#and Nandor would have known that

[bottombaron]

wait.

if Nandor knew that the only way to reverse the transformation was to kill the vampire that sired Guillermo...

he was going to travel the world...with his best friend...go back to his home...turn Guillermo at the banks of the Tigris

in s3 finale, after Guillermo had cornered Nandor, proving he can have violent intent towards him, Nandor says, "yes, yes. this is what I've been waiting for. you've passed the test"

but he wasn't talking about being a vampire...

he was talking about what he would have to do after...

[countfagulaa]

I can’t. I need to talk about this stupid fucking ship (Nandermo) from this stupid fucking show (What We Do in The Shadows).

I don't know if maybe I just haven’t found anything on it, but why is no one mentioning how, in the episode where Nandor gives Guillermo the whole ceremony to decide if he wants to be a vampire or not, Nandor seems pretty eager to kill Derek? He asked Guillermo if he wanted HIM to drive the stake into Derek so Guillermo wouldn’t have to do it himself, and when Guillermo goes, “I don’t know,” Nandor literally growls, “I do,” with a small, brief wicked smile and some excitement in his voice and expression before IMMEDIATELY killing Derek as if it were nothing.

Call me crazy, but to me, this is just Nandor being eager to kill the vampire that dared to sink his unworthy fangs into his precious Guillermo’s neck. He can hardly bear to think about him having his unworthy mouth on the soft skin of his beautiful human, having the honor to taste the blood that runs through his beautiful body and keeps his sacred heart beating hypnotically. He was the one who took the great honor of turning Guillermo away from Nandor. Something so intimate, so special, so meaningful and important to him and Guillermo was taken from him by this stranger. This vampire, who hadn’t known, loved, desired, or cherished Guillermo the way he had, took this moment away from him. That moment was for him and Guillermo. No one else.

Now, Guillermo was technically the one to take that away from him and I don’t think Derek really deserves this fate. But I really doubt that Nandor would be thinking clearly enough to really think about that.

All I see is a jealous lover killing the bastard who dared to see his love’s image in such an intimate light reserved only for him, and loving every second of it.

In the episode where Nandor discovers that Guillermo was turned behind his back, he asks, “Who? Who was it?” When Guillermo tells him that it’s not relevant while protecting Derek, Nandor replies, “It’s relevant to me.”

All I hear is Nandor asking who it was that dared to touch him. He’s like a boyfriend asking who it was that his lover cheated on him with. The little “okay” from Nandor that follows Guillermo’s response is shaky and said in a higher pitch that can’t keep the sting from showing. It might not matter to anyone else listening in, but it means a hell of a lot to Nandor. It’s relevant to him.

He's eager to kill the vampire that dared to touch what he considers his and far too good for anyone else but him: Guillermo.

[wheneverfeasible]

I know a lot of people are upset and disappointed by the WWDITS finale, but I think it was beautiful. And purposeful. And I fully believe that it does eventually end with Nandor and Guillermo coming together.

But they literally say that things continue on off screen, that the crew doesn’t need to be there for those moments anymore, and while it’s played off like a joke, the meaning is there: Nandermo is too important to be used as a cheap trick for viewership on a documentary.

Their relationship began off screen and it’s going to continue off screen. We got to see something we weren’t meant to see when Guillermo went back at the very end, but it wasn’t ever meant to be something for us to see. It was purely for them.

With the reveal of the secret underground cave, it indicates further that Nandor’s and Guillermo’s futures, both as individuals and as maybe something more, isn’t for us to see. It isn’t ours, it’s theirs. Major things were happening off screen that we didn’t know about because we weren’t meant to see it at all. Not just for a funny gag reveal, but because the whole message of that episode was that their stories would continue long after the film crew left.

And the comments about how things don’t change and the same conversations and things happen repeatedly over the years?

How many things have changed since Guillermo entered the picture? The Baron and the Sire are living a life completely different from what they had known, are parents now, and are happy. The Guide is part of the group. Doll Nadja and the Monster and his future Bride are now in the group as well. Each of the core vampires have experienced personal growth as well, most notably Nadja and Nandor.

Maybe Guillermo won’t be a vampire, but he will be Nandor’s partner in some form for the next several years at least. He’s going to keep helping each and every one of them change more and more.

It does suck we didn’t get to see anything confirmed, sure. But I think the fact that we were left with the potential and the knowledge that some things are best left to their privacy is so beautiful and does exactly what Nadja hypnotized us to have: give us the opening for our own interpretations for how their story truly ends.

Thank the ancients for fanfic, huh?

[orangechickenpillow]

The fact that Nandor didnt have to pretend or save face when Guillermo came to interview with him for a second time. Nandor would have known he was going to un hypnotize Guillermo later that night and soon Guillermo wouldn't remember what happened, so Nandor could just... be shamelessly in the moment, without any lies or deciet. Because Guillermo wouldn't remember it. He wouldn't remember how Nandor's face softened or the way he looked at him.

That moment was as much for Nandor as it was for Guillermo.

[barren-heart]

The Hidden Love Story of What We Do in the Shadows: How The Internet Fell in Love with Harvey Guillen’s Guillermo de la Cruz

I think it’s fair to call this show what it is: a comedy.

The actors have said it’s themselves: the show is 50% improv, 50% script. A lot of what we see is a brilliant collaboration of talent, writing, and the actors saying the funniest thing they can say about something in that moment.

According to Harvey Guillen, some scenes would last 30 minutes each if they didn’t cut it down. That improv is what makes the show what is it: the funniest show on television.

What’s interesting about this little Shit and Fart show (affectionate), is the heart of it all: Guillermo.

Originally the show was looking for an older man to play Nandor’s familiar. The character had worked for his master for 20 years, not 10 as we see in the pilot episode.

Harvey got an audition randomly. At a wine and cheese night of a friend’s, he was invited to audition for the part. It was random, but also, it was fate.

Let me explain.

Harvey Guillen auditioning for the role of Guillermo

(I actually have the full audition tape of Harvey’s if anyone’s interested.) Link below!

Harvey didn’t “fit the part” (Harvey’s words) whatsoever of this character and decided to dress himself to look older, putting on what he calls his Harry Potter glasses and parted his hair down the middle.

The Guillermo we see in the pilot was all Harvey’s idea of what that character should be and the costuming department just ran with it. It’s also fun to point out that to those who don’t know, Harvey created Guillermo’s last name even before he knew he’d play the show’s Vampire Slayer.

I mention this because I don’t think they (showrunner, producers,etc) expected Guillermo to become such a fan favorite. Which kinda explains why his character is the punching bag of season one and why it somewhat changes as seasons go by.

