Oh look, a wild Marius and Bianca appear! Messy eaters.
Idk if he’d be willing to play another vampire when he was one for so long, but I didn’t watch True Blood, maybe if the character is different enough he’d do it!
In canon, Louis doesn’t speak a lot in French (sometimes the narrative will indicate the characters have switched to another language but the writing will continue in English for the benefit of the reader). He does throw in a mon dieu! (my god!) here and there. He says it when Lestat first picks him up to show him he has the Cloud Gift in QOTD.
It’s fanon that Louis and Lestat still speak to each other in French, an older version of it that mortals usually aren’t all that familiar with. Lestat still remembers a few old French songs from his childhood.
Louis is actually French, his family moved to New Orleans from France before he took over the plantation from his father: “You see, we lived far better [in Louisiana] than we could have ever lived in France.” – IWTV. So French was most likely his native language.
He gives the interview in English because that’s the language Daniel speaks, and Louis must have learned it at some point, probably in his travels with Armand. But the languages he probably spoke in New Orleans during his ~70 years there were French and Creole, and then when he goes to Paris, he would have spoken the more classic French and he probably had a noticeably Americanized accent, yet another reason for them to dislike him bc TOURISTS.
Bonus:
I found this fun Creole Dictionary online, check it out!
Here’s a sample of Creole compared to plain French:
English: I will never abandon you.
Creole: Mo va jamé bandonné twa.
French: Je ne t’abandonnerai jamais.
[French speakers are welcome to correct me on this, but this is my translation of the above for the sake of comparison]
In the Creole, it seems more casual, but still conveys the feeling: “Me gonna neva’ ‘bandon ya.”
In the French, it’s more direct, and classier: "I would not abandon you ever" basically.
A whole pie??! Awww thank u!
Whether you mean the movie or book series, it’s true that VC began its life as a short story which AR expanded into the first novel [X]. After it received so much positive feedback, there was a sequel, and then another, and then another, and here we are with a whole series!
The IWTV movie took something like 20 yrs in production and talks and film industry issues before it could finally get made. The homosexuality and the whole pseudo-pedophilia edge (Louis biting Armand’s Denis, Claudia in general) also made the story and casting extremely difficult.
At one point, I think Tom Cruise had the rights, and was down for making a sequel to IWTV, but I think the homophobic backlash pretty much turned him off the project 😦 It just seemed to ruin any sequels from happening for awhile.
Movie!QOTD was released in 2002, and iirc, doesn’t have much of the controversial issues that were in movie!IWTV, and is almost a stand-alone story due to how much it distorted canon, but some ppl really love it and find it nostalgic anyway!
^Akasha bc of reasons.
Will a doge twinkie appease you a little? As a peace offering! I offer it in all seriousness, no sarcasm at all. He’s much twinkier than Armand, and delishus, too ❤
I thought I answered very thoughtfully here, and I guess I’m having trouble reconciling your statements here in yellow, (my own comments in blue):
I totally managed to misunderstand you, and then I got exactly what you meant? Are you concerned bc I put those opinions in blue under the cut? I do that to keep the post from going on too long, as ppl have told me that my responses can clutter their dash, so it’s more respectful, but for this post, I’ll just let it all hang out and go long, ok?
TL;DR: Hopefully we can agree that text sometimes sounds more or less emotional than it was intended when written, I certainly did not intend to be at all offensive or act like my opinion is any way the definitive authority on the matter, nor was I trying to be rude in the slightest, and I’m sorry that it came across that way, if it did.
Does it really suck for Armand to be in a position of being treated like a sex object? Yes, I bet it does. But he is aware, he is a student of sexuality, he’s interested in it and uses ppl’s perceptions to his advantage.
Yes, it must suck to be forever seen as a sex object and having ppl throw themselves at you. And yet! There are all kinds of genders and ages of ppl who experience that on a daily or weekly basis.
