I could be wrong but I for one think that they will revisit the trial, and they deliberately left it until season 4 to do so.
Does anyone really think that Akasha won't call Lestat out on saving the man, and not the two women. I certainly think that she will and that will be our entry back into the trial and to the reveal of why Lestat was really in Paris and what actually happened.
They left the trial revisit for season 4 because it works with the Akasha arc and will pack a more powerful punch thematically. As I always say, the writers on this show are very deliberate in the plot and structure the show. They also don't show they hands before the reveal, and so they are not going to specifically speak to what is going to happen in future series until it appears on the screen.
But I think that it coming up again during the Akasha arc is why they deliberately wrote Lestat as more heavily involved in the trial than in the books and also made him actively choose Louis over Claudia.
Lestat didn't go to France for Armand's healing blood like in the books. We know this because Gabbriella told us in episode 3 that one of the two times she met up with Lestat in the past century was in New Orleans when he still had the neck wound.
This means that she provided the blood to heal him. Yes, Armand's blood is older than Gabbi's and so Lestat possibly could have travelled to France for further healing, but I don't think that will be the central reason.
Between Gabbi's blood and the blood from the humans he drank from, the healing should have been sufficient, and so he would not have necessarily needed Armand's blood. He may not have been back to full strength but certainly he would have been strong enough to survive.
The question then becomes, why did he go to France and did Gabriella go with him. I think he went to France to see if Louis and Claudia might have made it there, and because he was worried what would happen if they did. And yes, maybe for a bit of payback if he ran into them.
Did Gabriella go with him, that's always possible but I don't think that she did. I think that she travel to Vienna instead and that's where Lestat met up with her for the 2nd time after the events in Paris. And it's where he killed Enzo.
Now, where was Lestat all the time he was in Paris prior to the trial and why did he seem so weak at the trial?
Well, I don't think that he was in Magnus' tower, and I don't think that Armand pushed him off like in the books. First because they are not going to do two such similar drops on the show...especially so close together.
Second, they changed it so that Lestat's power is more advanced on the show than in the books. When he meets Louis, he already has the cloud gift. We saw him acquire it in episode 3x5 when he drank from Akasha. He must have practiced and taught himself to control it between when he left Marius and arrived in NOLA.
And as he has the cloud gift, if Armand had pushed him off Magnus' tower, he would have been able to save himself...even in a weakened state. He would at least have been able to have a soft landing.
In addition to a second drop not making sense, Lestat having the cloud gift made the Armand push implausible on the show.
So, if he wasn't locked in Magnus tower, where was he?
Well, as I said, although he had Gabriella's blood in him, he still wasn't up to full strength, and I don't think that it would have been too difficult for Armand to over power him unlike in the books...especially with the help of the coven.
Let's assume that Armand was still pissed at Lestat for not allowing him to travel the Devil's Road with him and Gabriella. He wouldn't want to kill him, but he certainly would want to punish him. And I think he did this by locking him inside Nicki's crypt, and that's where he was all the time Louis and Claudia were in Paris.
It is something that the diabolical gremlin would do. He wouldn't kill Lestat but he would certainly lock him in with Nicki's remains. Nicki, who Lestat burden him with when he abandoned Paris with Gabriella.
In the books, Nicki threw himself into a bonfire, but before that, when he was getting out of hand because of his madness, Armand cut off his hand and had him locked up. I think that on the show, we will discover that he locked him in the crypts.
Did he die in there? I don't know. Did he throw himself in a fire like in the books? Not sure. I don't think that Armand physically killed him, but I do think his actions contributed.
And I do think that his remains are in the crypts and Armand locked Lestat in with them for punishment. So, when Santiago told Claudia that his maker was buried in the crypts, he was being funny, and he meant her maker...Lestat. And Armand, Maitre put him there.
The trauma of being locked in with Nicki is something that Lestat would never reveal to Daniel for so many reasons. He also would not have revealed it in front of Gabriella after how she treated Nicki. And that's why he came up with that bogus story.
But the pain was real and even though he was lying, the trauma was real, and he was reliving it in that moment. And truthfully, I don't rule out his memory of what happened being a planted one by Armand.
Why didn't Louis feell the vampire bond in Paris when Lestat was in the crypts. Probably because Lestat was so weakened. And when he was let out and got some blood in him, Louis started unknowingly sensing it again. It's why Madeline thought she felt love for Armand. It was the bond between him and Lestat reigniting.
Louis didn't know Lestat was there in Paris, but Armand did. And when Madeline mentioned she could feel his love for Armand, the gremlin knew that it wasn't love for him. He knew that she was sensing the connection between Louis and Lestat. And if he was even thinking of not going through with killing them, as soon as Madeline said that, it sealed Louis' fate in Armand's mind.
Anyway, this is my theory about how the events in Paris during the trial went down, and if I'm right about any of it, the Akasha arc seems the perfect way to reveal the truth.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
I don't know, but I think that it's a good thing that a woman will be the show runner and the head writer for this season. As much as I have enjoyed Rolin's writing and the direction he has steered the show as show runner for three seasons, a female head writer will bring so many additional layers to Akasha's story that a man would not think of.
Rolin is also remaining as executive producer. He's not going to be running the day to day operations or the writer's room, but he will still be heavily involved with the show, and I'm sure that he will give notes on scripts.
At the end of the day, it's now on Hannah's shoulders, but she is a good writer. We may not always agree with her choices, but she's a good writer.
Also, don't forget that Rolin and Hannah were co-executive producers. They have plotted out where they want to take this show, and have laid little breadcrumbs along the way for the audience. I suspect it's going to end the same way and with the same scene that they likely plotted out back in season 1. And I wouldn't be surprised if Sam and Jacob knows what it is.
I'm not shocked at Rolin pulling back. He has a second property that he has to get to the screen. AMC is heavily invested in their Great American Stories franchise. They don't want to wait until the end of the Vampire Chronicles to get that off the ground and so Rolin was always going to leave to become show runner for The Grapes of Wrath. And Hannah was always going to takeover as sole show runner of IWTVL. The writing was always on the wall for this to happen.
Sure, there will be some differences to the show, but I really don't foresee a monumental shift in tone.
Lestat and Louis are the center of the show and will remain so until the it ends, which I still think will be after the Body Thief arc. And as I speculated in other posts, they will likely do a spin-off with Armand and that's where we will get his back story.
ETA to add an additional point. I mistakenly typed co-showrunner for Rolin and Hannah when I meant co-executive producers.
The point that I was trying to make is that Hannah was obviously being groomed to be show runner, which would be the next obvious step for her.
Also, in almost every interview where you see Sam, Jacob, or any of the actors refer to decisions made affecting the show, they almost always lumped Rolin and Hannah together. It's always Rolin and Hannah did this or said that, or made that decision etc.
There are different types of executive producers and so, while she may not have had the official title, Hannah is the type that is heavily involved in the running of the show. She was always more than a writer.