I mean, we don’t even see Guillermo in this season one poster (we don’t see Colin Robinson, either. But I feel like I could write an entirely other post about that character and why I think he’s genuinely the best and most consistently written character on the show. But I won’t right now).

I think they expected Guillermo to be a one-note side kick, which is fine. Many of Harvey’s previous roles were nearly background characters (think Benedict Pickwick in The Magicians).

But, Harvey’s take on the character coupled with his talent at being both comedic and dramatic really shined through. And I think that’s where you start to see that maybe they could do more with him than just being the funny guy in the background.

I also think that’s why you start to see some threading of a more serious plot when it comes to Guillermo’s storyline because of Harvey’s range.

Who would’ve known a funny bit like being a Van Helsing descent in a house full of vampires would get you compelling scenes like the familiar fight The Night Market, Nouveau Théâtre des Vampires, and the Nandor and Guillermo fight in The Portrait?

Harvey mentioned having to train for these and wanted to do his own stunts! And he does them well!

Did they imagine Guillermo being such a badass in the pilot? Probably not. But he is and people took to it. The serious fight scenes (even with bits of comedy filtered in) really stand out in their own as excellent action scenes.

Along with badass scenes, Harvey delivered compelling emotional scenes like Guillermo’s coming out (which Harvey actually cried in as well as other cast and crew, and they had to edit it to not make it too serious), the scene he left Nandor for Celeste, and many scenes in S5’s Exit Interview.

I also think they didn’t anticipate his chemistry with Kayvan Novak. It’s brought up a lot in interviews with them and everyone can tell that they genuinely are really good friends in real life, which makes acting together on screen that much better.

(Funny enough, he was supposed to do a chemistry read with Kayvan before shooting and wasn’t able to meet him until they were on set for the pilot. )

I think in some ways, even though the show wanted it to be a funny Gaston and Lefou type relationship, Kayvan and Harvey had undeniable chemistry you couldn’t deny.

And I think that began to grow with their character’s evolving relationship. From master and servant to friends to sometimes the show and network alluding to them being in a romance (Guillermo’s drunk love confession, Marwa liking what Nandor likes, the Network making videos about shipping Nandermo).

And even Paul Simms (the one who is being grilled for That’s His Boss quote), also said “Guillermo and Nandor is the greatest love story in modern television.”

So yeah, I think originally they started the show with the intention that it was supposed to be similar to the movie that shares its name. The Nandor/Guillermo drama of Shadows the TV show would be so out of place in the movie. The whole Guillermo vampire arc, if it was movie inspired, would not be as dramatic as they have made it in the show.

Looking back to the pilot, I can see that they really tried to make it as close to the source material as possible. But I think it took off in a direction that even the creators didn’t imagine it would go. Just a silly little comedy show about silly little vampires. And don’t get me wrong, it still definitely is.

But the show has evolved. And for better or worse, Nandor and Guillermo’s relationship will be one of the most compelling things about the show and I’m curious where they are going to take it now.

I guess this turned into a bit of an Harvey Guillen appreciation post and honestly, why not? Look at that adorable face.

[tellhulla]

It's not even about shipping, sure I ship nandermo but I also ship lazlermo, I never expected them to go canon in the traditional sense, although a confirmation that Lazlo and Guillermo were indeed fuck buddies the same way Lazlo and Nandor are would have been nice and not at all out of character after the co-parenting plot in season 4 and how close they were in season 5 but I digress

Point is, my frustration isn't about my ship(s) not going canon, it's about set up and pay off

They set up a hug between Nandor and Guillermo, we see Nandor rejecting the hug early on the show, we see them growing emotionally closer, we expect a hug, we got none, no pay off

They set up Guillermo having feelings for Nandor but not feeling worth to even express them out loud, much less hope for reciprocatinon because not being a vampire made him less than them in his own eyes, and there was no pay off for that either

I don't expect him to suddenly kiss Nandor with the rising music in the background or ever say the words "I love you" that would be out of character for him, but give us a final talking head of him saying "as for my feelings, well, I'm coping" there, that's enough to be considered pay off, he addresses his feelings to the camera, in a vague sort of way that makes sense for who he is as a character, not even mentioning Nandor's name because being so direct is just not Guillermo's personality but trusting the audience is smart enough to put two and two together, knowing full well that Nandor might see the footage and expecting nothing, a little bittersweet maybe but in line with the show's usual treatment of feelings

I don't expect or even want romance in the traditional sense for them, just let Guillermo be comfortable enough in his own skin to address he feels some kind of way and confident enough he puts it out there, in his own way, without a stutter

They keep setting up Nandor's loneliness, his quest for eternal romance, again no pay off and this is not even about him and Guillermo, if they just had him look around at his roommates, his chosen family and realized he can be and in reality is, satisfied with simply having them, if they had him see he already has everything he was looking for (love, companionship, sex) right here at home and he doesn't need it to look like what other people expect it to look like because just having them in his life makes him happier than a traditional marriage could ever make him, that would have been a satisfying pay off to his story

They had Nandor saying "no human is special", perfect set up for him to admit Guillermo is special to him, and then nothing, no pay off

And again I'm not expecting him to confess his undying love for Guillermo, that would be out of character, but you can't blame the audience for expecting something to come out of that, even just a talking head of him saying he tries to not get attached to humans because they never last, just implying the reason he doesn't want to be emotionally vulnerable when it comes to Guillermo is because he has known for years he wouldn't last as a vampire and is trying to protect himself from the heartbreak by keeping him at arms length but just the fact that he needs to try this hard means he failed and he is already attached

Or one conversation with Lazlo where he backtracks after Guillermo comes back home where he says "maybe you are right, maybe some humans are worth the pain of losing them", there, that's enough pay off to make the majority of the audience happy and satisfied while still keeping it vague like they wanted

They also set up Guillermo wanting immortality but not being fit to be a vampire and Nandor still carrying around the Djinn's lamp, you know, the lamp with the all powerful Djinn who can grant any wish to his master, the lamp Nandor can't use anymore because he ran out if wishes so it is just sitting there, waiting for a new master to rub it and take possession of it, that lamp

Don't those two things look like they should be connected? Like a problem and a solution? Like set up and pay off waiting to happen?

How about Nadja's longing for close female friends and the Guide's longing for belonging? Nadja's stablished willingness to have sex with her friends and the Guide's obvious attraction to her?

