolic of Lestat's own ego and narcissism. And his desire for Louis to finally say “I love you”. Which he has never said to Lestat’s face .

we better get some resolution about claudeleine's spirits next season. Claudia and Madeline deserve some peace. Loustat brought her spirit back and didn't even bother to apologize for how they treated her . I get why she tore them a new one. XD

The misogyny in the show is getting more and more apparent with how they're writing most of the female characters. Especially if they have no resolution for claudia and madeleine. They just suffer for eternity alone (while Loustat get to hold pinkies). Plus, the fact the only sapphic rep we've seen in s3 was just women kissing for men (rubbed me the wrong way). Hopefully we get another deep sapphic relation in the future. And not just fan service .

They also seemingly replaced Sybelle with Alex (when we already have so few women in the cast who actually survive and are sympathetic). So they turned her into a man - yuck. Sybelle was a musician who went (mostly) mute after the trauma of losing her parents in a car accident. And she has been head-cannoned as on the spectrum by book readers for years. Armand killed her abusive brother to save her life. Which is why she (as a human) was loyal to him in the 1st place. And in turn she also saved his life after this. She was one of Armand's human/vampiric companions. She also loosely paralleled nicki , as she would go into episodes of incessently playing music . (Armand not snapping on her for doing so, like he did with nicki . And Armand refusing to go into her mind even when mute showed character progression on his part ). So yes, replacing her with a guy (with a weaker story line, characterization, and motivations) is just lame and sexist. They could have easily made her character a member of the band to rework her storyline . But they chose to replace her with a man. That's a deliberate and questionable choice. Like how they made Antoinne -antoinette (and killed her when Antoine didn't even die in new orleans). Hopefully he's just foreshadowing for her and not a replacement. I worry they are literally replacing Armand's companions (Sybelle and Benji) with a random white dude. Replacing a women and a poc with a white guy... is not the move.

I also worry how they'll portray baby jenks . In the books she was a forced into sex work as a child, like Armand. Then she died via a botched abortion and met/was turned by killer because of it. Daniel in the s2 finale, was reading a newpaper about that supreme court decision, so I hope her backstory is actually tackled in s4. And they don't wimp out on it. In the books they also just used her firey death to make people sympathize with lestat (who didn't even know her. which was gross writing) . Her death in the show would just be unnecessary. If they can kill off an important character like David. Or kill Antoine for no reason. They really don't need to kill her. In a show where Akasha wants to kill men : actually setting up a strong female cast would be beneficial to s4. Hopefully the show surprises me with their female cast. They already added parallels between Jenks and Claudia- so having her burn the same way would just rub me the wrong way. Maybe they could merge sybelle/ baby jenks together or something? Like how Daniel is partially merged with David?

why did Armand brand Louis with an A... is this so other vamps don't go after him? I just remember armand giving daniel a locket with an A on it so other vamps wouldn't kill him. Or was it just sadistic- and Armand branding Louis like a “slave”? Like how putting his head on a spike was reminiscent of the runaway slaves Louis mentioned in s1: who had their heads spiked on the gate? If this was to show how Armand as an ex slave is perpetuating the cycle of abuse (they not only poorly executed this message but did it in the most insensitive way to black viewers). Armand is so unhinged this season- so I have no idea what his motivations are.

They also made Armand South Asian but essentially made him undesirable to Loustat. When both these characters were enamored / "loved" him in the books ( when he was white). This takes on a new layer because there is an old stereotype of asian men being undesirable . I don't think this was the intention. They probably made Loustat never love him and just use him for his body to show Armand's psyche . Given his past he doesn't know what real love is and will just settle for what he's used to:being used for his body while the person lies and says they "love" him. Best case scenario that was the intention. Otherwise they just couldn't let Lestat or Louis have strong feelings for anyone else, even if it’s in the past . kind of like how Lestat downplayed his feelings for Nicki in s3. which is bizarre cause it doesn't detract from Loustat being the main love interests to each other. It's juvenile to think having past feelings for an ex (means you don’t love your main love interest more ) . And in the books having multiple companions (romantic or not) wasn’t uncommon.