Been waiting 3 seasons and 5 years for them to get to this book. Hope itās just one more year of waiting and not 2. And can we get a 10 episode season please.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
Like I always say, you must what this show multiple times to catch what's going on. On first and second watch, I thought the ending scene with Lestat was morning; but I watched the Katie O'Shaughnessy interview with Alan Taylor, the director of the finale and he said it was twilight.
And of course, I just rewatched the episode for the 4th time, and the sun is clearly setting in the west, not rising in the east, which obviously it had to be if Lestat now has the core. Like I said, multiple rewatches needed. š
By the way, great interview by Katie with wonderful insights from Alan. You should watch.
TVL is some of the densest writing I have ever seen on a tv show. The writers treat every single line like it needs to be doing three jobs at once - foreshadowing, character work AND a callback to something said in season one. No show is above criticism and when all is said and done i'll have my own critiques of season 3 but the quality of the writing or the writers room not understanding these characters is not one of them. you WILL need the rewatch. you WILL need to pay attention or you miss something important or misunderstand the characters. they will not hand it to you easily.
Will Spain be the Filming Location for Season 4 (Queen of the Damned)?
I wonder if they will film season 4 in Spain. To me, the Cadiz name drop by Gabriella to Lestat when she told him to pack seemed like an inside joke.
They will need a location that can be a stand-in for Kemet for some of the scenes, and Spain is an obvious choice. Many movies set in similar locations and time period have filmed there for just this reason including Cleopatra and Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods & Kings from a few years ago.
When you have time do you have an idea of the role of the body thief and what you see the lines between Daniel & Rashid storyline or the Talamasca might be
Hi, as you are asking this question, Iām going to assume that you don't mind spoilers or have at least, read the books, because to answer, I will need to briefly discuss book spoilers.
InĀ The Tale of the Body Thief, which is the 4thĀ book of the Chronicles, Lestat stupidly against the advice of both Louis and David Talbot agree to a deal with Raglan James, the Body Thief to switch bodies for a week. Of course, Raglan then runs off with his body and doesnāt return it.Ā
The show has been setting this story up since season one with Raglanās appearance in Dubai. However, I think itās doing it slightly different than in the books, where Raglan James is the titular and original Body Thief. The show seems to be setting it up as Raglan being the eventual thief but not the original. It looks like the Body Thief will at some point steal Raglanās body, likely after he becomes friends with Lestat.
I broke down in my video how Lestatās collapse on stage mirrors Raglanās first attempt to hijack his body in the books. I supposed that on the show, they could retroactively have it that Raglan was at both the first concert and the strip club, but they seem to indicate that the body thief was a different character in eachĀ instance.
Talamasca agents are trained to fight off such attacks. In the books, Raglan works briefly for the organization and does attempt to hijack the bodies of a few agents, but itās only briefly as they are able to fight him off. I think that he will be more successful on the showā¦first with Rashid, and later with Raglan getting him closer to Lestat.
They are setting it up for Lestat to take Amel as the core after Akasha. There will be no Mekare as host in between Lestat taking over. And so, the question then becomes why Lestat would agree to switch bodies with the Body Thief, which I still think he does as in the books. It would be super reckless considering the stakes.Ā
In the books Raglan James needs Lestat to agree to the switch because heās just too powerful as a vampire and fights him off. The case is the same on the show because as we saw in the concert and possibly at the strip club, Lestat fought him off without really knowing what was happening. And after events in Queen of the Damned, he will be even more powerful.
But if Lestat and Raglan become āfriends,ā as Lestat says they do in his voice over, then he might be opened to a temporary body switch as a respite from what heās going through. Plus, he would be fascinated with the opportunity to be in a human body again. It would still be stupid and reckless, but if he thinks they are friends, he might be opened to it.
This could also potentially be why Louis is not there at the apartment with him in the finale. They might have had the fight as they do in the books when Louis warns him against accepting Raglanās offer. It could also explain why he refers to Louis as Mr. du Lac on the recordings when at the end of the season, they have reconciled. He could have made those recordings after their fight. Pure speculation. Louis likely is not there for a totally different reason.
In Tale of the Body Thief, Raglan is at heart a kleptomaniac. He canāt resist stealing, even petty items. Itās how David Talbot and Lestat can track him down. I think that on the show, as weāve already seen, heās a bit more complex than that.Ā
As for Daniel, my theory is that the show is going to do the Memnoch the Devil arc with him and Armand.Ā Ā My reasoning for this is practical, but also considers the books, plus the set up I see on the show.
Practical reason first. I think that we get two more seasons of the showā¦three on the outside but my money is on two. They will probably do more spin-offsā¦likely one centered around Armand, but the mothership thatās centered around Louis and Lestat, I think ends in a couple of seasons.
I think this for a couple of reasons. First, the actors are getting older and while you can do a lot today with AI and other technologies to de-age an actor on screen, I donāt think that will work in this instance. I donāt think that it will work because I suspect that Jacob and Sam will want to move on to do other things.Ā
There are some actors who are perfectly fine to play the same role for years and collect the steady paycheck. Most actors would likely kill for a steady gig like that because at the end of the day, acting is a job and they have families to feed and bills to pay like everyone else.
However, from listening to Jacob and Sam in interviews, I think that they are in it more for the creative aspect. As much as they have loved playing the characters of Louis and Lestat, I doubt they want to be playing the same roles for much longer. They have already been locked into playing the parts for 5 years and likely will be for a couple more. They no doubt want to try other things creatively, work with other directors and writers etc... And they will want to do it while the iron is hot, and I donāt blame them.Ā
If we have two more seasons of them as the leads, there are only so many book arcs they can cover with Louis and Lestat. This especially applies to Sam because Lestat was the series lead after the first book.
They are obviously going to do theĀ Queen of the DamnedĀ and then follow up withĀ The Tale of the Body ThiefĀ arc after. And so, when would they get the chance to do Memnoch, an arc that I can see Rolin Jones wanting to sink his teeth into. If it remained centered on Lestat as in the books, they wouldnāt have the time, and thatās why I think that they will do it with Armand and Daniel.
Itās not even a stretch for Armand to step into the role and have the dialogue with Memnoch when you consider his book arc as a coven leader of the Children of Satan vampire cult.Ā
I think they have been setting up the Memnoch tale for a while including this season with his going around using the steps to ask for forgiveness when he doesnāt really mean it. He screwed up Alex mentally, made Larry and Nelson kill themselves, chopped Louis and Lestatās heads off and forced an apology from Louis that even as one understood his reasoning, he didnāt deserve.
But the showās Memnoch arc will be slightly different from the books in that it will also be a case of possession, with Daniel being the one possessed. If not by Memnoch specifically then by one of his demons. In fact, I think he already is. They even gave him the demonic look when he bared his fangs to Raglanā¦ down to the two forelocks of hair in the middle of his forehead that looked like horns.