And don't get me started on the Guide's crazy backstory that never gets resolved

All those threads and many more (I made a list) just waiting to get picked up again, and they never do anything with them, you can't blame the audience or call us crazy shippers who only care about Nandermo going canon because we express frustration about the lack of pay off

[leporidaecervinae]

People who are frustrated at 'repetitive plot lines' do you think possibly that it's on purpose? These writers know what they are doing. They have had over 6 years at a minimum to solidify these characters in their minds. These are vampires. I spend one week inside the house and I'm bored shitless and time stops mattering, imagine spending over 200 or 700 years seeing all of that shit happen. Watching history repeat and repeat with the same bloody politics and the same warfare and resolutions while millions of people die. Of course you'd stop caring. Of course, also, to be a vampire you need to be selfish and stubborn and arrogant.

The 'break apart' and 'come back together' of Guillermo and Nandor is showing how their relationship develops each time. The first—Celeste, was to show that first step in Guillermo advocating for himself. Nandor asked him to come back. Gave him a gift. Then Guillermo left because he felt he was a danger to the vampires. He came back because the vampires were in mortal danger.

The splitting apart at the end of season 3 was caused by Laszlo. And of course Nandor would not go and search for Guillermo, he has every right to think Guillermo just left him again. And of course Guillermo didn't search for Nandor, because where would he even begin? He's got the entire world to scan and Nandor sure as shit wouldn't carry a cell phone.

Season 4; they come together again. This time with Nandor being more appreciative of Guillermo's fighting prowess (The Night Market). This time their split is caused by Guillermo having a boyfriend and Nandor desperately searching for a person to fill the void in his life: Marwa. We know how this plays out.

Season 5: They are kept apart by Guillermo's selfish decision to get Derek to turn him. Nandor proves that he is beginning to value Guillermo more (his trip to space), and when Guillermo is honest about what he's done, it's true he wants to kill Guillermo, but he is extremely quick to forgive him.

Now onto season 6. Guillermo kept trying to convince himself that he belongs in the human world while we've been shown time and time again that this does not suit him. Nandor's army proves that Nandor has known Guillermo much better than he lets on. He is hurt by Guillermo's continued rejection of him; his brash, selfish, and impulsive nature. This second-to-last episode has them pulled together again, this time by Nandor showing immense amounts of care and consideration for Guillermo's safety and well being.

Nandor is a warrior first, vampire second. We are shown this time and time again (Nandor's Army, Sleep Hypnosis, hell even with Nandor's Ghost). He values Guillermo as a warrior in this season. It is the one thing that Guillermo has consistently shown; a warrior's spirit. Taking Harvey's statements about playing Guillermo as having been bullied for much of this life, and now the in-text evidence of the Sleep Hypnosis Interview: Guillermo's soft, shy side has only ever been a forced blanket that hid his actual nature—the one that Nandor knows intimately and has seen repeatedly over many years—he is impulsive, hot-headed, selfish, and dedicated to the point of blindness and denial.

Guillermo even says; "I'm not going back to being your familiar." Right after he has a mini-freak out because "He's wasted so much time." on goals that do not serve his true purpose. Then he is invited back into the house explicitly by Nandor and his smile in that last shot shows true happiness. Because this entire time he's been advocating for himself as deserving as being treated as a equal, even with his temper-induced abandonment of the vampires, and now they are finally doing just that. They are a Vamilia.

It's cyclical because they are vampires and time is cyclical. But each new cycle creates a new step in Nandor and Guillermo's development. If you cannot see that, I'm sorry. This show must be the most boring shit on earth to you, and if that's the case, then you always have the option to simply stop watching.

[ineffably-human]

I need Guillermo to have a full, five-alarm existential crisis next season. (He should have started it this season, but eh.)

What is he even supposed to do now? He's still doing these chores, why the hell is he dusting? It's nice to keep his hands busy but it doesn't shut his mind up. Sometimes he avoids Nandor for days. Sometimes he talks to him for days about absolutely nothing. Nandor's been so patient, he's really giving him time. Is he disappointed even though he said he wasn't? He probably wonders what the hell Guillermo is still doing there. Guillermo had accused him of being about to murder his mom in cold blood, just to be cruel, he should have known Nandor would never -

He should probably go see his mom, now than he can again. The last thing he did was hypnotize her, he doesn't want the last conversation with his mom to be hypnotizing her. He doesn't know if he can sit at that table again and talk about recipes and gas prices and fútbol teams and why he hasn't called lately. They're going to ask him how the promotion went. Oh fuck he has fourteen years of no work history. Has he done taxes? Does he even know how to do taxes? What's his credit score?

Did he do the right thing? Maybe there was a way around - no, it felt wrong, but everything else around it felt right. Why did it always feel like what he needed if it wasn't? Laszlo gave him this big book of supernatural creatures, like there's ones he's never heard of in his life, and that's sweet. But nothing's making sense yet like vampires did. Is that because of the slayer blood? Did he spend his whole life loving vampires because he's supposed to kill vampires? Is he never going to want anything else in his life the way he wanted this?

He still wants Nandor to bite him. Part of him still thinks that if Nandor bit him, everything else would have worked out. Maybe he just wants an excuse for Nandor to hold him. He's kissed like - two or three men ever, in his life? He's not even mad about that, he just wishes there had been more - no, not more. The right one.

He thought when he finally became like them, they'd start to look him in the eye and actually see him. But they're all looking at him more than ever. He doesn't know what to do with it. He doesn't know how to love them like this.

Oh god, he's probably going to die someday, unless he does something about it. Should he do something about it?

Why doesn't he know the answer to that?

[nandorisms]

Preview WIP: You're My Best Friend

Preview Summary: Basketball star Nandor realizes he's in love with his childhood best friend, Guillermo, who is about to marry his boyfriend, Freddie. With years of friendship at stake, Nandor must decide whether to confess his feelings or risk losing Guillermo forever.

"Well? What do you think?"

Guillermo’s voice was light, casual. Too casual. The kind of tone he used whenever he was trying to sound like he wasn’t searching for approval.

Nandor brushed a thumb over the thick ivory cardstock, pretending to study it.

The invitation was… wrong.

Everything about it— from the elegant, impersonal script and filigree,  to the weight of the paper, and how it felt stiff in his hands—this wasn’t Guillermo.

You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of Mr. Frederick Ainsworth and Guillermo de la Cruz.

Cordially. Like their wedding was a polite business exchange. Like something distant and cold.

Instead of what it should’ve been.

Warm. Inviting. The way Guillermo was.

Not Guillermo and Freddie, together with their families invite you to celebrate their love and  commitment to one another, not something that spoke of home, of belonging, of love.

Not something Guillermo would’ve picked.

Nandor wondered if Guillermo had shown Freddie the homemade invitation he had shared with him. The one with pressed flowers from the box garden on his windowsill, handwritten flowing script, chantilly lace, silk ribbons, and a wax seal, all on homemade paper.

The one that was personal. That was Guillermo. 

Not whatever this was.

The silence stretched between them, just long enough for Guillermo to notice.

