#the trials of louis de pointe du lac

[queenoftheimps]

On this Father's Day, I would like to acknowledge how much I love Daniel "My Daughters Aren't Speaking to Me" Molloy for being the only person reading Claudia's diaries and remaining firmly on her side, clearly while thinking "Look, I'm not gonna win any awards for Father of the Year, but JESUS CHRIST"

[platoapproved]

And that's the end of it. There's nothing else.

[shesnake]

Anatomy of a Fall (2023) dir. Justine Triet // Interview with the Vampire season 2 episode 7 (2024) dir. Emma Freeman

[nalyra-dreaming]

Be careful, it's one of a kind! - Or: the trial script.

I took a few screenshots and put them through the editor, and there are a few interesting tidbits of information that can be gleaned from the few shots we got of the final trial script:

Supposedly the trial was written by the "Vampire Santiago", and the "Vampire Samuel Barclay". With... "additions made" by the "Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt".

Now the last part is particularly interesting, because as we see in the screenshots we get, that there are quite a few "additions" that Armand makes, but he is not listed there.

We now have (additional) confirmation by Assad (at the SDCC 2024 panel) that Armand was the one who orchestrated Claudia's / their deaths, so let's keep that in mind here. Especially since he is not listed.

"Our red curtain. Our spotlight. Santiago acting as master of ceremonies. But this is the only part of the play that will mimic our normal fare. That and our finale."

There's several aspects to this.

We know that - at least in Armand's tale - Santiago "took over". "Master of ceremonies." But only acting, not actually being. The "mimic our normal fare" both hints at this being not what they normally do, and, given the mock aspect of the trial - it acknowledges the farce it is. It is not a play, not a trial, but something in between, framed as neither, while implementing both.

Santiago's entry speech. With an interesting annotation by Armand: "You are standing half in and half out of your light."

Only, Santiago isn't actually standing in and out of the light. (At least in the version we got to see.)

Now, those who know the books know that the force of Lestat's personality is often called a "light", and not always in a wholly positive manner.

For example there is this comment by Nicolas, which refers to it:

And for every aspect of our proposed damnation you found exuberance, and there was no end to your enthusiasm and the passion coming out of you-and the light, always the light. And in exact proportion to the light coming out of you, there was the darkness in me! Every exuberance piercing me and creating its exact proportion of darkness and despair!

The lights of the stage obviously put them all into focus, too, something that was forbidden before Lestat came and destroyed the old ways. The "walking in the places of light" was one of the things the Children of Darkness accused Lestat of when he encountered them.

I think the comment there is a kind-of-meta comment, of Armand being half in shadow hand half in light. There is a choice here, for light or darkness.

Here, he chooses darkness.

Some things we haven't heard in the episode:

"If the prosecution's evidence convinces you to condemn those HERETICS for the heinous trampling of the vampire laws we will carry out our sentence before your very eyes as only we at the Théâtre des Vampires know how: slowly, inventively, gruesomely."

And then, this lovely stage direction 💀:

"Agency: If and when Claudia or Louis speak, (drive) them together, close their throats, (Santia)go will address it with the audience, as per the below:"

"I don't need to hear from you..."

That part we heard in the trial.

Apart from the stage directions and the part we didn't hear Armand's notes are also interesting once more: "Remember to comment...." and something starting with "Fi"... "Fine" - or "Find their thoughts" (could fit I think). Because this note, even largely unreadable proves once more that Armand was fully in on what they did to Louis and Claudia there. Made sure that the blows... would land.

This one. This one we didn't get to hear! (The part after "Tik Tok")

Santiago reading from her diary: "He soaks in the light from everyone around him, making it all about Lestat. This is most definitely about you and your death."

Light reference again! (See the quote above.)

And (accompanied by Armand's notes to have Santiago hand the diary to the audience):

"I know she was your favorite. I know she was your baby lu. But she had us all fooled. She's the best actor of all of us. She lies so sweetly, doesn't she. But look closer. When the mask falls away, she's a monster."

Oof. When the mask falls away... Pot to kettle.

"I can't hear you." - say it louder.... Lestat.

And then: Lestat's entrance. Being seated in an especially prepared "Bergere en cabriolet".