Look at this recent story, just a few months ago (sorry I picked what appears to be a “pretty” cishet white girl, it’s just the most recent example I could think of and find an article for):
“A young woman is hitting back at the idea that women ‘invite’ catcalling by showing how it ‘doesn’t matter’ what you are wearing, it still happens.” [Source]
There are so many of these stories on a daily basis, all over the world, right in your face. It’s very disheartening. Sometimes it goes a lot farther than it did w/ Ms. Brandt. No matter how the victim is dressed. No matter what the victim looks like or acts like.
I went over this with a fandom friend who preferred not to be credited, and they said some very smart things, which I’ll include below.
First, tho, I want to mention the obvious: our canon has a lot of sexuality in it. ALOT. Whether you believe the vampires are asexual or fully sexual in terms of penetrative sexual intercourse? That’s up to each reader to decide. We know AR’s stance on it, that they express sensuality differently than penetrative sexual intercourse. I have no need to convince anyone of what my own headcanon is re: this set of fictional characters’ sex lives.
Secondly, a lot of VC RP and fandom discussion often brings up sex as it pertains to this set of fictional characters. I would guess that’s because humans in general are intrigued by sex for so many reasons, not the least of which is the younger fandom ppl coming in who are curious about the role that sex plays in a relationship. Is it the real glue that binds a ship together? Can a ship sail on sex alone? SEX!
Okay! Now we can address this. Fandom Friend says:
“I think you do actually agree with each other, though [Anon’s] message is confusing in that they start off sounding like they are simplifying [Armand] (he’s ‘just’ a twink) but end up defending his own pov, [which you also pointed out in your response], that he is well-aware of how he is perceived and that he mocks that tendency, to reduce him to a beautiful, sexually attractive youth/boy.”
Armand is one of the characters in canon that we tend to tease about sex often (more in fandom spaces than in canon), bc he had a rich sexual history in his mortal life (first against his will, and then as part of his education and completing the experiences of a Full Life). In vampirism he maintained the appearance that drew so many to him sexually.
Fandom Friend continues:
“it’s true that [Armand] is wanted by everyone, there’s a very nice quote somewhere in QotD about it, but the sexual component in Armand’s character is such an integral part of his amazing mental manipulations, that it really has nothing to do with sex in the end.”
Here’s the quote, where we can see Armand “paying forward” his own education on Daniel:
“Men and women fell in love with Armand, of course, “so innocent, so passionate, so brilliant!” You don’t say. In fact, Armand’s power to seduce was almost beyond his control. And it was Daniel who must bed these unfortunates, if Armand could possibly arrange it, while he watched from a chair nearby, a dark-eyed Cupid with a tender approving smile. Hot, nerve-searing, this witnessed passion, Daniel working the other body with ever greater abandon, aroused by the dual purpose of every intimate gesture. Yet he lay empty afterwards, staring at Armand, resentful, cold.“ – Queen of the Damned
“This is not Armand being sexual, it’s him being manipulative and Danny knows, which is why he is so pissed off!”
Armand is just as interested in sex as we are! He’s interested in the physical mechanics, he’s interested in the emotional connections that can be forged, he’s interested in the mystery of the act performed in a multitude of ways.
He’s interested in it from the perspective of deriving dominance through the act. Marking one’s property. So many other things that I haven’t discovered myself yet about what sex is!
So what’s my point with all this? Like I said before, in general I don’t like to categorize characters as one thing, they’re multi-dimensional, and they evolve and change through canon, despite their physical appearances staying the same.
Anyway I don’t want to argue the point any further, #your headcanon may vary!
I can’t agree with you, bc I’m not sure if you’re being silly, in more of a Tumblrland Hyperbole™ way, but I’m feeling like defending him a little.
In general I don’t like to categorize characters as one thing, they’re multi-dimensional, and they evolve and change through canon, despite their physical appearances staying the same.
