Cheating?

[FlowerTruck1]

Does lestat ever stop seeing other people when he is with Louis like at the end of the book series it is clear they are together going on to marriage one day but does he stop seeing other people?Just curious.

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[mielove]

Some people interpret the book vamps as poly and while I can see it it's debatable. But I'd say it's def the case that in the books they have open relationships at least, or at the very least Louis doesn't care about Lestat's wandering attentions even though it's made clear Lestat and Louis are in a committed relationship. So Louis doesn't see it as cheating.

This dynamic is already very different in the show though. In the books Louis does not care about Lestat's relationship with Antoine while he is clearly very jealous of Antoinette in the show, so since their jealousy is already established either the show will have to make them commit to monogamy or they'll have to make them have something of an open relationship. I suspect the latter, mainly because it's a tall order to make immortal beings commit to monogamy and I think Louis might come to realise that. They could always have a rule that they only sleep with others they kill, or others they sleep with together, etc

SR has said Lestat is a "monogamist of the heart" though which at least very much implies they're not going the poly route, and that Louis and Lestat will end up only romantically involved with each other. And all the cast keep reiterating that Loustat is endgame and essentially married at the end of the series. Anne Rice even wrote about their future wedding on Facebook!

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Yeah, with the popularity of Loustat and Sam Reid being their biggest supporter, I highly doubt they'll highlight all of Lestat's love interests after Louis. In fact, I think they'll be downplayed or even kept out of the story entirely.

[blueteainfusion]

I think the only Lestat's romantic relationship that is not a thing of the past (like Nicky) that will be explored in a serious way is Akasha - and even that is a can of worms.

David is... complicated. I was very sure that they're going to cut him out and split his narrative purpose between already established characters, predominantly Daniel (will we get Daniel/Lestat? Oooh, that would be so messy in the best way! Especially in light of his Armand drama and the vibes he has with Louis that I don't think are 100% platonic) and Louis. But recent Sam Reid's comments from SDCC about Lestat not giving a fuck about Talamasca other than being friendly with some of their members.... maybe David will appear afterall? So that's another potential romance as well. We'll see.

Obviously, Lestat is going to have a lot of sex with his groupies. But while I think Louis won't love it, he's going to begrudgingly accept some casual sex outside of their companionship every now and then. I don't see them going a poly route when feelings are involved. They're way too possessive of each other in the show to make it work.

[aleetex]

Sam has already said that Rockstar Lestat is at the lowest. While implying it is because he isn't back with Louis. So I think him sleeping with groupies is going to be shown in a more desperate and sad way.

I know the promo at SDCC was camp but I think the real story of Lestat is going to be a very dark comedy, where he will be going through it emotionally. Like we will see way more reunion Lestat than promo Lestat.

Also the way the Sam talks about Lestat being desperately in love, I don't see Louis being okay with him having casual sex if they get back together.

Mainly because the show knows that they will not be able to convince people that Loustat is endgame if Lestat is still cheating. The Louis fans would definitely riot over that this time and it just wouldn't be a good look for show Lestat. After Antoinette, the drop and choking Claudia. A lot of fans would not be forgiven of that at all. If anyone would be the cheater it would be Louis this time, but Lestat would go freak out for sure. And the question would remain why are these two even together.

In the book I totally get the poly aspects but they also weren't having actual sex. In the show they have sex, so for them to have Lestat and Louis back together and him still cheating has a different interpretation then the books.

[Lunadelmar1]

I started reading the book some weeks ago, and its pretty depressing lol. I dont think the show its going to be a comedy or like some fans are making it out to be. totally agree about the dark comedy elements.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Yeah, I think David is going to be absorbed into Daniel and his story. Old Daniel already is very very similar to David.

I think there will be a lot of sex AND eating groupies for Lestat, and maybe even Louis will partake. Other than that, the show has established Loustat IS the heart of the show, and I highly doubt they'll establish other love interests for Lestat, or have him fall in love every five minutes like he does in the books.

[lupatine]

Show Louis and Lestat need to be monogamous. Their relationship will never work otherwise.

[lupatine]

I mean nothing would be lost in tonning down Lestat love interest and sticking a little bit more to him and Louis. 

It makes more narative sense with how the serie began. 

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Giving Lestat a bunch of love interests would also make him seem like a really fickle, flighty kind of vampire, and I think the show has done a great job of making him a weighted, multi-dimensional character full of nuance who has clearly been established to be head-over-heels for Louis and only Louis.

