#iwtv 2022 Armand | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nattosushi · 4 months ago

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Thoughts on Armand from IWTV 2022

First of all, I tend to get biased with characters that I like, and this usually means that I would end up choosing the most favourable interpretation as well as giving them the benefit of the doubt. While I know that everyone has different views and doesn’t mind hearing them, I am also very stubborn in regard to my views. So a lot of the time, it would be an agree to disagree situation. And Assad Zaman has become my current celebrity crush, which makes me even more biased. So, if you are still reading this, don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

Also- am I bad person for loving Armand in episode 5?

In regard to my background regarding the Vampire Chronicles. These are the books I have read

Interview with the vampire

The vampire Lestat

The Queen of the Damned

Pandora

The vampire Armand

Merrick

Blood and Gold

I always feel that Armand’s book is the last of the traditional biography of the said vampire. Even though ‘Blood and Gold’ is Marius’ story, I feel that in addition to a large part of his story being told by Armand and Pandora, he did not really add anything new in his book. Ironically, I feel that he made himself look worse by trying to tell his story. But upon reading Armand’s book, Armand immediately became my favourite character. And Assad Zaman did such a good job that I think even if I didn’t already like Armand, I might have liked him anyway.

This does result in the question of how far should we stay true to the book? At one hand, Armand’s appearance is definitely something most readers have a very strong image of, but at the other hand, the actor did a perfect job portraying Armand despite his physical appearance being a complete contrast of the book. By staying completely true to the book, Assad Zaman would never have been chosen, which means we miss out on this amazing actor and his performance. His Armand is just perfect with that sense of hidden power and tranquil fury.

Season 1

I actually started watching the whole series already knowing that Rashid is Armand, but I would definitely have been surprised at the reveal if I did not. Because Armand is probably one of the characters that the reader has a very strong image of in regard to his personal appearance- a seventeen years old youth with red hair. Who is also Eastern European/Russian with a strong Eastern Orthodox association.

This is pretty much the opposite of Rashid, who is in his twenties and is of Asiatic appearance. His ‘race’ as Rashid is never made clear, since Daniel guessed that he was from Uzbekistan, and could be of Kazakh or Crimean Tartar heritage. Just because the actor is of South Asian heritage- his parents are both from Bangladesh, it does not mean that the TV character would be from there too. All that it implies is that he is not Caucasian, ie.not where book Armand is from.

There is also the issue of Rashid being a Muslim, and I think this is a deliberate red herring, because Armand in Season 2 never once prayed or even make any mentioning of his heritage. It is a rather elaborate ruse, but I would like to point out that this is the person who brought a whole island, as well as spending months studying a certain appliance. So if anyone would do this, it would be him. But we obviously never get any clear image of Armand’s character, saved for the last five minutes, where he toss the book to Daniel (and I totally love that scene).

Season 2

I did not start binge watching the series until I read the script for the last episode. But even without doing that, I feel that Armand and Louis were not going to stay together. So I wasn’t really surprised at them parting, but what surprised me was that I started watching with the hope that they would somehow stay together, to feeling that the two of them should part. I don’t think that they are good for one another. Just as Armand is bad for Louis, Louis is bad for Armand too. Even though Armand was manipulating Louis’ memory and clinging onto the other, Louis is also taking advantage of Armand too, I feel that he is pushing Armand into doing things that the other does not want to, as well as relying on the others to protect and help him without actually reciprocating.

The whole maître thing really bugs me because it overrides into their daily life, which is problematic when Armand is actually victim of various rape and trauma due to being sold to a brothel, as well as being victim of grooming by Marius that does involve sexual trauma. Not to mention the additional factor of him being given to others, which, at the most generous view, is still that of manipulation (and that is presuming Armand did not mind too much, which is most likely not the case, which is why I say this is the most generous view, and even that is still not good).

One could argue that Armand made the conscious choice, but did he really understand? This might simply be because this is all that he knew. But unlike Armand, Louis should have known better, especially given what he went through with Lestat. This is almost a case of victim turned abuser. Although that is my biased pro-Armand view, because Armand could have refused, since he is still much more powerful. But I feel that given his mental state and his fear of losing someone he loves, he would simply submit to whatever the other person want.

I think that a reason that Louis called Armand boring is because Armand is completely pacifying and catering to Louis. Even though at a glance, this seems great, most people would end up being annoyed, especially if they know that this is not what the other is like, but merely them doing this to please you. But the sad thing is that Armand feel that he has to play this role (and the whole maître thing definitely does not help).

It seems that the whole dominate/submissive role extends to other aspect of their life, because at the end of Episode 8, when Louis tell Armand to not harm Daniel, he actually expects Armand to obey, despite the fact that there is no way that he would be able to kill Armand. And to make it worse, he seems to have left Daniel in Dubai with Armand. I really hope that Season 3 would call out Louis on this. Louis left Daniel with someone that is very dangerous, and in a mentally unstable place due to what happened. Rightly or wrongly, Armand would obviously see Daniel as being the cause of Louis’ departure. Louis cannot kill him and the thing Armand fear the most from Louis is rejection and abandonment, which has already happened, so why on earth would he worry about harming Daniel? I feel that him turning to Daniel cannot be from spite, because if Armand wanted to be spiteful, he would probably do something like torturing Daniel. But regardless of the reason, Louis leaving Daniel is definitely super irresponsible.

