Interview With The Vampire 2x6 | Full Length Reaction

Not sure if someone already said in the comments but the man across the street from Madeline’s is just her neighbor. He’s the same one who told Claudia to stay away from Madeline in episode 2 season 2. When the lights go off and we hear breaking glass it’s Claudia taking him out first. Love the video! I’m super late to these but I’ve been binging you and Fox Taco and I love you both!

Devon Michelle

i think it was clear that Louis opened his wrists and threw up madeleine's blood because he didn't wanna FEEL this stranger. now that he's her maker, he will always FEEL her. he doesn't know her so he doesn't wanna be that connected to a stranger. And he didn't care about Claudia leaving because he was tired of trying to make her happy, she was a reminder that he was fallible, and he was also making himself emotionless and cold in order to be assertive in his relationship with Armand - so he wouldn't be weak. That's why he got rid of dreamLestat - he let his softness go.

xris037

Lestat wasn't gonna get a chance to explain vampirism and inquire about how Louis would exist the way Armand does with Madeleine because Louis was going to kill himself that night and Lestat didn't want him to die. Pure and simple.

xris037

well. look. i'm always gonna think its weird that madeleine is attracted to a person in the body of a 14 yr old child. but I was glad that claudia found someone who saw her. and it was clear that there are parallels to their relationship - where they are able to read each other easily - to the relationship of louis and lestat. they knew intuitively what the other was thinking, wanting, was motivated by, and without thinking about it. they just KNOW. and madeleine is the same way with claudia.

xris037

thrilled to see david malloy is still here 13 episodes in 😭🙏🏾

Nawal

Gothic romance? That's insulting to this franchise. Gothic thriller/drama, maybe?

sabrina venable

I appreciate you for getting it 🖤🔥

Franklin

The Miquella parallel is so spot on :(

Giuly

love seeing your reaction, you approach this story and these character from such a place of empathy its great to watch. i agree with your take on the whole dom/sub dynamic, it feels fucked up and slimy to me. I think it was louis turning madeline that led to armands decision to betray them, he couldn't count on louis the way he could on the coven to be there for/with him.

Arly

Do you think there was no love between Armand and Louis at all?

Rem Holloway

louis the pimp was on full display this episode. louis telling armand "its okay" when he didn't want to witness madelines transformation, and I may be reading too into it with my own experiences, was a tone of manipulation like oh you wont do this thing? well I'm disappointed and will be cold towards you "withhold love" and armand wanting to serve due to his past and how he was taught to love is left with like a need for louis assurance. truly heart wrenching

Miki

Frank if you upload the next episode when I’m about to go to sleep…..again…..we’re gonna have some problems…lol 🗣️LUVUUUU!!!

Monte Maurice

Definitely not your fault, the more you know about the show the more previous scenes have more context.

Franklin

So true. I still remember that scene as if I watched it yesterday. I was so shocked when Paul jumped

Franklin

haha you have been waiting long time to say all these comments and I love that you're now part of the comments gang lol So many interesting stuff. I can't wait for them to fully explore the whole removing of Louise's memory. I have so many questions. But those might lead to spoilers. That's a good point that you brought about Armand playing the role of a victim based on his trauma. Because he has he did put all the covered members to sleep at the restaurant that one time.

Franklin

Oh no no no no no. I appreciate the recommendation but I can't do horror at all I won't be able to sleep fr😭

Franklin

I feel that heavy

Franklin

Unfortunately not. I think it would be cool but having to run another online community is something I cant do. I barely run my YouTube and patreon

Franklin

are you active on discord? is there a link to your server?

Aseel Alsalawy

Someone has probably said this by now, but it’s been floated in the fandom that it’s very very difficult for Louis to say “I love you” because those were the last words he said to Paul.

Paris Hardy

Exactly I was like Claudia 😬 when she said that

deedra Mcconis

This would not surprise me, like when Santiago asked Claudia what gifts her maker left her and she said he taught me to lie real well, he was already onto something there, you could tell by his look he gave and the way he acted

Martin Gage

Another stellar reaction👏🏾👏🏾…Frank listen to me, if you’re looking for horror films to react to in October, please, please, please put “Late Night With The Devil” at the top of your list…It’s a very recent film…and it’s different…that’s all I’m going to say about it.

Monte Maurice

Ben Daniels being that ripped at 60 years old!! I can't take my eyes off of him anytime he's on screen (not only because of my first comment). He's magnetic in every way possible: voice, facial expressions, movement, delivery of lines . . . everything.

Melissa

Do you think Santiago's relationship with Claudia was only trying to earn her trust so that he could gain information? Do you think Santiago actually connected with Claudia? Both?

Melissa

I find new things every time I watch (I have to be over 15 times by now - - no shame here!). I'm thinking in response to your comments about Louis after he turns Madeleine and saying "I did not care." A new thought: Changing Madeleine puts him in Lestat's shoes -- for the first time becoming a "maker." While Louis isn't in love with Madeleine, he witnesses Madeleine's love for Claudia, and I'm sure he can hear/feel/see Claudia's love for Madeleine. All of this surely brings back his own turning but from a new perspective. Maybe he's numbing it because he can't stand to think about how much Lestat did love him when he turned him and how much Louis needed saving. I've always been convinced that Louis would have taken his own life had Lestat not intervened -- Jacob Anderson also sees it this way, so that def comes across in his performance. I remember squealing aloud when I saw Lestat at the end of the episode. I, too, knew he had to show up sometime, but that was brilliant. Lastly, I really like your take on the "are you asking me or making me" scene. I'm not sure I agree, but you've definitely given me something to think about, and I'm always open to seeing things from other points of view, or with this show, in multiple points of view. Armand is SO POWERFUL so when he does act submissive, it is either happening naturally as part of his life experience/conditioning/nurture OR he's using it as manipulation, which I believe he also learned was a diff way to gain power in situations where he may otherwise feel powerless. The complexity of ALL of these characters. Really, Anne Rice was genius.