[textmeme by armandromanus, who deactivated so I can’t link to it] ^This is really perfect for this conversation, bc you can tell by the expression @armandromanus chose in that pic that Armand does know that others often perceive him purely based on his looks, and how very wrong they are to do so.
It’s kind of sad to see such a rich and layered character so often reduced to a sex object. There’s a lot more to him than that. He struggles with the concept of intimacy bc it’s not just about sex.
I don’t think Armand thinks of himself as just some sextoy regardless of how many ppl offer him sex even now; he’s actually very selective about those he allows to get close to him physically and emotionally, when he has the independence to choose.
There are a number of times in Armand’s life in which he has been ravaged, totally against his will, just because of how he looks or acts.
Any Armand RPers are invited and welcome to add onto this.
A few thoughts on the quote you selected, hit the jump.
You might also be misreading that quote, it doesn’t seem like he’s admitting that he deserves to be treated like a sex object, more that he seems to be calling ppl out on their assumptions about young boys deserving to be treated like sex objects, and not requiring as much respect as an adult. He takes issue with the fact that since someone calls him “a guilty cunning child,” he deserves to be “ravaged”.
“Everyone would have a laughing boy who knows his way around the block […]”
^This sounds more like he’s saying, “People want a lover who’s easy to please and/or will happily serve skilled sex…” Basically, a prostitute, for free.
“but young boys? They’re not like men, are they?”
^This sounds more like he means, “young boys don’t need to be treated with the same respect you would treat an adult.”
Lemme just explain a thing real quick tho first, there are differnt types of VC “facts,” and you might find something of what you’re looking for here anyway:
^SO WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, here are some tags* where you might find any combination of those things:
*and unfortunately (or really, fortunately, in my opinion), some other fandoms are mixed into my tags because as pure as I try to keep this, other media/ideas/fandoms/etc. have found their way onto this blog bc of reasons. Good reasons.
So I think sometimes they’re a pile of dysfunctional hipsters prodding eachother like that, but I think the last thing Lestat wants is to be reminded of his father by bringing up his former social status. He left that when he left the Auvergne :-
But Lestat still managed to earn the Brat Prince title, before anyone knew about his mortal past.
[VC watching Tru Blood by @hedonistbyheart (they gave permission to repost)]
^I see coven gatherings as being like this. There are so few fanarts of them as a group, but I’ve collected a few under #group shot.
At coven gatherings, everyone breaks into little groups of 2-4 to catch up on eachother’s unlives, discuss the movies and art they’ve seen recently, current playlists, Lestat bragging about jamming with some current musician “yeah I got backstage, and she invited me to play the next show with the band, but all the rest of their tourdates are daytime shows so I had to refuuuuuse *pouts*”
Sometimes Armand thinks he’s made it up, but everyone’s usually very impressed or at least they ACT impressed to move onto the next topic.
The power hierarchy doesn’t seem based on physical beauty or financial wealth, since they can all buy whatever they want. The social status seems to be based on the physical power (age or blood) of each individual vampire and their alliances benefit by extension.
Lestat’s at the top of the food chain with that, for obvious reasons. His fledglings are close, since you know he would defend their honor at the slightest provocation.
Marius, however, still holds some sway over Lestat as the mentor-figure, and rule-maker, since he’s one of the oldest and one of the ones who have lived the most mortal years. David and Marius often find common ground on subjects, and are less flappable than those made at younger mortal ages.
Gabrielle also has a lot of power socially, and somewhat physically, being Lestat’s first fledgling.
Omg I know, wouldn’t it be lovely for them to just flop into eachothers’ arms and smile and laugh and everything is all sparkles and rainbows again? *u*
Relationships – platonic or romantic – are not guaranteed, they change and evolve over time. Even marriages fail! When Nicki asks for the Dark Gift, it’s not to be with Lestat, it’s what he thinks he deserves, one of the last gifts Lestat can give him to apologize. They were good for each other at one time, and grew apart. I think they both loved the idea of each other more than the ppl they really were, as often happens in relationships.
