#baroquette

"So what else is new."

Deadpan tone uttered that question cleverly disguised as a statement as the major glanced sidelong at the detective. It was perhaps a little harsh of her to respond to Vera's observation, but the redhead was smart enough to pick up on the subtle undercurrent of dry humor to her words. After dealing with Outworld and other realms and gods and monsters and sll that other bullshit, Sonya would be more shocked if her target was just some garden-variety person with no ties whatsoever to magic or its ilk. A sidelong glance.

secondly, i don’t interpret what he says as “the abuse wasn’t as bad as louis remembers”, he says that one specific part of the abuse *probably* wasn’t as violent as he says which i think lines up with what the revisit showed. but i don’t believe that abuse being less violent = less bad. all abuse is bad. i don’t see where he implies that this makes what he did more acceptable. the whole point of lestat’s apology during the trial was that it doesn’t.

as a survivor and as someone who has researched abuse, i also feel like SR saying that it was driven by love is not an excuse or downplaying it. lestat *does* love louis and he still abused him. love and abuse aren’t mutually exclusive and i’d even say that abuse is more likely to occur in relationships where there is love present. love can manifest in toxic ways such as through controlling and violent behaviour and it doesn’t make it okay. abusers can be otherwise loving or romantic people and that’s why their victims often struggle to leave them. they aren’t inhuman monsters incapable of love and i think a lot of people buying into this contributes to stigma associated with victims staying with their abusers. i don’t understand why SR saying it comes from a place of love is alarming — the intention or motivation does not matter, the impact is what matters. and the whole purpose behind these interviews is for him to *explain* why lestat does stuff. and lestat abuses louis because he was also abused and he doesn’t know how to love in a healthy way. it’s still abuse and it’s a unacceptable.

i’d also say that while yes, he’s questioning the testimony of a survivor, he’s doing so of a fictional character whose memories we are being encouraged to question so i don’t think this is a no-go the way it would be in real life. he’s not saying that louis is purposefully distorting events. that being said, you definitely raise some interesting points re: whether lestat truly sees his actions as unforgivable… i think lestat is probably just a hypocrite and logically knows what he did was irredeemable but he’ll never stop wanting louis’ forgiveness and love anyway. last thing re: the trial, i personally think we’re supposed to take his apology sincerely rather than as another part of the sham, and i also think it’ll be revealed that he either a) wasn’t willingly involved in the trial or b) was secretly working against the coven to try and save louis/claudia, but that’s speculation at this point.

idk. sorry this is so long, i’m not trying to change your mind, just wanted to get this off my chest. i’ve read a range of views on twitter and that tumblr you linked already — ty for sharing that anyway though. i think their commentary on fandom racism is important and i did send them a message sharing some of these ideas but didn’t get a response back (which is fine). i think ultimately i agree SR should word things more carefully going forwards even though i’m sure he assumes his audience is like… not racists who condone abuse. or people that see only him as authority and not the rest of the cast and creators. but thank you for your thoughtful reply. i know it’s a sensitive subject and i appreciate it. truly

hi again, anon. I'll put this under a cut since it's already a bit long. much to think about! but I have some time today and I do have counterarguments so, sure

firstly i think it’s normal that he’d be fixated on lestat’s feelings when that’s obviously the character he plays and it’s his job to get inside his head and access those emotions. like he will naturally have a sympathetic approach to the character.

true! it's entirely understandable for an actor to want to get inside his character's head, feel for him, see how he works, etc. lestat is a horrible person, but SR still does need to feel him as a complex individual to play him well, which he does. HOWEVER that doesn't translate to answering interview questions in-character as if lestat's perspective is the objective truth.

secondly, i don’t interpret what he says as “the abuse wasn’t as bad as louis remembers”, he says that one specific part of the abuse probably wasn’t as violent as he says which i think lines up with what the revisit showed.

I genuinely do not know what this is referring to. the ep5 fight? if anything. lestat's retelling makes it MORE violent on the whole because it includes louis fighting back. I am quite puzzled as to what both you and SR refer to. and the 'revisit' wasn't the objective truth either, as you seem to be taking it. lestat's version is lestat's version, which is a twisted and obviously exaggerated version he was telling a WHITE audience to get them to condemn louis and claudia to death. the revisit may have had elements of truth, but it was not, and was not meant to be, taken as objective fact. even though some white fans...apparently missed the point entirely...even though they're literally the white audience being commented on...okay

but i don’t believe that abuse being less violent = less bad. all abuse is bad. i don’t see where he implies that this makes what he did more acceptable. the whole point of lestat’s apology during the trial was that it doesn’t.

" surely, it's enough to finally slow you down a bit, even for you who doesn’t shed tears when hurt. "

❝ i am good at blowing things up , yes ---------- ( myself included. ) ❞ a single brow rises up as goggles are removed from face and lids slowly narrow the more the other woman talks. ❝ -------- am i good at ... fixing shit ? ❞ a pause , orbs shifting from redhead to the table with various tools , blueprints and papers strewn about. she spins in her spot in chair , coming to a halt and propping her boots up along the table.

❝ naw , not at all. absolutely terrible when it comes to things like that. definitely don't make my own ammo , weapons , tools and other random as all hell various thing ; i call this one CHOMPER. because it chomps .... you get it. ❞ a pause , blank stare thrown in vera's direction that lingers for a beat [...] and immediately the facade cracks with a SNORT.

❝ OH MY GOD WILL YOU SHUT UP WITH THE GHOSTS ALREADY ! ghosts ain't real , and there sure as hell isn't any of them following ME of all people. because if i were being followed by some freaky , wispy , ghoulie type , I'D KNOW. like a ... a sixth sense or something. ❞