#vampire chonicles

[menasimagination]

amadeo

[cbrownjc]

The Devil's Minion (Armand/Daniel): Metas and Info Masterpost

This is an updated masterpost containing all links regarding asks I've gotten about Armand and Daniel's relationship (Devil's Minion), as well as metas I've written about the relationship, as it pertains to the AMC+ TV Show, as well as book info about the pair. This post is for quick reference for anyone looking for a specific meta or answer to a question they may have, as well as for myself, as the show goes forward.

You can find the first/old masterpost I did for this here.

This new post is the one I will update from now on with any new metas or important info going forward.

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Book Specific References/Questions:

A book-based timeline of the events regarding Daniel and the Devil's Minion story/relationship (created by Lixx) -- here.

No, Anne Rice was not against fanfic because people were writing her characters having gay sex (and isn't rolling in her grave over the gay sex in the show) -- here and here.

Yes, the ship name for Armand/Daniel (as far as book-fandom goes) has always been "Devil's Minion" since at least when the Queen of the Damned book was first published in 1988 -- here.

What we know about Daniel's background from the books (which is not much) -- here.

Overview of Armand's backstory and relationship with Lestat, Louis, and Daniel in the books -- here and here.

Who and what is Armand's endgame (in the books & spec regarding the show during Season 1) -- here and here.

Armand and Daniel's relationship was NOT love at first sight, like it was for Lestat and Louis. Their relationship, in fact, starts out more like a horror movie (but it gave them the chance to see, and fall in love with each other, with no illusions as to who the other one was) -- here, here, here, and here.

David Talbot (aka why the show has likely replaced his character with Louis and Daniel) -- here.

The origin of the "Boss" nickname that many fanfic writers have Daniel call Armand in fanfics -- here.

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AMC+ Universe Specific Reference Links:

Daniel Molloy's LinkedIn page, set up by the AMC+ show -- here.

Daniel Molloy's Practicum Course Website -- here.

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General AMC+ Show Devil's Minion Metas and Specs:

Why I think a large part of the Devil's Minion storyline, particularly the 4-year Chase between Armand and Daniel, as well as their romance after that, all happened in the past, during the book's original 12-year timeline (1973 to 1985); including signs and hints in the show that it did -- here, here, here, here, here, here and here. (And a gifset tags meta here.)

What I think Louis was doing while Armand was chasing younger Daniel for 4 years, as well as very likely the first 3 years (at least) of Armand & Daniel's full romantic relationship after that (in short, IMO Louis was very likely asleep, underground in the earth, healing from his burn wounds) -- here.

Why I think Louis doesn't know -- or remember -- what happened between Armand and Daniel in the past -- here.

Why I don't think it was Armand who erased Daniel's memories of their past relationship -- here and here.

Daniel, Parkinson's Disease, and Dr. Fareed -- here, here, and here.

Daniel's importance to Armand's story (a.k.a. why Daniel won't be killed off ... or at least he won't stay dead if he does die) -- here, here, and here.

Thoughts on Daniel's sexuality (with commentary about the 1980s AIDS crisis) -- here, here, and here.

About the Armand = Alice theory -- here and here.

What I feel is the most important thing when it comes to adapting The Devil's Minion story/relationship, and why -- here, here, and here.

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Season One-Specific Metas and Specs (many of these were either confirmed or disproven by what was shown by the end of the season, or by the end of Season 2):

Rashid is Armand Specs (proven correct!) with spec on Devil's Minion having happened in the past -- here, here, and here.

Shipping Armand based on just aesthetics (because no, Rashid was NOT Armand's true self, just a performance) -- here.

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Pre-Season Two-Specific Metas and Specs (many of these were either confirmed or disproven by what was shown during Season 2):

Another ask/meta about the "Endgame" relationships -- here.

Yes, Devil's Minion has their toxic side. And? 🤷🏾‍♀️ This is the Vampire Chronicles, EVERY relationship has its toxic level to it -- here and here.

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Season Two-Specific Metas and Specs (written as Season 2 was airing, and were either proven correct or wrong by the end of the season):

The purpose of The Chase between Armand and Daniel in the show's universe -- here.

Could Daniel be seen as scraps because Armand couldn't have Louis or Lestat? -- here.

My prediction/meta that Daniel would be turned by the end of the season, (before the screener leaks spoiled it) -- here.

More thoughts/specs on Daniel being turned -- here, here, and here.

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Post-Season Two-Specific Metas and Specs:

Why, IMO, Armand turning Daniel out of "spite" in any way is a bad adaptation of The Devil's Minion story (and Armand & Daniel's relationship) if it's true -- here, here, and here.

Why The Chase, and the romantic relationship that came after, has to have happened in the past, if the show wants to keep to the heart of Armand & Daniel's characters and relationship, post Season 2 -- here.

