No Pain is the third episode of the second season of Interview with the Vampire and the tenth episode of the series overall. It aired on May 26, 2024, on AMC and AMC+.
Synopsis[]
Armand tells the history of the Theatre des Vampires; Louis tells of his reluctance to join.
Plot[]
Molloy is alone at a café when he's approached by a man who seemingly knows about his interview with Louis and Armand, saying that they knocked Molloy off his game yesterday and that they believe he's been humbled. Molloy questions if he works for Mossad, but the man claims he works for another watchful shop. They were tracking 900 vampires a month ago, now they're tracking 1,600. The Great Conversion. It's real and it's happening. The man tells Molloy that he's not the first to attempt this. He could give Molloy the name of others who have, and they're all dead or undead. The man then introduces himself as Raglan James. He tells Molloy that files have been placed on his laptop, most are primary sources, but Molloy isn't buying what he's selling and begins to make a scene within the café, forcing Raglan to make an abrupt exit.
Molloy returns to Louis' home, where he asks Real Rashid how many other humans are out there like him. Rashid suspects it is just enough to help keep vampires hidden, but Molloy retorts that's something only billionaire vampires do. How does the average vampire keep humans in line, Molloy wonders. Threats, perhaps. Rashid replies that the threat is always there and that he could kill them both now, looking to Armand, but he doesn't because they're peaceful beings with a biological imperative that is in conflict with human morality. Armand thanks Rashid and dismisses him. He answers Molloy's question and says that the average vampire has minimal contact with humanity. When exposed, they feed or run or kill themselves. At this point, Molloy begins session 11. Armand admits that it was wrong of Louis to infiltrate his mind yesterday. He offers an apology on Louis' behalf, but Molloy is more interested in beginning the interview without Louis. Molloy looks at him as a savage killer, to which Armand replies that they've watched his kills on the local news. They've never been easier to distract due to being at the height of willful ignorance. Vampires simply exploit it. This was Lestat's prophetic vision. They were shadows crouching behind stone prior to his transformation.
In 1556, the Roman coven sent Armand to lead the shambolic Paris coven. At this point, Armand had never led anything in his life. They called themselves the Children of Darkness. They lived in squalor, hunted in shame, all in strict obedience to medieval law put in place to protect them from humanity. And he managed to maintain a discipline and humility for 239 years as Satan's fool, by the time Robespierre was beheaded, Armand was failing.
Armand's coven in 1556
One of Armand's coven members lay restrained to a table by chains, above a fire for violating the first and fifth of the Great Laws which is punishable by death. And so, Armand kills said member by setting him ablaze. It is then that he feels Lestat's presence for the first time. Lestat's was sired by one of Armand's deserters, Magnus. The fourth of the Great laws was writ: "No vampire shall ever reveal his true nature to a mortal and let that mortal live," and yet Armand followed Lestat's presence to a theater, where he was prancing and preening in front of 500 mortals a night. Using the Dark Gift for his own vanity. Armand must bring Lestat under his control by any means. He telepathically communicates with Lestat, referring to him as Magnus' bastard. Armand suspects that Magnus has died and tells Lestat to come with to him, but Lestat rejects his offer.
Armand spends the next few weeks following Lestat, as his rejection infuriated him. Unfortunately, the longer he allows him to exist outside of the coven, the more unsettled Armand's children become. They watch in secret and fascination as he disregards the laws Armand told them could never be broken, such as taking a mortal lover.
Lestat and Nicolas are confronted by Armand
While on a stroll with his lover, Nicolas, Lestat is confronted by Armand yet again. He tells Lestat that the loneliness he feels will not be filled by Nicolas. However, Lestat cannot see himself giving up his current life to live as a grub in the sewers. Having grown impatient, Armand uses his powers to telekinetically toss both Lestat and Nicolas before freezing time. Lestat is amazed by Armand's power. While he doesn't have it yet, he will, due to having Magnus' blood. Lestat demands that Armand release his lover, and when he doesn't, he charges at Armand, who sends him flying back against the wall. Armand then introduces himself as Lestat's coven leader and takes Nicolas away, inviting Lestat to follow him back to the sewers.
Armand returns home, where he and the coven await Lestat's arrival. He questions why they live in such filth. They explain that they serve God through Satan, through Armand. They fear that Lestat will bring down the wrath of God on them for his sins of breaking the Great Laws, such as living among mortals and walking in temples of divinity. With him, Lestat has a small statue of Jesus Christ on a cross, which he nonchalantly throws on the floor and breaks, demonstrating to them that everything they believe in is false.
Admittedly, Armand led Lestat to his coven so that he could destroy it because his words had been Armand's thoughts for half a century. If it had come from him, they wouldn't have believed it.