Melissa

A little late to the party, but I finally got to watch this episode! I’ve been subscribed to your patreon since you first started watching season 1, but haven’t been big on comments until now… so many thoughts on this episode tho! First of all, I love how you take your time to really digest all these characters, their motivations and flaws. They might be monsters, but they’ve got more humanity than most characters I see portrayed on screen, regardless of show. Secondly, my perspective on a few of the scenes this episode: The removal of Louis’ memory of San Fran and his supposed request of Armand to remove it – I really didn’t buy that the first time I watched this. It’s not really in line with Louis’ personality; he might not acknowledge his feelings a lot of the time, but when traumatic shit happens to him, he tends to hang onto it. Like Claudia says in season one, “we leave the damage, so we don’t forget the damage”. Armand is also the only one who would know, so I’m with Daniel on this one – I think the memory edit was for Armand’s benefit, not Louis’. I have seen so much good analysis in the comment section already about Louis and Armand power dynamic, and I agree with a lot of it, I just want to add that despite being on of the strongest vampires we meet, I think he loves to cast himself in a passive role. We first see it when Lestat destroys the old coven and starts the theatre, and again when Santiago starts stirring up shit in Paris. Instead of assuming an active role he kind of sits back and lets whatever happens happen, and then because he has such a wonderfully beautiful sad face he gets away with it most of the time. “they might have killed me” – stop playing, like you didn’t put the entire coven to sleep in that restaurant without breaking a sweat. I still like Armand, and I think he genuinely believes himself powerless in a lot of these situations (a result of his life and trauma, probs), but he definitely makes most of his own problems. Another scene that I interpreted a bit differently from you, and I’ve already seen some other people mention, is the “why don’t you want him to know how much you love him” interaction between Madeleine and Louis. The fandom is very split on this one, but the first time I watched I def saw that scene as them talking not about Armand, but a certain blonde… Since they spent so much time establishing the bond vampires have with their makers/fledglings, and Louis says “I love you” to Armand quite a few times on screen, I couldn’t quite make it make sense that they didn’t want us to look in another direction. After he said I love you to Paul right before he killed himself, I think the words themselves have become hard to say for Louis when he really means them – definitely a “if I loved you less I might be able to talk about it more”-situation. Lastly, I LOVED your reaction to seeing Lestat again! Actually cackled out loud like a witch. I love how you can tell how differently Sam plays him from dreamstat. So many amazing actors in this series. Sorry for the insanely long comment, I had to make up for 13 episodes lol. Looking forward to seeing you react to the last few epsiodes! Savour it while you can!!

Tomine

that ending,,, never gets old. i feel the excitement every time!,! about louis not wanting to say ily : someone pointed out that the last time louis heartfully said it was to Paul before he jumped off the roof and my mind was blown. it makes so much sense now 🥲

tiph

This is my third or fourth rewatch. And I still find new things or connect aspects, which eluded me before. One could argue this is entirely my fault for being an inattentive viewer, but I choose to believe that the show is just sooo good, that you can find undiscovered layers even during the tenth rewatch.

green_ear_bunny

your interpretation isn’t right or wrong! it’s very open ended I think, so people view it differently!

sierra's reaction corner

People who don't want to watch this show would never understand. Holy shit. The craziest part is we didn't see it coming. Because so much was going on at that time

Franklin

I'm right there with your girl. The way he's revealed was also shot. Not actually seen his face but his reflection tilted in the mirror. The slow Zoom, him gently lifting his eyes and actually looking at us through the mirror. buss

Franklin

I really fuck with your perspective. I'm glad y'all always add your perspective on Armand. It helps me a lot. He's the one character in this show that I haven't understood. frfr Daniel Malloy is one very lucky man

Franklin

Reading your third paragraph got a Big giggle out of me haha. Congrats for officially leaving the biggest comment I've ever gotten on patreon. Holy shit. All bars tho. I'm glad I have an app that reads my comments to me lol lifesaver. Everything you said about the blood connections and feeling their maker/flegeline was so so interesting and got me really worried. I cannot wait to complete this show

Franklin

For real. Such a big shock. I think the reason it works so well is that there was already so much going on and lestat was probably the last thing on my mind.

Franklin

So many great moments from this one. Love everything you commented. I think I definitely misread that Louie and Armand scene. Thanks for elaborating

Franklin

Thanks for joining the party and thanks for elaborating on that scene. Most of the comments I've gotten highlight that I might have misread that scene a bit.

Franklin

Wow wow wow. First of all welcome to the community. Secondly, I love your views on their relationship dynamic as well as your views on Armand in the last couple of episodes. So so much to digest. Thanks for sharing. No need for apologies for the essay. I enjoy reading them

Franklin

same! I agree. I think Santiago knew from the start

Franklin

Don't worry I love reading all the rambles. Holy shit so many thoughts from this episode and I'm glad you shared a lot of your initial ones with me. You yelling liar at the screen is crazy work haha freaking love it.

Franklin

Okay, I need to preface this comment by saying I will share here the thoughts that I had after I first watched this episode, so no saying if they’re right or wrong or anything like that. There are even more things that I would like to add but I will wait until you finish the season :)) Firstly, Lestat at the end of the episode had me GAGGED! Even though I knew he had to appear from things I heard about the book, it still made an impact on me nonetheless. I was going crazy having to wait a whole week for the next episode. Secondly,I love Madeline and Claudia together soooo much, they’re so cute and you can see the adoration they have for eacho ther in their eyes. That scene when Louis saw Claudia through Madeline’s eyes made me so emotional. About your question in regards with Louis and the whole “I didn’t care” scene, I think you’re right. I think Louis repressed a lot of his feelings in that period of his life and kind of went back to that macho man persona he had before he became a vampire. Also he always struggled with depression, and that sometimes can make you feel completely empty instead of sad. I had a completely different view than you about the “are you asking or making me” scene when I saw it. Louis wasn’t being authoritative or weird about it at all, he was genuinely trying to share this moment with Armand and wanted him to see the beauty in it. I mean, at this point Louis was gonna do it himself anyways so all he was asking of Armand was for him to be present. I think when Armand said that, Louis reacted the way he did and seemed upset not because Armand said no, but because Armand brought their kinks in an honest discussion that had nothing to do with it. It’s interesting you say that Louis was being manipulative when I took it the exact opposite way. It seemed manipulative of Armand, like trying to make Louis feel bad and drop it basically, or at least take the responsibility of the decision off himself, which Louis did. It’s why he pushed him away, it was like saying “we’re not doing this now”, which is a very healthy boundary to have, one that Armand keeps ignoring it. To be fair I don't think the manipulation is always on purpose, I have a complicated view on why Armand acts the way he does but a big part of it is the trauma that he went through, so for him falling into that role is the easiest and most familiar, but Louis doesn't want to be a Marius replacement. The only times we see Louis directly use this dynamic outside of sex is to save Daniel in ep 5, because he knows that's the only power he has over Armand, and it hinges completely on Armand giving him that power. Lastly, when I first watched this and Armand said Louis asked him to erase his memories I just yelled LIAR at my screen. This whole season I was going from believing Armand to not believing him, back and forth, because since the moment he was introduced he just gave me big manipulator vibes but at the same time he has those sad eyes that make you feel really bad for him no matter what. I think what pissed me off in that scene was how he was saying it. “you remembered what YOU did to YOURSELF”, “you have NO right to be angry”, just putting it all on Louis, like that’s gaslighting 101. It’s also the fact that he can say whatever he wants, and Louis and Daniel don’t have any way of proving it true or false, he is the only one that can actually with a 100% certainty know the truth. And like I said, his face always looks so sad which makes me want to believe him but at the same time it pisses me off how he always acts so weak and helpless, but whenever it benefits him we see how powerful he actually is (like at the dinner table when he put the whole coven to sleep, when he went after Claudia and Santiago, the whole San Francisco episode). And when I finished the episode and I saw he basically sold them out, it cemented this belief even more because it again showed him capable of being a deceitful little shit :)) Still love him tho, and Assad needs an award for those sad eyes alone, it’s amazing he pulls it off so well with those contacts. Anyway, I’ve been rambling. I hope you still plan in having a whole video discussing the show after you’re done because there’s so many things I’d LOVE to add after you’re done and that would be the perfect video for more in depth discussion. Can’t wait for the last two episodes, what a journey!

kai

I have this episode more then once lol.i think Santiago read their minds from the beginning and was playing a waiting game and then Louis suggested Armand turn over the Coven and Santiago was able to do what he wanted and Armand imo is weak(love him though lol) and only in the end thinks about what he thinks is best for Armand.

deedra Mcconis

I don‘t quite get why a reactor should follow a specific watch order. People join fandoms through different starting points, some people read The Vampire Lestat before they ever read Interview with the Vampire. Some people who loved the books have never seen the movies and some people who adored the movies couldn‘t get into the books. And yes, he might not get spoiled in the sense that he will know exactly what is about to happen in the show but watching the movies or reading the books at this point will give hin prior knowledge of what might happen which is similar to having people give hints in the comments or the commentary of the cast and crew at the end of the episodes, even the trailer of the next episode might qualify as spoiler because it establishes a preconceived idea of what is going on and what will happen and Frank said that he didn‘t want any of that. So I do think watching the Queen of the Damned would qualify as a spoiler.