Armand turning Daniel did not lead to them "getting together" or some kind of happy ending for them right away in the books. In fact, they broke up for over 15 years after Daniel's turning, and Daniel went mad/crazy (and went to live with Marius), a storyline which I feel the show could still do in some way -- here and here. (Tulane Archive scan, which shows their breakup, that was cut from The Vampire Armand book, where it was only mentioned instead -- here.)

. . . that all said, one way or another, there is something strange and off going on with Daniel and the publishing of the Interview with the Vampire book, per the hints given in Mayfair Witches, Season 2 -- here.

More thoughts on Daniel, Raglan James, and the Talamasca -- here, here, and here.

Armand and The Great Laws -- here and here.

Possible Armand and Daniel episode in Season 3 -- here.

No, I don't think The Devil's Minion has been plotted out fully, down to every single last detail, with regard to the show; because TV show writing is more organic than writing a book or a film, because of its medium -- here and here.

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Showrunner Rolin Jones talking about The Devil's Minion:

Yes, Rolin Jones did promise Devil's Minion, actually -- here.

What Rolin Jones said at SDCC 2022 about Devil's Minion -- here (YouTube Video).

Rolin Jones speaking at the 2024 ATX TV Festival about Devil's Minion -- here (video).

[couldurfaveescapeaperturescience]

[travellingwiththedead]

They have a hoarding problem, fledgling hoarding xD Akasha had kind of a good in universe reason but the guys were just like "Hm, haven't made a vampire in a week, better get on that" lol

sharing over here the vampire chronicles family tree i made.

disclaimer: there might be mistakes on it, like rose being made by lestat.

[vampirel]

Reminder that now is a great time to read the Vampire Chonicles books, in between seasons ;)

It's free to read with an Internet Archive account: The Vampire Chronicles - includes IWTV, TVL, and QOTD

[pinksvitanok]

i'm reading the vampire lestat now and like i read interview with vampire a while ago but then decided that i won't continue. and since then i kinda couldn't understand why the vampire chonicles are considered to be a horror series. cause sure iwtv had the atmosphere and this gothic vibe and some pretty chilling moments but i don't remember being particularly scared cause of anything. the vampire lestat though jeez. the moment when magnus as a 'white face in the crowd' was stalking lestat... i literaly had to pospone my night reading till the next day cause i knew i wouldn't be able to use a bathroom in the middle of the night without jumping at random sounds. and tvl just has way more moments that give you goosebumps i really love it

[interview-with-the-husbands]

I had to check how many books from the iwtv vampire chonicles and saw there was apparently 13 books?? 😭

[cbrownjc]

@fire-gift

#what if he says that because of the book rights? like we know that amc bought the rights but by how many years? when will that expire

In answer to your tags above, the word from the trades from back when Anne Rice was trying to sell the rights again after taking them back from Hulu, was that they were to be sold "in perpetuity." Meaning that whoever bought the rights to the books would have those rights forever:

According to one insider, the new package being shopped includes both “The Vampire Chronicles” and also Rice’s “Mayfair Witches,” which is currently set up at Warner Bros. The asking price is said to be around $30 to $40 million, in addition to a $2.5 million buyout of Warner Bros.’ rights. In exchange for the huge upfront fee however, the new owner will hold the rights in perpetuity, and not just as an option.

-- from Variety, (12/19/2019)

I'm just guessing the rights were up for sale in this way -- in perpetuity and not just as an option -- because Anne Rice likely had to pay out a LOT of money to get the rights back from Hulu. And so offering the right in perpetuity instead of as just an option might have been thrown in to sweeten the deal when it came to the new asking price.

And I haven't read anything since that says AMC didn't get the rights in perpetuity when they purchased them. So, at the moment, it's safe to assume that AMC will and does hold the rights to TVC in that way, and so will never lose them.

So yeah, it looks like AMC owns the production rights for both The Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches forever, will never lose them, and any other studio that wants to make something of those properties in the future would have to license them from AMC first.

Girl what do you mean 7-8 years?! Do you mean that many seasons or like 5 seasons released every 2 years?!

[menasimagination]

I feel like Lestat would unironically infiltrate the conclave just to impress Louis (who was raised catholic). He would be like "look mon cher, I became pope for you"

[fairydust-stuff]

I don’t know how the show is going to do ,  but what’s with this end game nonsense in reguards to the vampire chonicles books? 

Argument that Louie is lying about Armand being the love of his life. 

Lestat takes on at least three more lovers in the last couple of books and basically does the vampire version of dating other people even after he gets Louie to move back in with him. There together but their not exclusive. 

Louie also takes a lot of very vacations with Armand and Daniel and their children to the point he practiculally lives there.  

Armand and Lestat are both the loves of Louis’s life. 

He’s part of Armand family and Lestat’s equally. 

Armand himself loves Daniel, Louie and even Lestat in a romantic sense. (its complicated) 

So there’s no end game in the books everyone keeps loving each other after after. No one ever leaves the love  rectangle in these books, everyone wins! 