I was really shocked at Episode 2, because the vampires in the coven seems quite happy with one another, and Armand is clearly accepted as the leader. I really do think that the welcome Louis and Claudia got from the theatre at the first night was not an act. I actually feel that Louis’ arrival began to drive a wedge between Armand and the rest, since Armand is clearly allowing Louis to get away with a lot of the rules. Of course, at the end of the day, this is still Armand’s decision to make, but I do feel that Louis’ arrival was the catalyst. Someone did point out that Louis probably feel that he has to act more assertive due to what happened with Lestat, which is understandable, only that this does end up undermining Armand’s authority.

I can understand why Armand choose the coven due to suspecting that Louis’ affection might not last. After all, there is the fact that Louis does not know the real him, as Armand is presenting himself as what Louis think he should be. He also knew that part of the reason Louis picked him is due to Louis being mad at Lestat. I think in a way, Louis represented a chance that he was not sure whether he should make a risk for, and perhaps he is constantly darting between the two choices until the theatre was burnt.

However, as someone pointed out, at the end, Armand will accept defeat and let the other go. Even though he would do whatever he could to prevent that situation from happening- such as the manipulation of the memories- when it does come, he would be able to give it up. At the end of Episode 8, he could have retained Louis by force, because he is much stronger, yet he just watched the other leave.

I do have to point out that there is one thing that I really dislike about Louis in season 2, which is also the moment that made me decide that it will be good for both of them to part, is when he tried to convince Armand to make Madeleine into a vampire. That was the classic case of emotional manipulation, the sense of ‘if you love me, you will do this thing that you do not like, because I want it’. The idea of not making a fledgling is probably the strongest in Armand, so I do not believe that Louis would not know this. This is an ironic echo of Armand getting Florence and Grace’s name mixed up. Yes, he does not truly know Louis, but Louis does not truly know Armand either. Also, the way Louis mentions Madeleine’s dead sister. If he really is concerned about Claudia being a replacement, then this should be mentioned in private, or at the very least, not in a public setting.

At the end of the day, Armand and Louis’s relationship is just doomed to fail since neither of them are really ready for a new relationship. I actually really support the idea of Armand and Daniel now (I admit, this is partly because I have been reading a lot of fan fictions with these two).

The reason that I feel that Daniel is really good for Armand is because Daniel can see past the acts and lies Armand would try to use. Unlike the book Daniel, the TV Daniel is much older and have more experience with life. I feel that Daniel would be able to accept Armand for who he is, and even though there would be times when he disagrees, they would be able to solve the issue properly. While Daniel might criticise or disapprove of certain actions, at the end of the day, he would remain by Armand. I feel that because Daniel has experienced life, he and Armand would actually be able to have a fairly equal relationship. They would be the classic case of doing a lot of crazy stuff behind closed doors, but does not let this affect their daily life.

My theory of the turning is that the devil minion arc did happen, only that it is different from the book due to Armand causing Daniel to lose his memory and feel that it is better for him to live a mortal life (which is similar to what he said in the book). However, perhaps due to reaching a new understanding, or due to Daniel’s condition worsening, he would decide to turn Daniel into a vampire. He probably then left due to the fear of fledgling hating their maker, which is reasonable since he is probably still in a really vulnerable status due to Louis leaving him. I feel this is very symbolic because Armand usually just stays in a bad situation due to being afraid of the alternative.

I was flipping through ‘Queen of the Damned’ and Khayman’s description of Armand is extremely interesting.

Khayman sought for the name, but the creature’s mind was a perfect blank; not so much as a glimmer of personality escaped from it. A boy he had been when he died, with straight dark auburn hair, and eyes a little too big for his face…Armand immediately attracted Khayman. Surely, he was the same Armand of whom Louis and Lestat had both written- the immortal with the form of a youth. And it meant he was no more than five hundred years old, yet he veiled himself completely. Shrewd, cold he seemed, yet without flair- a stance that required no room in which to display itself. And now, sensing infallibly that he was watched, he turned his large soft brown eyes upward and fixed instantly upon the remote figure of Khayman.

And a few paragraphs later

Khayman understood this being, Armand. He felt he understood him and liked him completely. As their yes met again, all that had been written of this creature in the two little histories was informed and balanced by the creature’s innate simplicity. The loneliness which Khayman had felt in Athens was now very strong. “Not unlike my simple soul,” Khayman whispered. “You’re lost in all this because you know the terrain too well. And that no matter how far you walk, you come again to the same mountains, the same valley.” No response. Of course. Khayman shrugged and smiled. To this one he’d give anything that he could; and guilelessly, he let Armand know it.

I just thought that this was a really interesting description and it is also nice to know that Armand does have someone (especially someone super powerful) in his corner.

#iwtv 2022 #iwtv 2022 Armand

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