His smile fell, fingers curling slightly against the table.

Then, quieter, "you hate it."

Not a question. A statement.

Nandor looked up, watching as Guillermo’s expression shifted. He was still smiling, but it was thinner now, weaker. Braced.

Nandor opened his mouth—to deny it, to say something easier, something softer—but the truth sat too heavy on his tongue. 

Besides, even if he tried to lie, he and Guillermo both knew one another too well by now.

Thirteen years of friendship did that.

Well, at least for them.

Nandor didn’t think either of them knew anyone more than they knew each other.

So instead, he said, careful, “this is very Freddie.”

Guillermo snorted, picking up a french fry and flinging it at Nandor’s face. “You couldn’t have even tried to lie.”

The fry bounced off Nandor’s cheek, landing unceremoniously on the table. He blinked down at it before lifting his gaze back to Guillermo.

Then, deliberately, he picked up the fry, lifted it slowly to his mouth, and took a bite.

"I could have," he said, chewing thoughtfully. "But you would have known."

Guillermo huffed out a laugh,  popping a french fry into his mouth. “You’re right. Even if we weren’t best friends, you’d still be a notoriously bad liar.”

Nandor scoffed, offended, reaching over to grab the pickle off of Guillermo’s burger. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I will have you know that I’m an excellent liar."

Guillermo reached over, plucking the raw onions off of Nandor’s burger and putting it on his own. “Maybe we should call your lawyer and see if he agrees.”

Nandor narrowed his eyes, chewing the pickle he’d just stolen.

"We should call him and ask," he said, already reaching for his phone in his pocket.

Guillermo’s eyes widened. "Don’t you dare."

Nandor smirked, thumbing through his contacts. "Too late. You have insulted both my integrity and Laszlo’s legal prowess, and I—"

"Nandor."

"—will not stand for this slander."

"Put the phone down."

"I think he should have a chance to defend himself—"

"Nandor, I swear to God—"

Too late. The call was already dialing.

Guillermo groaned, slumping back in his seat.

The phone barely rang twice before a far too chipper voice answered.

"Ah, my dearest client and perpetual source of income! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Guillermo threw his hands up. "Jesus Christ."

Nandor leaned back, crossing his legs with obnoxious confidence.

"Laszlo, my dear friend and esteemed legal counsel, I need you to clear something up for us."

"Ah, of course! Is this about the tax loophole I discovered in your alimony settlements? Because I stand by my genius—"

"No," Guillermo sighed. “It’s not.”

"Then is this about the exciting new marriage contract I drafted in case you should decide to tie the knot for a fifth time?"

Nandor shifted in his seat, twisting the ring on his small finger.

Four marriages.

Four failures.

The number weighed on him more than it should have.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried.

He had been a good husband. He had been loyal. He had done what was expected.

And yet, somehow, he had never been able to hold onto it. Any of it.

Even when he was there, it felt like he was always somewhere else.

Because home never seemed to feel like home.

And maybe that was because home wasn’t a place. It never had been.

He had spent years searching for it, chasing it from person to person.

First with Gail. Then Jan. Then Meg—his personal trainer turned wife—who, after Nandor caught her in their marriage bed with one of the Knick’s City Dancers, admitted to being a lesbian.

And then, finally, Marwa.

Each time, he thought he had found it.

Each time, he thought—this is the one. This is where I belong.

And yet, somehow, it was never enough.

Or maybe he was never enough.

Or worse—maybe he was too much.

He cleared his throat, forcing down the lump rising in it.

"That’s not—"

His voice came out rougher than he meant it to, and he immediately dropped his hand from the ring, setting both palms flat against the table.

Guillermo, still holding the phone, tilted his head slightly, watching him.

Then, without a word, he reached out and gave Nandor’s hand a quick squeeze.

"What Nandor meant to say was, that's not what we're calling you about."

Not much. Barely a second. Just enough to say, I’m here. Just enough to pull Nandor out of whatever place his thoughts had dragged him to.

And just like that, Nandor felt steadier. Grounded. Held.

Guillermo had always been good at that. Had always known when to push and when to let things go, when to joke, when to reach for him like this, and hold him—quietly, naturally, like no one else ever has, without asking or expecting anything in return.

And Nandor had let him.

For thirteen years, he had let Guillermo reach for him, pull him back, steady him.

For thirteen years, Guillermo had been the one person who had never let go.

And soon, Nandor would have to.

Even if he didn’t want to.

Even if he thought this whole marriage idea was a mistake.

Even if he thought Freddie was…

Bland.

A perfectly fine, perfectly decent, perfectly dull man.

Freddie wasn’t bad. That was the worst part.

He wasn’t cruel, or selfish, or unkind. He was just… there.

Like IKEA furniture.

Functional. Sturdy. A good, sensible choice for when you’re just moving into a new home.

Something you picked because it was easy and available, not because it was meant to last forever.

And Guillermo deserved so much more than sensible.

But it wasn’t Nandor’s choice to make.

So, soon, he would have to let him go.

Nandor swallowed, his fingers twitching slightly under Guillermo’s touch before he pulled back.

The space between them was quiet.

Just for a second.

Long enough for something to settle.

Long enough for something to slip through the cracks.

And then—

Laszlo’s voice crackled through the speaker, completely ruining it.

"Oh, then what are you calling about?" Squeak of a chair. "If you two are about to finally confess your undying love to one another, I would rather you wait until I can find my good lady wife—so she can hear it too and I can win our bet."

Guillermo didn’t even blink. “You two have a bet?”

Nandor, however, bluescreened.

Crashed.

Like his baba’s old Windows 98 computer—the one he’d tried, and failed, to replace.

That was Nandor’s brain now.

Because that’s what this was, wasn’t it?

This feeling he felt whenever he was with Guillermo.

Like no matter how long they were apart, or how far he traveled, with Guillermo—even if it was just a phone or Discord call, while Nandor sat in another hotel room—he still felt at home.

Love.

Nandor loved him.

"We do," Laszlo answered, his desk chair squeaking in the background. "One that will earn me a free pass to pursue a sexual encounter with our next-door neighbor, Sean, if you two knob-lords can finally admit to the obvious."

"Fuck off, Laszlo,” Guillermo laughed, taking a sip of Nandor’s milkshake and setting it down in front of him, “we’re not calling you about that. We just need you to help us settle an argument.”

“An argument, you say?” Laszlo’s tone shifted, sounding far too delighted for a man who was not only on his payroll, but who had systematically turned his life upside down.

Or... right side up?

Nandor didn’t know anymore.

He was still buffering—stuck on a loading screen—so much so that not even Clippy could help him at this point.