Did 70 year old daniel really say he's living in a "yaoi". Who is writing this? 😅So Daniel wasn't joking about "seeing someone". They just confirmed d.M happened off screen and Daniel is now Armand's "companion" (what a let down). Talk about doing the opposite of the “show don't tell" method. Hopefully queen of the dammed reveals past dm ,and or, fleshes out their current dynamic. Because frankly , from what i've seen so far , Daniel can't give Armand a love that will "craddle him". Because we haven’t actually SEEN the 2 interact in a romantic context. And the "love" doesn't seem earned (on either side) cause we didn't SEE any build-up . Armand:" I told you I loved you, but did I?! Did I? or was it a clinging to the underside of anyone who would help me survive?"

So did armand and daniel just want petty revenge & not to stop the great conversion? But then some at the talmasca interfered cause for some odd reason they want it? Meanwhile Fareed and associates are just in it for the knowledge . That's on brand for Fareed, i'll admit. But making Armand a mustache twirling villain without any nuance in relation to the great conversion is an odd choice. He said he finds turning people “disgusting”. He said to a human she'd be a "monster" if he turned her. so why wouldn't he be against the great conversion? Were Armand & daniel really just in it for petty reasons ? Or was it a '2 birds one stone situation'? Is everyone ooc because this is still Lestat's pov? Lestat did say at the end he's just recounting what louis told him. But sadly , that's probably denial on my part…

This was just a personal pet-peeve of mine (and I assume they did it to add to how chaotic lestat's pov is). But I hated how almost all the characters talk over each other and have multiple un-related convos going on at the same time. This was not an issue in the first 2 seasons. And it just wasn't my jam.

I feel like they could have had a stronger season (if they cut out or simply shortened like 50-75% the songs). I get how some songs were a narrative device . Like the montage of ‘loneliness’ was a well done way to flesh out all the characters. "La Fontaine de Sang" (The Fountain of Blood):  where Lestat and Gabby kill the family was nice. And the lyrics fit with the themes of vampirism. The short lyric “make more” alluded to the great conversion. Even the Magnus song as odd as it was , served a characterization purpose . But a lot of songs like black licorice ,long face, etc were just a waste of time . That extra time could have fleshed out the other characters or even Lestat in a better fashion. I’m hoping s4 has waaaaay less music.

Lestat left Armand (after he taught him how to use several vampiric gifts/ powers) . So Armand may just assume Daniel did the same.

Louis only stuck with Armand to get revenge on Lestat . So Armand may assume Daniel just left after getting his revenge on Lestat .

He may even assume Daniel (the talamasca agent) double crossed him . Which is why Lestat in s4 performs at the concert . And dr Fareed may even mention how the talamasca came to the butcher shop to get Louis.

Armand probably just assumed when Daniel got what he wanted - he left . Cause that’s what Armand has come to expect from people. He may assume Daniel just used him to improve his powers and have sex (just like Lestat did) . And you could argue Louis did the same . Since Louis initially only wanted a friends with benefits situation, didn’t love Armand, and Armand taught him the fire gift and possibly the flight gift .

Not sure if I believe it wasn't her, but it was odd . I'm side eyeing Lestat and Merrick a bit…

It would be really cool if “ghost-Claudia” demanded to have a new body ( aka Regina). And once she tried to possess Regina she realized something … Regina is the reincarnation of Madeleine. If this is the case , I don't think Madeleine did so purposely. When Madeleine was scared at the trial: and dying via the sunlight, she looked at the metaphorical "light" of the afterlife and thought of Claudia. So she reincarnated looking like her lover.

If so, she was re-born resembling the person she loved most . The person she thought looked the most “splendid … in a light that she could never survive in” . She ended up letting Claudia ( in a way ) become the adult she never got to be. Because Madeleine saw her as an adult (who happened to "look" splendid in a yellow dress).