Maria

I love everything that you pointed out in your comment, I feel like you phrased it much better than I did because when I reread my own comment I feel like I was taking away agency from Armand and that was so not what I meant to do but it also feels dishonest to go back and edit my comment especially because I was trying to make a different point. So I‘m really grateful that you wrote what you wrote and made me reconsider my own phrasing 💕

Maria

That‘s actually such a good point, I never considered it from that point of view before! Thank you for bringing that up!

Maria

Hi Frank! New subscriber and first time commenter; thank you for some fantastic commentary on this show. I love watching people watch IWTV for the first time but the way you engage with the deeper themes is very refreshing and honestly (in my opnion) the best way to engage with the show. The writers, cast, and crew have put so much work in these themes and characters; it’s a shame to not dig deeper! Even down to the artwork they have on display, everything informs these characters and their dynamics. I also really appreciate the space you hold for Louis as a victim of abuse as well. I’m a big fan of all the characters on the show and and even bigger fan of Louis’ and Lestat’s relationship, but I think part of being a fan of their relationship (and truthfully, many of the relationships on the show) is being aware that there absolutely was abuse and an unequal power dynamic—I don’t love Lestat any less just because I don’t feel the need to make excuses for his behavior that is objectively terrible (this is sometimes an unpopular stance to take 😅). Part of loving Lestat is knowing that he’s perpetuating cycles of abuse even if he doesn’t know or want to do that. I bring this up because this episode (with the context we get from 2x05) has one of the clearest examples of abuse cycles “cycling” as well, because we fully see that Louis has unfortunately (like many DV and abuse survivors) fallen prey to another abuser. I think people pointed it out in your last reaction that Armand’s abuse is much subtler than Lestat’s at first glance and I definitely agree. His game is very literally killing them with kindness. In Louis’ relationship with Lestat, especially episode 1x05 forward, there is no illusion about who has the power. It’s Lestat. Lestat let’s EVERYONE know that it’s him who is in charge and he’s extremely unwilling to change this aspect of himself and his relationship with Louis and Claudia—this is why he has to die and they have to be the ones who do it. He needs a factory reset before he can develop further as a character. Armand, however, works much differently. Much like in his relationship with Lestat, Louis has no material or physical power over Armand (a 500+ year old vampire). But unlike with Lestat, Armand is seemingly open with his sheer power. There are also racial dynamics at play as well that are very different from his relationship with Lestat, like a sense of solidarity with Armand he could bever have with Lestat (I, however, am not the best person to really speak further on the complexities and nuances of this). But what Louis does know from episode 2x03 foreward, is that Armand is powerful enough to kill him. He then chooses not to. What he does instead is constantly bring up the issue of Lestat to Louis—Dreamstat says as much (“I keep your secrect”/“do you know how hot the room gets when you two talk about the secret” especially since Armand only brings it up to get Louis to concede to something he doesn’t want to do!). This is what makes Armand's abuse much different than Lestat's because it’s not as overt. We even see Armand “conceding” “power” to Louis by engaging in some severely undernegotiated D/s dynamics. And with this, Louis is only "in charge"and "maitre" when Armand wants him to be. Taking a look at the 70s flashback, Louis is obviously triggered into committing. But rather than caring for Louis in an obvious moment of need born out of a drug and trauma induced moment, Armand drops the act and we see who has the real control in the relationship. Armand has total control over Louis' actions because he is functionally torturing him as well as Daniel for the 6 days in the apartment by not giving him the blood and letting him stay burned on the bed rather than in the coffin. Again, Armand is an ancient vampire whose blood is extremely powerful; he could heal Louis quite easily and chooses not to. When he calls Lestat, I think there is a definite part of Louis that can’t expect what Armand’s next move is because of the violence he’s just experienced at his hands? What could happen to him if he did say “yes, let me go with Lestat?” What incentive does he have to believe Armand won’t do something further and more extreme? Again, he has no material power over Armand, only the power that Armand lets him think he has. That moment, in the coffin, I think Louis knows he has none. A prison of empathy is ultimately still a prison (and I don’t think there’s much empathy, either). There are other reasons at play but this was the main thought I had viewing the episode the first time before having more context, and I don’t want to spoil anything. I don’t think Armand is calling Lestat out of some selflessness for Louis’ sake, but again another power play—showing he has the real power in the relationship just like Lestat did. Personally, in MY opinion, that’s why I don’t feel bad for him for what Louis says in the episode at all 🤷‍♀️ Plus, in present day Dubai he doesn’t even make an attempt to apologize to Louis for what he put him through—Daniel just gets half-hearted one. Episode 6 I think really showcases this twisted up dynamics with the clearer aspects of the D/s relationship between Louis and Armand. Claudia says to Louis “First you were Lestat’s, now you’re Armand’s” (which Louis very quickly—almost too quickly—denies), but Claudia is one of the most perceptive characters on the show. She sees the dynamics being repeated. Daniel does the same; “Maitre is the bedroom, maitre when it’s hot or convenient.” This little roleplay is mostly for Armand’s benefit because of his insecurities (however valid they are!) but you can see in this episode it’s not what Louis really wants. He doesn’t become maitre to Armand until directly after Claudia says he’s threatened her. Maitre is yet another role that Louis must conform to (not his true nature) in order to protect her from the coven. He tells Armand “[he] used to be real good at running things” but I feel like people forget exactly how much he hated having to do that in his human life (stern landlord, deferential business man; what rage you must feel as you choke on your sorrow etc.). By doing this, managing Armand, he thinks he has control. But the control only goes as far as Armand wants it to. That’s why he seems so intense in this episode, and I believe Jacob Anderson has said that Louis takes on the more “Lestat” type role in his relationship with Armand and I don’t think he really enjoys it—he’s at his most depressed all season in this episode because of it. And what’s worse is that this relationship that he’s diving further in than he seems to want to for Claudia’s sake is ultimately what causes the distance between him and Claudia. This episode I think very much functions like episode 6 in season one; Louis is severely depressed because he’s resigned to the decision he’s made to stay with this very dangerous person (Lestat; Armand) for Claudia’s safety. There’s something missing in him which Claudia points out, “you’ve gotta give up something, to get something.” He’s giving up his happiness for her. I know it gets talked about ad naseum how he’s failed her but in this moment, trying to protect her by essentially playing house with Armand even though he’s not really into him like that anymore (again, he knows that Armand is using Lestat against Claudia), I don’t think he is. I could go on about the power dynamic between Louis and Armand for much longer, but I won’t because I would just be even further mangling the words and thoughts of the very smart people on Tumblr who have been having these discussions for months now. However, I will say that I loved how quickly you picked up the way that Claudia goes about making Madeleine her companion. Like you (and others) have pointed out this show is very obviously discussing cycles of abuse and how hard it is to break them. Ultimately that’s what Claudia’s goal is and she’s the strongest character to be able to make this happen—she’s gone further than Lestat’s creation (unwilling), Louis’ creation (it’s one of my favorite moments but yes, obviously under duress and no time to explain anything), and her own (lack if knowledge of vampire history and age). It’s so beautiful to see that she’s able to break this cycle and make a vampire the “right way,” with someone who knows what they’re getting into completely. No one really thinks a way like this possible—but she does it anyway. God, the way that Madeleine knew Claudia was apprehensive about turning her with Lestat’s blood but Madeleline tells her not to worry because “…it’s the blood that made you.” That whole moment was such a beatiful aspect in an otherwise harrowing epsiode. Claudia is truly one of the best characters on televsion. Apologies for writing an essay in your comments (and I hope it’s coherent lol it’s very early but the thought struck me an I needed to spit it out)! But I know you understand how seriously and passionately this show makes people think about what’s happening on screen 😂 Thank you again for your thoughtful analysis of the show!