[Nicolas & Lestat by @ashetray, probably the night Lestat turns him]
As a side note: I really didn’t realize there was so much love for Nicolas until I got on tumblr! I think he represents this generation’s disillusionment with society at large better than Lestat does, Nicolas’ rebellion is a modern-era grunge rebellion, bc he HAS TALENT, and is angry with the way it’s recognized, angry with so much about the way the world runs on autopilot, angry with societal ideals of success. He probably does have some mental issues, too, and I think this generation is more comfortable “coming out” with BPD, or manic-depression, etc. than in 18th century France or at the time TVL was written… with some counseling and/or medication, he might have had a better life.
So if Nicki came back:
If Nicki came back, they might get a little closure as long as they had a mediator present in the room to prevent carnage from breaking out. But they broke up on such bad terms that really, nothing can heal that breakage ;A; At this point, civil is probably the best they could manage, even though Lestat would probably bend over backwards if he thought he could get better than civil from Nicki.
Ask a Lestat or Nicolas RPer and they might have a more detailed answer on this, but anytime I see those muses interact with eachother, it’s pretty strained, and only slightly better if the thread takes place when they’re both still mortal.
BC let’s face it, by the time Lestat’s star was rising at the theatre, Nicolas was withdrawing deeper into himself and had had just about enough of Lestat’s bouncy optimism.
After Nicolas is turned he admits as much:
“It was to hurt others, don’t you see, the violin
playing, to anger them, to secure for me an island where they could not rule. They
would watch my ruin, unable to do anything about it.” I didn’t answer. I
wanted him to go on.
“And
when we decided to go to Paris, I thought we would starve in Paris, that we
would go down and down and down. It was what I wanted, rather than what they
wanted, that I, the favored son, should rise for them. I thought we would go
down! We were supposed to go down.” – Nicolas, The Vampire Lestat
Hit the jump for a little more, cut for length.
I think Nicki and Lestat needed eachother in the beginning and were very well-matched, they seem to be the first to really love eachother in the cruel environment they came from. They encouraged eachother to be better ppl, they were mutually supportive.
It all fell apart in Paris, and even if Lestat hadn’t been kidnapped by Magnus, it’s doubtful their relationship could have lasted.
The betrayal Nicolas felt when Lestat just disappeared that night was too great. Lestat leaves in the middle of the night, screaming, and reports that he’s fallen in love with some wealthy lady? No amount of gifts and money he sent to Nicolas could really substitute Lestat physically being with Nicolas the way that they were.
Sure! Why not? What a cool idea to have someone as stunning as she is, and also as muscular and kick-ass, for this person to want to devote all their strength and love, more like a force of nature than a mere person, into giving to others in the missions? POWER NUN.
Her lids were heavy and smooth over her downcast eyes. Like a Grecian woman painted by Picasso, so simple she seemed, large-boned and fine and strong. Had anybody ever kissed her nun’s mouth?
– Lestat, Tale of the Body Thief
^[fandom fave for mortal!Lestat, Sendhil Ramamurthy; and Gwendoline Christie for Gretchen.][I ship it]
“Help me and you help the devil,” I whispered.
“So you told me,” she said.
…”What a lovely face you have. What is your name?“
“Gretchen.”
“You’re a nun, aren’t you, Gretchen?”
“How did you know that?”
“I could tell. Your hands, for one thing, the little silver wedding band, and something about your face, a radiance- the radiance of those who believe. And the fact that you stayed with me, Gretchen, when the others told you to go on. I know nuns when I see them. I’m the devil and when I behold goodness I know it… The devil needs you. The devil’s crying. He wants you to hold his hand. You’re not afraid of the devil, are you?”
“Not if he requires an act of mercy. Sleep now. They’re coming to give you another shot. I’m not leaving. Here, I’ll bring the chair to the side of the bed so you can hold my hand.”
– Lestat & Gretchen, Tale of the Body Thief
I-want-my-IWTV 