Which is why Claudia couldn't find her . And if Claudia realized this , her spirit could finally move on . Because Madeline is technically ok , in a way. And not in hell , or alone in the void . She’s not truly Madeleine anymore (but her spirit is ok). And Claudia would be happy with that . Claudia's soul could finally rest and go to the other-side. And it would finally answer the question of "where's Madeleine?"

So my guess is Armand’s Frankenstein experiment from the books will probably be done with Louis and Lestat instead . Aka armand sews their heads back on to their bodies . Fareed mentioned to Daniel how several vampires survived their beheadings for over 2 hours. So this plan may be in corroboration with fareed and others. My guess is assad’s “freezer and machete “ comment was alluding to them putting loustat bodies and heads in a freezer to postpone their deaths. Perhaps this is part of their attempt to stop the great conversion? My guess is they want to stop loustat from being at the concert . They may drop a bomb or something at the venue - which will be filled with only vampires (who believe in the great conversion) . Killing a bunch of them would certainly weaken the movement and lessen their numbers .

Lestat was also clearly uncomfortable kissing Gabriella in front of Louis. And him puking and hyperventilating when Louis found out was hard to watch. When Louis asked him if anything occurred between the 2 before vampirism (Lestat dodged the question and was silent which was sadly an answer in it of itself ). She abused him for a long time. He just used vampirism as a coping mechanism to rationalize his relationship with her . Louis (delivery aside) was right to point out that the root of his issues trace back to her. I’m glad Louis realized Lestat wasn’t “sick “ but a victim who needed kindness and understanding. Hopefully Lestat sees her for what she is and eventually cuts ties with her .

So Louis was sexually assaulted and then given money : and later on he received money via the sexual exploitation of women . The cycle …

So was Daniel just saying he was “seeing someone” cause technically him “seeing“ Armand in the day was why he had that goofy sunburn. Or did Armand lock it down with Daniel after only a month and a half ? I assume the former 😅

I support all of Claudia’s anger and evil plans. Those men made her suffer and she pursued her freedom by any means necessary. She was right to call out Louis for being 70 years too late . And saying that reading her diary to Bruce was wrong . But, I (personally) didn’t like her calling Louis “nappy headed “ . I felt like it weakened her speech . And was an unnecessary writing choice . Claudia not being able to be with Madeleine also broke me . She’s suffering even in death: I hope she finds madeleine somehow. I hope ghost Claudia gets some resolution or peace in the future. Because the writers not allowing her to have Madeline -felt mean spirited and cruel especially with loustat seemingly moving on after learning about Claudia’s horrible fate. Also, praying we get another sapphic relationship in this show (that’s not as short lived as Claudeline ).

Past dm did happen (like in the books) and Armand did erase it . And he kept watch over him even after the memory wipe. Just like the whole 52 year omission… Armand is withholding that truth from Daniel cause he “doesn’t think he’s ready to hear it”. Armand even omitted the 70s and 80s (when they actually dated in the books) . Are we supposed to believe Daniel the reporter never noticed a guy literally at the “foot of his bed” for years ??? Doubtful.

We primarily see her through the lens of loustat but she is more than an extension of how these men see her . She’s a woman trying to survive dire circumstances. And at the end of the day: she’s not Claudia . She’s her own person .

Due to her startling resemblance to Claudia -Lestat and Louis being around her is detrimental to their mental health . Lestat even saw a similar fire in Regina that Claudia possessed : when she called him out for claiming she was the one exploiting Louis. Regina rightfully pointed out that at the end of the day Louis has all the financial power (and thus all the tangible power in their relationship) - not her .

-intel for his documentary (aka the Gabriella scoop, which he’ll exploit later). Daniel will probably mention this bomb In front of Louis & Lestat for extra drama in his doc. Causing the loustat fight in the upcoming episode .