And here we have another "I can't hear you! Let me f...". It's the counterpart to the blend-over (below), another read from Claudia's diary there, after Lestat talks about loneliness and Louis "abandoning him". (Btw, I don't buy this shift to blame to Louis and Louis "hunting" Lestat for one second, for the record^^. I think that was all very much BS for the trial, in order to make Louis seem guilty to the audience.)

Armand's comment (on Lestat's first lines) makes it seem as if Lestat was less than enthusiastic - or weak. Now, I said before, I think there's quite enough evidence to suggest that the "real trial" might have gone a bit more like in the book, with Lestat mostly out of his mind and his mind meddled with as well (see below).

But the counterpart to the blend-over is actually the most interesting one, imho:

(This is a hard one to see, it's only seen in blend-over and Louis' hand moves across it before the scene fades to Armand scribbling down the note!)

"It This is too early for Lestat to acknowledg[e...]"

This is too early for Lestat to acknowledge. Louis and Claudia, would be my guess. This direction is proof that Armand made directions for Lestat especially as well. It's the only one (we have so far) where he actually writes the name.

Armand knew he could make this direction. And he made it.

Given Lestat and their history this, for me, is proof, that Lestat's mind has been meddled with as well, at times at least. Because there is no way that Lestat would have followed Armand's directions there, imho. Would not have done something, especially in that moment, where they set up the execution.

Yes, Sam is on record saying that Lestat played along with the play itself so he could get into the audience's heads, and therefore make it easier for him to make them shift Louis' sentence to "banishment" (that's where the "additions" come from, in all likelihood), but there, at the point of judgement and the execution being set up he does not look at Claudia (but he does look at her afterwards!), he's staring straight ahead, swaying on his feet.

Taken out of the equation, so to speak.

(That's an extra shot btw, extra shots always carry meaning.)

So.

Quite the script. -.-

Clear stage directions for Santiago, Lestat, and the other coven members should Louis and Claudia try to do something.

Now. I know there have been a lot of posts about Armand "master mind" or "villain" or victim, or what not. And I am glad that Assad has been so very clear on that just recently, though all of it is already given with what the show gave us, imho.

Armand did plan the trial. Did master-mind it. Did pretend. Did direct. Did lie.

He orchestrated their deaths.

And Lestat interfered with Louis' death. At the very least.

And.. Armand continued to betray Louis. For 77 years.

I said it before, I don't quite buy the tower scene, I expect it to get more context, at the very least.

It will be very interesting to see if they return to the trial next season, and in what capacity.

Because all the "hints" are, all the evidence is there already.

[kindaorangey]

i've mentioned this before but louis and armand's relationship in paris after the trial is so hollow, and at the beginning of their story they had so much chemistry, so much respect for each other, they were having philosophical conversations and romantic walks, they had so much potential. and you can tell it's gone a bit wayward even before the trial, with how louis removes himself emotionally from their relationship, but the trial really yanks the rug out from under them and shows just how Nothing their bond has become.

and i think it's best exemplified by louis warning armand about his plans to burn the theatre and everyone in it. because i can't read that as anything other than, like, the internet joke about a school shooter warning the only person who was nice to him to stay home from school tomorrow. all that potential, all that loneliness, all that they tried at first to confide in each other and heal the heartbreak they both sustained from lestat, and by the end it's as if they're acquaintances, who only know each other just well enough for louis to refrain from killing armand alongside the rest of the coven.

[nicoleanell]

1.05 A Vile Hunger For Your Hammering Heart / 2.07 I Could Not Prevent It / 2.08 And That's the End of It. There's Nothing Else.

[drolta]

[lestatbratposting]

[phantomsofmyformerself]

why is lestat's turn of events more truthful than louis'?? like, no doubt about it that louis is an unreliable narrator. which he also does admit to himself, he is very aware that he is speaking from his perspective and he doesn't know everything and time does change memories and views of those memories.

but why do so many people in the fandom believe lestat over louis? why is he automatically more reliable and truthful than louis?

[kanjichris]

"why don't you want him to know how much you love him?" "that's a little personal. he knows." "uh-huh."

