#sideline

Over the last few days I have seen posts triggered by the awards mostly, but also seen "the discussion" on discords and in DMs.

"The discussion" being the fear of a black character being sidelined once more, as has happened so many times before.

Which is unfortunately a more than valid fear, but one that I find difficult to address, in this fandom, but also especially in this setup of the show.

Because:

The show set them up for this fall, this trap from the very beginning.

I'm not saying this to invalidate the fear, nor point a finger going "it was always there!!", no, I'm pointing this out because in the joy and relief to have a lead like that - to have Jacob in a role like that, to have representation like that - it is often overlooked that it was all very much deliberate.

This Louis is more, thankfully. He has eclipsed book Louis for me, and I am extremely grateful, because this Louis is so much more.

He was created as more, too.

And he was created... for Lestat.

I am not trying to be hyperbolic here. Or argumentative. Rolin Jones said in the season one podcast, when asked how these "famously white men" could make Louis black, that they came at Louis through Lestat. Crafted him, so he would appeal to Lestat. (Episode 8 of the IWTV podcast)

The show reimagined Louis, and brilliantly so, and Jacob lifted him to something truly special, but the switch we are about to witness was always set to come. Louis, "the" vampire of IWTV (the book), was sidelined after said book in the VC as well, Anne had to leave him behind, imho, because he was her stand-in for the very real pain of losing her daughter.

This won't happen here, at least not in that capacity.

Thankfully.

But it will still feel grating.

Because the black lead of the first season (which was split in half by covid, therefore giving us more) will take the step back. Become supporting.

And no matter what they will do, that will look... bad to some extent at the very least.

And it was inevitable from the get-go, unfortunately.

Because this is the setup they chose.

It won't be fair, it is not fair. It was always inevitable doing the VC.

These things... can and do co-exist in this show. A two-edged sword, in a way. To have a lead like Jacob, brilliantly reimagined, but knowing by recasting him color-consciously they are setting themselves up for the backlash, from the get go.

I have no doubt this backlash will come. It will come with accusations of racism, of them "wanting to push out the black character." Of them wanting to finally get to their "white hero", "look at AMC, they can finally promote as they want to", have already started. I have seen sentiments of the teaser at SDCC being already "more" than what Jacob "got".

I get where these statements come from.

I get that. I get the frustration, and also the very real context it stems from, in our so unfair world.

I get wanting, and needing the representation. I get wanting and needing to keep Jacob.

I get that what they did with Lestat in s1, and especially episode 1x05 and 1x06 that realizing he will be lead will feel like a slap to the face for some, no matter the revelations of 2x08.

I get that this feels like a trap, and the show is walking right into it, deliberately.

It’s just been... "a trap" that‘s been set up from the beginning, and to a large part intentionally.

And I say that completely understanding the feelings on the matter: it is, and unfortunately so.

Which leaves us... where?

I don't know. The disappointment and apprehension of seeing it happening is understandable and very much based on real experience after all. Which does not negate that it would have happened in this show in any case, because, well... it's the Vampire Chronicles. And Lestat.

And they are doing the books, even closer than I anticipated.

Closer, too, than I, personally, would have wanted them to(!), for some parts, because some of these stories... do and will come with similar "traps".