Because his entire life had just collapsed in on itself and Guillermo was drinking his milkshake.

With his lips.

His very pretty lips.

The same lips Nandor had never really thought about before.

Except for all the times he had.

Which, now that he was thinking about it, was actually quite a lot.

Oh no.

“Yes, an argument,” Guillermo mumbled around the straw. “Is Nandor a bad liar, yes or no?”

There was a beat of silence.

Then, Laszlo answered, far too seriously, “…define terrible.”

Guillermo burst into laughter—the warm, belly-full kind that made his eyes sparkle, his head tip back, and his cheeks flush a pretty pink, all the way to the tip of his cute nose.

How had Nandor never noticed how beautiful Guillermo was before?

How many years had he wasted, looking but never really seeing?

All the little moments. All of the missed opportunities. All of the what could have been's.

Lost.

Because he was afraid.

Afraid that he would lose the one constant in his life—the one person who had always held him together, even when he couldn’t hold himself.

The one person who never judged, never left, never gave up on him.

Afraid that seeing it, really seeing Guillermo, would change everything.

And Nandor was right.

Because he had seen Guillermo now. Really seen him. And it had certainly changed everything.

“Nuh, uh,” Guillermo said, trying to catch his breath, “you can’t lawyer your way out of this question. It’s a simple yes or no.”

A beat of silence, then, “he’s not, not a bad liar—”

“You’re a fucking terrible lawyer,” Guillermo laughed, reaching to dip one of his fries in Nandor’s tiny bowl of gravy, “I don’t know why Nandor keeps you on retainer.” 

Laszlo scoffed, “I will have you know that I received the finest education at Eton and Harvard, two institutions of immense renown, so I think I’m more than capable and thoroughly deserving of being on my client’s retainer.”

Guillermo snorted.

Fuck. Even that Nandor found cute. 

“Didn’t you call the judge a bitch in your last trial?” Guillermo asked, picking up his burger and taking a bite. 

“I meant bench,” Laszlo replied, shuffling some papers over the phone,  “It was a simple miscommunication, a little Freudian slip of the tongue, nothing too egregious. Besides, the judge was a bitch. And I still won that case.”

Guillermo set his burger down, wiping his fingers on his already battered up napkin.

Nandor pulled a few napkins from the dispenser and handed them to Guillermo, ignoring the spark of electricity that ran through him like a live wire when their hands brushed, or the way his heart pounded painfully in his chest when Guillermo gave him a wide, grateful smile and mumbled a soft, "Thanks."

Nandor was so fucked.

“Well, you didn’t win this one,” Guillermo teased, “we both know that Nandor can’t lie, and when he tries or does, he always gives himself away.”

Nandor cleared his throat, his fingers playing with the straw, tracing the outline of it, where Guillermo's lips had been just moments ago. “I’m not a bad liar,” he mumbled, his voice quiet, almost to himself.

Guillermo raised an eyebrow, still eating his fries. “Uh-huh.”

“He’s right, you know,” Laszlo drawled lazily from the other end of the line, his voice muffled slightly by the phone. “You can’t lie. You’re like an open book, Nandor. Every emotion, every feeling, it’s all written right on your face. Hell, I don’t even need to be in the same room to tell when you’re in a state.” More shuffling of papers. "Which is why Marwa got so much in the divorce. You can't hide a damned thing."

Nandor froze. Laszlo wasn’t wrong. He had never been good at hiding what he was feeling—not even with the smallest gestures. His feelings were always these big, wild, untameable things that could not be contained, and seemed to burst out of him regardless of the situation. Which is why he was no longer allowed to do press interviews for the NY Knicks without a script.

But for this... for Guillermo, there was no script.

No rehearsed lines. No safe answers. Just the raw truth that could spill out of him at any moment and ruin everything if he wasn't careful.

[bottombaron]

So after staring into the middle distance for a couple days I'm ready to start discussing some theories I have before the season finale destroys us. They are all very wide-ranging in absurdity but I'll start with the one that I think has the most substance and therefore I think is most likely to happen. Also, I haven’t caught up with the tag yet so if someone already posted these theories, sorry! 

So here is Theory #1, known otherwise as,

Why (I think) I know how Laszlo is going to unfuck Guillermo

The solution, I believe, was stated at the very end of The Roast by Laszlo himself: 

FIRST THOUGHT, BEST THOUGHT

Laszlo has spent weeks deeply committed to solving a problem. He's wasted precious time trying to outthink his first (and probably best) solution – and I'm not just talking about his book sorting. Neither was Laszlo, not entirely at least. I actually do think he was focused at least a little bit on his books because that's kind of what happens when you're stuck on a problem. Your brain wanders to other much less taxing ordeals. Usually, as you solve that smaller problem, you find the solution to the thing you really want to solve. 

So what was Laszlo’s first idea?

All along Laszlo had the answer but Guillermo told him that he didn't think it would work, so Laszlo just didn't pursue it further. (We don't even know if Laszlo knows the circumstances of the test and why it didn't work. Just that Guillermo didn't approve that idea.) So then Laszlo wasted valuable time and energy trying to ~Science~ this problem instead of using his true best skill that was showcased in episode one of the season: his charm. His powers of persuasion (the classical art of bullshitting, as it were) is his true super power. (Sadly, it’s not science. He doesn't really have the patience for science tbh).

But, no, rly, he should bullshit his way thru this. That's what he does best. He can outthink Nandor easily. (well….maybe. with the time spent on his experiments, Nandor could have the advantage of several weeks, if not months, to figure things out beforehand, as dense as he is) He should concoct a bullshit so impenetrable that it unfucks Guillermo from Derek and refucks him to Nandor. 

Further foreshadowing of this you ask?

(this whole season is dedicated to ‘plans’ it’s crazy how much A Plan pops up. maybe i’ll dedicate a separate post to collecting them all)

But alas! The test that The Baron did proved this wouldn’t work, right!?