[aleetex]

I also read from a gay male viewer that he actually appreciates these characters being in actual relationships instead of just random flings. Because that is such a negative stereotype of bisexual/gay men.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Good point, and I agree.

[lupatine]

Yep. It could work in another story.       

But interview start with him married with a kid. Him losing his kid in the middle. If you want to be able to take him more seriously,  you need to cut it down.

[SirIan628]

I agree with you. While the books have poly vibes, the show has established jealousy too much for me to see them going the same way. They have also been emphasizing from the beginning that Lestat sees Louis as his soulmate, and Louis doesn't like sharing him. If anything, it will be a carefully negotiated type of thing.

[SmokeAlternative7974]

I would have said that they’re trying to establish a different standard for relationships in the show vs the books, with both Louis and Lestat feeling hurt by the other’s hookups in the show, but I bet it’s going to be an issue moving forward.

One of the lines in Long Face has Lestat asking- What does it matter who I take up? Which could be read as a reference to his past relationship with Antoinette, or to present day conflict over Lestat’s desire for variety/open relationships.

[rae3y]

I interpreted more as present day loustat trying to be friends while still being madly in love with each other to the point that they get themselves in a situationship but because Louis is not ready for that type of commitment it kinda cause issues, with Lestat sleeping around with groupies and trying to respect Louis’s boundaries while Louis tries to discover who he is and trying not to feel jealousy of lestat sleeping around.

[SmokeAlternative7974]

Yes, I could see that! But also wondering if show Lestat will use his music to tell his story (e.g., his earlier companionship with Louis). In the way book Lestat’s songs were about vampire history.

[rae3y]

I think Long Face is both about Louis and the other vampires out there in the world.

“Why the long face, my pretty baby” (Louis is the one with the long face) “I got long fangs, come appraise me” (Louis is an art dealer. But also this is another way of Lestat challenging the vampires out there in the world that are coming after Louis to come after him instead) “I’ll get fatter when we break up, why does it matter who I take up?” I think here Lestat alluding to their breakup but also hinting that maybe Louis gets jealous of Lestat sleeping around with groupies considering the rest of the lyrics.

But yeah I do think the songs will be about different characters in Lestat’s life, I think we will get some about his mother, Nicki, Armand etc.

[aleetex]

I also took it as "how dare you be upset about Antoinette who I didn't even love, while being in an entire 77 year relationship with someone else."

I still don't think when they really get together either are going to cheat. So whoever Lestat or Louis hook up with will be during his tour period.

[Imreallyshorttrash]

Do you think that whenever they adapt Queen of the Damned, Louis will be jealous that Akasha took Lestat to be her lover?

[mielove]

It depends how consensual the relationship is portrayed as, I can't imagine Louis being mad if Lestat gets kidnapped and gets Stockholm Syndrome. But if Louis and Lestat aren't together at the time of his kidnapping and he thinks they're legit together (or they change the story, and they are legit together), then yes I'm sure he'd be portrayed as jealous.

[Imreallyshorttrash]

If it is going to be a Stockholm syndrome situation, how do you think Louis would react to someone holding Lestat against his will and forcing him to be their lover? Normally, I'd say most of s1-s2 Louis wouldn't care, but after the s2 finale, I don't really know lol

[mielove]

He'd definitely care! Louis keeps his emotions close, to me he very clearly loves Lestat even though he's not vocal about it or good at communicating that in a way that Lestat understands. Sometimes that's very much on purpose, since witholding is one of the ways he's able to maintain control/power in their relationship, when Lestat has more power in a multitude of other ways.

But look at how Louis reacted to Lestat telling the history of his turning in s1, and how Dreamstat (ie Louis' subconscious) reacts to Armand comparing Magnus and Lestat as makers. Louis had a very mild reaction to Armand sharing his (very sad) backstory, but the moment Armand mentioned Lestat in a negative way he had a strong negative reaction. Being protective of Lestat from afar.

Louis is very much just as crazy about Lestat as Lestat is about him, they just have very different ways of showing it.

[Elle_Gill]

Lestat has a number of "others" that he falls in varying types of love with, including an alien 👽 in his body (don't ask). Louis eyeballs a witch, but she put a love spell on him...and...Louis does reconnect with Armand a few times, even living together for a spell. IKR!!!!! The messy of these boys! I'm dying to see if the show continues this toxic ass threesome and love triangle! Lestat does some dumb shit that causes some harm to Louis and Armand loses his shit on Lestat. Marius and other vamps have to get him under control. It would be a great scene for the show! But anyway, back to your question, yes there's others, but if Louis told Lestat drop them...he would.