Katie Pfahler

The episodes are just that amazing!!!!!!!!

Partrice

yes hearing your own voice takes quite some time! you have a great voice, but I totally understand the struggle lolll. i used to stream games on twitch (and one piano stream lol). it was really fun since i love games and hanging out with friends but it can get quite intense over there loll. yesssss, Madelaine and Claudia are ADORABLE ❤

sparkle

I love your insights on the D/S relationship. You are so right that most people believe the submissive has no power, they have all the power. Louis hasn't figured that out yet.

Yvette

So funny! You did the same thing when Lestat was revealed. The next 2 shows are going to take you out!

Yvette

Louise and denial a lot, trying to convince himself. It's always been a part of him Because of you I just went back to the video and watched my reaction to Louie telling our month to get in the coffin lololol pure comedy.

Franklin

ahh very good catch

Franklin

I love that. I'm sure you get it 100%. I used to be very self-conscious of my voice. Hearing my own voice was almost like torture. Over time I started to love it more and more. What did you use to stream? And yes having you all here and our discussions have added so much to my everyday life. I'm so thankful for it Yes Madeline and Claudia gives big consent energy and we love it

Franklin

Gracias 😊

Franklin

wrrrrrdddd!🙏🏾

Franklin

You're asking all the spicy questions!! I need answers to all of those and then some haha You're very welcome. Thanks for always contributing to the discussions

Franklin

(Note: I accidentally deleted my original comment while trying to edit it, so that's why I re-uploaded it here haha) "They gave him a choice"..... and oh boy did he choose. Lots to think about, lots to talk about, but I think I'll save most of my thoughts for the finale to avoid spoilers. But I'll probably leave another smaller comment like this on the next episode as well. But yeah, there really is lots to think about here. Especially leading into the next episode. Why did Lestat come? What are his motivations? What did the coven/Armand tell him? How did we go from THIS to his heartfelt "phone call" with Louis through Armand in the 1970s? What is this whole "trial" going to be? Why is Armand going along with it? What is his role in it? How long has he been in on it? How long has everyone been plotting this? What is their endgame here? So much to think about, and only two more episodes to go. You're in for a wild, wild ride. And I'm sure we'll all be in for an even MORE wild ride when season 3 drops (hopefully next year!) Until then! And thank you as always for your lovely thoughts and discussions.

Abby

So many good points in this. I loved reading it. And yes, the scene of Louie witnessing how Madeline views Claudia is so beautiful I have to share that with my wife during our walk yesterday. I can only imagine all of you just looking at me when I was talking about lestat!! And boom!! There he was

Franklin

Him and Claudia, his brain is so fun to think about and pick at, his charcter is really fascinating to me but ultimately if I had to choose I would let all of those vamps drown for Claudia(and by extension Madeline) that's my main hoe

Valentine

Wasn't expecting it at all. OMG

Franklin

Santiago is freaking amazing yes. 4 hours??😭😭 honestly at this point, probably

Franklin

I felt everything you said. Every word. I have a feeling Armand is your favorite character. The way you described him was so insightful and helped me

Franklin

I like that point of view on Louise's demeanor throughout the episode. I think so too a lot changed after that I bench scene. seeing lestat in the flash was incredible. Holy shit

Franklin

On the point of why Louis said he didn't care, I think it's related to Claudia earlier when she says to him " You're stronger now" and he says "I am", and then she says something like "you have to lose something to gain it". I feel like in this episode in particular it's pretty clear that Louis is different - his behaviour, the way he's talking to and treating Claudia and Armand etc. It's like he lost some of his feeling, his love, his caring. And i think that can be directly related back to when he let go of Dreamstat. This is the first time we're seeing him properly in Paris since that episode 4 "break-up". So i think it had a big effect on him as a person. Also, absolutely loved your reaction to Lestat's return - that smile, you love him too!

Kim D

hahaha! they know what they're doing!

sparkle

yes, he's fantastic! reminds me of Lestat in terms of charisma and even looks

sparkle

From the top these are my thoughts by the end of the episode. I think the scene with Daniel and Armand is what endeared me to him late af but that dialog was everything to me at the time and I still go back to it now "And ones I did on my own,was to protect me,from YOU, Mr. Molloy" his voice shaking,the bitterness in his voice and expression as he was fighting with Daniel I actually teared up at this scene twice "Why do I owe you my shame? Why do I owe you my one act of cowardice?" His voice breaking on the owe you. I'm going to say it "me being a black person" felt that. Why do you get to present my story to what? Why do you? Can't I have this? On the line “Maitre in the bedroom. Maitre only when it’s hot or convenient.” that Daniel said have been one of the banes of my existence. While it is a good analysis it also misunderstands the dynamic as a whole Louis will always have soft power especially as the dom. There is an implication that if Louis tells Armand to do something he has to do it (he does not), or otherwise Armand is holding his power over Louis which misunderstands sub for no power, the sub tends to have all the power because they are the ones giving up their control so it is up to their choice and can revoke it at any time (given you have a good person to act as the dom.) It is and is not an "illusion" (to be fair we can say all submission is an illusion ) it's just the dynamic no one has ultimate power over another being and their actions because they ultimately choose to follow or not. Armand is used to that dynamic through grooming/trauma so he falls into those cycles just like Louis and Lestat. What can be misconstrued as a facade are these two things waring inside Armand his desire to truly relinquish control, to foster and nurture the inner child, and the other part of him that is deeply scared of abandonment (as Lestat said "the one thing we vampires fear the most is loneliness" ) fully relinquishing control would require him to trust and trust that he will not be left. Armand can not do that he is too terrified. The oscillation between the gremlin and the good nurse is not the relinquishing of power being a facade but that he can't fully lean into either of those sides. He can not dictate what Louis does or doesn't do. They are all the same in different ways. Armand desire to control is directly informed by his desire to submit. If there is any illusion being given it is the "illusion" Armand is giving himself, the illusion that he can truly let go when in truth he is way too scared to even though it is the one thing he craves. The moments of submission is authentic though the manipulative parts of him are as well. Everyone else has said what I wanted to, and more with much better sentence structure. Guys yall are aawesome. Thank you for continously feeding us Frank.