Well here's some free additional theories to how Laszlo could solve that hiccup:

1. Laszlo figures out (and solves) the reason why The Baron/Neighbor test didn't work in the first place.

There could be any number of factors of why The Baron's neighbor blew up. It could be that The Baron is all that more powerful than the average vampire and so his bite gives an extraordinary fill of uh...vampire-ness? and Derek, being so young and weak, doesn't do much at all. Maybe it has something to do with The Sire. If The Baron was turned by the first being ever affected by vampirism, then maybe that vampirism is slowly depleted the further down the line you go. Derek is probably very far removed from The Sire which means he cannot transfer much of that affliction onwards. Nandor, if he was turned by The Baron (one removed from The Sire) or someone similar, explains how he is so powerful, hopefully tho he wouldn’t have too much power to possibly overwhelm Guillermo's half-a-virgin body (and yes I did like how kinky that sounded when I wrote it). It doesn't really matter the exact reason as long as Laszlo can convince Guillermo to try it and he has a relatively decent chance of surviving it. (convincing Guillermo to go thru with this plan overall is probably going to be the most trouble actually. you don't easily forget a guy exploding in your face)

2. Something to do with the experiments. (or the Nadja’s bait-and-switch tactic she used to catch The Baron/Guillermo from The Roast)

I have a larger theory on the experiments and why I think there's still one in the house, but that's for later. During The Roast, Nandor is pretty convinced that the mutant Guillermo is the real one (despite one pretty big glaring error: he has no glasses. none of the experiments need glasses...), Laszlo might have been testing this theory by having The Baron bring his body to Nandor in the first place in order to see how convinced Nandor would be by it. This might be enough for Laszlo to try to use a duplicate of Guillermo for Nandor to bite. The duplicate will not explode (probably?) due to only being a hybrid of Guillermo's blood and an animal…or something(one) else pretending to be Guillermo… (and if it does, maybe Laszlo plans to shoo Nandor out of the line of sight in order for him not to see. And then you get the angst and drama of Guillermo literally using a scapegoat to take his 'sin' despite his reluctance to hurt innocent creatures)

But will the fake Guillermo actually convince Nandor? It's hard to say, and I love that threat of Nandor realizing that it's not the true Guillermo he bit and feeling even more betrayed. Maybe Laszlo concocts a whole ambiance to the event in order to sell the lie. It has to be special right?

So there's dim lights and candles and (fake) Guillermo is laid out in Nandor's coffin and there's this whole presentation element to it that was left out of Guillermo's turn with Derek. It's more like the fantasy that Guillermo probably always had of being turned by Nandor. It plays out like a romantic love scene. But Guillermo is asleep or has his eyes closed and won't talk or maybe only makes small noises and Nandor's very upset abt this. Laszlo is probably hovering too and Nandor doesn't like that either but Laszlo insists he must be there and it's now it's all awkward and wrong, kind of like how Guillermo felt before he was bit by Derek. (now it’s like Nandor is the bull cucking Laszlo in front of him) Nandor goes thru with it and bites Guillermo and is rushed by Laszlo so he doesn't get to drink or drink too much of his blood and there's fumbling with trying to get his own blood into Guillermo's unresponsive mouth.

Or maybe Nandor finds out because Guillermo's blood is disgusting and he either knows or had hoped it would be good tasting*. or that Guillermo just lays there and there's no reciprocation of desire. But maybe he just doesn't find out and once it's over he expects to be able to lay with Guillermo or otherwise be there for his turning but Laszlo quickly rushes him out of his own room and closes the door behind him.

So now Nandor feels all the same despondency that Guillermo had felt with his turn with Derek. Like this big special moment he's built up for years was a complete dud. Like he missed out on something truly magical and he doesn't know why. And Guillermo will feel like shit too, for tricking Nandor. Laszlo isn't happy either. But it worked and they all just have to live with it. Meanwhile this act that was meant to make Nandor's and Guillermo's bond stronger, only serves to create even greater distance between them. 

Re*: evidence that Guillermo's blood might taste 'different':

3. ANYWAYS. that was theory two. lets talk about theory 3.

WITCHES.

I actually think there's good reason Laszlo has divorced Science and is now going to have an affair with Magic. It's exactly when Nadja says 'has this hex turned me into an uggo' that Laszlo comes to life and exclaims ‘that's it!’. If science wasn't the solution, maybe magic is. It's not like they don't know some witches, or that, at least to a degree, witches actually have some power. (specifically the power to look, vaguely, like someone else.) I'm not certain of the specifics but there's a chance Laszlo could be turning to magic to solve his problems. This would also bring Nadja's storyline more relevant and in focus for the season. The thing I like the most about this theory? Episode 9 describes being invited to a manor owned by someone named Morrigan. Morrigan is a Celtic goddess of war and fate that was probably the inspiration for Arthurian legendary sorceress, Morgan le Fay. (Laszlo's name may also be connected to Arthurian legend, Lancelot. but that probably doesn't mean anything.)

So! That's my three extra theories attached to this one big theory that Laszlo is going to go 'back to the beginning' and use his first thought to solve this. Go with his gut. His first solution was his best solution, all along.

…He simply needs to convince Nandor to turn Guillermo.

The, uh, details of this plan may be a lot more complicated than it suggests.

[vroomvroomwee]

If anyone says the finale was OCC for Guillermo and Nandor, I would just like to point out this scene

Nandor has always thought Guillermo was too soft to be a vampire. And not in a bad way, he simply knew Guillermo wouldn't be happy with a vampire life.

"Vampirism is a curse, and I care for you too much to burden you with it."

He tried to warn him this entire time.

Also, Guillermo unwilling to kill humans is nothing new this season either. On the contrary, it's really consistent with his character. This boy murdered an entire household of vampires he's never met just to save a group of humans he's known for only a few days. He's always been on the side of humans.

Nandors reluctance to turn him wasn't because he's selfish and doesn't want to lose a perfectly good familiar, but because he doesn't want Guillermo to be unhappy. But at the same time can't let him go so he can have a healthy and safe life because he loves him. He loves him so much he can't turn him nor let him go. And Guillermo didn't understand that until now.

The miscommunication trope strikes again.

[deer0skullz]

Does anyone else feel like Umbrella Academy, What We Do in the Shadows and Our Flag Means Death went down very similar paths or is that just me?

To preface, this is mostly based on how I felt as I watched the shows but also on some of the opinions I picked up from the fandoms.

Also, I’m not going to go back and rewatch all of these shows for the sake of a Tumblr post so I’m working from memory and if you feel like I’ve misremembered any of the plot/ characters let me know.

1. Started as well-received and highly acclaimed live-action fantasy shows with ensemble casts.

Based on my own opinions and what I remember from other fans, UA seasons 1-2 were fairly well received, as were WWDITS seasons 1-3/4 and OFMD season 1.

They’re all definitely different genres of fantasy but I’d say they still all fit under the label. And they obviously all have ensemble casts, with the Hargreeves in UA, the vampires (and Guillermo) in WWDITS and the pirates in OFMD. Even though the plots and characters can be quite different they all have similar vibes.

2. Noted for having open queer representation.

Klaus and Viktor in UA, pretty much the entire main cast of WWDITS, and multiple main characters in OFMD.

3. Tied to already established and respected creators.

UA is based on the comics written by Gerard Way who, of course, is also well known for My Chemical Romance. WWDITS is based on the film by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi, who are both executive producers of the show. Taika was also involved in OFMD as the actor for Blackbeard and as an executive producer. He has his name tied to many acclaimed films like Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor Ragnorok and Jojo Rabbit.

