‘The Vampire Lestat’: Watching Lestat Fall in Love Made Episode 3 Something Special

The joy of The Vampire Lestat is hearing things from Lestat de Lioncourt’s (Sam Reid) point of view. Which includes parts of Lestat’s life as a human. In episode 3 titled “Toronto,” fans got to see how Lestat fell in love as a human and was turned by Magnus. That first love? Nicolas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter).

As Lestat is talking with Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), we get to see glimpses of Lestat and Nicki’s love story. Their meeting in Paris, their love as humans, what happens when Lestat is turned by Magnus (Damien Atkins), and the rise and fall of Nicki’s time as a vampire. It is the most honest and raw Lestat has ever been and we can tell how much he cared for Nicki.

Even when Lestat dismisses his love of Nicki as a “first love,” it is clear that he felt as if it was all consuming at the time. His ability to live for centuries has brought other love into Lestat’s life, like the affection he has for Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson).

Throughout Lestat’s retelling of their story, he makes it clear that he is not still hung up on Nicki in the modern timeline. Still, it is undeniable that Nicki has a special place in his heart. And their romance as humans really drives that home for the audience.

But what makes the scenes between Lestat and Nicki that we get in The Vampire Lestat so special boils down to Lestat’s vulnerability. Especially when he is still a human and reuniting with Nicki when he is in Paris.

Lestat’s human love was beautiful to see

Both Nicki and Lestat are from the Auvergne region in France. So when Lestat moves to Paris, he finds his hometown friend. He finds Nicki playing outside on the street and Lestat even makes note that his human ears loved the way that Nicki played.

But seeing the two sitting together, talking as humans, shows a completely different side to Lestat as a character. Nicki hears Lestat’s stutter and doesn’t mock him, he just listens. Offers the word Lestat is looking for when Lestat almost gives up and has patience with him. Their human love is sweet and caring and so different from the Lestat that we’ve seen.

And getting to see that side to him is what makes The Vampire Lestat so beautiful. Anne Rice created stories that made you question how everyone saw “their truth” in a situation. Louis’ version of Lestat was over the top and while even in Lestat’s own telling those dramatic moments exist, he’s a bit more “human” even when he’s a vampire in his own story.

Nicki may have been Lestat’s first love but he was also his first heartbreak. Their end clearly still weighs on Lestat all these years later and maybe it is because Nicki is his great human love. But whatever Lestat’s feelings are, seeing how sweet their first date was is incredibly special.

(featured image: AMC)

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