Valentine

I watched this one first now I’ll go back and watch his later, really enjoyed this one, can’t wait for further episodes here

Martin Gage

you’re right, thanks

RH

Might want to go back and retract the very beginning sentence, just saying

Martin Gage

Wow, I agree with everything you just said here, couldn’t have said any of this any better and doubt I could’ve even come up with all that but so 100% agree with all of it and I think you covered everything that I was thinking as I watched this reaction and everything he was saying when he paused it

Martin Gage

Although I hate the character I can’t lie, Santiago gets me every time. Ben Daniels killed that role. I can’t wait for your reaction to the next 2 episodes. The commentary might hit 4 hrs lol 😝. Great reaction. Hang on !!!!

Partrice

the way i screamed the first time i saw the end of the episode and saw Lestat

N

oooo this episode man 😭😭 i loved this reaction as well as the last one although i refrained from commenting bc i just Knew there would be so many comments bc that is one hell of an episode for sure! and anything i felt like saying would probably be said by other people and probably way more eloquently. this episode is definitely a slower paced one, and then it just hits you in the chest at the end in a way you never expected. that one scene where louis finds out about claudia and madeleine — i honestly don’t think it was louis not wanting something good for claudia. as we’ve seen in the past few episodes, louis, despite his own feelings, did not object to claudia joining a coven that initially made her happy, even though it pained him to see her let go and find happiness elsewhere, whereas like claudia states in episode one of season two, his happiness “depends on her.” and although louis could have defended claudia from the coven, he doesn’t bc, in my mind, he most likely just doesn’t want to meddle. we see him look up from his book, visibly peeved but doesn’t say anything in front of the coven. i feel like that was probably due to wanting to let claudia deal with it on her own as an adult woman and defend herself, which she did do in that moment. however when Louis is alone with armand, he does defend her and lets armand know that he wasn’t cool with how he was treating her and making her wear that costume 24/7, then saying that it made them (the coven and armand) look weak. in this episode, we also see louis defend claudia when armand calls her a manipulator. he forcefully says “no,” setting a boundary there where claudia is concerned. so, again, i feel like louis does look out for claudia more than we really pick up on at first, but the moments are there. and in regards once again to claudia and madeleine, from how i perceived it, it’s not about trying to take away something good from claudia but about her protection. as far as louis knows,, claudia has broken of the great laws she swore an oath to follow: she’s revealed her vampiric nature to a mortal and let the mortal live. Louis after seeing them together and getting angry, says, “i had you (claudia) covered.” as in, he felt like he had finally ensured her safety within the coven. and yet as soon as he sees that this is something good for claudia and truly listens to her words and lets them settle in his mind, he tries to convince armand to turn madeleine for claudia. he puts his own ego and selfishness out of the way. “madeleine isn’t someone claudia wants to trample on with her power.” your words!!! absolutely!!! healthiest relationship we’ve seen so far on the show. like you said, they’re equals. claudia desires that. she’s breaking the cycle which is so precious and delightfully inspiring to watch. i’m so proud of claudia and so happy she’s found someone that’s on her same level and understands her in a way no one else does, who beholds her in a way no one else does. it’s what my girl deserves. that scene where we see how madeleine perceives her honestly makes me cry. that scene where armand asks “are you asking it making me?” i disagree with you on that part. personally, i don’t think it was slimy. i think louis genuinely was trying to reassure him. it was a tough question that had to be asked, i agree, but louis in removing his hands i feel like tries to show armand that there is no sense of obligation in this moment. the “it’s okay” is more comforting rather than manipulative. he touches his cheek as a sign of reassurance. that’s what i took from it at least. that distance is necessary to remove that feeling of obligation or dominance, but louis, in my mind, touches his cheek to let him know in a tactile manner that it’s fine. he’s fine. it’s not an order. because putting myself in armand’s place, in asking that question, i would feel extremely vulnerable and out in the open, and in louis’ place, i would feel uncomfortable. Louis places that distance for himself too, but in order to validate Armand’s inner conflict and trauma within that question, he softly caresses armand’s cheek to avoid any humiliation armand may feel — saying those words out in the open probably wasn’t easy for armand. and i think louis realizes the implications behind said question., in response, he takes armand's hands off him. and noticeably, armand looks fearful of disappointing louis bc he most certainly hasn’t had a good experience in saying no or hasn’t even had that option in that past. so louis reassures him by closing that distance once more by placing a soft, gentle hand on his cheek. not too forceful or too close in armand’s personal space due to the context of the moment, but just enough in louis’ head, even if it may have not been enough for armand judging by the look on his face after louis leaves. i also wanna say that i am totally aware that sometimes louis uses that for his own advantage, but in this moment, i think he realized how much he had triggered armand and naturally didn’t like it and immediately backed off but not without trying to reassure him a bit. and bc of armand’s past trauma, ofc he feels like he’s disappointed louis by not attending the turning. in louis’ case, he genuinely just wanted armand there for support and for him to see that vampirism can be a beautiful thing in this one instance (which sort of reminds me of how lestat tried to do the same for louis but in a much more forceful way) however, this scene does hurt in just seeing the effects of how past trauma have stunted armand into a corner. he feels he can’t do anything where obligation or orders aren’t involved. also, in terms of louis saying he did “not care” after Claudia’s departure, i think it’s him not putting his own emotions first. even if he felt like he was losing claudia, even if for claudia it was about being even, none of that matters. he just tried to do this one thing for claudia, even though it was hard for him to not only be connected to this stranger but be separated from claudia as well. he tries to distance himself from his emotions so it hurts less. last thing: armand’s mind wipe on louis. that is a tricky one for sure. personally, i think armand did erase louis’ mind without consent. louis himself immediately says that he would have never asked for it. Louis has been so clear in wanting to get every detail in the story right, of wanting to remember, and find the integrity of the story, and that point has become so integral this season that i can’t fathom louis ever willingly giving up days and days of memories about such a big event in his life and in his relationship with armand. it wasn’t only what louis had done to himself but what armand did to louis after, and to Daniel. watching the horror of what armand did to Daniel right after going out into the sun to die, and then having to hear his maker’s words from armand after louis explicitly said “no” multiple times. he wasn’t ready to hear lestat in that moment. he was too raw, his pain was too raw. that was a Traumatic experience for the both of louis and Daniel imo. if louis had wanted that suicide attempt out of his head, he would have asked for that part out. but why cut out the rest? why cut out the fight between armand and louis? why cut out the horrendous words they both threw at each other? the bits of brutal honesty within their words and actions? even if the possibility of Louis asking for the mind wipe is true, he was in a fragile state of mind. i don’t know if i would be able to wipe someone’s mind while they’re in that state, acting on impulses rather than what they would actually want in a clear state of mind. that’s why i’m like… hm idk these things don’t add up. but i’m stuck here guessing lol! ACTUAL LAST THING: your reaction in seeing lestat again for the first time, aside from Dreamstat, was epic. when you said something earlier in the episode about feeling like lestat should come back soon in terms of the pacing and storytelling, i was like “oh… he has no idea what’s coming at the end of this episode 😭😭😭 he won’t have to wait for much longer” like dang… speak of the devil, am i right

caroline

nice haircut!!

