#claudia has done nothing wrong ever

[ladyodium]

Sometimes when I think about Claudia, I think about how happy she was she had a family only to figure out that she was stuck in a child’s body and would never age. She would never grow and get married to someone, her body would stay the same and everyone around her would treat her like a child.

How Louis viewed her as a child and Lestat viewed her as competition for Louis’s affection. How she constantly was trying desperately for someone to see her as not a child but herself.

How she wanted to understand where vampires came from and also find a place where she could belong, where she wasn’t an outcast or an abomination. I really believe that Claudia branched out to find other vampires because she couldn’t be around Louis and Lestat and how she had to basically parent Louis.

She grew resentful of Louis staying with Lestat after everything Lestat has done to them and I think she understood why Louis stayed but didn’t respect it. I truly wish Louis would have planned the killing of Lestat instead of being a bystander. Claudia throughout her vampire life knew nothing but tragedy at the hands of the people who were supposed to protect her.

She felt like bird in a cage and when she was finally free of that cage, she found someone who loved her for her.

She really was doomed from the narrative and she really should have survived because Claudia was nothing if not a fighter.

MY SHAYLAAAA 😭

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Horrible new theory about Runaan's shirt today.

-no, not the new one, the one he lost-

He's still got his green assassin shirt here on the balcony, and vest too:

But by the time Gren is thrown into the dungeon a couple days later, it's missing.

Runaan's also sporting bags under his eyes because he'd been kept awake all night, enjoying Viren's frustrations about losing Harrow and also getting denied the crown of Katolis.

So. About that missing shirt.

I can't think of too many things worse for a guy who wears four shirts at once than to have them all taken off while he's badly hurt and manacled to the wall, and then be tickled half to death all night long, on his birthday.

[gender-luster]

if louis, armand, and lestat have no fans, then i am dead. if louis, armand, and lestat have no haters, then i am also dead

[mylowmilo]

I have decided. Daniel is my blorbo. Lestat is my babygirl. Armand is my poor meowmeow. I will not be taking questions or comments at this time

[mcknotanniegrey]

First of all there will be no Claudia du Lac slander in this house

[forget-me-nightingale]

My favourite things about S7 of the Dragon Prince (part 2)

5: STICKY FINGERS

Runaan going "You've already said that this morning." to Callum- I know I've said it before but I'm so in love with Jonathan Holmes' voice-- it's so smooth and rich and I could listen to it for hours istg

And then Ethari going "Runaan, be kind to the boy!" 😭

"Home for less than a month and she's already tired of my cooking!" I love their banter so so so much gfdghdjk and the face Ethari makes while saying that with the raised eyebrow

And then Ethari introducing Callum to the Moon Cubs I love the fact that we get to see Ethari interacting with other Moonshadow Elves-- I was so nervous that cause of his grief he's going to become guarded and shut out other elves, but he's clearly so loved by the entire village and especially by the kids, and just seeing more of Ethari after living off of scraps ever since Season 3 was just so marvelous And also Runaan's face while he looks at Callum when Ethari introduces him to the kids--- the eyebrow was raised SO HIGH LMAO

Amaya saying "ass" and Gren having to censor her again lmao

Soren going "SALAD GUY" at Terry LMAO Also Soren yelling at Terry both for being on previously being on the wrong side and then for abandoning said wrong side cause it meant abandoning Claudia LMAO "YEAH? WELL I'M CONFUSED TOO" summed it all up so nicely and was freaking hilarious

Terry just casually dropping the Aaravos bomb in the middle of the convo

Callum setting the scene up so that we think he's going to show the kids his primal magic powers but then just going "tickleproof" was SO GOOD LMAO and so wholesome too 😭 I know it's a given considering he has a younger brother but he's so good with the kids it's so adorable

"Ah-ah, I know this trick! You're just buttering me up!" callback to season 2 😭 Loved it, it made me laugh so much back then

Of course the iconic "Rayla! Callum wants to have ten babies with you!!" scene It made me wheeze so much I had pause the show to collect myself istg Not in front of her dads too 😭 Callum's face, Runaan's deadpan stare, Ethari bursting into laughter It was SO good and funny and wholesome gjhdhgfdk And the tiny detail of Runaan's stoic face breaking into a soft smile as Ethari starts laughing 😭 He loves him SO much and he must've missed that laugh SO MUCH

Soren's "How do we know it's not mmmmmagic sap CORVUS CHECK IT." I LOVED THE DELIVERY ON THAT LINE SO MUCH GDJGHDKJ

The fking Moonberry Surprise scene jdkghdjghdk it caught me SO OFF GUARD 😭 Rayla what the hell did you put in that cake

Also excuse me but Ethari smiling at Runaan in that scene? 🥺🥺

"I am only thinking of the future, Miyana. This heir will play a great role in the rebirth of the Sunfire empire!" Karim please I have been patient with you but your character but you're literally in prison being sentenced to death, WHAT future

6: INVERSION

The primal stone in Aaravos' staff now actually looks like a mini-moon and I love it so much it's so pretty

The animation of Claudia's face when she says "My dad left this world without unfinished business" is done SO beautifully, the way her hair blows in the wind, and her her eyes get bigger and then fill with tears and tremble as they close-- I'm in love with those few seconds

"Good question. How about you answer it?" "What?" the way Aaravos said it was so soft and small I love it so much

"For Leola. My sweet baby girl." hfjskfhsjfhsk 😭 and then the flashback of Leola shouting "daddy" to him as she dies And the delivery of that monologue by Erik Dellums--- do I need to say more

Callum and Rayla repeating the exact things they said in Season 6 after they found out about the Pearl before Kosmo rewinded time was SUCH a cool detail

And then Callum having a literal panic attack- it was shown so well and the emotions were so RAW and genuine I loved it, Callum stuttering and hyperventilating and then THE SHOT OF THE DARK MAGIC VERSION OF HIM SMILING UP AT HIM WAS SO GOOD AND SCARY And the "Nothing, I just- I- I need- I just need- Um, I need some time by myself-" said in almost monotone was such good performance from Jack de Sena I loved it

Aaravos going "A minor inconvenience." as Soren and Terry come out in his deep low voice was SO BADASS

Also there's something about the animation quality in the scene when Claudia passes both Soren and Terry and turns to look at them both- like, the emotion shown on her face, and the movement is so fuild and smooth, I was just in awe

Dark Magic Callum arriving as a dark silhouette with purple glowing eyes was SO INSANELY COOL I AUDIBLY GASPED I love his design so much - and the fact that his voice is a little deeper and just DIFFERENT, you can hear that somehow it's DIFFERENT and it's so incredibly cool And he has a cool coat so

Also that would've been really funny if some random Moonshadow Elf from Silvergrove was just on a night walk and stumbled upon Callum just sitting on a log and screaming angrily at the air lmao

I realized the plan they had with Claudia's mother literally JUST a second before Claudia went "Too exactly" cause I started to think - where's Lujanne during all of this? And then I thought Actually, where's AARAVOS during all of this LMAO

And the scene with Claudia freezing them in place was SO BADASS and tense I LOVED IT The short chant she used sounded so cool, I even reversed it to hear what the actual spell was but I couldn't make the words out lol

Freaking Ziard's spirit coming back as a terrifying skeleton was SO SCARY AND AMAZING

And then Aaravos absolutely TOWERING over Ezran when he's back to his titan form, with his marking glowings and dark blue shadows with the starry sky in the background-- I was so enchanted by this shot I had to pause to just stare at it And then his laugh just BOOMING across the environment- and how he staggers in the background behind Ezran as they fire at him, shielding his face, like there's something about his movements that just shows how absolutely MASSIVE he is SO WELL and it's SO INSANELY COOL

And again, the animation-- like that one shot when it slowed down and focused on the arrows as they flew towards Aaravos' face, with him blurred in the backround and realization and fear slowly appearing on his face before BOOM I just want to appreciate the quality of the shots and the animation cause DAMN IS IT INCREDIBLE THIS SEASON everyone absolutely outdid themselves And the way the orange light of the fire and the explosions contrasted so well with the blue shadows jgkfhdgjkfdhgkfjdhk I am: in love. Also they literally went and pulled a Gulliver on him didn't they

7: THE TITAN AND THE KING

RUNAAN IS BACK WITH HIS OLD OUTFIT 😭😭😭 and he fixed his hair back!!