And that is how he will get the showās version of Lestatās dialogue with Memnoch about God, evil, the history of religion and the vampires etc. In the books, Memnoch took Lestat to his plain of existence as they basically travel through history. I donāt think that it will be the same with Armandā¦although, we might get some visions.Ā
If Iām right about how this plays out, I suspect Eric and Luke will play the part of the trapped Daniel, as well as Memnoch. The devil will use their faces and voices in his conversation with Armand. I can see them doing a combination of the āEscape Clauseā and āThe Howling Manā episodes of The Twilight Zone.
Where is Daniel now? I donāt rule out the possibility that heās dead, killed by Alex and the Talamasca, and already in purgatory or hell. I havenāt totally locked in on whether his horrible death involves him being dragged into hell or whether he previously suffered the horrible death and was dead when Armand turned himā¦hence his weak vampiric blood.
I went into a bit more about what I think is going on with DanielĀ here.
š¬ 5Ā Ā š 3Ā Ā ā¤ļø 25Ā Ā·Ā The Problem with Daniel's BloodĀ Ā·Ā Yeah, so Armand and Daniel might be about to find out that they made a big mistake is sl
Anne Rice wrote some very dark and disturbing stories, but she was ahead of her times. Memnoch the Devil and Queen of the Damned are the two most provocative and potentially polarizing books in the entire series, and something must be in alignment for this series to in production now of all times.
I promised that I would make a post on my thoughts about Armand branding Louis with a scarlet letter, and here it is.
As I mentioned in my original post about the episode, I hated and was offended by the branding, and it prevented me from giving the episode the 10 rating I would have otherwise.
Now, when some fans called the writers out after episode 6 on Claudia calling Louis a slave, I didnāt jump on the bandwagon for several reasons.Ā
First, I disagreed with the interpretation of the scene as put forth. I didnāt see the implied racism but rather, a nuanced character driven scene that was true to the roles the actors have played for 3 seasons.
Paul told Lestat that the reason Louis hasnāt said the three little words to him is because his brother is like their father. This suggests that the father wasnāt demonstrative, but I think itās more complicated than that. I think his issues with telling Lestat āI Love Youā is also tied up with his relationship with his mother. Perhaps even more so. I would bet money that Florence withheld the ILY from Louis.Ā
I think that Louis suffers a similar but also different trauma to Lestat in that they both have mummy issues.
Gabriella used the āILYā to manipulate Lestat, to control him. I think that Florence used the ILY as a manipulative tool with Louis as well, except she withheld; the same way Louis now withholds it from Lestat.
Ā Maybe the father withheld it from Florence and because Louis looked like him, and tried to be him, she withheld it from Louis as unconscious payback. If Louis looks like the father, and Paul thinks that heās like the father then Florence looking deep into Louis eyes and calling him the devil as she held his face is fathoms deep in complications. She looked into his eyes and responded as if she saw what she expected to see, which hints at her feeling about the father.Ā
All of this contributed to Louisā need to be the big man, to be able to take care of the family unit, to bottling up all the rage in him. When he lets that rage out, it causes serious damage and then the guilt kicks in and it becomes all about him and not the people he has damaged.
Claudia understood this about Louis. She read him as easily as, āSee Spot Run.ā Thatās what made him easy for her to manipulate, to be her slave and do whatever she wanted. And she did it, without him ever recognizing the manipulation. IMO, thatās what Claudiaās words to him were about.
Also, as Jacob said, providing Blacks and other people of color greater opportunity to be cast in film and television does not mean just offering them the role of the good characters, the good and dependable friend. Thatās not equality. Thatās tokenism. Actors of color want and deserve the opportunity to play the same messy, complicated, and dynamic roles that are offered to their white counterparts.Ā
OnĀ Interview with the Vampire, they have been given that opportunity in spades. Think about it, three of the 5 main leads are people of color, and weāre about to get another influx with Akasha and the back history of the vampires. How often do you see that happen on network television.
As a Black woman, I know that in the community, we ourselves will sometimes use similar terms to refer to other Blacks, āUncle Toms,ā āHouse N****,ā etc. And when we say it, we often mean it in much harsher terms than Claudia did.Ā
You know where there was no nuance? The scene in episode 7 where they had Armand brand Louis in the chest. None whatsoever.Ā
Iāve loved the first two seasons of Interview with the Vampire. Iāve written about it; Iāve done videos about it that copiously praised Hannah and Rolin for their writing, and how they effectively integrated Tennessee Williams into the structure of the story. And so, Iām going to call them out for what they had Armand do in the season finale.
Having him put a brand on Louis was offensive, and an insult thrown at a major part of their viewing audience who played such an important role in getting word out about the show in the first two seasons.
And I donāt want to hear that it will make sense later, which is what they always say when things donāt make sense. Iām willing to give them the benefit of the doubt in those instances because the story is told through the eyes of unreliable narrators with shifting perspectives.
However, there is no explanation or plot point that I think they can come up with where Armandās branding of Louis would make sense. It is not the type of scenario I mentioned above when it comes to playing messy, complicated characters. It also doesnāt matter that as a vampire it will heal and disappear from Louis chest.Ā Ā It literally did not make sense within the scene or the story, and to me came across as being included for shock value. The first time I can say that about any scene on the show, where every scene usually serves a purpose.
What Armand did added nothing to the scene. It would have had the same impact if he just put on his jacket and walked out. In fact, it would likely have been stronger, because it would have indicated that in the moment, Armand, gremlin or not, was showing some growth.
Whatever explanation they come up with, and Iām sure there will be one, it will never make sense. Maybe they will use it as a conversation piece with Memnochā¦assuming Iām right about them doing that story with Armand and Daniel.Ā
And I think I know what explanation they will come up withā¦that Armand was also branded as a slave. But you know what, it will be too late, and that explanation will have little meaning to me.
Because as much as weāre watching a television show about vampires, weāre also living in the real world of 2026 where effort is being made in this country to take away the rights of Blacks and return us to the Jim Crow era or worse.Ā
And in the year 2026, they put a brand on the chest of a Black male character from heart of the American South and thought it was ok.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
Iāve rewatched the first episode a few times now to start the preparation for Part 2 of my Glass Menagerie series, and it occurs to me that there might have been a section where the writers were playing with smoke and mirrors and the game ātwo truths and a lie.ā
I think that itās possible that like Gabriella Lestat cut his hair every night but for different reasons. Gabriella cut hers nightly in the books because after the control menā¦from her father to her husband had over her life, she rejected her femininity and chose to present as male. And, because it was her gender identity.Ā
In Lestatās case, he would have done it because Louis liked it. Maybe during his makeover at Louis suggestion, the love of his life probably told him that he would look nice with hair above his shoulders. And as he does everything for Louis, he cut it most nightsā¦even after Louis was turned and would have known he was doing it. Just a theory.
Now, what does this have to do with the Two Truths and a Lie game. Well, Sam Reid is great at micro expressions. You can watch him in a 10-second scene and see 10 different micro expressions that tell a different story about what Lestat is thinking. There is one such scene in the trailer that has not yet shown up on the show, and another in episode 1.