sparkle

that's so awesome you rewatch your own reactions. it really is sooo interesting to see yourself go through the thoughts. i used to stream, so i remember feeling weird rewatching my own things but it is really interesting seeing yourself learn and process. we're constantly learning and updating our thoughts. i really love these types of platforms that allow us to engage with others as well as ourselves ❤❤❤ it really shows us how much we are constantly growing and changing. also, i have such a crush on Assad and i need to settle LOL. i also totally understand your response regarding Madelaine saying "she does...yes?" to Claudia wanting a companion - it's like she's consenting instead of being forced/controlled which Claudia would appreciate.

sparkle

Have you noticed that Louis and Armand are sitting further apart. The space between us.

Yvette

Don't watch either movie. Neither one is better than the show.

Yvette

Louis realized that he was going to have Madeline inside of him forever. I think he was trying to get her blood out of him so he would have to feel his fledgling. I think he didn't feel anything because he made himself numb to losing Claudia. Louis still has enought human in him to care deeply. He was in denial, trying to convince himself otherwise. Your face when Louis told Armand to get in the coffin. 😂 Armand made the comment in the sewers , ' why does the strongest is always the weakest '. The . power dynamic happened on the bench. Louis became a pimp again and Armand became that 'donated person his maker Marius made him to be. Last bit Hold on to your hat during the next two episodes.

Yvette

Hiiiiii first time commenter and recent subscriber to your patreon 🫶🏼 I just wanted to come in with another perspective on the bit where Armand and Louis discuss Armand attending Madeleines turning. In my eyes I think Louis saw Armand asking “are you asking or making me?“ and realized armand was in that Maitre/Arun headspace and he didnt want to …. idk…encourage that? in that particular moment. So he takes Armands hands off him and reassures him that its okay that he said no. But I think Armand took it as you also took it that Louis was disappointed in him….and maybe Louis was a bit disappointed in his decision I just dont think he was intentionally trying to manipulate Armand. Anyway its extremely obvious Armand struggles with being rejected or seen as less than or a disappointment and because just about everyone in this show struggles with like Communicating …. Armand decides “Ive failed Louis and hes disappointed in me but at least I will still have my coven” which leads to his choice in the end of the episode. tldr; I dont think Louis was intentionally being sleazy about Armand choosing the skip Madeleines turning but Armand felt backed into a corner anyway and got scared :////////

kiwimangle

Louis' "face down ass up in the coffin" moment lives in my head rent free I'm ashamed to say. Your chuckle when Louis said "Or Armand is mine" killed me...like SURE Louis whatever you say! Louis and Armand's dynamic is definitely a dom/sub thing! There are layers to it that can't be delved into without spoilers, but it's especially interesting when you remember Armand's backstory. That scene of Armand and Louis..."Are you asking or making me?"..."Okay, it's okay."...is so complex because you can see where both are coming from. Louis was genuinely asking for Armand to join on this FAMILY event because he's his companion/partner and he wanted him to be apart of it. Armand is struggling with the coven stuff and struggling with understanding when Louis is trying for real intimacy or just trying to be the "maître" for Armand. And when Armand says "I'm sorry" after it's like he realized how messed up the question was. But Louis's "it's Okay" was disappointed but accepting because he saw it as Armand trying to take the easy way out. Or that it told him that Armand and he have 2 different perceptions of their relationship dynamic. I feel like Louis thought they were in an equal relationship and the D/s stuff was something they just do occasionally, but Armand felt like this how they're supposed to work. I don't think Louis was trying to be slimy, but both of them felt slighted. Louis' "I Did Not Care" moment is, in my opinion, a reflection of the depression and dissociation he was feeling after everything. He cared so much about losing Claudia and gaining this connection with this strange women that he slipped into numbness. He clearly cared a lot considering he violently self-harmed afterwards in a futile attempt to reverse the process. Claudia and Madeleine are like the only semi-healthy relationship we've seen on this show god I love them. Louis and "I love you"s...obviously like you said his inability to say it is tied up in Lestat and lots of repression and shame, but I also saw someone on Twitter say that the only time we've seen Louis say "I love you" to anyone, it was to Paul right before he jumped and there might be a correlation there...which kinda broke my brain and my heart at the same time to think about. That ending gagged you just as much as I hoped it would! When I tell you my jaw was on the FLOOR the second I saw Lestat for the first time.