Silvergrove's owl griffons are SO GORGEOUS I love them so much, their design is so incredible I'm just wondering what happened to the Shadowpaw :(( Cause we didn't see this cutie for the entire season and I loved his soft kitty face so much, it was my absolute favourite of the creatures

"Aaravos is not the only one with a plan. New friends and old friends are working together to help us stop him" Callum narrating the letter over the montage of the Silvergrove team getting ready was so cinematic with the music in the background

It was only during the rewatch tho that I realized-- when Callum narrates about him going to Akiyu for another pearl, there's a shot of Akiyu herself and the shadow of CLAUDIA looming over her, so we were already being given a hint that she's the one who killed her and it was AMAZING

"Aaravos, what do you have to say for yourself?" "I… am innocent." ICONIC THAT MADE ME SMILE SO MUCH HE'S SO SASSY

Ethari's suspicious face with the raised eyebrow as the stone golems are trying to tell him Rex Igneous is not home I LOVED THAT SCENE SO MUCH And him going "Um, are you certain…?" with a slight smile and that lovely Scottish accent ghfdkh And the trick he pulls with the "Ah, what a shame! I brought a delicious gift…" he DEFINITELY used to do it with little Rayla when she didn't want to do something 😭

The shot of Rex Igneous towering over Ethari as he comes out of the mountain-- again, just showing how fking MASSIVE he is compared to Ethari it was SO COOL

"It is the nature of children to think the world must be one way or another. With maturity, we learn that most of life is lived in the space between." YESSS DRAG HIM AARAVOS

Aaravos lifting himself up all of a sudden and everyone just absolutely FREAKING OUT and then him going softly "Don't be scared." HJKFDHJSK

THE LITTLE MUSHPALS SURROUNDING TERRY THEY WERE ALL SO CUTE especially the one on his shoulder with tiny body and huge eyes and hat I WANT TEN OF THEM 😭

"I suppose you've seen that written in the stars?" "No, no… I've seen it written in his eyes." HFKDHGJKSFHGDFKJ

"Pity… I enjoyed our conversation, young king. But I have lingered here long enough. Look… The sun has set." THE WAY HE SAYS IT AS THEY ALL WALK AWAY FDFGFHDFJKHGDK with him lingering on that "t" in "set" and then the slow realization of what that means it was INCREDIBLE, and that sad pitying smile he has on his face as he says it

RUNAAN PUSHING CALLUM OUT OF THE HARM'S WAY GHJKSGHSJK and getting a boulder to the head 😭😭

Callum using the blood freezing spell on Claudia?? And Claudia still being able to cast spells during that??? When Rayla was completely paralyzed from pain when it was used on her?? And the whole duel between them in general?????

THE SHOT of Claudia holding the staff, with eyes glowing purple, face covered in dark cracks, the lighting making her skin look almost blue, and with Runaan coming up behind her, bow drawn, and then going "Don't. Move." WITH THAT LOW AND SMOOTH VOICE THAT WAS SO FKING BADASS JONATHAN HOLMESSSSSSS

"Now what?" "Now, we wait for Callum to catch his breath. And then, he will decide whether you live or die." HFJDSKHGJDK he was waiting for Callum's order cause he's an ASSASSIN HE CARRIES OUT ORDERS GJGHDK

And the scene with Claudia's dragon armor of course--- the way it lights up before she breathes fire gjhgjkf

Dark Magic Callum looking up at him from the reflection before he fades out to reveal the staff gdfhjgfdhjkdfhgjdfk

THE MAGMA TITAN FROM SEASON 3 AND THEN ZIARD RESURRECTING AVIZANDUM I literally audibly gasped like holy shit NOW it's getting even WORSE I was SO EXCITED

8: DYING LIGHT

Aaravos shaking the entire screen as he walks

When he was just staring at Karim with this unimpressed face without saying a single word-- and then he started smirking, and Karim yapped more and more, and I was thinking "okay, he's gonna swallow him, isn't he? As a reference to the third season, cause he said he swallowed Queen Aditi--" AND THEN THE SQUISH THAT WAS SO GRIM AND GRUESOME AND UNEXPECTED I WAS LITERALLY SPEECHLESS FOR A FEW GOOD MOMENTS And the sound of it too?????? The blood??? Janai's screams???????? I don't think ANYONE expected Karim to go out like that and HOLY SHIT the shock factor was HUUUUUGE

Aaravos being forced onto his back and pinned down by Rex Igneous? 👀👀👀 And then him blasting Rex away - like YES finally we get to see Aaravos fighting with magic, even if it was just for a second

Also I love how different Rex Igneuos' voice is from other Archdragons- like it's not as low and booming as Sol Regem's or deep and royal as Zubeia and Domina's, but it's rather sharp, and rocky, and rough, but it has such authority and power and strength in it too-- like it fits an Archdragon so well but in different ways than the other ones

And the fight between him and Avizandum was such an epic battle, so fitting for the series finale, like we finally get to see the dragons in ACTION action after getting just slivers of it

Also Rex's death caught me off guard-- I didn't expect him to ACTUALLY die, I thought he might get defeated and hurt, but not straight up DEAD halfway through the battle It was really good shock value tho, like it showed how SERIOUS this has gotten

Aaravos going "ARE. YOU. WATCHING?" at the starry sky gfdjdlhjkgf

Runaan saying "You've done well" to the owl gryphon 🥺🥺🥺 He was so SOFT in that moment gfjdhgkd the hardened assassin And he gave it a pet and a little smile too 🥹 AND THEN him and Rayla hugging AGAIN 😭😭 I loved seeing him being affectionate with his beloved family so much

EVERYONE GETTING READY FOR THE FINAL FIGHT AVENGERS ASSEMBLE

STELLA CASUALLY DECAPITATING THE DRAKE WITH THE PORTAL GFDJHGFDJK I didn't expect that from HER OF ALL THE LITTLE CREATURES

DOMINA PROFUNDIS' ENTRANCE Like first the water raining down and then this MASSIVE OCEAN DRAGON appearing with such a cool sound too and flying over Rayla's head like a freaking JETPLANE And the clicking kind of sound she made when she landed next to Zubeia was so incredibly cool I got shivers- and her design is so pretty too, especially with that shot!!!

