History Recap / InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E7TheThingLayStill

* OnceMoreWithClarity: The climax revisits a few earlier scenes from Antoinette's point-of-view where it's unveiled to viewers that [[SweetPollyOliver she was in disguise]] and psychically eavesdropping on Louis and Claudia's telepathic conversations, including a {{Flashback}} from [[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E6LikeAngelsPutInHellByGod the sixth episode]] where Antoinette was at Jackson Square and had listened in on Louis and Claudia's thoughts about the latter boarding a train to New York. This confirms that Lestat had already turned Antoinette into a vampire by this point. There's also a clip of Claudia poisoning Tom Anderson's drink earlier that night at the Mardi Gras ball before handing the glass to him, which he eagerly sips. Tom was the first person Lestat had drained to death during the feast, so that's why the toxin is now in Lestat's system.

* UnreliableNarrator: Louis insists to Daniel that he and Claudia couldn't go through with [[FireKeepsItDead burning Lestat's body]], with the implication they both agreed to not take that final step out of respect for the complicated relationship they had with him. This is aggressively called out by Daniel as pure BS, because while Louis was unable to render Lestat DeaderThanDead because of a "fucked-up idea" he had about love, Claudia utterly despised her maker and would "not have a fucking problem tossing him on the grill." Daniel suggests that Louis, despite everything, chose Lestat over Claudia and is lying -- rewriting events to make himself look better. {{Flashback}}s confirm that Louis flatly refused to let Claudia incinerate Lestat when she persisted that they must carry out the act to the point of outright attacking her in a way uncomfortably akin to how Lestat abused her in [[Recap/InterviewWithTheVampire2022S1E5AVileHungerForYourHammeringHeart episode 5]].

* UnreliableNarrator: Louis insists after it comes out that Lestat is still around that he and Claudia couldn't go through with burning his body, with the implication they both agreed to not take that final step out of respect for the complicated relationship they had with him. This is aggressively called out by Daniel as pure BS, because while Luis might not have been able to go through with rendering Lestat DeaderThanDead Claudia utterly hated the man and would have had zero problem with burning his body to ash. Daniel suggests that Louis despite everything choose Lestat over Claudia and is lying-rewriting events to make himself look better. Flashbacks confirm Louis flatly refused to let Claudia burn Lestat when she tried to go through with the act to the point of outright attacking her in a way uncomfortably akin to how Lestat's abuse.

* VillainousFaceHold: Lestat briefly holds the face of an encyclopedia salesman he has kidnapped and restrained while taunting his victim with "Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. There's three of us you must provide for tonight."

* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Lestat is no longer thinking rationally when it comes to his boyfriend Louis, with Lestat somehow deluding himself that Louis will finally love him with all of his heart by severely restricting the latter's freedom. Lestat now treats Louis -- a black man who ''deeply'' resents being oppressed by white society -- as his PropertyOfLove and keeps him confined in a GildedCage. Any sensible person would recognize that reducing Louis to a mere love slave would cause him to loathe Lestat even more (Louis has already contemplated suicide as a means to escape from Lestat's DomesticAbuse). Louis' lack of personal autonomy is further worsened when Lestat (who's promiscuous) suddenly foists a VampiresHarem structure upon their relationship without consulting Louis (who's a monogamist) beforehand -- Lestat clearly doesn't care about Louis' opinions or feelings on the matter, and is essentially behaving like a slave owner whose word is law. If Louis being forced into the position of Lestat's [[GenderInvertedTrope male]] TopWife wasn't bad enough, Lestat also intends to [[OffingTheOffspring murder their vampire daughter Claudia]] (whom Louis adores) because [[JealousParent he views her as an impediment to possessing the entirety of Louis' love]]. It's no wonder that Louis is willing to kill his psycho lover in order to regain his freedom and keep Claudia safe, which is the complete opposite of what Lestat wants.

* TheForties: Most of the past events take place in 1940.

* SarcasmMode: During the Christmas season of 1939, the biracial Claudia dislikes it when Lestat plays Music/JohannSebastianBach's music at their piano because Bach is a German composer (UsefulNotes/NaziGermany had instigated UsefulNotes/WorldWarII three months prior). The racially insensitive Lestat assumes that Claudia's aversion to Bach's repetoire means that she's not "sophisticated" enough to appreciate it. She offers a sardonic retort.

* DisruptingTheTheater: Lestat and Claudia rudely chat in their normal voices during a newsreel screening at the cinema. An annoyed moviegoer shushes them twice, so Lestat activates his PeoplePuppets ability to force the man to slap himself silly. Claudia giggles in amusement.

* GildedCage: Lestat's sumptuous and comfortable townhouse is a suffocating prison for both Louis and Claudia. Lestat rules his household with an iron fist, and he doesn't permit either his boyfriend or his vampire daughter to depart without his approval, under the threat of [[DomesticAbuse excessive violence for Louis]] and [[OffingTheOffspring death for Claudia]] ("I'll turn your bones to dust").

* HandsplayInTheater: Lestat puts his arm around Louis at the cinema, which is a bold move in 1940 because homosexuality was illegal.

* {{Instrumentals}}: An [[https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8g1z41 instrumental brass rendition]] of Lestat's VillainLoveSong "Come to Me" plays during Louis and Lestat's dance at the Mardi Gras ball.

* OneEyedShot: There's a close-up of Louis' left eye as he watches a newsreel about UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler.

* StealthInsult: Lestat and Claudia are watching a newsreel about UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler, and after Lestat compliments the look of the Nazi uniforms (he's a SharpDressedMan who adores fashion), Claudia insinuates that he's a [[DomesticAbuser dictator in]] [[AbusiveParent their own home]].