Ron Does Stuff

It’s the season finale! Let’s get right into it!

The previous episode left viewers with quite the cliffhanger — Rashid might be a vampire as well. Of course, this would have been more impactful if I’d watch it when this was airing but there was no way for me to do so! Anyways, while this may be old news to devoted viewers of the show, I’m only learning about it now.

This episode starts with Daniel eyeing Rashid suspiciously, and rightfully so. But he goes right back to the interview with Louis and asks him how one can kill a vampire. And as it turns out, there’s multiple ways to do so. Starve them, feed them dead blood, burn them, decapitate them, boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew.

While it can be done, the question is whether Louis and Claudia will be able to successfully do it to Lestat. He’s older, quicker, stronger, and more in control of his powers than either one of them. Lestat also kept them close, despite the love between the three of them being long gone now.

Also, the dark comedy of Lestat making fun of an encyclopedia salesman, saying that the books are already a relic before it goes to the print shop? I don’t even think physical encyclopedias are sold anymore! But during that scene we find out that Lestat was turned into a vampire at the age of 31. I think he was much younger than that when it happened in The Vampire Lestat, but a little aging up in the adaptation never hurt anyone.

We also find out that the people surrounding them are becoming more and more suspicious of the three of them, either leaving them letters or begging them to turn them immortal as well. Lestat wants them to leave New Orleans. And they’ll be leaving soon, just not with him, if Claudia gets her way.

Just like in the book, Claudia keeps Louis in the dark while she plots. She tells Louis to just live as he used to do with Lestat, and it’s here that we hear a tantalizing clue about Lestat’s past and maybe about future seasons. Louis mentions Greece as a possible destination for them to escape to and Lestat mentions Those Who Must Be Kept. And OH BOY.

ANYWAYS. We get back to Lestat’s impending murder and I do appreciate the nod to “You irritate me. Your very presence irritates me.” from the movie. But at the same time, I also appreciate the departure from the book and movie that they’ve introduced, with the trio planning to throw a party before they leave New Orleans. Lestat isn’t into it at first, but eventually comes around after Claudia insists on it.

We then find out that it’s been 17 years since…well, since they talked to the Tom Anderson back in the previous episode. A mustache can really change the way a face looks! And the way everyone knows there’s something weird about the three of them, but they’re too afraid to do anything about it, which is something the movie doesn’t deal with after the time in the plantation, understandably. I also like how the show displays the power the three of them wield outside of vampirism. Money does make the world go round.

We then make a slight detour to the present, where Daniel is, once again, eyeing Rashid intently. Who is Rashid? I’m curious too! Then we go back to the past and Lestat is feeling his oats.

While it’s been looking like Claudia’s plan has been progressing smoothly, we find out that this may not be the case, as Antoinette is also at the party, and possibly turned as well. I like that they introduced this genderbent version of the Antoine from the book, even if the character does little in either format. I just feel as a book reader that they really tried their utmost to stick as close to the book as they could, while not being slavish to it.

And the whole dance sequence? How it was the only thing that wasn’t written about in the in-universe news? How Louis found himself falling in love with Lestat again? No wonder there’s a kajillion gifs of this moment.

AND THEN THE ACTUAL MURDER? I didn’t expect the way they tweaked it to still make it fresh for someone like me, who’s read the books and seen the movie so many times I can quote whole swaths of dialogue. I do question why it was Louis who delivered the killing blow, BUT this show has gained so much capital with me, I am willing to trust whatever direction they take this.

AND THEN RASHID IS REVEALED TO BE ARMAND. WELL THEN. But it does make sense though! Louis did spend years, to say the least, with him, after what happens in Paris. Which I’m sure we’ll get to see in season two!