Aaravos going "I do not fall for the same tricks twice." with that low angry voice gave me so many chills

"But I'm afraid you've misjudged your would-be slayer. Your beloved is an assassin who cannot kill." "No. Not Rayla." AND THEN THE CAMERA MOVING TO REVEAL RUNAAN WITH HIS BOWED TRAINED ON CALLUM FJFGHDFKGD I WAS starting to realize what was happening when Callum said "Moonshadow assassin" and not just "Rayla" BUT TO ACTUALLY SEE IT I audibly gasped grjhdk

9: NOVA

"There is no path to victory. It's over." "You're right. There isn't. Not for you, either. Because we will sacrifice anything to stop you, and save this world. My heart… for Xadia…!" 🥹🥹🥹 no words

Aaravos going "Claudia, you must go!"-- I think it's at that moment he realized there actually is a possibility of losing the fight And then "I WILL NOT-- watch… another daughter die." 🥹🥹🥹 I DO think their father-daughter relationship was the tiniest bit rushed, but it's still made my eyes water, and the way he said it too bfhjhjghjdg so soft but sad and like he wanted to reassure her as well

Runaan clutching his side and reaching his arm out towards Rayla to hug her AGAIN when she comes to the ground HFDJKHGJKFDHGDFJKGHD he loves his family SO MUCH And then the wince as he pulls away cause he's still hurting and the fall made it worse again gjfdhgkj it was such a nice little scene but so telling

The way Aaravos looked in his final moment-- all battered and bruised and with blood trickling down from his nose and mouth and his EYE-- it was so visceral and genuinely scary

The fact that when he died it looked the exact same as Leola died--- with light pouring out of his eyes and mouth jffdgjdk I was just so stunned I couldn't even move

Zym crying out for his mom and crying as she burned---- 😭😭😭 and her going "Goodbye, Azymondias… I will always love--" as the camera switches to Zym just looking up with eyes full of tears-- and the fact the she didn't GET TO FINISH AND SAY "LOVE YOU" IN HER FINAL WORDS MADE LITERALLY WEEP

And the soundtrack that played during that entire scene, with the vocalization and wailing--- it was just oh my God so good

And then after that the "Brothers." scene LMAO Like logically I knew he HAD to start talking at some point, since all the adult Archdragons do, but it caught me SO OFF GUARD and it was SUCH A GOOD SCENE LMAOOOO And apparently he's voiced by Zuko's voice actor too which I find absolutely amazing, the voice fits him SO WELL

Opeli going "I say 'potato', you say 'po-tah-to'…" LMAOOO it was so great to see and hear her so exasperated

Getting to see all the characters from the previous seasons<3 Elmer from Finnegrin's ship, Nyx and Villads, teenage Phoe-Phoe

Claudia reenacting the episode openings' shots 👌👌

Runaan and Ethari arriving on the owl griffin, he looked so sad and somber and the blue lighting in that scene was again so gorgeous gjfhdgk

And of course the monologue he gives next I was literally speechless watching it We got to hear about his thoughts and feelings in such depth And is was such a contrast to the stoic and badass cold-blooded assassin we knew from season 1 And Jonathan performance?????? The little bitter laugh at the "A twisted peacemaker, I suppose…", the way his voice started breaking at "My act of violence planted seeds of darkness, seeds of anger and hate, that would grow into a thousand fold the violence I thought I could stop", like you can literally HEAR the genuine TEARS in his voice, how close he is to crying And the shot at Ethari's face in between all of this--- he looked like he was about to break into tears as well, I don't know if he's ever seen his husband being so vulnerable and open about his feelings towards someone else aside from him like in that moment "I was trained to accept that I was already dead, so that I might carry out my dark work without fear. But… I am NOT DEAD! I am ALIVE! I have a family I love!" THE WAY YOU CAN HEAR THE ABSOLUTE ANGUISH IN HIS VOICE AFTER HE'S BEEN A STOIC COLD-HEARTED ASSASSIN FOR SO LONG AND ETHARI'S FACE AT THOSE LAST WORDS AND HIM RUSHING TO HUG RUNAAN And the contrast of the season 1 "I told you, I am already dead" with the season 7 "I am NOT DEAD! I am ALIVE!" 😭😭😭😭

Pyrrah getting a cup of dragon-sized tea

Rayla looking so soft with her hair down sleeping in front of the fireplace And the whole ending scene with them standing on the bridge and with the little creatures putting on the show for her<3

And of course Leola's Last Wish--- the music during that scene was so gorgeous I was crying so much and I IMMEDIATELY went to look for that particular soundtrack, with the harp and the strings gfdjhgdhjkdg

In summary: I love this show with my entire heart. I know people have their complaints about this season, there will always be complaints and disappointment, but honestly I'm just focusing on the things I loved about the season - there was SO much work and love that went into making this, so much PASSION, I can't imagine how hard the creators and the artists and the voice actors worked to get it done, and I just want to thank them SO SO much for creating this, for getting their story out there, for giving us so many incredible characters to love, so many incredible moments, the music, the beauty, the shots-- Gonna get a little personal here but I've been struggling with depression for a long few years now and when I discovered The Dragon Prince this year it was the first time in YEARS that I felt so involved with a story, so enraptured in it, so CONNECTED to it, I just love it all with my entire absolute heart- it brought me so much comfort, maybe because it reminded me of the animated movies I used to watch during winter evening at my parents' house, warm and cozy under the blankets in the living room, maybe because it was just so amazing in itself, or maybe both combined. Good stories are the thing I love the absolute most in the entire world, and God, was THAT a DAMN GOOD STORY. @dragonprinceofficial thank you SO much for giving us this world, this story, these emotions, and please know that despite all the criticism there are so many of us that love the show with our ENTIRE hearts.<3<3<3

[kradogsrats]

@dragonprincedrabbles prompt Harrow + Damian, Breathe

—

A particularly nasty cold works its way through the castle, the first winter after they move in. Even Sarai gets the sniffles, though fortunately no more than that. Being sick and six months' pregnant would be truly miserable.

Callum stays healthy, thanks to diligent hand-washing and restriction from the areas of the castle where germs are most freely spread, but he grows moody and standoffish. He was already struggling to adjust, obviously feeling like an out-of-place guest in the castle and seeing Harrow as more like a distant uncle than a stepfather. Sarai knows he needs time—the only way encourage growing into a home and family is to allow the space to do so, and then step back. She just hates seeing her son unhappy.

Then Claudia, the one playmate he's truly grown close with, gets sick enough to spend a week in bed, and he starts acting out in ways he never has before. Not even when Damian was dying.

Harrow spends most of that week with Viren, who is understandably beside himself over his daughter's condition, mild though it is. Once she's undeniably on the mend and Harrow's able to escape, Sarai shares her own frustration and worries about her son. Always thoughtful, he suggests that they go to the lodge—there's a blanket of fresh snow on the ground, and a change of scene and activities will do Callum good.

It's a fantastic idea, one Sarai is embarrassed she didn't think of herself. Of course, she's not exactly used to having an entire lodge to retreat to for relaxation.

The first few days go better than she could ever hope—he and Harrow sled, build snowmen and snow banthers, and have snowball fights more epic than any Border skirmish. Sarai joins them sometimes, though she feels a little too pregnant for some of the more vigorous activities and is content to watch from inside, sipping hot cider. Callum runs to her pink-cheeked and laughing when they come back inside, happier every day than he has been in weeks. In the evenings, he falls asleep on the couch, nestled between them as Harrow reads aloud in his deep, soothing voice.

Then the castle cold catches up with Harrow.

Sarai suddenly finds herself caught between overseeing regular deliveries of hot soup and honeyed tea to her husband and near-constant tantrums from her son. Everything becomes a battle—getting up in the morning, what food he'll eat for any meal and when, putting on warm clothes before going outside, baths, bedtime. After a particularly bad fit over wanting to go ice skating—it's not cold enough for Sarai to trust the pond's ice without it being checked—she gathers him up into her lap for a talk.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she says, rocking them both gently back and forth while he snuggles in her arms. "I can tell you're having a lot of big feelings—are you sad or mad that Harrow can't play anymore? Do you miss the castle?"

He shakes his head against her chest, but says nothing.

"Did something happen that scared you? Have you had bad dreams?"