sierra's reaction corner

You said you wanted to see Lestat. You didn't see that coming. 😊

Yvette

Why, why do I have to go to work? I want to watch your reaction 😭 See you in approximately 8 hours when I‘m coming back to edit this comment. Edit: I'm back with a vengeance. Let's go! First things first, I’m very greatful for your two-and-a-half-hour reaction, it made my day better. And on top of that I had the great pleasure of watching you react to episode 6 and FoxTaco react to episode 1 back-to-back today and boy was it a treat. I have considered watching all your reactions simultaneously when you both finished this season as, you know, a treat to myself! It will be so much fun. Things to look forward to! Also, can you imagine how excited I've been to see you react to episode six after some of the comments you made during episode five? Honestly, I was screaming at my screen and I'm so glad you can't see me react to you react, because you would probably think I'm a smidge out of my mind. Also, do you know how excited I now am to see you react to episode 7? Now that you have seen the cliffhanger that is episode 6? No? Let me tell you, I'm so very, very excited! I beg of you not to let me stew in this energy for two more weeks while you separately react to episode 7 and 8. Please, oh, please bless me with both reactions in the same week. Please? Pretty please with your favorite fruit on top? Nah it's fine. Take all the time you want (or need), I totally get you wanting to savor it. I just want to spam you with all of my opinions but that should so not be your problem. I'll try to contain myself. (But do you ever feel that way when you talk with FoxTaco about the episode like you have so much to say but you don’t wanna ruin it for him so a lot of what you want to say just can’t be shared at that very point in time and so it just kind of bubbles within you? No? Just me? Oh, well…) Let's get into the actual meat of the episode, shall we? This is gonna be a long one, so buckle up, buckaroo! By the way, please never feel like you have to respond to my comments, I write these long triads just as much for myself as I do for you. A lot of my friends indulge my obsession but are not as into it when they are not currently in my orbit (I’ve been told that my obsession becomes other people’s obsession as well when they are around me), so I’m just really grateful to have an outlet for my thoughts and feelings about this show. And I get to rewatch one of my favorite shows with other people who are equally obsessed. But I digress again. The precluded to the episode and thoughts on your introduction: Well, firstly I love how as a fandom with have collectively decided that Daniel Molloy is THE shit. Like I have never met anyone in this fandom who dislikes him as a character, which is interesting because I feel like you get people who hate on Louis, Lestat, Armand, even Claudia sometimes (rare but it happens) but Daniel – Daniel just kind of has the audience umbrella. By which I mean he usually says what everyone has been thinking and he is so obnoxious and charming about it that everyone just feels like he is justified in whatever comes out of his mouth. And I just appreciate that a lot. I adore Eric and Luke for making him so well rounded and relatable (also am I the only one who sometimes forgets that Eric and Luke are not actually the same person at two different stages of that person’s life? Again just me? Sad) – because that man (Daniel) is certainly no angel, but I think if anyone were to point that out in a negative way, people might actually riot! Like “this kind of slander will not be allowed in my house” kind of riot. Anyway, I love that you love him. I love that everyone loves him. I love him. You are right that the Talamasca has not appeared by name until this episode. When it was first mentioned in S2E3 Raglan James called it, “another watchful shop” but since we don’t find out much besides that they have been watching supernatural beings including our favorite vampires for a while and that they are proficient enough at hacking to transfer a million files to Danny boy’s laptop I think we can take this as a more official introduction to it. You were confused about Rashid for a while there if he is a double agent or not and because he lied about their whereabouts you concluded that he was probably not. And I guess that depends on how you define double agent because – and bear with me – have you considered that Real Rashid might not in fact actually be called Rashid? Maybe he is very Unreal Rashid, maybe he is Armand the Second. Also, I love how pettily Daniel always repeats the name Rashid. Speaking of petty, I personally think petty Louis is so fun to watch. I never would want to be on the other end of that ire because he can be so effin cold but damn is it amusing to watch sometimes. He gets so snide, and I think that is the side of him that Lestat always thought would excel at being a vampire. I think the whole discussion about what to do with the wall is very interesting from a storytelling point of view. Because the paintings that hung there previously seem to have been picked out by Armand or at least by them as a couple but Armand was the driving force behind the sale – a little bit like the memory discussion and now that it’s bare they can buy something new or hang something old but either way they are at a crossroad. They can’t make this decision together at this point in time and that is to me what the wall represents. They don’t really want to confront the past (the Stein pictures or the sold paintings), Louis definitely does not want something new at the moment, and Armand is trying to act like everything is alright which it most definitely is not. And then they finally have this huge blow-up during the interview and personally, I don’t believe Armand when he says Louis asked for it, at least not completely. I think he thought that he was doing Louis a favor that he was protecting Louis from himself. Like Louis said in S2E5 “Armand preserves my happiness, even when I don’t or can’t.” or Armand said in S1E7 " Louis can sometimes act out. I protect him from himself, always have." For me, that is what’s happened here. Maybe Louis did say something that Armand interpreted as Louis asking for it, but I don’t think that Louis made the active, conscious choice of asking for it. I don’t think he would choose to forget. At least not in this way. I do think Louis twists narratives like a jumping rope and picks the narrative that suits him best (as we all tend to do) but if he had to choose between the blue and the red pill, I’m sure Louis would pick red. Otherwise, why do this interview twice? Even if the first interview was a farce Louis still had to remember things about the past to give a more or less fake interview, so even if he pretends obliviousness to the outside world in his heart of hearts, I think he’d always want to know what the truth or the truth how he experienced it is. I think he and Daniel are actually quite similar in that regard even though Daniel is much more truthful with himself. I think this episode could also be an interesting rewatch for you because of the coven scenes and how you perceived the dynamic in those, I wonder if you are going to have different takes on those scenes now that you saw the twist at the end of the episode. Armand and Louis dynamic is hard for me because I already went into it with my preconceived view of the relationship because I read the books. And in the books, I don’t see it as a mutual romantic relationship, I know other people do but it does not work for me. I always felt like to Louis (in the books) Armand was just there. And I’m still not and have never been invested in them as a romantic relationship. But I do like their relationship and both of them as characters. I think they try to be good for each other but they keep missing each other. From the first moment they met, I never felt like Louis was as invested as Armand. Louis was intrigued. Louis was attracted. Louis enjoyed the conversations. But even when Louis said “I love you” in S2E4 or “the love of my life” in S1E7, it felt to me like Louis was trying to convince himself of these things not like he actually felt them. I do think they love each other in some way; I do think they really care for each other, I just don’t think it goes as deeply as Louis wants it to go or Armand for that matter. It felt to me like both of them were settling, which is so so sad considering both of their backstories. On top of that, there is the whole “maître“ – BDSM dynamic which has been hinted at a couple of times now. I think initially that kind of control appealed to Louis because he has felt out of control of himself, the circumstances, and his relationships ever since he became a vampire. But I don’t think he realizes how deeply the dynamic actually goes for Armand. They hinted at it when Armand gave us a glimpse of his past as he talked about Arun and Amadeo in S2E4and then again in S2E5 when Louis said “my daddy vampire groomed me”. Armand is used to being the one to submit in a romantic/sexual relationship but for him that does not start or end in sex it goes way beyond that, more so because as Amadeo and Arun, Armand actually was the weaker party but in his relationship with Louis, he is at least physically more powerful than Louis. And Louis hadn’t realized that Armand was not just surrendering to him because he wanted to but because he felt he had to (learned helplessness), so I think when Armand asked him “are you asking or are you telling me?” that is an unexpected cold shower for him because I think Louis was trying to bridge the gap between himself and Armand because he knows he is doing something that Armand does not approve of. He is trying to say, “let me show you that things can be different, that it does not have to be pain and tragedy. Let me show that it can be beautiful” and then suddenly he is pushed into his role as maître which he on one hand has become familiar with but on the other hand really does not want in this situation because he thought of them as equals. I think that might also be why you interpreted Louis reaction as hurt or envy when he watched Claudia and Madeleine because they do have that equal footing that Louis just keeps on missing out on. Even though I have to say that both of his partners tried to put them on equal footing but because of different circumstances and some very very bad communication – like awful communication from all parties involved that just never worked and Louis felt either belittled or overwhelmed or just furious, one of those. As we have already touched on Claudia and Madeleine, aren’t they just a joy. Jacob said he had a hard time filming those scenes and be severe Louis because he just wanted to smile at Delainey and Roxanne the whole time and I’m right there with him. These two are so precious and I love them to bits and pieces. As I do with all the people in this show but I really can’t stress enough how much I love to see this work out for Claudia. She always wanted someone who would choose her. That has been her arc since season one, and has been brought up multiple times, so I think the Louis/Madeleine/Claudia as well as the Armand/Madeleine conversation was so important because it shows Madeleine choosing Claudia multiple times and her finally finding that person who would choose her above all else. It just wasn’t a vampire how she initially expected. And then we have the maker-fledgling bond and Louis self-harm. First of all we are now aware that makers and fledglings can feel each other. Like in their blood and I think something you have not considered yet it what that means for Lestat/Louis/Claudia’s dynamic as a messed up family. Because if Madeleine can feel Louis and Louis can feel Madeleine that also means that Lestat was able to feel Louis and Claudia in his blood as part of himself. The same way Louis felt Madeleine as part of himself and tried to get her out. About the self-harm I think it was partially because Louis just didn’t know Madeleine and suddenly she was part of him. Part of his very being when he hasn’t fully come to terms yet what he is to himself. Who he is. Like when Claudia asked him who he is outside of his role and relationship to Claudia and Lestat and he tries to figure that out while is in Paris and then he gets to a point where he can finally see who that person is or what this person might look like and suddenly there is a stranger in his head, in his veins. A person he does not really know but will now forever be linked to. Louis hasn’t been fully stable since Paul died and even before that he was never honest with himself about who he is, and what he wants. So finally having some sense of self and then having a whole person invade that space that you don’t really know how to protect and guard yet especially because you didn’t know that you would have to might have felt really unsettling to him and because of that Louis was heavily disassociating when he and Claudia said their goodbyes and that's why to him it might have felt like he didn't care in that moment because his true focus was on feeling violated by having Madeleine's blood in him and his connection to her thrumming in his veins and so he couldn't even fully process what was happening with Claudia as she was leaving. In this line of thinking I also have to add that I don’t think Madeleine felt Armand when she said “I feel how much you love him” because if you could feel random vampires just because they have an emotional connection to your maker then that would open up the field for a whole new level of messiness that I don’t think is happening here. I think Madeleine can feel Louis because he is her maker. And I think she might be able to feel Claudia because they share a bloodline but she has no connection (at least bloodwise) to Armand, so the logical leap would be if she felt another love connection she would feel her maker’s maker. People disagree on this, a lot. And as I 've said before I’m not saying that Louis does not love Armand, I just think the connection as well the description and the words Madeleine used do not fit with what I have perceived while watching Louis and Armand’s relationship unfold. I have more but this is already way too long so I’m gonna stop here. See you next week for episode seven? Maybe?