These are obviously not the only famous people tied to these projects but it’s just a sample of the talent involved in these shows. I feel like the fact that there was so much talent working on these shows makes my next point more interesting.

4. Experienced drops in quality and/ or introduced problematic elements that caused fans to lose interest or respect.

Again, this is opinion based and if you still liked the shows during these seasons then more power to you.

My overall feeling about all of these shows is that they lost a lot of the joy from their initial season(s) as they went on. Like, they just got significantly less fun to watch. But they also had more specific individual issues that I would like to get into.

I stopped watching UA during season 3 and don’t plan on watching season 4. I feel like a lot of people will already know what I might be referring to with this but yeah, the scene where Allison *did that* to Luther made me so sick. I feel like that season absolutely destroyed her character, and as I said, it just wasn’t anywhere near as fun as seasons 1 or 2.

WWDITS is probably the most successful of the three in my eyes but I could still apply the same argument about loss of enjoyment. The “Guillermo wants to be a vampire” plot line got very stale for me, especially with how they “resolved” (?) it. Saying “oh he’s a vampire now oh nevermind he doesn’t actually like being a vampire and also can’t be one anyway so everything’s back to normal” felt like such a waste of time for me. I know a lot of people also criticised the show for queerbaiting because of the Nandermo plot lines and teases. I wouldn’t necessarily call it queerbaiting but I would agree that the “will they, won’t they” is very played out at this point. Another big criticism I have of the later seasons is how Marwa was treated. The fact that she had no autonomy and was being forcibly changed mentally and physically to appeal to Nandor was treated as like, a running joke and I just found it kind of disturbing. Dark humour is pretty common throughout the show, but given how often her character appeared it felt a lot more, significant than throwaway jokes about drinking human blood. I feel like they could have done so much better with her character.

OFMD is probably the most egregious example of the 3. Season 2 was just not good. I’m not saying it was the worst thing I’ve ever watched but it was incredibly disappointing. The pacing was off, the characters were off, the dynamics were off. It was all just very off. The huge cliffhanger ending with Evil Blackbeard felt like it was resolved way too quickly and everything else in the season felt equally rushed. A lot of the character dynamics, but especially Ed and Stede, just felt wrong to me. From what I understand there were production issues or something so I’m not saying the writers just woke up one day and decided to be bad at their jobs but I can only really judge a show by what I saw on my screen, and what I saw was so far removed from the quality of season 1.

5. Finished on a sour note.

UA ended after 4 seasons, with the fourth being released on Netflix today. I haven’t seen anything that indicates whether this was the intended endpoint or whether it was cancelled. WWDITS will end after season 6 which comes out in October. Again, I can’t find anything indicating whether this was the intended endpoint. OFMD was cancelled just a few months after the release of season 2 in October 2023.

I can’t tell other fans how they should feel but for me I’m incredibly disappointed that 3 shows I really enjoyed saw a gradual (or not so gradual for OFMD) drop in quality that ultimately culminated in them just… ending.

Like I said, I have no interest in US season 4, but I am still somewhat hopeful for WWDITS. I would be really happy if they could bring it back to what it was.

Conclusion

I don’t know what the point of writing this was other than the fact that I’ve always associated these shows as having the same vibes and I feel like it’s interesting that they have a lot of similarities and went down similar paths. Also I just like yapping.

[badgerswake]

When in Pride Parade, they're doing the vampire tests, like counting the rice.... Guillermo is a vampire.... they didn't know if he ALSO would or would not react to the test.... what would have happened if Guillermo also felt the urge to count the rice? Nandor would have known in that moment!

[neverheroes]

Nandermo was always one of those ships I’ve been down low into, like it’s cute but toxic y’know, and they do obviously love each other (they just wouldn’t behave the way they do without that) but man this ‘get a satisfying answer’ point had me a bit rocked. What do you mean. What do you mean.

[3:50]

Anyway, below cut is my one contribution to the Nandermo club ever with an tiny script fic in Twitter thread form, from June 2022 before all the Guillermo turning stuff.

What I’m trying to say is that I’m embarrassing.

/Begin thread

What if they come home from the club and Guillermo is like “You realise the things you were saying you wanted all night- was a description of me.” and Nandor does his “Don’t be ridiculous” thing, and G says “but I am - those things for you, - all the time.”

Then Nandor says he wants a romantic kind of company and G shrugs “well I could be - a kind of, romantic company. If you would want that.” “You think this,” And Nandor hasn’t even skipped a beat, he’s just treats that proposition as such an obvious thing for Guillermo to suggest

and after a moment says “…And then —you will leave again.”

“Wuh- I won’t leave you master”

“Yes Guillermo, you will get tired of me and then you will leave again”

“Master, I told you-”

“Your •tiny •human •mind cannot comprehend”

“Ok, my tiny human mind? My tiny-Okay why don’t you explain to me and my puny mind.”

“It is not personal, it is just that you will die.”

“Except you’re going to turn me. Master. Like you promised you would”

“Always with this! And then what for you? You are a vampire whooptee doos. You get what you want from me, and then you leave.”

“I said I wouldn’t leave you.”

“This is what I am saying, mush for a brain. You think in 100 years you are not sick of me- it is a tiny blip of eternity, so what for you? Stuck this way. Have you even thought about it. ~Guillermo, I know I make it look easy, but, it is not nice to be a vampire. To make you this way. This is not meant for you.”

“Master. You promised me-“

“It is not for you! It is not for people like you. Who are soft and good.”

“This is - I am putting my foot down!”

“You are what.”

“My foot is, it’s down! You have known that, for some time now, you don’t have the power here. Uh.”

“Whaaat is this”

“No, let me finish. You know what I can do -er -stake wise <👀> and I think you know you don’t have to be scared of-”

“Scared! Oh I should be scared of little-”

“Shh! My foot is down now ok ..I think you, um, you ~also~ know that I am here to protect you, and spend time - with you. [shrug] I don’t care what you say, no, I don’t care. This is my home and it’s here, and with you, and that’s. …That’s that. My home is here with you, and I’m not leaving. No matter what. There.”

/End thread

[barren-heart]

We already know the ending of What We Do In The Shadows the show. The movie told us.

Spoilers from both the movie (2014) and the show (2024)

I think it’s obvious when Taika and Jemaine set out to make an American version of their vampire comedy, they weaved a lot of the same storylines into the show. We have vampire roommates, werewolves (not swearwolves) , familiars, an ancient vampire, vampire hypnosis, and a camera crew.

All the same ideas exist from movie to show, just presented differently.