Callum hesitates, then buries his face in her shirt, clinging to her. "I'm sorry, Mom," he says through fresh tears. "It's all my fault, I'm so sorry—"

She shushes him soothingly, stroking his hair. "I'm right here. It's okay to be overwhelmed. You haven't done anything wrong."

He takes a hiccuping breath. "But I did! I—I wished that King Harrow would die, so we could go home. I just wanted everything to be like it was before, with Dad. Now he's—I don't want him to die!"

He's crying hysterically again, and Sarai holds him tight. All the pieces suddenly come together—this year's cold takes root in the chest, leading to a wet, hacking cough. Harrow's coughing fits, while already subsiding, had been loud and frequent for the first few days. Loud enough to be heard from nearly anywhere in the lodge.

She and Damian had kept the worst of his condition from Callum, but not everything could be hidden, especially if Damian was to have any kind of life in his remaining time. So Callum saw when he coughed convulsively until he strained to breathe, air barely wheezing in and out of his lungs. Even if that wasn't the case, he'd heard his father's labored, rattling breaths at the end.

"Oh, sweetie," she says. "He's not going to die, I promise. He'll be just fine in a few days."

Callum shakes his head wildly, clinging to her. "I'm sorry," he sobs again.

"It's okay," Sarai soothes him, rubbing slow circles into his back. "It's okay, Callum. Sometimes, when we're angry or scared, we think or say things we don't really mean. There have been a lot of big changes, and that can feel scary and unfair. I wish we could have done things differently."

She swallows around the lump forming in her throat. "Your dad—I was angry and scared for a long time, when we found out how sick he was. I was angry that he wouldn't get to see you grow up, and I was scared of what life would be like without him. I had a lot of mean thoughts about people who I knew loved me, and were only trying to help. I didn't let those thoughts take root, and I know you won't, either—you'll breathe, and let them out."

She inhales deeply through her nose and exhales slowly through her mouth, repeating until Callum was breathing with her. His crying slows as he relaxes.

"Harrow can't ever replace your dad, but whatever he becomes to you, I know he loves you very much." She hugs him close, smiling when he hugs her back. "How about this? We can toast some cheese sandwiches and bring some soup up to him for lunch, like a picnic. He'll be happy to see you."

Callum nods, rubbing his nose with his sleeve. Sarai pokes it lightly. "Then, if the Crownguard say the ice is safe, we can go skating."

"Maybe, instead of skating," Callum says tentatively, as he hops down from her lap, "we could play a game from the game room this afternoon."

So Harrow can play, too. All of us together. She smiles, levering herself up from the couch. "That's a wonderful idea, sweetie. Go pick one out, and I'll start the sandwiches."

She's still smiling as he scampers off excitedly, and she heads for the kitchen. Lunch and games with all three of them, together—it looks like they just might be becoming a family.

[meglosthegreat]

So, Veilguard was bad and Dragon Age is probably done forever. What now?

If you, like me, spent the past ten years in anticipation of the next instalment of your favourite series of all time, and were then grossly and horrifically let down by what we ended up getting, you're probably feeling pretty bummed out right now. You might be wondering if anything out there will ever make you feel how Dragon Age did, and may be at a loss for what media to develop unhealthy levels of attachment to next.

With that in mind, I have compiled a list of my own personal, 100% Dragon Age fan-certified recs across media of all types. In the interest of presenting these in a way that feels more relevant in comparison to Dragon Age itself, I will not be grouping them in any kind of logical category but will instead be going purely off Vibes. I will also not be listing in detail certain titles that I think are too well-known to be useful in this list - namely Bioware's other games, among others. I will give brief mention of these, but I want to focus on less widely-known properties, or things that you may have heard of but have not seen recommendation for specifically from a fellow DA fan.

I may be updating this list further if I find something good to add, or if I think of something I hadn't before. And if you have further recs not present here, please feel free to reblog with your own additions!

Vibe #1: Good ol' High Fantasy

This category pertains to works that fall under the same broad genre definitions as Dragon Age, with similar overarching tones and themes. Not listed: Baldur's Gate 3, The Elder Scrolls, Avatar: TLA.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Video Game) - Easily my top pick for other RPGs that elicit the big world stakes and sweeping plot of DAI. There's even an EXTREMELY Solas-coded character who I won't spoil but let's just say as a Solas enjoyer myself they did absolutely nothing wrong and I would die for them. D:OS 1 is very good too, but they are both standalone stories and 2 has more of the DA feel than 1, so it takes the place on this list.

Unsounded (Webcomic) - This one hits so many DA boxes while at the same time being something extremely unique in itself. It's got deep, multifaceted characters. It's got a fascinating world and huge amounts of fantasy politics. It's got humour interposed with horror and tragedy with neither undercutting the other. It's got not one, but TWO extremely pathetic war criminal dads, who somehow are constantly at odds with each other and yet are forced together into Situations nonetheless. And it's free! Go read it right now, there's absolutely nothing stopping you.

Bone (Comic Series) - This is almost a reverse-recommendation in a sense, because I read it years before Dragon Age ever existed and is probably one of the reasons why I was drawn to DA in the first place. It's epic, sprawling fantasy but constantly grounded in the small, personal stakes of it all. Imagine an isekai but the isekai'd are from a pseudo-modern maximalist cartoon land and have been thrust into a gritty medieval fantasy. Don't let the jokes and the goofy main characters throw you though because this series gets dark.

Vibe #2: Found Family

If your favourite part of Dragon Age is the character dynamics, and you don't particularly care about genre trappings, this is the section for you. Not listed: Mass Effect, KOTOR

Farscape (TV Series) - Oh my god I am begging you, imploring you, to PLEASE watch Farscape. David Gaider has said before that he loves the show, and it's the reason Claudia Black became the voice of Morrigan. If that isn't enough of an endorsement for you, it also has THE MOST fucked up little blorbos the world has ever seen. Literally nothing, and I mean nothing, comes close to the wet cat/kicked puppy energy that these characters exhibit, and what's more 50% of them are dressed in early 2000s tight leather getups 24/7 while the other 50% are composed of the most incredible puppetwork and prosthetics you've ever laid eyes on.

Unavowed (Video Game) - This is a point-and-click adventure game about a team of supernatural investigators, and for such a relatively small indie game compared to the likes of DA, it does a hell of a job creating compelling and complex characters who you get to know and love. The opening act of the game has a bit where a monster rips someone's face off, and yet there is something so cozy about it I just can't explain.

Aurora (Webcomic) - This one has all the good found family vibes, with a cast of characters that each has their own Deal, who bicker and squabble incessantly but manage to pull together when it really matters. And when they don't, you can be sure they will Get Into It with themselves, and with each other. It's got tons of heart and soul, gorgeous colour work, and is also totally free!

Vibe #3: Worldbuilding & Political Machinations

If you love digging into theories and lore, and appreciate stories with complex fantasy politics, look no further than here. Not listed: The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Fallout: New Vegas

Pillars of Eternity (Video Game) - This is a broad rec for both Pillars games (and hopefully, if it ends up being good, the upcoming Avowed). While the gameplay is on the whole more difficult to get into and there isn't as much time dedicated to party members as in DA, PoE1 has some of the tightest, most well-thought out lore I've encountered. If the factions of DATV were a huge disappointment to you, PoE2's main focus is a handful of incredibly complex ones that pose you genuinely difficult questions about ethics and morality. Also like half the characters are voiced by Matt Mercer, it's great.