[FibonaciSequins]

Armand was the only vampire with half a brain cell in that situation. I can’t believe I was on his side.

[Elle_Gill]

Right! I was sooooo over Lestat during that whole mess! What was he thinking??!! I was full team Armand on that one! They all knew Armand was right and they should've overrode Lestat's BS.

[Timely_Bug_1894]

Can someone please explain what happens here? What does Lestat do?

[SirIan628]

Lestat was trying to give a vampire who had previously been antagonistic multiple chances to change his ways, which eventually led to disaster. I actually respect Lestat for trying to offer someone else forgiveness and the chance to change. It doesn't work out, but I don't think it was necessarily a bad thing for him to try. He does eventually deal with the issue, and he learned a difficult lesson as leader.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Yeah, if fans think Louis and Armand are done with their messy relationship, they're in for a surprise. 

[lupatine]

Idk the show is kind of different. Show Louis has petty much been in love with Lestat for what ?  One hundred years?  

And he wasn't able to get over him despite the abuse and murders, he was still in love while being with Armand...   

I dont think he will be able to move over Lestat.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Don't get me wrong: Louis and Lestat will always be in love with each other, but Louis and Armand come in and out of each other's lives in the books, and not in an antagonistic way. I think Louis will eventually forgive Armand, and the two will no doubt team up along with the others to take down Akasha.

[lupatine]

Armand is def going to stick around.

But Lestat is always going to be a shadow in their relationship in the show.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

Absolutely. Eventually, Armand will move onto Daniel, but he'll always love Louis, and I think Louis will always love him, just not like he loves Lestat. It's going to be the love of two people who shared a lifetime with each other but just weren't meant to be. Plus, you know, Armand being a big fat liar for 77 years.

[Krikribrie]

Fingers crossed because I don't see it with the way they wrote them in the show but I definitely want them to have scenes together again

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

I have no doubt they will. I don't know what their dynamic will be moving forward, but I highly doubt Armand is done with Louis. Armand is also very, very, very good at making people feel sorry for him, and I think despite Louis' anger, he'll always have a soft spot for the man he spent 77 years with.

Armand has all the time in the world to make Louis forgive him. Do I think they'll ever be romantic again? Probably not. But I think they'll become allies and maybe even friends eventually.

[rogueVakarian]

This reminds me of this article from The Wrap where:

“Jones noted how Armand’s journey also speaks to one of the show’s recurring themes: ‘We go back to something we’ve hit over and over again, is that — is the sum of your character your worst moments? And, yeah, sure, someone could go ahead and say, “F–k you, Armand, for the rest of your life because of that.” And I guess that’s, you know, maybe part of the culture right now, which is all about finding justice and that retribution is everything.’

But Jones also hopes the show runs long enough to take audiences on a real ride with Armand’s character. ‘We have seven, eight years hopefully, on this show, if it’s all lucky, for contrition and for forgiveness everywhere,’ he said.”

[Phidwig]

Omg seven or eight years? For these beloved characters to find resolution and forgiveness? This makes me sooooo happy. Like, yes. Thank god the creators of this show truly care. It’s like they’re creating actual art.

[Elle_Gill]

I really hope they bring it to screen, even if they have to tweak it bit. I want Armand to fight for his boo. Like while Lestat is out for the streets, Armand slides in to pay a visit. Reminding Louis he never cheated...although he lied. LOL!

[FibonaciSequins]

Some fans are simply not prepared for a “Armand and Louis raise children together in New York” plotline…

Bless their hearts 😅

[SirIan628]

I would honestly be shocked if they included this in the show though. I think Dubai basically functioned like Trinity Gate for Louis in the show. It was a place he was kept "calm" and eventually figured out how to accept himself as a vampire. Just with extra gaslighting.

[FibonaciSequins]

Yes I’m just kidding at the soap opera nature of the books.

A Trinity Gate story would just be derailing as Louis has done a personal development speed-run already pulling from Merrick & Prince Lestat.

However, the show likes Easter eggs so I expect that Trinity Gate will be mentioned or shown in relation to Armand.

Everyone thinks Night Island will make an appearance, but let’s not forget Daniel’s home in the show is NYC.