Lestat tells the coven that God doesn't exist
Lestat explains to the coven that they are the only Gods who should be feared. He then grabs Nicky and leaves, with Armand's children following suit, wrecking absolute havoc on mortals throughout Paris. Some could not reconcile the life Armand had made for them with the life Lestat had told them was possible, so they went mad and killed themselves.
Alone in his lair, the only thing keeping Armand from the fire are the old rituals. However, he soon realizes that he's not alone, as Lestat watches in the shadows. Lestat questions how he possess the powers that he does. He gently grabs Armand's hand and feeds from his wrist, at which point, Armand discovers that Lestat tried to turn Nicky into a vampire, but he was too fragile to accept the Dark Gift. Armand then feeds from Lestat, who says that he has an idea.
Armand sits in the crowd of one of Lestat's shows
Armand sits in the crowd of one of Lestat's shows. He telepathically explains to Armand how he's seduced them as a collective, which brings about opportunity. The theater offers them a sort of protection, to announce their vampirism and feed in plain sight. Armand can direct his coven from the balcony rails instead of the sewers. It is then that he realizes the coven his among him in the crowd. The curtain falls after the show and the coven immediately proceed to feed on the actors.
Over time, Armand comes to understand Lestat's ways, watching from the balcony as the audience are fooled into believing that they're fake vampires. Armand and Lestat profess their love for one another as they have sex on the balcony, while Nicky angrily watches from the musician's pit below.
Louis joins Armand and Molloy, explaining that after Armand taught Lestat the Mind Gift, he left them. When Armand went to open the theater the next night, he was met by the lawyer, Pierre Roget I. Waiting for Armand with a trunk full of cash and instructions to cover the theater's cost in perpetuity. He abandoned Nicky, Armand, and the coven. If anything, Lestat will always be Lestat. Armand professed his love for Lestat, words that he locked away for another 150 years, until he met Louis, who shattered that lock.
Louis and Claudia rehearse their backstory and exactly how they met their maker, Bruce, as Claudia's preparing now that's finally working backstage on the production. Armand joins them and sends Claudia, who he instructs not to make eye contact with him, to convene with the others, who have grand plans for her. Alone, Armand asks Louis to show him where he goes at night.
Claudia listens from backstage while Santiago performs on stage, which is interrupted by Estelle sneezing, though the performance was otherwise perfect. After the show, Claudia assists with disposing the body in the wet room. It's where they keep the bodies. They have two connecting metal boxes, which they use to dispose of the bodies by exposing it to hungry rats. This is now her job. However, it's imperative that she remembers which box is which, less the rats escape and make their way upstairs, and into the theater, for which they will all be punished. Claudia then notices the burial vaults, where they keep deceased coven members. Mostly heretics and lawbreakers.
Louis and Armand go on a walk
Louis and Armand go on a walk. Louis walks in a new part of the city every night. He tries to get lost, but somehow he always ends up back by the river. Louis takes a photo of a couple nearby, leading Armand to share that many coven members believe Louis to be obsessed with humanity. Thieving their private moments with light and shadow. Armand tries to convince Louis to join the coven, but he's reluctant, saying that he's happy enough with Claudia's happiness. Whilst they talk a hallucination of Lestat appears to Louis, commenting on the intentions of Armand, who reads his mind and determines that Louis is thinking of his maker. However, that's not the whole reason Armand is there. He also likes Louis, who takes a picture of Armand, who reveals that the coven is envious of Louis' independence. Louis prefers all the adventure and excitement that comes with freedom in Paris and with this experience of finding himself. He doesn't seek to be tied down to a coven.
While recording session 11, Molloy discovers a new folder from Bibliotheca Talamasca on his laptop, which sends him into a brief panic.
Santiago asks Claudia about her maker
With her head down, Claudia asks Santiago how does he get them to accept death. Santiago replies they will never hear her in the front row with her head down, encouraging her to look up at him. The first thing he does is have a chat with his partner for the night. Muck about in their heads, find their shame. Claudia then asks who is Francis Naughton. He's the best lago to walk the York Royal. He asks about her life in Chicago before becoming a vampire. Claudia claims that she was in Springfield, selling little trinkets at the train station. She was an orphan, which she and Santiago have in common. Claudia was under the impression that Armand made Santiago after Estelle told her Santiago was the youngest, but he's also the strongest, so she figured he got the best blood, but that is not the case. Santiago's maker lies in the walls downstairs. Armand put him there, though he deserved his death. Santiago wonders what gifts Claudia's maker gave her. She replies that he taught her how to lie well.