The Wheel of Time (Book Series) - The reason I didn't put this under Vibe #1, despite it being solid high fantasy, is that I didn't connect so much with the story and plot developments as much as I did the worldbuilding and politics of the series. Fair warning, this rec does come with several giant asterisks, as it is notorious for having infuriating characters and baffling gender dynamics, but if you are able to look past all the weirdness, you'll find what was clearly a lot of the inspiration for DA's world underneath. The recent TV show is... a mixed bag, but probably the only alternative to reading fourteen tome-sized books if you don't have the stomach for that.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines (Video Game) - You've probably seen this one recommended before, but if you're having a hard time getting past the early 2000s graphics and weird engine jank, let me assure you that it is well worth the hassle. There are lots of games out there that try to make you feel like a pawn in someone's greater plan, but none of them come close to matching what VTMB managed. If you like your politics and scheming more personal and visceral than grand and world-spanning, with excellent roleplaying options to back them up, this is the game for you.

Vibe #4: Fucked Up People in a Fucked Up World

This one is easily the most "hear me out, bro" category, but if Dragon Age 2 specifically is your jam, and you crave more Kirkwall energy and Greek tragedy in your life, I have a feeling you will really like these. Not listed: Arcane, Disco Elysium

Dishonored (Video Game) - This one has always been a tough sell, because despite it being, imo, one of the best designed games of all time, the way it was marketed makes it seem like a real Gamer's game, with super epic stealth powers! And badass kill animations! But behind all that, you'll find some of the most Characters of all time, including a soggy wet twink god who gives you magic powers but will be such a little bitch about it. The whole thing is steeped in potent atmosphere and incredible worldbuilding. Also everyone is gay.

Planescape: Torment (Video Game) - This is widely considered one of the greatest RPGs of all time, and though you have to deal with a fair amount of jank and perhaps a little more reading than you'd like in a video game, the design and atmosphere of Sigil alone make it worthwhile. Then there's the cast of characters, most of which are like two bad days away from becoming a supervillain and all of whom hate each others' guts. Need I say more?

The Magnus Archives (Podcast) - TMA is definitely not for all DA fans, but if your favourite part of DAO was the broodmother section, and you really enjoyed the slowly unfolding tragedy of Kirkwall and the feeling of Hawke being doomed by the narrative, you might find yourself hooked, as I did. There are also some extremely good characters in here, all uniquely fucked up in their own way, and getting to know them in between the main segments of episodes was the definite highlight for me.

That's all for now, and again, if you'd like to add to this list, please be my guest! There are a handful of things I think would probably fit here but I haven't watched/played/read yet, so if you think something extremely obvious is missing, that's most likely why.

[sillyteecup]

The Wrong Way

Roman Reigns x black!o.c,

Jey Uso x black!o.c

Chapter 1

Warnings:

18+

Taglist: @nbanenefrmdao @wrestlingprincess80 @lensilver

A.N: This is more of a Roman fic but because Lori has a number of interactions with Jey as a "couple" it felt right to add them as a pairing. Anyway, this is the first chapter of The Wrong Way, and I hope you like it. Please let me know if you wanna be a part of the taglist. Enjoy❤️

Power. One of the most sought after things in history. Countless of wars have been fought to obtain and maintain it, leaving pools of blood in their wake. Those on the outside have dreams of claiming it as their own, while those born into it cling to it for dear life.

Most of those born into it anyway. Loreal on the other hand loathed it. Loathed what it had done to her family and the hand it had in her upbringing. Her father's obsession with growing their family's power and influence had resulted in their household being a cold one, devoid of love and compassion, yet never teetering into hateful and abusive territory. Her family spoke to each other only out of necessity, and Lori preferred it that way.

Until of course, it was her that they needed to speak to.

That morning she had woken up to Minerva and Claudia standing at her bedside holding an extravagant looking black and silver silk gown, and a diamond headpiece, while Willow and Indiana waited by the windows, ready to open the curtains. Another marriage arrangement to likely, yet another deviant from across the seas was afoot. Unfortunately at the ripe age of 27, this was an expected and recurring event.

Maybe if I just died-

Usually before the meetings, Lori bathed and dressed in silence despite the ever looming company of her maidens. The chatter usually began after the other family had left, but this morning the young ladies assisting her were feeling particularly jovial much earlier than usual. Almost as if they were the ones being auctioned off to yet another power mongering clan. Another change was that they were actually putting more effort into her look than usual. A strange occurrence since they knew how much she hated these meetings and preferred the silence when they came around.

"I'm inclined to assume that this one is attractive or particularly wealthy," Lori said, piercing through the particularly light silence. Willow's grin spread even wider as she decorated her madam's hair with pearls.

"One hell of a looker, that's for sure," commented Claudia with a sly smirk while she applied Lori's makeup.

A curious frown painted Lori's face. A handsome suitor was nothing new in the last 3 years. In fact they were the more common breed, and yet her maidens had never expressed even the slightest positive reaction at them. Something must be different. This one must be famous.

"Tell me," she gently demanded. If there's one thing Lori knew, it's how her maidens loved a good gossip.

The young ladies began to giggle uncontrollably in excitement. Each of them sharing knowing looks before focusing back on Lori's expectant expression staring at them through the mirror of her vanity.

"Well ma'am, we aren't exactly sure who it is, but we are inclined to believe that he hails from the Bloodline," Minerva shared excitedly. At the revelation Lori flew into a state of contemplation.

A member of Bloodline? And they aren't sure which one?

Lori was pulled back from her thoughts by the speculative chatter happening around her. "My money is on Jimmy," Indiana guessed confidently. But Jimmy is already married...

"Wrong and loud is what you would be Indi because tribal prince Jimmy is already married to the lady-well, now princess Naomi," Minerva corrected, agreeing with Lori's silent reasoning.

Willow was next to bring forth her own guess. "Oh but what about tribal prince Solo? I believe him and ma'am would be perfect together, after all they are both quite standoffish," she said earning a playfully offended glare from Lori and boisterous laughs from the other ladies.

"I am not standoffish. I prefer strong and silent," said Lori, defending her character. Her maidens all chuckled at her reply, knowing all about her character.

"Okay, I know this might be far out but, what about The Tribal Chief himself?" Minerva guessed, earning weary looks from everyone in the room.

"Is he not married?" Willow asked. Not much was known about the Tribal Chief apart from whispers across the shores.

The only reason that Lori even shared the same curiosity as Willow is because her maidens were quite up to date with the latest gossip. As means of staying ahead of her father and his rather devious options for husbands, she encouraged the ladies to share the gossip with her. Something that had been working in her favour for 3 years now.

Minerva smirked mischievously before sharing what she had recenty heard. "Well, word across the shore is that The Tribal Chief and his wife are actually in the middle of a fallout of sorts. They're saying it might be a divorce," she said in a hushed tone, as somethings just couldn't be said out loud.

The rest of the maidens remained unconvinced however. Still keeping their speculations on the other members. Even Lori knew that her father's connections, although powerful, could never secure her a marriage with the Tribal Chief himself. And if she was being honest, she was grateful. The man had a reputation of ruling with an immovable iron fist, and dealing with insubordination in manners so ruthless that no one dared to speak of them in public.

He was also notoriously unapproachable and cold towards those outside of his family. Hell, no one even knew his real name. Perhaps that's why his marriage is falling apart...

"Perhaps it's-" Claudia's guess was interrupted by Lori's door opening abruptly. Lori turned to see who it was while her maidens bowed their heads in case it was a member of her family.

And they were right. Her mother stood in the doorway, wearing her own diamond headdress and dressed in a silk gown similar to Lori's, except hers was a deep violet. Her posture was straighter than a steel ruler as she waltzed into Lori's bedroom, likely to inspect her daughter's appearance and determine if she was presentable enough.