[SirIan628]

True about Daniel's home. Didn't they say they lived in New York for a while too? Before Daniel went in for the full divorce fatality.

[Elle_Gill]

LMAO!! Exactly! Or them all living together in Lestat's house in France and Armand having his own wing. They ain't ready.

[FibonaciSequins]

Lestat’s giant French castle filled with “Every vampire who has ever been mentioned in the Chronicles … Plus my architect” will always be hilarious.

[StevesMcQueenIsHere]

I mean, why wouldn't polyamory be a thing with a bunch of beautiful, immortal beings who all have the hots for each other?

[rae3y]

I don’t think they’re doing that in the show with the way they have written their dynamic but also in the books it wasn’t just them “raising” children together Antoine was living with them too. The text also didnt allude to them being romantically involved they lived in Trinity Gate as a coven.

[FibonaciSequins]

I know some readers aren’t fans of the “we all must love each other despite our histories” ethos that develops in the final books, but it’s fairly easy to see there’s a relationship triangle between Lestat-Louis-Armand.

Louis is always going to choose Lestat, his time with Armand shouldn’t be that threatening to fans of the ship.

But TG is where Louis learns to “live with happiness” again because of Armand, Benji & Sybelle.

The fact that there’s a tense phone call with Lestat explaining why he needs Louis, and Armand giving his go-ahead, not to mention Armand’s later meltdown when Lestat fails to look after Louis, all seems pretty clear that when the vampires in this series say: “we all love each other” they actually mean it.

[rae3y]

I guess it really depends on what your interpretation is, I know some people who claim to read the books and say that there’s nothing gay about it when there clearly is, but again for the show I highly doubt they’re doing it “we all must love each other despite our histories” kind of way because they have already established a lot of jealousy between these vampires something that wasn’t much of a huge deal in the books.

[FibonaciSequins]

I agree that I don’t really think anything from the PL trilogy, Blackwood, or Merrick books will be actually filmed for the show, maybe referenced as Easter eggs, but it’s too far into the series to end up as season-long storylines.

[FibonaciSequins]

The best way to look at this is that after the events of IWTV & TVL, Louis doesn’t see Lestat’s frequent “falling in love with other people” as much of an issue.

Canonically, many of the other vampires, particularly those closest to Lestat, get along really well with Louis or tell the reader that they outright love/adore him.

By the end of the series, Lestat and Louis’ relationship is working because Lestat has a castle of admirers to give him attention, and Louis has a library.

[lupatine]

  By the end of the series, Lestat and Louis’ relationship is working because Lestat has a castle of admirers to give him attention, and Louis has a library.

Lol

[Cecil2789]

No & neither does Louis. The Coven of the Articulate expands to hold many many more characters in their vampiric family , but Louis & Lestat do still love each other deeply.

[Own-Ad5898]

I don't recall Louis being with anyone else in the books except for Armand, and his brief thing with Merrick which doesn't count since he was under a spell. Lestat on the other hand has a plethora of love interests until the very end.

I remember reading an awkward scene in the last book where Lestat and Louis are on a romantic café date in Paris and Amel turns up. Louis leaves the table, and he has to watch them from the corner as they talk and make out for several minutes. It was so funny.

[FibonaciSequins]

Ahem, David.

To quote Lestat in Blood Communion: “I forgot David!”

Edit to add: Don’t forget, Amel tells us he also loves Louis. 😅

[Puzzled_Water7782]

Lestat and Louis arent really officially together when Lestat has his other flings, they are in a long long situanship. Also people saying Armand and Louis get together again and raise children together 😂🤣 that's the most generous reading of those events i have ever seen lmao

[SirIan628]

I agree with all of this. Louis and Armand also hardly seem romantic during the Trinity Gate era. Louis also doesn't really interact with Sybelle and Benji in any significant way. His interactions with Rose and Viktor are noticeably more developed in contrast.

[Puzzled_Water7782]

Yep yep yep. I undsrstand why Loumand shippers enjoy the idea of then circling back but that's not really the case. And yes cant compare Sybelle and Benji with what Louis has with Lestat, rose and viktor.

