Is My Very Nature That of a Devil is the third episode of the first season of Interview with the Vampire and the third episode of the series overall. It aired on October 16, 2022, on AMC, but began streaming through AMC+ on October 9, 2022.
Synopsis[]
Tension begins to mount in all areas of Louis' world: his romantic relationship, his human family and his business interests. A shocking act of violence leads to the most profound decision of his life.
Plot[]
Louis and Lestat sat on a bench in the square, where Lestat read up on the history of the park in which they sat. The man that designed it did so after the "Place de Vosges" in Paris. It was also the center of the Louisiana Purchase, to which Louis sarcastically asked if there was any mention of how they used to decapitate runaway slaves and pike their heads on the iron gates as a warning. Louis then questioned if vampires were put on earth for a larger purpose, beyond simply killing, adding that they could survive off animals and cattle, but Lestat sought more than just barely surviving. And so, Louis proposed that they at least be more selective with their kills, such as specifically targeting the worst of the worst. Initially reluctant, explaining to Louis that searching for reason in their hunt would only slow them down, Lestat conceded.
Louis and Lestat made their way through Storyville, reading the minds of those who crossed their paths before stumbling upon an appropriate victim, a man who stole from the unfortunate, broke into tenements, and robbed many of their possessions. Moving swiftly, Lestat tackled the man and snapped his spine in a back alley. However, rather than feed on him, Louis turned his attention to a stray cat, which he fed upon instead.
Louis and Lestat watching Antoinette perform
Louis and Lestat made their way to the Azalea, where a new singer named Antoinette Brown had arrived from Atlanta. However, Lestat didn't appear particularly interested, still upset with Louis' reluctance to kill and his shame of their vampiric nature. The Azalea was merely an illusion and cover as far as Lestat was concerned. Louis then confessed that he no longer sought to kill people. "A bird refusing to fly," Lestat replied, before turning his attention to the pianist, Jelly Roll Morton, who Lestat personally and publically called out for having lost his passion. Lestat made his way to the stage, where he proceeded to play a European tune before changing to a more southern, up-tempo song, winning over the crowd, as well as Jelly Roll himself. Lestat later revealed to Louis that there was nothing wrong with Jelly Roll's playing, only that he had overheard in an alleyway a steady gig for a band in Chicago. Jelly was going to leave Louis without such much as a notice, so Lestat interceded and improved the melody for what would later become the Wolverine Blues.
Daniel is in disbelief that Lestat wrote the Wolverine Blues. However, it not so much the details, but more so the entire rewrite of Louis' story that is giving Daniel pause. He plays a recording of their initial interview from 1973, in which Louis spoke of Lestat as a failed teacher, whereas now, in 2022, Louis spoke of him as a compassionate lover. Daniel perceives Louis and Lestat's relationship as abused-abuser, but Louis retorts that he isn't a victim. Daniel questions what spawned Louis' alternative perspective. Louis quotes an excerpt from Daniel's book, in which he spoke of the "odyssey of recollection." Half a century later from their initial interview, Louis pleads with Daniel to allow him his odyssey. And so, Daniel trashes the old cassettes and deletes the files from his computer, during which point, Louis sets fire to the tapes using nothing more than his mind.
Lestat and Antoinette
Picking back up in 1917, the night following Lestat's performance at the Azalea, Louis recalled how Lestat and Antoinette brought a handful of johns back to the Rue Royale. Meanwhile, he attempted to adapt to his new diet of strictly animals. He barely had the energy to hold up a book, and his libido was not what it had been. So, he allowed it to happen as Lestat frolicked with Antoinette. While she was not one to gossip, Miss Brown revealed that people of the Azalea often spoke about Louis and Lestat's relationship. Louis then excused himself to find something to eat.
Louis returned from his hunt to find Lestat at the incinerator. However, he did not kill Antoinette. He allowed her to live and instead made dinner of a dentist from Tallahassee. Looking at Lestat, Louis asked if he was enough. Lestat replied that they'd be together forever, but he liked a little variety and claimed that Louis was more than welcome to have sex with people outside their relationship as well.
American troops had arrived in New Orleans as their final stop before France. Around this same time, the City Ordinance 4118 was instated, a hastily composed attempt by the city to segregate Storyville. It required that all prostitutes of color or black race move their business across Canal street. Oddly enough, the very men who signed the ordinance were Louis' best clients.
Fenwick and Tom warning Louis
Louis revealed to Tom and Alderman Fenwick that he gave 5% of his business to his girls. If they were owners, they could file a writ, saying 4118 would deprive them the use of their property without due process of the law, denying them equal protection under the constitution of the United States, Bricktop explained. Tom admired Louis unorthodox business mind, but Fenwick warned him that the council was writing another ordinance, though Tom argued the council wasn't the problem, with Fenwick explaining that Washington was making them choose between "win the war or f*ck the whore." Louis was beginning to feel as if Fenwick was trying to apply pressure due to lingering feelings of resentment and disrespect by Louis' refusal of his 15%. Louis then got word that there was a soldier asking for him.