The maidens made way for Lady Azaelea to pass through while Lori stood up to face her mother. Her mother grinned, a sign that she was pleased at the work Lori's maidens had put in. "Magnificent indeed," was all Azalea said before holding her hand out for Lori to take.

The pair made their way out of Lori's bedroom, across the halls and downstairs to the foyer where 6 unfamiliar men stood with her father and some of the house staff. Lori observed the men discreetly, careful not to stare for too long.

The first to fall into her line of sight was an older and rather plump, tanned but white (likely Italian) man with a hairline that had receded far back to the nape of his neck. He wore a navy blue suit as opposed to the others who were adorned in black.

The second one was another white man, this one much paler. Are those girls sure that they heard right about this being the bloodline? The lower half his face was covered by a large, yet well groomed beard that matched the color of his slicked back red hair. He was taller than the first man and had a rather fearful yet excited gleam in his eye.

The next two were a set of twins. Both of their heads shaven on the sides to leave long curly hair out in the middle. One had half of silky curly hair dyed red, while the other one's hair was fully black. These men looked Samoan and confirmed the maiden's statement. They both stood tall with perfect posture, faces covered by salt and pepper beards. How old are they? Both of them with congruently shaped brown eyes, and identical facial structures. Literally the only difference she could spot at the time was their hair.

Next to them stood another Samoan man also with bone straight posture. This one was slightly bigger than the other too, both in height and in muscle. While he looked relatively different from the twins, Lori could see the resemblance in his eyes. There wasn't much time to look for more. His hair was shorter than that of the twins and blonde. His beard was plain black, meaning he was younger than the twins. He looked like he could crush a man's head with his bare hands without breaking a single sweat. They all looked scary but this one? This must be Tribal Prince Solo.

And then finally her eyes landed on the 6th man, the one standing at the forefront of the group with an Ula Fala around his neck. The Tribal Chief.  Suddenly the air had become thicker, so much so that Lori almost choked. The Tribal Chief was tall, for starters, with a broad chest and shoulders that filled his black suit to perfection. His facial features were set in a neutral expression. Cold brown eyes digging into her her curious ones, almost as if daring her to challenge him or his authority. Must be an automatic thing. His long jet black hair was tied into a bun at the nape of his neck, sides shaved like the twins. His beard, also salt and pepper colored.

They were all handsome (apart from the man in navy), but the Tribal Chief? His appearance was godly. Beautiful but ever intimidating.

And Lori was hardly ever intimidated

"Loreal," her father, Byron's voice called, cutting into her thoughts. She turned towards the older man, head briefly bowing in respect. "This is the Tribal Chief. He has come here with the Tribal Princes and his Wiseman with an exciting proposition," Byron said, stating everything Lori already knew.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes and prayed that they, like the rest, would do or say something to displease her mother and just end this meeting already. She didn't think she could spend another hour in the same room as the Tribal Chief.

"My Tribal Chief, this is my wife, Lady Azalea and my daughter Loreal, the one that Tribal Prince Rikishi has requested for his son," Byron said, introducing Lori and her mother to the stone faced man before them.

Tribal Prince Rikishi? They never mentioned him or his son?

Lori and her mother bowed their heads, unsure what to expect of the leader. Lori had never been so nervous for a marital discussion.

"A pleasure," the Tribal Chief said curtly, before turning to the man Lori assumed was his Wiseman.

"Lord Byron, it is our utmost pleasure to introduce you to your daughter's fiancé-" Wait, what do they mean fiancé? Has this already been finalized? Without me getting to at least know the man's name? "The Tribal Prince, Jey," the Wiseman concluded.

As Lori wondered which one was Jey, one of the twins, the one with the fully black hair stepped forward with his hand held out for Lori to take it. He bowed gracefully before her, leaning in to kiss the back of her knuckles. As their eyes locked, Lori was met with a sight she knew all too well. Arrogance.

"It's an honor to meet you, Princess Loreal," he said huskily, sending a shiver down Lori's spine. Unlike The Tribal Chief, who made Lori nervous, Tribal Prince Jey elicited a feeling of uncertainty. She was unnerved and to her, that was far worse than being afraid.

Yet still, Lori's head floated in a space of disbelief. There was no way that her father had sealed the deal for them to marry. Surely they were speaking out of turn and there was still some deliberation to be-

"Loreal, this is your fiancé. You are to be married in a month," her father stated proudly. His words made her ears ring and her vision blur. She grew light headed as the reality set in.

Loreal was getting married.

[ladyodium]

Claudia whenever one of those psychotic vampire twinks fucked with her

[leslutdepointedulac]

Okay. I think enough time has passed. I'm ready to confront this.

I finished re-reading IWTV a few days ago now, and this paragraph fucked me up then, and continues to fuck me up now 🙃

Armand obviously knew what was going to happen. He knew that the theatre vampires were going to be coming for Claudia that very same night. He essentially warns Louis about what's to come.

"Louis, come with me tonight," he whispered suddenly, with an urgent inflection.

Armand is desperate to get Louis to go with him there and then, so that he doesn't get caught up in the theatre vampire's 'business', so to speak. It's got nothing to do with Louis, he doesn't need to be punished, as far as Armand's concerned.

When Louis rejects this, and says he can't go with him tonight, there's not really anything Armand can do, but to just accept that that's how it's going to be. He doesn't want Louis getting caught up in the situation, but he can't say anything more, unless he gives himself and his involvement away.

I watched him turn away and look at the dark night sky. He appeared to sigh, but I didn't hear it.

For only a moment I hesitated, mocked by the pounding of my heart.

It's as if, deep, deep down, Louis knows there's something wrong. He knows something's coming, and that whatever it is, it can't be any good. And I think he knows Armand has something to do with it.

But Louis' blinded by his love for Armand, and Armand's love for him. He's blinded by the possibilities Armand could give him, and any further knowledge he may have to share.

Louis doesn't want to face the truth. He's had one not so great experience in love before, and he's not willing to let that happen again, even if that just means being in denial about it. He so desperately wants to believe Armand has his best interests at heart, and that there's no possible chance that he could ever have any malicious intentions, let alone follow through with them.

He's clinging onto hope.

But ultimately, that delusional hope ends with Claudia dead, when Louis should've just listened to her warnings.

Of course, Louis isn't entirely responsible. Armand already had Louis, he didn't need to worry about Claudia anymore. Louis literally even says so himself. He tells Armand he already has him. And I know that's not the only reason for Claudia's death, there's so much more to it than that, but it was apart of it.

I think either way, Claudia was probably going to end up dead, but more could've been done to prevent it. But the blatently obvious warning signs were ignored, along with Armand's desperate need to have Louis.

[madou-dilou]

I really hope we get to see Callum go unhinged and war crimes and murder WITHOUT Aaravos's influence because he talks big about darkness but...

"Messed up inside and I mess up everything I touch". Callum, you have done literally nothing wrong ever, you don't deserve the emo Byronic hero lexical field. But do you know who's EARNED the right to say that?

saves his dying son. But has to kill his mentor for it. His beloved wife is horrified, she leaves him, breaking their family.

ends up shifting the blame on the very baby boy he sacrificed everything to save. He became a monster to save Soren and monsters don't make good parents even when they try.

But had he not saved Soren, he would have hated Lissa for preventing him to do so, and the family would have been broken regardless

inadvertently has Claudia taking charge of his and Soren's emotional well-being since he's too much of a workaholic to do so himself

wants to save two realms from starvation. He does. But not only he fails to rescue the two queens of Duren, his friend dies in his arms rescuing him.

