Interview With The Vampire: Season 1/ Episode 3 “Is My Very Nature That Of The Devil” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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The high times for Louis and Lestat come to an end, but as things begin to potentially bottom out, so enters Claudia.

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Recap

Attempts To Start a New Chapter – Tom, Alderman Fennick, Daniel, Rashid, Louis, Lestat

In present day, increasingly, Daniel finds himself comparing and contrasting Louis’ version of events from what he said in 1973 to now, which leads to increased scrutiny. Is it that he is better rehearsed, romanticizing the past, or maybe, while Louis is immortal, his memory isn’t? After all, he is a vegetarian, and it isn’t like Louis can take supplements to compensate for his lack of human blood.

But, to be fair and recognize they are on a new level of understanding and trust, Daniel throws away the tapes, and Louis sets them on fire with his sight. Something that Rashid, Louis’ assistant, witnesses, leading you to wonder how aware is he of Louis’s powers? Specifically the extent of them

.

That aside, Louis’ powers, unfortunately, weren’t as useful in the past. This can be seen as he continues smiling in the faces of Tom and Alderman Fennick, even as it increasingly becomes clear there is no friendship or genuine comradery. Just a recognition of Lestat’s purse and that Louis and he are likely sodomites.

Trying To Maintain Or Renew What Likely Was Already Lost –Louis, Jonah, Florence, Grace, Levi

While Louis was well aware his mother had long limited her love for her son, due to the perception he is a homosexual and killed his brother, Louis wasn’t aware Grace and Levi, too had grown distant from him. Levi keeps Louis from coming into the house he, Louis, owns, seemingly to protect his wife Grace and his children, and due to that, Louis busts past them and destroys the front door. Seeing this exposes everyone to the person Florence has long said Louis is, and with that, it seems he has truly lost his family.

But, as a silver lining, an old flame named Jonah, who is in the military, prepping for World War I, comes through Storyville, and Louis gets to experience his last moments of joy before everything goes to hell.

Burn It All, Damn It All – Claudia, Louis, Lestat, Alderman Fennick, Tom

With Ordinance 4118 passing, despite the Azalea becoming a huge boon locally, it gets shut down to the glee of Tom and Alderman Fennick, who reveal themselves, through Louis reading their minds, to have double-crossed Louis. Tom may have sold his property to a negro, but only because he knew it was soon to fail. As for Alderman Fennick, with him thinking Louis has forgotten his place in society, voting against Louis interest is delightful.

What neither realized at the time, though, is they were messing with the wrong one. Louis losing his family, his business, and his relationship with Lestat waring away since Lestat doesn’t believe in monogamy yet doesn’t want Louis to fall in love or be with someone he might have loved before? It’s all too much. Hence Louis kills Alderman Fennick and not using the cremation tomb that he and Lestat usually use. He leaves Alderman Fennick’s body on display, thus leading to riots that destroy not only Louis’ business but everyone on the block, most of which were Black.

But, after seeing the destruction his rash actions caused, he hears Claudia’s screams and heartbeat. Louis sees her as his salvation and perhaps the only opportunity he might have for the normalcy that has been slipping through his fingers like sand.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. What did Louis do previously to have his nieces scared, or is that Florence’s doing?
2. Considering Louis has long been able to read minds, how come he didn’t pick up on what Fennick and Tom were doing years ago? Heck, why didn’t Lestat say anything?
3. So, you’re telling me Louis can start fires with his mind, and Lestat has the powers of mind control?

What Could Happen Next

1. Claudia is introduced at the end of the episode, so likely she’ll be fully established in the next

Collected Quote(s)

Reason is a set of leg irons.
— Lestat

Review

Highlights

Acknowledging The Rage Which Comes From Being Unfathomably Powerful Yet Also Limited

With making Louis Black, some things have to be acknowledged. He is one of the most powerful beings, second only to Lestat, yet he is still a Black man in America. Much less an America which is barreling down toward its conservative roots. So between the racism of being a Black man then the aversion to homosexuals he has to deal with, the power he knows he has is diminished.

Which has to mess with Louis’ mind, for with each new power Lestat teaches him to hone, from speed, strength, and reading minds, imagine Louis’ position. Especially considering he is trying his best to not give in to his impulses or the evil thoughts in his mind and wants to be as Rashid sees him as, some kind of God. He wants to show some form of a higher purpose, be it to punish the wicked or help the good, rather than simply be an exception or devote himself to pleasure.

And it is with addressing the intersectionality of Louis’ identity that makes you wonder, what was life like for Louis in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s? How did Louis react with those decades leading to the re-education of Black and gay men who were taught to be ashamed of themselves? What was life like when the obstacle and perception of normalcy were removed from oppressive hands? Never mind, what was the AIDS epidemic like for a gay vampire?

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