Louis headed into the music room, where he found Jonah Macon, an old childhood friend, awaiting. While Louis was in New Orleans, making opportunities happen, Jonah was in Philadelphia for a spell, doing hotel work before moving on to a gunpowder mill in Delaware. But when a coworker blew three of his fingers off, Jonah thought perhaps joining the military would be a better way to rise the ranks. After noticing Lestat upstairs with Antoinette, Louis offered to take Jonah out to the bayou, where they had sex. Overwhelmed, Louis sank his teeth into his own wrist, feeding on his own blood to quench his bloodlust.
Louis returned home, where he revealed to Lestat that he and Jonah were past lovers; they had a few early fumbles. He was 16 and Louis was a bit older. He then asked Lestat about Antoinette, who Lestat replied had become tedious. He no longer wished to pursue his affair and suggested they have a night out tomorrow. Louis agreed, but first, he wanted to visit Grace and the twins. While preparing for his slumber, Louis noticed Lestat's muddy boots, suspecting that he might've followed him to the bayou.
Daniel questions if it was raining the night of Louis' hook up in the bayou with Jonah. However, Louis could not recall. "The odyssey of recollection," Daniel replies. After warning Rashid that he is lingering, Louis tells Daniel how he ran into Jonah decades later.
Levi blocking Louis
The night following his hook-up with Jonah, Louis returned to his childhood home to visit Grace and the twins. However, he was not greeted by warm welcomes, rather his disgruntled loved ones. Florence obstructed his path, explaining that the party was over and that if Louis sought to come by, he'd have to do it in the daytime. Six months since his last visit, Florence told Louis that he wasn't welcome, but given that he owned the home, he wasn't too concerned, though he did catch her remark about how "The Devil walks at night." Levi joined them outside the house and attempted to block Louis' path to the front door. Enraged, Louis kicked down the door with great force, startling Grace and the twins. He attempted to apologize, but Grace exclaimed for him to get out. And so, Louis did just that.
Louis returned home to find it filled with soldiers drinking and partying while Lestat played the piano. Louis pulled him into the room to question his intent. Lestat revealed that he brought them home after the lights were shut off at the Azalea, handing Louis a notice of temporary closure. Louis then commanded Lestat to get rid of the soldiers, which he did, though controlling the minds of so many and forcing them to leave was a strenuous task, so much so that Lestat bled from his ears. He then admitted to spying on Louis and Jonah in the bayou and that he was jealous, reasoning that his affair with Antoinette was different, as he didn't have feelings for her. Lestat exclaimed that he heard their hearts dancing, and then he watched Louis pull over to kill a dog and two rats. This was not the existence he intended for Louis, to which Louis retorted that Lestat took his life from him. Having already lost his family and brother, he refused to lose the Azalea as well.
Louis confronting Tom and Alderman Fenwick
Lestat accompanied Louis as he confronted Tom and Alderman Fenwick, who reminded Louis that they gave him a courtesy warning, which he ignored. However, Louis rerouted that Finn O'Shea also operated a dirty house, but his place of business continued uninterrupted. Tom argued that Finn found a loophole through serving food, making it a supper club. Fenwick claimed that he tried to persuade the city council, however, in reading his mind, Louis could hear the manner in which he spoke poorly of him. Fenwick proposed that Louis move his operation to the French Quarter, but no one would sell a black man property there. After overhearing Fenwick's thoughts, Louis questioned if Tom sold him the Azalea because he knew this day was coming, but Tom didn't answer. Instead, Fenwick offered to buy the property back at a much lower price.
Overcome with rage and resentment, Louis made an ill-advised business decision and hung a sign on the Azalea that stated that white people weren't allowed in his establishment. However, putting up a sign like that invited chaos and trouble from the law, who proceeded to antagonize Louis and break his window before giving him an infraction as his competitors like Finn laughed and rallied against him.
Louis attacking Alderman Fenwick
That night, Louis decided to pay Alderman Fenwick a visit. Startled by Louis' sudden appearance, Fenwick dropped his drink. He claimed that Storyvill was a sinking ship and that Louis was too arrogant to accept his place in the world. As Louis approached Fenwick, his heart began to race. He then grabbed the gun off his desk, pointing it at Louis, who read the alderman's mind as he thought about his wife and two daughters, and how fortunate it was that they were away. Fenwick then shot Louis twice, but he was ultimately unharmed. As he attempted to reload, Louis bit off his ear and slashed his face before ripping into the alderman's chest and hanging him up for display in front of the entire town.
Building on fire
In the wake of the alderman's death, chaos arose. Finn set the Azalea ablaze, and many black homes and businesses were attacked, something Louis did not account for, though Lestat was proud to see Louis finally embracing his predatory nature, claiming that Louis killed Fenwick because it brought him pleasure. Lestat sought to make this their anniversary, but Louis couldn't look past the chaos he had help create. This difference in perspective was why he and Lestat would never work, and why Lestat would always be alone. Louis headed down into the streets, where the violence was most wild, offering his assistance to anyone who needed it. It was then that he heard the cries of help from a little girl trapped in a house fire. While he could not save the Azalea and Storyville, he could save the young girl trapped in the fire, who he would come to know as Claudia, his light and redemption.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
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Co-Starring[]
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Trivia[]
- The episode title, Is My Very Nature That of a Devil, is a direct quote from page 56 of the Interview with the Vampire novel.
Gallery[]
Promotional images[]
Episode guide[]
References[]