His only friend ends up blaming him for everything that ever went wrong before committing suicide. Viren tries to die for him instead but is rejected

He orders his son to kill the princes, Harrow's sons

He orders Claudia to choose to save the dragon egg over Soren if she is forced to choose. Which is understandable, after all Soren chose to be a soldier, and Viren has proven he was ready to do the same

He destroys Lux Aurea simply by walking in

Soren leaves him

He dies a horrifying death. Claudia, his sweet, treasured daughter, goes through unfathomable sufferings to bring him back, to the point that he realises the only good he can do for Claudia, for Soren, for the world, is to leave it. The world is better off without him and he finally knows it

He tries to apologise to Soren but realises it will only harm Soren even further

He commits suicide.

Meanwhile, what has Callum ever done wrong ?

Crushing already dead slugs.

Come on.

[noahsartt]

My reservations with the 2022 Interview with the Vampire tv series:

My thoughts on amc’s Interview with the Vampire (2022) tv series compared to the 1976 source material and what I liked about the 1994 movie.

Some reflections before the second season airs. I watched the series as it was coming out in 2022, so these thoughts have been sitting for over a year.

This is a subjective critique of the show, not me hating on it. I liked the show a lot & watched it twice. Many of the key changes were extremely creative ways of exploring those characters from new perspectives, instead of just pointlessly remaking something that's been done before. Distinct creative change should be the basis of every remake, no point is making something 'new' if there's nothing new about it. This show knew that, and the changes for the most part were written beautifully. ...But the movie is still my favourite despite its many flaws. Camp classic right there.

Issues with the show:

Making it take place 100 years later, it ruins the specific aesthetic of the book for me. (But I understand they had to in order to re-write Louis & Claudia as black).

Aging up Claudia. The way Bailey Bass played Claudia was amazing, no notes at all for her. I just wish they kept her younger because that was a very symbolic part of what made Claudia’s original character so tragic. She suffers in an entirely different way to Louis because of her age. New Claudia is supposed to be in the body of a 14 year old, but the actress was 18/19 so she looks much older already,  and no matter how well she played it, the age factor can’t be helped. Being stuck eternally in the body of a 5 year old (book) is so different to a 14 year old, who looks much older (tv show). Kirsten Dunst who was 10 in the movie, was able to play the little child - adult vampire progression a lot better. People say Claudia's original age is too 'disturbing' to see on screen... but that's the character...

Daniel being old… WHY?? Just so they could tie together the storyline or him meeting Armand multiple decades before ???? I only read IWTV and some of the TVL so I don't know everything that happens down the line for him, or what amc plans for the character in the show... but I don't understand the aging up except for 'diversity' reasons. Which, ok, but just to check a box? Louis and Claudia's race change make sense as a creative decision. But the Daniel in the book and film is a 20-something year old which is why he's so fascinated by Louis' 'gift', and doesn't understand the message Louis is sending, instead wanting to become a vampire too. Why would old Daniel want those same things? Changing Daniel's age is such an inherent thing... it's like if they didn't make Lestat blond. Eric Bogosian plays him funny though, I will say that. Christian Slater kind of just sat there.

Louis having no money and needing Lestat's financial support for his business ventures????? When it’s supposed to be Lestat leeching off Louis' estate … WHY. Why did they change something so fundamental about their dynamic. Lestat moves in because he needs wealth and Louis has it. And then he starts acting like it's both of theirs and Louis just lets him. Funniest thing ever. But in the show Louis moves in with him instead. That's just wrong.

Louis asking (basically begging) Lestat to make Claudia when Lestat is supposed to be the one to do it in order to ensure Louis doesn't leave him. Another fundamental part of their relationship that just got flipped around completely... and for what? Why did it change the things it didn't need to?

Antoinette... girl why are you there... we don't need more characters. Go away.

The guy that Louis gets with to make Lestat jealous …. why is he there either? In the book they don't need to bring other people in to irritate each other.

One of the most perfect scenes from the film was when Lestat was tormenting that girl and trying to get Louis to kill her. The show’s version with the opera singer wasn’t the same. The original scene is such a good depiction of their dynamic with each other: Lestat's eccentric killing methods and Louis’ shame and guilt. The show’s version didn’t live up to it. That scene was so excellent in what it set out to do. It captured their back and forth in such a simple way. That dynamic follows them forever, even as Louis begins to accept his nature, that spark of annoyance towards Lestat is ready to become a full fire at any moment. That scene is enough to be a full character study. The show has little bits here and there which capture something similar. But they should have recreated that scene at least.

Claudia and Lestat's relationship evolving from enjoying each others company and similarities, to detesting each other and competing for Louis’ affection. They didn’t spend enough time on Lestat and Claudia’s relationship in the show to fully demonstrate that, only a few scenes of them driving together and hunting together at the beginning. Even the two hour movie found a way to intergrade that better. Their relationship and the way Claudia is so starkly similar to Lestat when they move to Paris, is one of the my favourite parts of the book to analyse. Louis leaving Lestat and moving all the way across the ocean, only to be reminded of him in everything Claudia did. The show did have some purposeful parallels between Lestat and Claudia in the dialogue which I appreciate, I hope that continues in season 2.

Louis being in on Claudia's plan to kill Lestat and even being the one to finish off Lestat when it’s supposed to be Claudia’s idea on her own...?? Lestat's death is supposed to be an "ok, I guess that was necessary, time to move on with our lives now," moment for Louis. But he wasn't supposed to have the courage or the want to be the one to do it himself. He was hesitant and regretful in the show, but he still slit his throat... it was supposed to be Claudia alone. Credit where credit is due, the scene was beautifully filmed, the red blood on white cloth looked incredible and the entire scene captured the tone of devastation that the movie didn't. It was all very quick and emotionless in the movie.

Even though I hate Br*d Pitt's acting, his Louis was way more accurate to the book Louis. He basically was the embodiment of book Louis. Just sad and whiny the entire time. New Louis had more to him, I think Jacob Anderson even said in an interview that it was a purposeful decision to give Louis more grit. It's not a change I appreciated because it alters the original character too much. You can't change something that fundamental. Just ugh. In the show, Louis is more angry than pathetically sad, it’s very different to how the character was originally written. 

Sam Reid’s Lestat is pretty on the nose but still more serious than the original Lestat & Tom Cruise’s portrayal which was the perfect level of camp and eccentric. Tom cruise was playing Lestat from just IWTV but Sam Reid is playing him with the baggage of his entire life as written in the other books, maybe that's why he is different. Maybe his performance is even better because of it. I haven't read the other books so I can't really say.

I won't say anything about Armand (yet) because he hasn’t had his time to shine. We’ll see after season 2. I loved Antonio Banderas as Armand, and even though he was very different from how book Armand was, it was a change I liked. New Armand is going to be more accurate to the books I believe, but i didn’t like how Armand was there the entire time Louis was being interviewed… why...

Maybe I am one of the few that doesn't overtly appreciate the 'fresh' take of this story. Many of the things that draw me to the book and the movie have been taken away in this adaptation.

---

I recommend this fan fiction that explores the idea of Louis being a person of colour in the context of the original book's 1700s timeline. It explores the intersectionality of Louis' struggle with vampirism, queerness & race while still being authentic to the book. Go read it.

In the Author's words: This is NOT a rewrite of the AMC TV show, nor does it intend to be. This is us making one (subtextually plausible) change to canon in order to 1) explore underlying issues with the source material and 2) see how it affects the way the events of IWTV played out.

Ok that's it. Will maybe add to this when the second season airs. For months, this was just for me in my notes app but what is tumblr for if not to air out my locked away ideas.