Now, Iām not a truth sayer, and neither am I someone who looks for excuses rather than believing what is on screen, but I find it curious that the show gave themselves an out in having Lestat make a mental note to delete that section of the recording when he says Louis lied about his hair length and Lestat inscribing his initials in the ticket pocket of his jacket.Ā
They did this by having Lestat make a note to self about deleting that section. Why?
Heās obviously hurt and angry over what Louis said about him in the book, but heās also ultimately doing the recordings for Louis. And so, he must think that there are things he should have explained to Louis about himself that he never didā¦some truths he should have told.
While heās angry and hurt, one can look at him self-deleting that part of the recording as him not wanting to hurt Louis in that moment. But one must then ask, why not? Heās already shown his anger and stated Louis lied in other moments of the recordings and interview with Daniel. So, why delete his feelings about those two specific lies?
Because, there is a second way to also look at the scene and Lestatās voice over. One can argue that in his anger, he himself was lying about the hair and the initials on the ticket pocket. And since heās making the vinyl recordings for Louis, he did not want to lie on themā¦especially about Louisā truth.
Louis never mentioning his scars was obviously a lie of omission. And this is where Sam Reids ability to do micro expressions comes into play because you can see him wondering as he thinks about the scars mentally. His face is wondering āwhy didnāt he mention the scars?ā And you can also see the hesitation in his facial expression as he says he never had short hair or stitched Louisā initials on his jacket pocket.
Now, why do I say that those two supposed lies from Louis could be true?Ā Ā Well, because the writers obviously wrote the scene in a way that give themselves an out. Lestatās deletion comment does that.
More importantly, later in the episode during the memory montage that hits him during the elevator sex scene and during the battle with the other vamps in the hallway, he remembers himself in scenes with Louis and Antoinette with shorter hair.
This is not a case of the writers using Louisā memories from the first two seasons to support Lestatās thought about his lies as in the bathroom scene. These are Lestatās memories that started on the stage, and now as a result of the drugs in his system continue to flood in, as he himself implies in his VO.Ā
They are a combination of memories of him at the Paris trial, with Nicki, Gabbi, Magnus, Armand etc., so we know that there are flashes of his personal memories. And if those images are his memories, why would the ones with Louis included in the same montage where he has shorter hair be any different.
Also, in the stage scene when the floodgates first burst open, he remembers turning Louis as well as murder night. During the scene of Louis turning, you get the sense it is short, but you canāt see the actual length. However, you can in the murder night memories, and itās above the shoulders. Although, I do wonder why in his memory of being with Antoinette, he doesn't have any scars.
Another point to be made is that over season 1, while itās above the shoulders, itās at different lengths in multiple scenes, as it would be if it was being cut on a nightly basis. Is that just a case of continuity errors on the production staff side or was the different lengths deliberate because it was something the writers intended to put into play later.Ā
This suggests that those two memories of Louis might not have been lies, and the possibility exist that we find out later thatās the case.
And yes, in the After Dark interview, Jacob and Rolin joked about them being lies, but they were discussing the first episode. Thatās what actors and showrunners do when promoting a TV show. They speak in the moment of the episode in question. They stay away from spoiling future episodes.
If Iām right, they wonāt talk about those two Louis memories being the truth until in later episodes when itās revealed to be the case. And Sam Reid via his acting and micro expressions, played that scene as if he knew that it would be called into question later.
The funny thing in Louisā Dream Stat visions, the hair is at the correct length. It's as if in his most inner thoughts, where heās most honest about his relationship with Lestat, he sees the true manā¦no artifice as in the tale he tells Daniel.
The bathroom scene was a case of the two truths and a lie game. JMO.
Oh, and I think that itās sweet that Sam will get a scene that will mimic the one by his actor crush in Dracula.Ā
As I broke down in my theory video that went up prior to the season finale, the Body Thief has already made his first and likely second attempts at hijacking Lestat's body, and I don't think that it was Raglan James. On the show, he is not yet the Body Thief.
I compared the first attempt on the show to the one in the books, but they are a couple of other passages from the books that are even closer to how Lestat describes the attempt on the show.
Then came that pressure again which Iād felt so fleetingly in Miamiāof my limbs constricting, indeed of my whole form pressing inwards upon me, narrowing me and compressing me, and the sudden frightening image of myself being forced through the very top of my head!
āThe Tale of the Body Thief, Chapter Five
Again, I was remembering the feeling of constriction, the terrific and strangely pleasurable feeling that I was being squeezed out of myself through the top of my head.Ā
āThe Tale of the Body Thief, Chapter Six
I theorized that Gabriella was behind the Great Conversion and why in the video, and I still hold to that theory, but it's obvious now that she is in it with the Talamasca...at least the Amsterdam Motherhouse. The question is whether she approached them or they approached her. I'm inclined to think that it's the former, but we shall sea.
Raglan said that the Talamasca had been pushing the Great Conversion for a year, but both he and Louis first mentioned it 3 years prior in 2022, and so I wonder who could have brought them on board the concert train directly last year.
Gabriella's knowledge of what Louis did to the Detroit coven also suggests a connection to the Talamasca. Lestat likely told her about Paris, and it's possible that it's an open secret among the vamps what he did in Dubai since he challenged them publicly. But how did she know about Detroit. Louis killed all of the coven members. Maybe Baby Jenks spread the word, but I'm more inclined to think that she found out from the Talamaca.
And of course, the new song that Lestat plans to sing at the concert "Make More" was at the suggestion of the Talamasca. How did it make it into Lestat's repertoire if not via Gabriella.
Speaking of the Amsterdam Motherhouse, was the Budapest reference a mistake by the show. I'm assuming that the people watching live via computer were the Talamasca, but why Budapest. Did they get the Motherhouses mixed up?
EPISODE 7 OF THE VAMPIRE LESTAT WAS THE SEASONāS BEST AND WHY THE ARMAND/ LOUIS SCENES MADE SENSE
I loved episode 7 and would give it a 9.5. It was one of the most original and daring episodes of television I've ever seen.
The only reason itās not getting a perfect score from me is the branding of Louis by Armand. That served no storyline purpose and created a dissonance with the rest of the episode. And yes, it does give legs to the claims of racism by some in the fandom.Ā
I canāt for the life of me think of a reason that makes storyline sense for that to have been included. And the fact that no one thought it was a bad idea is not saying anything good. However, Iām going to address this aspect of the episode in a separate post as the topic deserves its own post.Ā
Iām going to make a few posts about various aspects of the episode and the season writ large, because while I enjoyed the episode and the season, there were some issues. Unlike the first two seasons where I was invested in the tale from each of the first seasonal episodes to the end, I didnāt feel as invested in the story for season 3 until the last two episodes.Ā
I enjoyed it aesthetically and for what they were attempting structurally. And there were moments from individual episodes that I really enjoyed but I didnāt feel emotionally connected. Truthfully, until the last two episodes, I watched it a bit removed from the story.