Guillermo, the familiar turned vampire hunter turned bodyguard turned vampire turned back to human, is a combination of the movie’s familiar and vampire Hunter roles. I believe he’s also the love interest, Katherine.

I think the show, while becoming it’s own thing entirely, has a deep connection to the movie. I think they’ve been trying to follow viago’s love interest storyline since the show switched hands from Taika and Jemaine to Paul Simms.

While probably not known to most, Paul was instrumental in bringing the show over to the States, having helped to fund it.

He was already in the world of Shadows, and while I haven’t agreed on the way he’s said things and some direction the show had taken (season 4 had some growing pains), I do believe he’s understood the heart of the show.

Which is why I think they took such a dramatic shift in season 4 to tell and show the audience that Nandor doesn’t want to just date, but to really have a life or afterlife partner. That season had two “coming outs”. Guillermo obviously coming out as gay, and Nandor coming out as pansexual before he was turned.

I think this distinction was really important to build their romantic dynamic. They wanted to show Nandor’s interest in Guillermo wasn’t attributed to just horny vampireness, but actual true love and affection for him.

And having Guillermo formally come out as gay was more than just the Freddie gag (or the purpose of Guillermo having a boyfriend so that Nandor sleeps with him causing Guillermo to get upset about it which encourages Guillermo to take vampire turning into his own hands, leading to the events in season 5), but to show the audience that Guillermo’s not just a hero worshipper of his boss. He could very well have a crush that could become something more.

And while Simms’ execution of Nandermo so far has not been executed perfectly, (mostly because I think his version of Shadows uses jokes to cover or masque serious moments whereas Jemaine’s comedy often highlights and exposes the truth about life in funny situations), I think Paul’s vision is headed in the right direction.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Guillermo has a far larger familiar role than the one in the movie. Storytelling wise, it’s expected that Guillermo’s ending will solve the lingering vampire question that was halfway resolved in season 5. Because the show is telling the audience, “Wait. There’s more.” There’s more change to be had. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that a part of Nandor’s arc is finding love. And part of his ending will have to be resolving this, as well.

And funny enough, Viago’s ending resolves both of these issues. He finds love with Katherine again and turns her into a vampire, but she got to have a full life first. There’s comedy there (he’s still older than her even though they don’t look it) but also there’s heart. She got to have a full life and agency of her own instead of being robbed of it.

I think Paul wants to set up this ending because it’s funny but also, to highlight his appreciation to the original. We expected from the jump that Nandor would turn Guillermo eventually and we can’t just have that without growth and change and conflict in between. It’s nice to get everything we want, but that’s not what sitcoms do. Sitcoms subvert expectations, and Paul is highly versed in sitcom structure. (Something that I think even Jemaine and Taika had to learn. )

Paul Simms’ isn’t just a writer in the room, he is a writer familiar (haha insert lame reference joke here) with the source material in a sitcom format. The movie wasn’t a sitcom. They could resolve Viago’s relationship because movies resolve arcs at the end of the movie.

Sitcoms don’t resolve anything at the end of an episode or even the end of a season. They resolve them at the end of the show. He knows Nandermo would end the show, because when characters get what they want (whatever their aspirations are) it completes the narrative. In sitcoms, the characters wants drive the purpose of the show.

And all good sitcoms don’t immediately give you (the audience) what you want until the end. And yes it can be frustrating, but when done right, the payoff is worth it. When the arcs are finished, the story ends. Even in sitcoms and comedy shows. So, Guillermo and Nandor being together and Nandor even eventually turning Guillermo, would have to be arc finishers. That would end the show. Which is why I think s6 is ending here, because the lead (Nandor) finished his arc.

Now whether that means Nandor will turn Guillermo on screen or not is yet to be seen. Maybe at some point down the road when Guillermo’s family is much older or have moved on from this earth and maybe when there is a new way to be a vampire without blood, Guillermo will be ready.

[cookinguptales]

I guess what's so frustrating is that it was almost everything I've ever wanted. I've always wanted Guillermo to not be content being a vampire or a human but some third unique thing. I've always wanted Guillermo to realize that he was pinning all of his hopes of change on being a vampire when really he had to learn to love himself as-is. I loved that Nandor was the only one who saw that Guillermo really wouldn't make a good vampire, and that's why he didn't change him. I just about died when Nandor pointed that stake at himself.

But christ, the details. I hate that Laszlo spent an entire season working on a cure when he should have known about the blood thing from Jenna and it was apparently also common knowledge that killing Derek would fix things. I hate that Nandor believed in s3 that killing the sire would kill all vampires (with no exclusion being made for young ones) and now he suddenly has this knowledge that killing a sire won't hurt Guillermo. They didn't even know if any of that stuff was real or a myth, but suddenly they know the nitty-gritty details?

(Why did he even summon the djinn if he'd already exhausted all of his wishes offscreen and had a way to return Guillermo to being a human? It's not like he minded killing Derek, who humiliated him. Was it just to remind us that they hadn't forgotten him?)

If we'd seen Nandor learning all this. Like if it had come out that the books he was reading were about Van Helsing blood or alternative turnings or what happens when you kill a sire or something. If we'd seen Laszlo learning this, so the rest of his actions this season would make any sense at all. If it had been more than "Guillermo didn't want to drink blood", which again, doesn't make a ton of sense. How would the doctors, The Baron, and Laszlo not think of that when Nadja talks about it like it's common knowledge in s1?

And to have Guillermo, instead of finding some power that's all his, going back to being not just a human, but one who takes orders. I always wanted Guillermo's arc to be about learning he didn't need vampiric powers to be who he really is. He has his own power. In this, he didn't gain power or true understanding of himself; the implication is just that he was too squeamish to have power and now he's... going back to cleaning up corpses when Nandor tells him to. He's going back to who he was before, not growing into someone new.

I'm frustrated because this could have been (and should have been, imo) an arc about Guillermo coming to accept himself and his power as-is. Realizing what he truly wants, and that being a vampire won't fix things. Realizing when crucifixes burned him that he was giving up his true power rather than trading it in for something better.

But instead it became less about claiming your power than it was about giving it up. They spent an entire season treating Guillermo better only to revert back to treating him poorly in the end. He spent an entire season gaining interesting powers only to give them up in the end and replace them with nothing new. He's... back on corpse duty.

So much of this series has been about Guillermo finding out that he had powers that were different from the ones he'd always wanted, but strong nevertheless. It's always been about him being just as powerful in the vampires, in his own way. This season... we don't really see that. And that's frustrating.

idk man, I'm just. Frustrated, I guess. It's so much more frustrating when you can see kernels of something great. I can't even feel satisfied with the parts I did like, not yet. I'm just disappointed, I guess.