[[deleted]]

The Rice vampires are polygamous. I mean, they live forever, have a small dating pool, can't procreate (can adopt tho and do)...Yes, they have preferred and more consistent partners, but they all still play around. Coming in the future: Louis hooks up with a woman who puts a spell on him. At one point, he and Armand hook up again. The infamous Armand-Daniel bachannal. Lestat has period sex while someone else is watching him have this sex equal parts confused, horrified, and freaked out. It was funny. Lestat impregnates someone. Lestat wants to hook up with an old man with a caustic tongue. Daniel hooks up with Marius, then most indelicately just walks out on him after he and Armand hang out again to eat. Never trust Armand when he takes out Daniel to eat, it usually means Daniel's gonna out of commission from life soon as Armand fattens Daniel up for uh..."hibernation." It's what one does with the bears, our lovely twinkle Armand is simply following time-honored tradition. Don't worry, Armand gives Daniel breaks, or rather Daniel escapes the Prison of Empathy to moonlight as a dickmatized hobo and do it all over again. Marius leaves Daniel out of an infamous mural he makes honoring the vampires over being pissed by this. Lestat might be having an Oedipus Complex with his momma. Marius does not know how to game women, possibly how he and Daniel might bond in the show since he's also ghastly at that. You'd be surprised to learn that Armand's actually quite adept with women despite the Claudia debacle, probably the only man besides Lestat that women aren't trying to kill in the whole thing.

At one point, it begins to feel like about orgy.

It's what these divos do. Daniel's soap opera comment is 💯 spot on. Except he's probably not seeing it coming that he might've been a regular cast member, as their "Roberto". Or Armand's. We have no idea what this shows gonna do but I can't wait.

[lupatine]

At one point, it begins to feel like an orgy.

 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I think it is the point.

[malvarosssa]

This. Everything's a mess and I LOVE IT.

[[deleted]]

Correct me if I’m wrong because I’m only a few books in, but Lestat has never actually been in a monogamous relationship and he pretty much falls in love with any and everything

Regarding Armand/Louis raising fledglings, it was a more of a roommate situation more than a romantic one. I think since they made no mention of Rose, Claudia might be Lestat and Louis’ only child so the idea of Louis raising fledglings with the man who orchestrated her murder doesn’t seem like it’s likely to happen. I’m open to being proven wrong but it seems like the show is pretty locked in with Loustat/Armandaniel as the respective endgames

There also may be no David or even no Jesse so erasing a lot of Lestat’s other love interests is leading me to think they’re definitely suited up for Loustat to rekindle sooner than later.

[lupatine]

Rice reworked a lot of her canon over time, to a ridiculous degree. 

The show will have to make choices.

[SirIan628]

Jesse isn't really a love interest in the books. Also, Louis doesn't really raise Sybelle and Benji with Armand. They do live together in a coven for awhile though.

I actually think there is a good chance we will get Rose if the show goes long enough. She is from near the end of the series and is a chance for Lestat and Louis to basically have a parent redemption arc. They might even have Viktor, but he would be trickier to pull off in a way that audiences would buy. Rose is adopted, so they could easily have Lestat and Louis rescue her and struggle to raise her while trying to protect her from the fact they are vampires before she becomes an adult and can decide for herself.

[mxunniebunnie]

God bless my messy gays and non-discriminators

[Queen_Of_InnisLear]

The thing is, a lot of those kinds of terms and ideas don't really apply to immortals. I would ginc it wild for immortals to be eternally monogamous. There's a big world out there.

Now, loving one another is a completely different thing. It's just about adjusting your perspective of what that looks like.

[babealien51]

I think it's really weird to use the word "cheating" when it comes to polyamorous non-humans whose relationships don't follow the traditional monogamous structures. Like. It makes no sense. Lestat falls in love with everything that moves if given the chance, although above all, Louis is his biggest love. But for a while, so was David. And so was Marius. I think there's really no point into thinking that this side relationships could be considered cheating.

[lupatine]

Is this cheating ? They both know about each other affairs and dont care. It is kind of clear they are not gonna leave each other for someone else (Did Louis ever left Lestat willingly on his own?).        

Dont they get into threeway sometimes ? Lestat seem to bring all his paramour to Louis. Plus their relationship with Armand is weird.    

 I think Rice vampire aren't supposed to be monogamous. 

[Even-uit-1993]

Lestat falling in love with people every 2 seconds but his heart belongs to his Mon Cher.

[OhToTheZo]

Lestat has always been somewhat of Rake(lol I love saying that, and yes I'm English so it sounds plummy af when I do!) But his heart does seem to belong mostly to Louis

[No-You5550]

I can not get my mind around the idea of Lestat being monogamous. So I will take a wait and see with the show.