Now, donāt get me wrong. There were some continuity issues in the final episode that I hope the show will explain or clarify next season. And yes, they did move an arc that on paper should have taken place between Armand and Lestat to Armand and Louis, in a way that created some of those continuity issues.Ā
And while Louis needing to apologize didnāt quite make sense considering what Armand did to him previously and continued to do as evidence by the cutting off of his and Lestatās head and using Regina to bring pain to Louis over his guilt and grief for Claudia, I understood the reasoning from Armandās perspective.
Armand is deeply damaged because of what was done to him as a child and then the indoctrination by the Children of Satan. He feels as if heās nothing.Ā
He does not exist unless there is something there to anchor him. After his abduction from his family and being sold as a child sex slave at 12, his anchor became Marius, who groomed him even more. He loved Marius as someone who is groomed as a child would their abuser, and thought Marius loved him, but after his abduction by the Santino and the COS, Marius didnāt look for him.Ā
Then his indoctrination by the COS told him that this new thing he had become was evil, that he was a child of the devil, and that was his only purpose in life was to do the devilās work. He lived that life for 400 years until Lestat came along and he saw a chance for escape. He was desperate for Lestatās love and for him to take him away from the coven, but Lestat didnāt feel that way about him.
Enter Louis, who Armand again saw as his way of escaping his tragic life, which led to him committing some of the evilest acts including the killing of Claudia. He even the intended to kill Louis when he chose his coven over him. These are all acts that would not have seen evil to him as a child of the devil. He would have just been doing the devilās work.
Then Lestat saved Louis and Armand took credit because he saw it as a way to finally get what he wanted. But Louis only went with him to torture Lestat, not out of any feelings of love, which is important.
There is no need to go deeper into all the evil things the Armand did to Louis. We know what there were and why from Louis perspective, Armand was not owed an apology. Iām talking here about Armandās reasoning.Ā Ā
There was no love for Armand on Louis part. More importantly, there wasnāt even hate. Hate is a strong emotion, and it doesnāt exist without love on some level. But Armand didnāt even have that to fall back on because Louis didnāt hate him.Ā
He felt nothing but apathy towards Armand. If he had at least hated him, I donāt think that Armand would have done what he did, but apathy said that he was nothing to Louis. That he was the nothing he felt himself to be. And thatās why he needed Louis to acknowledge him, to make amends.
Because without that acknowledgment, it would mean that his belief about himself that he was nothing was true. It's almost like he needed Louis, the man he spent 77 years of his life with to acknowledge that he was real, that he exists.
And thatās why on the show it made sense on that level that the scenes were between Armand and Louis and not Armand and Lestat.
Having said all that, I donāt think that this episode was supposed to be the season finale. I think that it was designed and structured to be the 7thĀ of 8 episodes. But I suspect that as was the case with House of the Dragon, they ran into a budget issue. Episode 8 was cut, and 7 then became the finale. But I think that Rolin and Hannah did a much better job with the loss of that 8thĀ episode than HOTD came anywhere close to achieving.
I think that everything we saw up to the Loustat reunion on the bus was written and structured as part of the 7thĀ episode, but I think they change the ending after they ran out of money.Ā
I suspect that we were originally supposed to get the concert in episode 8, and possibly even the abduction. Although, I think itās likely that would have happened next season.
Once they ran out of money, I think that they changed the original episode 7 ending and replaced it with the time jump one with Lestat, which I think was going to be the episode 8 ending. So, the ending was the same as it was always going to be. We just didnāt get the between part between part that would have include the concert.
And with all that happening, episode 7 still ended up being creatively, structurally, and acting wise, one of the best hours of television Iāve seen in years, rivaling 2x05, and 2x07. The fact that it worked in the way it did, tells me that it was pretty much as originally written.
Bravo to all involved. šš¾Ā šš¾šš¾
Rewatching again during the live airing on AMC and ETA to give a special shout out to Daniel Hart's score of episode 7. Simply WOWZA!
Yeah, so Armand and Daniel might be about to find out that they made a big mistake is slicing off Lestat and Louis headsā¦and not for the obvious reasons.
This show does not waste dialogue, and so, you must pay attention to what is saidā¦even in background scenes.
Lestat has already told the audience via VO, and Daniel to his face that there is something wrong with Danielās blood and thatās why he needs antibodies. And you know who I think has been providing those antibodies and keeping Danielās vampiric body aliveā¦Lestat. And I donāt think Daniel knows because Lestat has Fareed keeping it secret.
This is why they showed Fareed putting the little bandage on Lestatās arm in episode 4 but strategically didnāt show us whether Lestat was getting or receiving blood. Most viewers likely assumed that he was getting blood since he previously said in episode 2 that was part of Fareedās duties, but I think he was giving not receiving blood.
Later in the same episode, they have Daniel tell Lestat that he doesnāt need a āgiftā from him, which was a strange response considering the conversation. Lestat did not imply that he was giving Daniel a gift and so his response didnāt really make sense. But when Daniel made that comment, I read Lestatās expression as, āthatās what you think.āĀ Ā The writers put that gift line in Danielās mouth for a reason.
Daniel, the ace reporter has also not picked up on all the clues staring him in the face. Why not? Probably because of Memnoch, whom I think is in possession of Daniel. The Pulitzer Prize winner is no longer the talent he once was, or else he would have put together the clues by now.Ā
He would at least have figured out that something was off. Instead, he fixated on Lestatās stutter, which must be of interest to Memnoch for some reason. I wonder if he was present at the burning of the witches when Lestat stutter started.
Ā I read Memnoch so long ago, and unlike the other books, I donāt think I finished it.Ā Ā For this reason, I donāt remember if there were hints of him being around Lestat when he was young or at the burning of the witches. I will have to go back and re-read before the next season, but if you know the answer, please share.Ā
Memnoch encountering Lestat in the past would be an easy thing to script into the show and would be a way to connect Lestat to the Memnoch story without him being the one who has the dialogue or religious debate with the devil.
To me, the clues suggest that they will do the Memnoch story with Armand and Daniel. This works because of the gremlinās religious fanaticism.
But back to what I mentioned at the top about the writers not wasting words. Daniel is so off his game that he didnāt pick up on the biggest clue they droppedāthe reference to the āgolden blood.ā He didnāt pick up on it even though he was part of the two-way conversation.
What do I mean? Well, the show didnāt mention the Rh null blood type out of the blueā¦and to Daniel of all people for no reason.Ā Ā
Rh-null is nicknamed "golden blood," precisely because it's a universal donor for anyone with a rare Rh-null phenotype. Like Gabriella stated, there are only about 45 confirmed people alive with it. If the writers picked that blood type deliberately, and I think they did, itās for a specific purpose.