[lesbianmaxevans]

ok I'm ready to talk about the reunion scene w/o a breakdown

the way louis can't help but smile when he says "hello, lestat"

the way lestat knows it's louis when the fledgling asks "who's he?" but then when louis starts walking towards him he takes that deep breath, and it's as if it's just hitting him that louis is really truly there. as if he was convinced this wasn't real until louis approaches him.

"did you save my life in paris?" and lestat drops his gaze bc nicki and claudia both died while armand was their 'protector' (in the sense that they were part of the coven that he was the leader of, so they were technically under his care) so was it really saving when it meant louis trading one hell for another? when louis didn't know armand as well as he thought he did? ("I gave you to armand. you tell me if that was saving.")

"why didn't you say it was me who saved you, not him?" bc he thought you hated him and what was the point of disclosing it. bc he can never atone for the drop, but this is the least he could do in an attempt to start rectifying that act. bc he loves you and there is no universe where he would let you die, even if it means you hate him for eternity. bc he doesn't think he's worthy of your forgiveness or his feelings being reciprocated.

lestat trying to be nonchalant when he says "I don't like to point out my virtues. besides, I knew you'd figure it out." as if he wasn't prepared to spend eternity rotting in that creaky house to punish himself

"here in new orleans the whole time?" "it's my home. I am she, she is me." bc louis is his home!!! home is wherever louis is!!!!!!!!!! and new orleans is the only piece of louis that he has left!!!!!!!!!

"I was selfish. I... I tried to make nights awful for you." louis admitting that even if lestat had been a good partner to him, that their relationship at that point in time was doomed bc how depressed and self-loathing he was. that while lestat undeniably made things worse, that there was nothing he could have done to make it better bc louis' dark headspace

"I wanted you to suffer, because I was... suffering." "shall we list all the ways we have wronged each other and why it will never be right between monstrous [beings]." the way pre murder attempt lestat would have turned this into a screaming match, but post murder attempt lestat is mildly exasperated and resigned to the argument he is expecting bc he knows he did much worse things to louis. and he feels he deserves louis telling him off

"I came to thank you." this being quite literally the last thing lestat would ever expect louis to say to him. just complete stunned silence as he stares at louis. thinking it's a kindness that he doesn't deserve.

the way lestat struggles to force the words out to ask about september 8th. remembering the exact time armand telepathically reached out to him. his voice breaking.

"I was thinking about..." "I can't... I can't get her out of my mind."

"I carried her home. I made you turn her." louis admitting that lestat had tried to warn him (albeit cryptically and in a way he didn't understand at the time) about turning claudia and that in that moment he wouldn't have listened to anything lestat said to try to talk him out of it

louis being the one to initiate the hug and lestat melting into it. 8 decades of self-loathing chipped away bc louis doesn't hate him and it's also probably the first moment of physical contact he's had since the murder attempt

[herwrittenuniverse]

The Dragon Prince's "Mercy" Motif

TDP Fam, this is so fascinating.

I made this post about the connection between two characters' names. Nothing is coincidental in this show. The creators have things mapped out for future seasons.

🚨Spoilers below! 🚨

We know this arc is called The Mystery of Aaravos, and so far - in the show, anyway - he does appear more malevolent than benevolent, using characters as pawns (Viren, Callum, Claudia) to achieve his means (freedom). He was one of the Great Ones, but he lost privilege and title, becoming known as The Fallen Star. It was revealed that he's been behind wars, manipulating leaders for centuries, and so he was locked away because he was too dangerous. (If you're reading this, you've seen the show and know all of this.)

Now...E1S6 (which was previewed at NYCC) opens with a conversation between him and another Startouch Elf. He's distraught - it's the first time we've ever seen Aaravos showing such incredibly desperate emotions. (As I've mentioned, he's being painted as a sympathetic character.)

First, you wanna make a bet these statues depict the very scene featured in S1E6?

It's too perfect.

Now, this elf is called The Merciful One. As I pointed out in my other post, there is another character that is associated with mercy. You guessed it:

Her story is literally called The Queen's Mercy and one of the many titles bestowed upon her (if you read the story) is Queen Aditi, the Merciful. (I've already done the math in this post here.)

Now, why is this so fascinating?

Mercy, by definition, is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. (Thanks dictionary.com.) But as we know from reading The Queen's Mercy, Aditi isn't merciful at all. She's cunning. Kim'dael goes to Aditi seeking sanctuary. What does she get in return? A Mercy Debt.

Could this be considered merciful? I mean...she did not banish or harm Kim'dael. But she's trapped eternally, and literally owes her life. Kim'dael is a villainous character, no doubt - but that is not compassion or forgiveness. (Whether or not she deserves it is a different conversation.)

Now let's go back to Aaravos and the Merciful One, shall we?

If you look the images, Aaravos is clearly distraught, and yet the Merciful One appears calm, cool, collected. We can assume he's...well, granting mercy.

By what? Imprisoning Aaravos? This could very well be the moment he is imprisoned.

But is it true compassion? Is it true forgiveness? Or is it, "I'm granting you something in my power because - even though it seems wrong to you - it's for the greater good." I could see Startouch Elf philosophy being cold and factual, distant and matter-of-fact - leaving no room for matters of the heart or emotions. (Doesn't this elf reference that Aaravos is in this position because of love [and I suspect has something to do with Leola]? If someone can get me their exact quote, that would be fantastic.)

This opens up a really interesting conversation regarding the term 'mercy' - because what I think is happening here is that there are two characters in power (The Merciful One and Queen Aditi) who are technically granting 'mercy' (although I am only hypothesizing based on the new Startouch Elf's name), and yet it is not at all merciful to the character. It's almost as if they're both saying, "Yeah, this sucks for you right now, but it's going to be better off for everyone else in the end." Kim'dael is 'imprisoned' by the Mercy Debt. Aaravos is literally imprisoned.

I mean, Kim'dael is in the same position as Aaravos' statue in the Sea of the Castout.

I don't think this is a coincidence. I think both of these things will come back to bite our beloved Dragang. They are the ones who have to deal with the consequences, after all.

Did they deserve this treatment? For Kim'dael - I'm leaning towards yes, she is clearly a villain and has done horrific things.

And...we know that Aaravos has something to do with Aditi's disappearance.

But did Aaravos deserve this - imprisonment?

Now that is yet to be seen. And I have a feeling S6 will leave us all questions more than answers.

[matrixwhore]

like im sorry to harp on this but like when i think about it. im like louis had no reason to ever contemplate any possibility of seeing heaven. just based off his catholic beliefs and the guilt he was riddled with. i truly dont see that it would be something he’d believe possible for himself. and lestat just flat out rejected god all together bc of religious trauma. but claudia had no reason to ever think she would see anything else. she genuinely thought she died and would finally have relief from her life at 14 she accepted death. like she wasn’t in that room screaming or pleading or losing her mind to survive she accepted death completely and just hoped not to experience anymore pain than she had to. thats not no little thing. survival instinct aint no hoe. so to get to a point where you like fuck it i guess we dying and to not even be crying or nothing. you really have had to have known suffering or at the very least have made peace with death. her belief she would go to heaven is a super telling character beat. that was part of the peace that helped her close her eyes and wait for the flames. she was leaving hell. and they took that from her and dragged her to another layer. she didn’t carry guilt in her heart about anything. and that froze in time too when she was turned and i think that plays a role with why she didn’t carry guilt about the serial killing she was doing. she doesn’t think she has done anything wrong to deserve damnation and she doesn’t think she’s doing anything wrong in embracing it if she has to endure it so be it.

so truly i imagine the anger and complex that would come with being damned for another mans sins. and that man telling you, he’s your family now and so is his husband who will be the orchestrator of the hell they brought into your life just to be able to endure each other. bitch i will raise hell too then. the fuck?