Maria

Frank: Do not watch Queen of the Damned. It will spoil future series events!

Melissa

His reaction was all of our reactions on that one 🫠 “what was the choice?! Ain’t no way, ain’t no f**kin WAY!”

Amanda Hill

this episode is my second favorite of the entire show, just seeing claudia happy, that was so fucking gratifying. i have some thoughts, but again that’s just MY perspective: louis cutting his wrist and talking about how he did not care… i think we all know louis has dealt with suicidal ideation and he’s very codependent. i think after seeing claudia the way madeleine perceived her, and realizing how she loves claudia and would be a better companion to her than he ever could, he did care but he might’ve felt a numbness he could not understand in that instant, and felt that the feelings he knows he has towards claudia were not good enough in comparison. he has let her down over and over again. as she said, she’s always been a third. he chose lestat over her. he chose armand over her. and being able to feel this person, this « stranger » who was capable of being the right person for her, to choose her, and letting her go, that must’ve been bittersweet and made him feel an overwhelming sense of guilt which might’ve lead to him self harming. when it comes to armand, i don’t know wether or not he’s telling the truth about louis asking to have the memory of his suicide attempt erased, i could see louis wanting to forget that since it’s overwhelming, but i could also see armand erasing it so louis could move on from that haunting memory without having to confront his trauma. that’s how armand seems to be with himself too, not confronting the trauma and horrors of his past. when he told daniel « why did i owe you my shame? » … man i felt that. i think one of the reasons why i am so intrigued by him as a character (again, apart from assad killing it) it’s that i can’t really read him. he’s not as transparent as lestat or louis. it makes him more interesting to me personally. i kinda want an entire season just showing us what goes on in that « big head » lol. oh and yeah i laughed when you mentioned daniel being kinda reckless with his mouth. this man has 0 self preservation skills lmao

RH

I flipped my shit the first time I saw the ending of this episode! Seeing Lestat, not Dreamstat, for the first time this season made me feral. I went crazy!!

Myranda

The Lestat reveal is also like…perfectly timed. When I watched it the first time, and all the reactions I’ve seen: everyone by the time they get to this episode says what you said, “I’m ready for Lestat to come back.” These showrunners/writers do not miss. The pacing was flawless, no notes. The further you get into this, the more the story reveals, you come to realize why people are insufferable about it. The more you learn, the more you want to rewatch to view it from a different lens. As a writer myself, I eat it up…over and over and over again.

Amanda Hill

I could talk for hours about the parallels between the two. It’s so amazingly done. Claudia and Madeleine are absolutely the WAY WAY WAY healthier foils of Louis and Lestat, and Louis/Lestat’s relationship.

Amanda Hill

The BETRAYAL!!! When I saw those last 10min my mouth was dropped the entire time. So many emotions. And just when you’re needing a little Lestat, he appears! It’s straight to the finish line the rest of the season, enjoy!😊

Tarabee

I saw a side by side edit of it on TikTok and it was amazing how similar it was. There are many Claudia-Lestat parallels for those with eyes to see.

RÆY

Oh I totally missed that haha darn it impossible to catch everything first time. I'm glad I have the privilege to rewatch The episodes as much as I want

Franklin

Everything with Armand and Madeline in this episode was chef's kiss. And yes I'm glad he didn't turn her. I love their eyes even the first time I saw Madeline's new eyes I was like ah so good Louie definitely censoring himself. We think so like. I was absolutely going to mention how it reminds me of older Louie, even suppressing his sexuality. And him not being used to showing his vulnerability. But at that point, my brain was already butter🤣 and I just let the scene play And yes I absolutely believe that he was quoting lestat and had to stop himself. That's what I took from that scene. He would have said that shit word for word too. It's almost impossible to get lestat out of his mind

Franklin

Beautifully written parallels

Franklin

I love love love the parallels between the way Claudia and Lestat reveal each other to their (once) mortal loves. Claudia de Lioncourt du Lac, the people’s princess.

Amanda Hill

Black Valyria

Holy shit that's what they were reading??? I noticed they were being sneaky. That makes sense

Franklin

I understand Armand not wanting to turn Madeleine. I’m glad he didn’t because clearly he didn’t feel comfortable with it. Side note: I love Armand’s eyes. Armand and Madeleine’s conversation was top tier and that last shot of them was chef’s kiss! really cinematic. I agree with you about Louis suppressing himself this episode, he’s hiding his vulnerabilities. It reminds me of S1E1 Louis before he met Lestat, he pulled a knife on his brother in front of other people to keep up appearances “Did I want to pull a knife on my brother? No, I loved him more than anyone in the world”. In the scene where they are all sitting at the table, Louis stopped himself because he found himself quoting lestat word for word. Some people disagree but to me, Louis was thinking of Lestat when Madeleine felt the love through Louis and there are some evidence to support this, 1) Louis quoting Lestat prior to the “love” discussion 2) Louis had already told Armand he loved him in episode 4. 3. They were talking about Maker and Fledgelings and how they have a strong bond. There’s a fourth reason but it won’t make sense yet so I’ll save it for the finale. However, it is fine if people still interpret it as Louis referring to Armand. Maybe the writers wrote it in a way that is up to interpretation? Also… shit’s going to get real next episode.

RÆY

Had -0 idea u missed that lol I thought u were just n shock🤣 👊🏾...for being transparent...as per usual💯

Black Valyria

hehe I hope you enjoy my friend. I'm sure Foxtaco's video was excellent. Can't wait to go watch it

Franklin

I don't know if u noticed the vampires in the balcony were reading Claudia's diary when she walked by...

deedra Mcconis

I feel blessed and highly favored today because I just finished Fox Taco’s video of episode 2.1. Can’t wait to watch this tonight!

Janeka Rector