[gimpwithoutorgans]

I know if nobody got me, Jacob Anderson got me🙏🏿🥹

[jilyandbambi]

Idc how many cast interview screenshots yall post, you people will never get me to buy Loumand had a loving marriage at any point post-Paris. No, sorry. Killing Claudia killed the love and salted the earth behind it. From then on it was 80 years of spite, depression, desperation, manipulation, hateration and holleration. And that's Fine, my dudes, bc in some ways, mutual assured misery (MAM) is simply another equally valid side of the same coin. I don't see why more of you don't just lean in and have fun. 乁༼☯‿☯✿༽ㄏ

[platoapproved]

After the first night, I thought I would die of this thirst. After the second, I thought I would perish screaming. After the third, I only dreamed of it in weeping and in desperation, licking at my own blood tears on my fingertips. After six nights of this when I could bear the thirst no longer, they brought a struggling victim to me.

At the end of seven more nights, when I was starved to the point where even the scent of the blood didn't rouse me, they laid the victim-a small boy child of the streets crying for pity-directly in my arms.

Some twenty weeks were passed in this misery. I didn't even believe anymore that the bright and fantastical world of Venice had ever existed. And I knew my Master was dead. I knew it. I knew that all I loved was dead. I was dead.

2X08 "AND THAT'S THE END OF IT. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE." || The Vampire Armand

[this-world-of-beautiful-monsters]

the entire dubai interview as an extended and redone version of the 2x07 trial. the use of costumes, props, testimonies, the prejudices and assumptions of an unsuspecting mortal audience. Lestat switching from the oh-so-innocent victim he was in the 2x07 trial to a defendant, tried in absentia. Armand presenting himself as a prosecutor on Louis's behalf only to become a defendant himself for crimes against Louis, Daniel, and Claudia. Louis as a victim of both Lestat and Armand, except when he is rendered a defendant with Claudia as his victim. Daniel wavering between victim, judge, prosecutor, and member of the quietly guilty audience. Claudia as the perpetually offstage victim, once more forbidden from speaking in her defense, her diaries reduced to toys and weapons in the hands of men dissecting the question of guilt in her murder.

this second trial, like the second interview, as a quest for "truth and reconciliation," a direct references to attempts to heal from institutionalized, racialized violence. the ugly question of justice for Claudia's murder as it involves Armand (not present for her first death, coldly directing her second), Lestat (drained and killed Claudia for her first death, served as a reluctant tool in her second), Louis (begged for her first death, pushed into inadvertently/unknowingly asking for her second "can you imagine me without the burden of her?" both times supposedly out of the desire to help). Louis finally achieving some form of justice for Claudia by executing the theatres des vampires and banishing Armand, even if the violence continues with Daniel's murder, Armand pushed to break his own great laws.

Louis listening to the other vampires discuss his guilt, preparing to seize and condemn him yet again, Louis speaking first to declare himself guilty and proud, to declare himself unafraid of whatever so-called justice the vampire world wants to inflict. Louis putting the system that killed his daughter on trial instead, dragging the vampire world kicking and screaming onto stage in front of all the disbelieving mortals, flaying it open where everyone can see. Louis condemning the old world order of silence and fear, declaring the arrival of a new age. I own the night.

[florencechase]

it never occurred to me before but did louis say to armand does he want to lick my boots or chop my hands off because he knows he’s done it to nicki??? 😧

[dispossesst]

i really need naomi back with the iwtv podcast because i’m sorry but a*tumn br*wn doesn’t have the range.

i need to hear about race. how you have the most racist episode in season 2, learn about armand’s anti-blackness, the entire trial akin to a lynch mob, lestat’s involvement, claudia’s death and her reference to stoning, her line about lestats apology to be forgiven but not hers, and NOT have a post show interview that discusses race.

a friend was saying that it’s so clearly been thought out by the writers, the nuance captured, the parallels re tendons cut. it’s an intentional part of the show and the story, yet we get nothing as the audience afterwards?!

Naomi did such a wonderful job on the podcast for season 1. it was so incredibly enjoyable, informative, Black and queer. Such a breath of fresh air. i need Naomi back!!!