#god i want lestat to suffer so much in s3

[pynkhues]

Watching the final again and it always strikes me how the start of Louis’ speech must have been so triggering for Lestat. It truly sounds like he’s about to pull a full Nicky on him, “I always hated you and wanted you to suffer and hoped you’d die and then so could I.”

You can see Lestat bracing himself for it to happen *again*. It’s such a little beat by Sam but it breaks my heart. And then it makes the turn into it being a thank you so much more special. It’s gorgeous

Oh! I hadn't really thought about that scene in the finale in the context of Lestat and Nicki's final interaction in the book, anon, but you made me go and read/watch them back-to-back, and oof, I think you're totally right. They do seem to be almost in-conversation with each other as scenes in some ways, right up until they dovetail and Louis owns his behaviour and just chooses both kindness, and to love not just Lestat, but himself, in the way Nicki never entirely could. That particular parallel of Nicki wanting them to go down in Paris together and Louis wanting Lestat to suffer in New Orleans because he was suffering too just really lands.

And yeah, I think you can see it in Sam's performance too. Just the weight of all that history, and the juxtaposition of what happens, the tenderness of Louis' thank you and the embrace to where Nicki turns away from him, and GOD, I'm not ready to actually see it all in s3.