Iām not a scientist and I donāt play one in real life, but I donāt think that itās Armandās blood thatās the issue or else, he would have experienced the same problem that Daniel is going through. Danielās is acerbated by the fact he has Parkinson, but Armandās blood is not the issue.
The way Iām reading it is that if Armand had Rh null phenotype as a human, he would only have been able to get transfusion from the rarest of the rareā¦another Rh null donor.Ā
Of course, they didnāt have blood transfusions 500 years ago, and so that part of it is moot. But if he did have Rh null and is able to drink from victims with other blood types, it would mean that becoming a vampire made the need for rh null blood no longer necessary. I tend to think that this is likely how it works.
However, my money is on Armand not being a rh null phenotype and him having one of the 8 primary blood types.
I suspect that whatever is causing the problem and what changed Danielās blood has to do with his Parkinson, having Armand share his vampiric blood with him over the years without turning him; and the entity possessing him. I think sometime during the three weeks after the events in Dubai and his turning on the plane over NJ, he was possessed. He was likely possessed before the turning.
I think his original blood type is AB Negative, the rarest of the primary 8 blood types. Itās why itās his favorite. While itās the rarest of the primary blood types, it still wouldnāt be a problem even with his Parkinson.
This suggests there is another reason for his problem, and I think thatās where his possession by Memnoch comes into play. The possession has introduced or converted his already vampiric enhanced human blood to rh null phenotype, or the showās version of such. Him drinking regular human blood types isnāt working and is in fact causing more problems. This is why his vampiric powers are still so weak.
And yes, I know that Memnoch does not possess Lestat in the books, but possession does exist in the Anne Rice world and I think that this is the tack the show is taking.
While rh null is super rare as Gabriella said, only around 45 people in the world with that blood type, I bet on the show, there is one special vampire with that āgolden bloodā as rh null is called, and that is of course Lestat. And his blood is likely what is keeping Danielās vampiric body alive.
But now, Armand and Daniel have cut his and Louisā heads off, and so I doubt that when Lestat gets his head back, he will be inclined to still provide Daniel with blood. And of course, Akasha will soon kidnap Lestat, and then his body will be taken by a thief and so even if he would be so inclined, he wonāt be around to provide much transfusion. And lack of access to this rare blood could potentially be the reason for his horrible death.
Thatās why I think Armand is bidding at the auction. He wants Lestatās blood for Daniel. By this time, I think that Daniel has suffered his horrible death and so, the blood must be needed to somehow bring his spirit from Memnochās realm and putting him in a clone of his younger self. In a way, Daniel spirit will do to the clone of his younger self, what the Body Thief does to Lestat.
I previously considered the idea that Danielās horrible death was going to be at the hands of someone elseā¦possibly an ancient. I even thought that he might already be dead, and we would see the event in flashbacks. I canāt totally rule that either possibility, but Iām now more incline to think that it will have something to do with his rh null blood and lack of access to Lestatās āgolden blood.ā
@danielxarmandĀ Why wouldnāt Eric be a part of Comic Con? Heās one of the stars of the show, and this is a story that they have been building for three seasons and will have to promote into the next.
I guess I should be a bit clearer and say that while I think the show may end with Luke in the role of Eric, Iām not totally locked into the idea. Iām like 75% there, but I can also see Eric being in the role of Daniel for the entire series run. The reason Iām inclined to think it will be Luke is Danielās Parkinsons Disease, and the Memnoch tale, which I think will likely have Danielās body destroyed. I believe that @cbrownjc also has a great theory of Luke replacing Eric and a tale of possession.Ā
My theory is obviously similar to hers, but different in many ways as I think the possessing entity will be Memnoch because I suspect itās a story that Rolin wants to do, and I donāt think they can do it with Lestat for reasons that I break downĀ here.
š¬ 1Ā Ā š 3Ā Ā ā¤ļø 26Ā Ā·Ā The Trouble with Daniel MalloyĀ Ā·Ā
I have a theory about whatās going on with Daniel Malloy, and to explain it, I must sta
Having said that, if Luke does take over in the role, I donāt think that Eric will be leaving the show at the end of this season. At the earliest, it will be after next season, and possibly even in the final 5thĀ season.
This is because I think that they will want to do the Memnoch tale with the older more seasoned Daniel. This type of story is better done with a character who has lived a life. In the books, Lestat had lived almost 300 years, and of course for the show version, Armand will have lived 500. And older Daniel has also lived a life.
But I think that both Eric and Luke will play Memnoch during the telling of the tale. I can see both going back and forth in the same scene during the devilās conversations with Armand. In the end though, I think that because of older Daniel still having Parkinsons there is a strong possibility that it will be the younger Daniel who ends the series walking at Armandās side.
And as I just typed that sentence, Iām going to change the odds I mentioned earlier from 75/25 to an even split of 50/50 for a couple of reasons that just occurred to meā¦and this option assumes that Danielās body is not destroyed. If it is, then I think the series will end with Luke in the role.
First, ending with Luke would be a bit of a case of ageism. If the infestation of Memnochās blood is the primary reason for Daniel not adapting to vampirism, I can also see him returning as the older Daniel out of hell. Older Daniel would have earned the right to continue to live a vampiric life. He would likely still have Parkinsons, but it would no longer be the issue it was with Memnochās blood present in his system.
My second reason is the Amel issues. They will eventually need to separate him from Lestat, and while I have a visceral dislike of the Amel/Lestat arc from the final booksā¦thinking it was a total copout on Anneās part by taking away the characterās agency, it is an issue that will need to be addressed on the show.
I didnāt like the Replimoids arc because of the agency issue among other reasons, but I suspect that there could be a version of it, as they will need a body to house Amel. If they go the cloning route, then Fareed is already experimenting with cloning Lestat via the blood he has taken. If Vicktor ends up being a clone and not from Lestatās seed, then I can visualize him being the vessel to host Amel.Ā
However, I can also see Vicktor being a child of Lestatās time in Raglan. He would still be the vessel for Amel after he is separated from the other vampires, but not a direct clone.
Like I said, IMO, the Replimoids was a silly story, and one I suspect Rolin wished he didnāt have to deal with, but the Amel separation needs to happen, and so he needs to find a way that wonāt make the majority audience who have never read the books laugh at the silliness of it. I donāt know how heās going to handle it, but I wish him luck.
Yeah, so Armand and Daniel might be about to find out that they made a big mistake is slicing off Lestat and Louis headsā¦and not for the obvious reasons.
This show does not waste dialogue, and so, you must pay attention to what is saidā¦even in background scenes.
Lestat has already told the audience via VO, and Daniel to his face that there is something wrong with Danielās blood and thatās why he needs antibodies. And you know who I think has been providing those antibodies and keeping Danielās vampiric body aliveā¦Lestat. And I donāt think Daniel knows because Lestat has Fareed keeping it secret.
This is why they showed Fareed putting the little bandage on Lestatās arm in episode 4 but strategically didnāt show us whether Lestat was giving or receiving blood. Most viewers likely assumed that he was getting blood since he previously said in episode 2 that was part of Fareedās duties, but I think he was giving not receiving blood.