Louis confesses to Armand
Louis and Armand find themselves at a bar, where they discuss the existence of evil and what exactly qualifies one as such. They're interrupted by an acquaintance of Armand's- a cameo from 20th century French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre- who says that evil is the product of humans trying to make abstract what is concrete. He then asks them to be quiet so he can hear the music. Telepathically, they resume their conversation. While Louis isn't certain that God exist, from what he saw in the war, he's not so sure that he does. Louis becomes distracted as he hallucinates seeing Lestat singing whilst playing the piano, allowing Armand access into Louis mind. So when he claims he was thinking of Bruce, who he was with for 30 years, Armand questions how long they're going to play this game. Louis confesses that Lestat was his companion in America, who he killed. Armand has known for months but wanted for Louis to say it. Louis broke one of the Great Laws, Armand says, but Louis isn't familiar with any laws. Between Armand in front of him and Lestat in his head, his emotions get the better of him and Louis lashes out before fleeing the bar.
Louis finds himself in the park, where he bashes a random man's head due to him having appeared to him as Lestat. He then returns home in a panic, where he and Claudia further discuss their cover story. While getting in her coffin, Claudia recalls how Lestat never told them about the coven he practically founded. Instead, he said that the vampires out there are vicious, and then she met Bruce, realizing that Lestat was right. It was better when he broke her bones, crammed her under the floorboards. She fought him, kicked him, bit him, but it was when he had her pinned and would tell her that he loved her as he raped her that really traumatized Claudia. One day he said "I had enough of your gloomy face," and drove off on a motorbike- these are the last words that she asserts they will use if asked what their maker said before his death. Claudia suspects that they're going to let her join the coven by the end of the week and would like Louis to come, which he insists he wouldn't miss.
Session 11 is interrupted by Real Rashid, who reveals that the lawyer for the buyer is ready for the teleconference surrounding the Bacon triptych. As Louis and Armand excuse themselves to speak with Mr. Philips, Molloy goes through the files planted on his laptop by Raglan, including the destruction of Theater Des Vampire.
Louis attends another show at Theater Des Vampire, watching from the crowd as Claudia runs on stage as part of the act when their human victim escapes their grasp and runs into Santiago, who telepathically communicates with Armand, revealing that a mutilated body was found in the park three nights ago with its skull cracked and puncture wounds all over the body. He suspects it was Louis' doing and tells him to do what must be done, with full support of the coven, who fears that Louis may be their undoing. After the ceremony and Claudia has committed herself to them, Armand assures them he will take care of Louis.
Claudia's induction
Louis joins the coven as they celebrate Claudia's induction. Armand gifts her a flea circus as a reminder of her humble beginning and asks her to join them, an offer that she gleefully accepts. Santiago reads Claudia in with the Five Laws, however, the actual ceremony is for members only, so Armand takes Louis for a walk.
- Law 1. Each coven must have its leader, and only he might order the working of the dark trick upon a moral.
- Law 2. The dark gifts must never be given to the crippled, the maimed or to children.
- Law 3. No vampire must commit to writing the history of the vampires.
- Law 4. No vampire shall ever reveal his or her true nature to a mortal and let the mortal live.
- Law 5. No vampire may ever destroy another vampire except that the coven master has the power of life and death over all his flock. And it is his obligation to finally seek destruction of all those who have broken these five laws. Santiago's hand hovers over Claudia's chest as he asks if she will abide by these laws. She insists that she will, making her an official coven member, as Santiago feeds her his blood and the rest of the coven.
Louis is considering leaving Paris, but Armand is more concerned with the body he left in the park. Louis exposed them. Additionally, he revealed himself to the law firm of Roget & Abert. Louis soon realizes that Armand intends to kill him and reminds Armand of his first words to him — "I will not harm you." But as Armand recalls, Louis first words to the coven were lies. Louis notices the fire forming in Armand's hand. He requests that Armand simply take his head off, as he doesn't want to go out by fire, having already seen one vampire's life end with a fiery death. Lastly, he asks that Armand look after Claudia, but Armand reveals that she won't be there very long, as she was made a vampire at 14. Her mind, as fierce as it is now, will not endure, and it will break apart in time.
In honor of Claudia joining them, a new play has been written for her and the ladies, title My Baby Loves Window. Much to Claudia's dismay, she will be playing a little girl for the next 50 years while Estelle plays her governess and Celeste plays her mother.
Louis has given up on any chance of escaping and has accepted his fate, but in his final moments, he pleads with Armand not to give up on Claudia and to tell her she's beautiful every day. However, much to Louis' surprise, Armand does not kill him and takes him to street level, where he realizes that Armand has walked up home. He asks Louis if Lestat broke him. Louis not broken, but he carries Lestat with him, as the pain runs deep. Armand assures Louis that he will move past it, as he did. Armand then kisses Louis, who invites him inside.
Cast[]
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