@luthi69 asked about dream cast for Santino and I have to admit that I don’t remember his story well enough to have a clear picture!
I did recently reread QOTD and he’s in there as part of the Council to Try to Change Power Feminist Akasha’s the Queen’s Brilliant SJW Plan for World Peace. He and Armand represent the Ex-Coven Master Division.
^YUM. I see him as dark, brooding, maybe even w/ facial hair (I don’t remember if it was specified that he has it or not but dammit I want some vampires with at least the OPTION), well-muscled and broad-shouldered and/or nice pecs *u*
That is bizarre! Anyway, there IS a Denis in the book. Also I think Denis was too young to be Armand? Armand was supposed to be around 17, and Denis looks more like 13-14 to me.
Not sure exactly whose theory it was (mine? whiningforcenturies? Both probably), but someone suggested that Antonio was actually Santino posing as Armand. Hence the not-teenage, not-red-head, not-cherubic appearance.
I have a whole pile of theories about Antonio’s casting here: #Defending Antonio.
^Lookit this loyal cutie omg ❤ This is kind of an Armand expression, the lack of surprise in an under-pressure situation, the stiff upper-lip.
That carriage is really rockin’. Don’t come a’knockin’. GDI Armand it’s wildly unfair to take advantage of a man who is turned on by the arson he’s just committed!
There were some comments on my post about Denis and basically, my feeling is that Denis was treated very well. He had a nice normal bed (looks like queen sized!), yes, he was locked in there, but who’s to say that the bars holding him in weren’t really meant to keep the other vampires in the Theatre OUT? It would be easy enough to get to Armand by torturing his pet; he needed protection.
We don’t know Denis’ backstory. Maybe Armand rescued him from a worse life, as Armand had been rescued by Marius. Maybe Armand was “paying it forward.”
We know Armand didn’t really click with any of the vampires in the Theatre. So why not have a little mortal companion who might love him unconditionally? We keep cats and dogs for similar reasons. We keep chickens and rabbits as pets knowing that we’re well some of us are capable of eating them someday. A human is another level of domesticated pet for a vampire!
Now the fact that Armand killed Denis does seem cruel at first glance, but it was probably because Armand had found what he longed for in Louis, a vampire companion. Hanging out with vampires for too long can distort your reality (just ask Daniel Molloy, lol) so Armand killing Denis was probably a mercy. What would have happened with that kid otherwise? Would he have tried to find Armand? Would he have killed himself anyway? If Armand didn’t want to turn or keep him, maybe Denis asked for death.
These things are worth considering before you judge Armand as being cruel to Denis.
“Yes it is I, Armand, the red haired teenage Russian let me dazzle you now with my impossible young boyish good looks and–OH MIO DIO–LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIOUS RAT–scusami”
I used to get them mixed up early on, too. They’re VERY different. And yet similar. (also I don’t think they’re ever in the same place together in the series, which is neither here nor there, but whatever) This is Santiago, we meet him in IWTV:
Santiago is a BAMF, and he’s Armand’s right-hand man at the Theatre des Vampires, also an actor there, usually plays the narrator or character of “Death” in their gruesome stage performances. Santiago does NOT like Louis from the moment they meet. Santiago can sense weakness in Louis, and Santiago is also suspicious of Claudia just for her existence; it’s against the rules to make child vampires. Santiago is not gonna let that slide.
Santino is a BAMF, too. We meet him in TVL, he trains Armand to become the coven master of the Children of Darkness, eventually helming the Scranton Paris branch in the cemetery of Les Innocents. More on him in TVA and B&G, which I have not memorized yet. Santino is the leader of a coven of Satanic vampires, the members of which hold a common belief that they are meant to be the scourge of humankind. I can’t say more without spoiling you, so go to Wiki for more.
You can also ask a Santino RPer! vampirexsantino would probably answer more. He’s the only active Santino I know of rn, and I don’t know any active Santiagos. vampiresantiago is inactive, but you might like perusing their archive.
y’know, as much as some ppl didn’t like him as Armand (and I will defend Antonio 5ever!), I could see him as Santino. Maybe part of the reason they cast him as Armand is that they really wanted Santino. Let’s pretend it’s Santino passing as Armand.
|| I will take Antonio over creepy cherub guy trying way too hard to be 17 but looks 40 any day. I just pretend Antonio is Santino fucking with you.
I like the idea that it’s Santino fucking with us, hahaha.
I have such nostalgia for Antonio!Armand. Antonio doesn’t deserve the hate he gets for Armand, he did a great job, and brought a dark European hawtness to it. Check out my #Defending Antonio tag for legitimate ideas defending his casting.
In essence: if they had cast a cherubic teenage redhead (or older creepy cherub dude trying to look 17 *cough cough* movie!QotD *cough*) it might have been confusing to people who hadn’t read the books, and might have taken the sympathy away from Louis (who was supposed to remain the focus, it’s HIS story, after all). That would have been compromised by omg cute little redhead bby we want to snuggles you! <– If the person at least had the right appearance.
Let’s say it was an appeal to those who hadn’t read the book(s) … casting an Armand that they could understand more easily as being a more mature/father/teacher figure for Louis.
Rivershire, when he is o.k. he avoids at all costs meeting Jean Claude, but when he is a little bit down, he can’t really be alone and need to talk with someone that “sees the world” as he sees.
I-want-my-IWTV 