Later in the same episode, they have Daniel tell Lestat that he doesnāt need a āgiftā from him, which was a strange response considering the conversation. Lestat did not imply that he was giving Daniel a gift and so his response didnāt really make sense. But when Daniel made that comment, I read Lestatās expression as, āthatās what you think.āĀ Ā The writers put that gift line in Danielās mouth for a reason.
Daniel, the ace reporter has also not picked up on all the clues staring him in the face. Why not? Probably because of Memnoch, whom I think is in possession of Daniel. The Pulitzer Prize winner is no longer the talent he once was, or else he would have put together the clues by now.Ā
He would at least have figured out that something was off. Instead, he fixated on Lestatās stutter, which must be of interest to Memnoch for some reason. I wonder if he was present at the burning of the witches when Lestat stutter started.
Ā I read Memnoch so long ago, and unlike the other books, I donāt think I finished it.Ā Ā For this reason, I donāt remember if there were hints of him being around Lestat when he was young or at the burning of the witches. I will have to go back and re-read before the next season, but if you know the answer, please share.Ā
Memnoch encountering Lestat in the past would be an easy thing to script into the show and would be a way to connect Lestat to the Memnoch story without him being the one who has the dialogue or religious debate with the devil.
To me, the clues suggest that they will do the Memnoch story with Armand and Daniel. This works because of the gremlinās religious fanaticism.
But back to what I mentioned at the top about the writers not wasting words. Daniel is so off his game that he didnāt pick up on the biggest clue they droppedāthe reference to the āgolden blood.ā He didnāt pick up on it even though he was part of the two-way conversation.
What do I mean? Well, the show didnāt mention the Rh null blood type out of the blueā¦and to Daniel of all people for no reason.Ā Ā
Rh-null is nicknamed "golden blood," precisely because it's a universal donor for anyone with a rare Rh-null phenotype. Like Gabriella stated, there are only about 45 confirmed people alive with it. If the writers picked that blood type deliberately, and I think they did, itās for a specific purpose.
Iām not a scientist and I donāt play one in real life, but I donāt think that itās Armandās blood thatās the issue or else, he would have experienced the same problem that Daniel is going through. Danielās is acerbated by the fact he has Parkinson, but Armandās blood is not the issue.
The way Iām reading it is that if Armand had Rh null phenotype as a human, he would only have been able to get transfusion from the rarest of the rareā¦another Rh null donor.Ā
Of course, they didnāt have blood transfusions 500 years ago, and so that part of it is moot. But if he did have Rh null and is able to drink from victims with other blood types, it would mean that becoming a vampire made the need for rh null blood no longer necessary. I tend to think that this is likely how it works.
However, my money is on Armand not being a rh null phenotype and him having one of the 8 primary blood types.
I suspect that whatever is causing the problem and what changed Danielās blood has to do with his Parkinson, having Armand share his vampiric blood with him over the years without turning him; and the entity possessing him. I think sometime during the three weeks after the events in Dubai and his turning on the plane over NJ, he was possessed. He was likely possessed before the turning.
I think his original blood type is AB Negative, the rarest of the primary 8 blood types. Itās why itās his favorite. While itās the rarest of the primary blood types, it still wouldnāt be a problem even with his Parkinson.
This suggests there is another reason for his problem, and I think thatās where his possession by Memnoch comes into play. The possession has introduced or converted his already vampiric enhanced human blood to rh null phenotype, or the showās version of such. Him drinking regular human blood types isnāt working and is in fact causing more problems. This is why his vampiric powers are still so weak.
And yes, I know that Memnoch does not possess Lestat in the books, but possession does exist in the Anne Rice world and I think that this is the tack the show is taking.
While rh null is super rare as Gabriella said, only around 45 people in the world with that blood type, I bet on the show, there is one special vampire with that āgolden bloodā as rh null is called, and that is of course Lestat. And his blood is likely what is keeping Danielās vampiric body alive.
But now, Armand and Daniel have cut his and Louisā heads off, and so I doubt that when Lestat gets his head back, he will be inclined to still provide Daniel with blood. And of course, Akasha will soon kidnap Lestat, and then his body will be taken by a thief and so even if he would be so inclined, he wonāt be around to provide much transfusion. And lack of access to this rare blood could potentially be the reason for his horrible death.
Thatās why I think Armand is bidding at the auction. He wants Lestatās blood for Daniel. By this time, I think that Daniel has suffered his horrible death and so, the blood must be needed to somehow bring his spirit from Memnochās realm and putting him in a clone of his younger self. In a way, Daniel spirit will do to the clone of his younger self, what the Body Thief does to Lestat.
I previously considered the idea that Danielās horrible death was going to be at the hands of someone elseā¦possibly an ancient. I even thought that he might already be dead, and we would see the event in flashbacks. I canāt totally rule that either possibility, but Iām now more incline to think that it will have something to do with his rh null blood and lack of access to Lestatās āgolden blood.ā
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
ā Live Streamingā Interactive Chatā Private Showsā HD Qualityā Free Actions
Free to watch ā¢ No registration required ā¢ HD streaming
Imagine if people watched Interview with the Vampire and it inspired them to think about how the past is in a very real way inaccessible to us and memory can be misleading even when you're not being dishonest and different people can have different experiences of the same event that feel emotionally true and are very real to the people who experienced them even if they contradict each other and often you will never be able to know what really happened and how this can make repairing damaged relationships difficult and threatening to a person's sense of self
Exactly, every single one of them are unreliable narrators, just in different ways. And that's one of the main aspects of the show that so many viewers donāt get. Itās not a case of itās so and so POV, and they donāt lieā¦the books says so.
No, the books say no such thing. The books also writes them all as unreliable narrators who forget things and who tell their stories based on their emotions. And as I said in other places, emotional truth is the most unreliable truth of all because of the simple fact everything you say is heightened by your emotions.
Truth is always subjective on some level or another. Facts are not. And no character has shown us an unvarnished fact yet. Even the cutting off of the heads and the events of the seance should be viewed as Lestatās truth, and not factual.
Iāve been trying to finish my updated take on what I think is going on with Armand all week but have just been too busy. Iām doing it here in the early morning because I want to get the post up before episode 6 premieres in the overseas market, I have to lockdown social media to avoid spoilers until it airs stateside tomorrow.
I had a conversation recently with my sister about what I call the 3-year curse on TV shows. Almost all the shows Iāve totally enjoyed have encountered that 3rdĀ curse, where the quality declined and I dropped it cold turkey. Itās not that Iāve consciously stopped watching. Itās just that looking back in hindsight, there are so many shows that I stopped watching at the 3-year mark.