[13eyond13]

Just adding some other thoughts on after watching another couple episodes (my other thoughts can be found in the notes of this post, I'm just not reblogging them again because it's a long ramble of a post)

So I got to the end of episode 3 and I feel like although I'm mostly enjoying it I also am starting to feel like the tone is a bit all over the place sometimes too. Not sure that's what you meant, but it feels a bit like the writers were having a hard time completely meshing the two different books together seamlessly at times. I wonder if you'd even notice this if you hadn't already read the books, but their attitudes toward each other and toward their vampirism and whatnot kinda flipflop back and forth between how it was in book one and how it was in book two, and to me that makes it feel a little emotionally inconsistent at times. Lestat is mostly like he is in book two when he's very affectionate toward Louis and open about what he knows and thinks, but then occasionally he gets very petty and cruel toward random humans or has a temperamental outburst like he does in book one. And Louis is mostly affectionate and friendly toward Lestat, but then he randomly starts loathing him occasionally and changing his mind about if he likes being a vampire and how or if he wants to kill people and whatnot. I really don't envy the writers trying to stay true to the books while also make the two very different conflicting accounts from two different POVs mesh together sensibly like that tbh, and though I think they're doing a fairly good job of it I do also feel like the cracks show a little bit in how the tone and the relationship dynamic feels a bit all over the place at times.

Some other random thoughts:

-I was glad that they kept the rule about the fledglings and masters not being able to read each other's thoughts, though it's a bit weird to me that Louis is able to mindread the thoughts of the people around him too, I don't think he is consciously capable of anything like that in the books?

-I was a bit weirded out by Louis eating regular food and by them still being able to have sex, which I already knew was going to bug me about this show. I just really prefer them not physically being able to do either thing anymore once they're turned, and don't really see the point of keeping that stuff in. I think it emphasizes the divide between their human selves and vampire selves all the more when they can't, and it makes their need to hunt even more pressing since it then becomes their only outlet for all of that sort of primal carnal stuff

- looks like Claudia is coming next episode, she's a big fave to me in the books and I'm looking forward to seeing what that's going to be like!

gotta say i tried watching the iwtv series but the tone just seems off somehow. there are good things about it sure, and i do love sam reid (?) as lestat, but the tone issue is similar to why i think vampire diaries is so off-putting for me. like, it focuses on sex and blood so strongly in a way, and sort of misses the elements that made the books so interesting to me. i wish i could explain this vibe better, lol.

that being said, i would be interested in your opinion on the show if you ever watch it! often when i happen to know the piece of media you're talking about you voice things about it that i haven't been able to put into words myself but strongly agree with, haha.

I'll try watching it today since the books are still fresh in my mind and see what I think! Curious to know instead of just judge mostly based on clips and gifs...

[vampiremourning]

UPDATE- NO LONGER OFFERING THESE POSES!

Thank you to everyone for there help! I plan to offer more commissions in this style periodically, so please check @luxecoffin for updates on the newest batch <3

[thenightling]

This could actually be really good.  Back when I was fourteen-years-old and first reading The Queen of the damned (where The Talamasca was first introduced) I felt they should have their own stories.

I always thought something from their point of view, the supernatural equivalent of the Men in Black would be very interesting.

https://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3759121/anne-rice-cinematic-universe-grows-with-spinoff-series-set-in-talamasca/?fbclid=IwAR0KYvHNifOTihuwXNmHS_-yeMJHPHuWOG19XUD2f2sy2fmKZk7g1kw9Q-Q

[lilover131]

Best vampire boi 🩸

[cbrownjc]

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

It was HATED back in the day when it was first published, but I loved it then and I love it now. It can be batshit crazy in some parts but oh, I love it so!

You left out the part where, after going to Heaven and Hell, rejecting the Devil and losing an eye, Lestat . . . well, you know. The scene with Dora? And her period? Yeah, that.

One of the parts I always loved most from that book was the retelling of the creation by way of evolution. God creating humans was basically him creating matter and then just watching and seeing what happened . . . all to see if he could recreate Angels.

Anyway, I could go on and on about that book. 😁 As to "The Groan" being either Lestat or Those Who Must Be Kept? Well --

hi! is true that in the books lestat meets the devil,but chooses to remain an atheist?

Hey!

I wouldn't say atheist, but he refused to help him, yes. To play the part that God and the Devil wanted him to play.

He also drank the blood of Christ, lost an eye, got it back, went to Heaven and Hell and Purgatory, and is later kidnapped by Angels while in coma.

There is a LOT in these books :)

As a note, I can easily see a Memnoch-like event (that is what this is from, the book "Memnoch the Devil") having already happened in the show - I have theorized that The Groan that can be heard is actually Lestat in his coma. OR Those Who Must Be Kept, we'll see :)))

[menasimagination]

Romeo and Juliet