The Vampire Lestat is not one of those shows. While I would not rank the 3rdĀ season at the top of the three, weāve had so far; as of this writing, my ranking of the seasons would be 2, 1, 3, it is still high-end television and better than most shows on the air.Ā
Will my rankings change by the end of the season? Itās possible but we will have to see. I do feel confident that it wonāt displace season 2 at the top, but possibly it could overtake season 1 for the #2 spot. The last two episodes would have to be spectacular though and even then, it would be a tough call because I think that season 1 is as perfect a first season of television Iāve ever seen.
Why did I start the post with that caveat? Well, because something in one of the trailers that dropped last night could potentially put the three-year curse in play for me. It wouldnāt be a result of the quality of the show, but it would make me and I think a lot of viewers stop watching.
I donāt think it will be the case, and Iāll say why at the end, but primarily itās because Rolin and Hannah are not stupid. And while I donāt think they have succeeded on all counts, I do see and understand what they are attempting this season. In fact, I have plans for a couple of videos to discuss just that at the end of the season.
But more on that later. First, letās get to Dr. Armandstein, as I will be calling him from now on. He made a very interesting comment to Daniel last episode. He would like to āhelp him walk in the sun.ā That was not just a figure of speech for Armandā¦truthfully, not sure that he would know a figure of speech if it bit him in the neck. My point is that Armand meant that literally, and so the question then becomes. How can he help Daniel to walk in the sun.
Well, there is no way for Daniel to become a sun walker except through vampiric age. As you get older, that 6-billion-year-old star starts losing its effect on you. Of course, Daniel is a fledgling, just 2 years old on the vampiric scale and so, he has long years to go before he can become a sun walker. But you know what might help him along, the body of an older vampire. A vampire that it not yet a day walker but is much closer to that time not just in years, but also because he āhas the blood of Akasha,ā as he likes to tell everyone he meets. I discuss in my video coming next week why I think he told Gabriella, and why that ties into why sheās back.
Now, last episode, we saw that the writers changed several parts of the lore from the books. I discussed how those changes made Lestat and unreliable narratorĀ here.Ā
š¬ 1Ā Ā š 3Ā Ā ā¤ļø 24Ā Ā·Ā The Trouble with Daniel MalloyĀ Ā·Ā
I have a theory about whatās going on with Daniel Malloy, and to explain it, I must sta
I think that some of those changes will be addressed in the futureā¦specifically the supposed burning of vampires around the world in 1802 because Enkil was left out in the sun.Ā Ā
Akasha is the source of vampiric power via Amel, and while they have made changes to the lore, Iām confident that will not be one of them. We will find out that Akasha was also out in the sun, meaning that Marius deliberately lied to Lestat, or the latter is misremembering. I suspect that itās the former.
However, one bit of lore they did change that I donāt think they will retroactively reverse, is Marius never warning or threatening Lestat against revealing the truth about āthose who must be kept.ā I say this because Lestat has been making the revelation to everyone and their dog all season.
Now, of course, that revelation is also a big part of the Vampire Lestat book. He reveals the truth about the mother and father there as well, and so, thatās not truly the reason I donāt it will remain that Marius didnāt give him the warning on the show. As I mentioned, I discuss in my video why I think he told Gabriella, and I completed that script before the airing of episode 5 and Marius appearance. That specific theory is based on clues dropped up to episode 4.
No, the reason I think that it will stick in the show that Marius didnāt warn or threaten Lestat with the death of any of his fledglings if he revealed the truth is because I think that he told Louis back in their New Orleans days. I suspected that he did since the end of season 2, but Marius words last episode confirmed it for me.
Louis: Iāve come to kill you
Lestat: I have the blood of Magnus in me
Armand: Magnus burned
Lestat: I have the blood of Akasha in me
Then he turns to Louis and says about Armand
Lestat: He doesnāt know who that is.
By default, his wording indicates that while Armand doesnāt know, Louis does. He then continues speaking to Louis.
Lestat: But the fact in and of itself makes your immediate desire an impossibility. And I have to be willing. And Iām not in the mood.
Louis: My blood is your blood.
Another hint that Louis knows what heās talking about.
Lestat: And yet.
Louis then kills Lestat in another way by saying that he will remain with Armand.
In season 1 Lestat in passing mentioned āthose who must be kept.ā Louis picked up on it, and Lestat brushed it off, and said it was nothing. Initially, I thought he did it because of Mariusā warning from the books.Ā
However, the last episode of season 7 made me rethink that somewhat. I still thought that Marius had issued the warning, but I revised my thinking and came to the opinion that Lestat at some point told Louis. Now episode 5 suggests that Marius did not issue the warning.
So, what does all of this have to do with Dr. Armandstein and Daniel. Well, why I donāt think that Armand knew who Akasha was at the end of season seven during the confrontation in Magnusā tower, I think that he found out the truth later. And I think he did so but picking it out of Louis brain.
Now, youāre probably asking, well he went into Louisā brain before and so why didnāt he discover the knowledge then. To that I would say that it was one piece of knowledge that Louis truly protected, or else, Lestat locked it away. However, he found out, Armand knows about Akasha and the additional strength Lestat gained from her. And this is where Danielās illness, weakened vampiric blood and Armandās promise that he will help him walk in the sun come into play. Also, Assadās machete comment in the pre-premiere interviews.
In the Vampire Armand, the titular vampire revealed how in his Frankenstein era, he tried to give Claudia what she wanted by cutting off her head and stitching it back onto the body of an adult female vampire whose body he had decapitated. It didnāt work.
I think the writers are bringing this bit of lore into the show by having Armand attempt the same thing with Daniel and Lestat. I think that he plans to decapitate both and put Danielās head on Lestatās body. He may even have plans to put Lestatās own on Danielās body, because he is perverse and would want to weakened Lestat in that way. The attempt will be just as successful in the show as it was in the books. And while he will attempt to cut Lestatās head off, I donāt think that he will be successful, but he will be when it comes to Daniel.
This is why I think weāve suddenly been getting reference to Lestat being beheaded from Fareed and Raglan. Itās also why we see Danielās bowling ball heading straight towards Lestatās bleeding head in the opening sequence and the highlight of the neck wound from the victim in Oregon.
Now, back to what I mentioned earlier about the 3-year jinx on shows. There was a second brief trailer released last night that showed scenes from the season finale, including what looks to be a head with an A carved into it.
I saw some speculation that the head was Louis, but I think itās Danielās. I donāt know who carved the A or whether it represents Armand, Amel or Akasha, but I think itās Daniel. I think so because I donāt think that Rolin or Hannah would carve a brand into Louis, a Black man from the deep American South with all the history that entails. History that they so well built into season 1.Ā
I especially donāt think that they would do it considering the times we are living through in this country and that Black viewers were so pivotal to the early success of the show. But If Iām wrong, and they branded a Black man on this show, it would be the last episode myself, and likely all Black viewers of the show ever watched. And I suspect that it wouldnāt just be Black viewers. And so, I think that people who are saying itās Louis are wrong, but we shall see.
Now I must get off social media to avoid any spoilers. Also, I still think that they will do Memnoch with Armand and Daniel.
