I mentioned it in the tags of my post about the Emerson family leaving Arizona, but I absolutely had to expand on it because I have so many thoughts about it: I find it so interesting how TLB uses vampires and vampirism as an allegory for perpetuating cycles of abuse and recvictimization. I mean obviously you have the whole Max-David/the Boys line, and I think most people have picked up on Lucy-Michael being targeted by vampires, but it goes so much deeper than that.
First up, Lucy and Michael (both targets of pretty severe abuse) immediately falling back into fucked up relationships once they get out of the abusive household is incredibly realistic. I’ve seen some posts that have been… not quite blaming Lucy for not seeing through Max, but questioning why she’d fall for him at all with the red flags he showed. And like guys… that is a well known thing that happens. Abusers have a type, and they know how to prey on people— especially if that someone has been a victim before. Nobody goes into a relationship thinking it’s going to end badly. Lucy is fresh out of a bad marriage with two traumatized kids and has no clue what to do next. Even subconsciously, she’s looking for something familiar; not safe, but familiar. Same goes for Michael, too. He’s used to being told what to do by his dad, used to “belonging” to his dad, and now that relationship is gone. He’s floundering and trying to figure out where he fits in with this newfound freedom, and he stumbles upon David, who offers control.
Let’s look at Lucy for a sec. I love Lucy. As someone who comes from a long line of single moms, I have so much respect and love for her. I absolutely love how the musical expands on her characterization, and she is such a well treated character within the story. And part of that characterization is that she is flawed, both as a person and as a mother. She doesn’t always make the best choices, she’s not always the perfect mother— and that’s okay. She loves and cares about her sons so much, and she does try to fix things for them. Which is why it’s so interesting and hurts so much that she falls for Max, red flag asshole extraordinaire. Lucy finds stability and predictability in Max, possibly even some comfort too. From the get-go she knows he’s a conservative business owner and no-nonsense family man. That boring rigidity is, unfortunately, what Lucy needs after leaving her asshole husband and fleeing with her two traumatized kids. I also think there is an aspect of Lucy punishing herself to a degree. Lucy is a former hippie, who longs to be wild and carefree again. But, she doesn’t think it’s in the cards for her anymore— she’s grown up and made her choices, and poor choices at that. She wants to be more than just a mother, but she feels she hasn’t done a good job at that, so what right does she have to be anything more? So, Lucy settles for a conservative man who’s kind enough, but who wants nothing more than a good wife and doting mother, because she feels she hasn’t been that.
Now let’s look at Michael. Oh Michael. Michael is so so incredibly lost. He’s struggling so hard with who he is and where he fits into the new family dynamic now that he no longer has to be the “protector.” He has no clue what to do now, and he’s really really struggling with that. This is completely uncharted territory for him and he panics about it just a bit— until David. Michael can find direction and purpose in David, who fills the roles of brother-dad-lover and everything else Michael could need. David offers Michael a sense of belonging yes, but also control and direction. Michael, who wants to belong to someone so desperately he’ll throw his own wants and needs away, throw his own life away, to prove he’s enough. And it’s not a good thing, not at all, and Michael needs help and stability outside of this relationship, but he won’t ask for it because he’s not used to asking for things. And that’s not even getting into the muddied consent of it all-- Michael has no clue what’s happening to him and what David did. Even if he knew the bottle was blood, he had no way of knowing that that would start turning him. David wasn’t truthful about his own vampire nature, didn’t explain to Michael what would happen if he drank, and even once Michael did start turning it took him a while to mention the whole first kill thing. David not giving Michael any choice or time to think about things— you have to drink now, you have to kill now.
And you have all of this in complete contrast to Sam! Because Sam wasn’t targeted by the vampires, no no no Sam was found by the vampire hunters, literally the antithesis of the vampires. So what’s up there, what’s the difference between Lucy-Michael and Sam?
Sam was abused, but imo in a more emotional/psychological way and most likely not to the extent of Lucy or Michael— not minimizing his trauma, just pointing out that it’s different than what Lucy/Michael had going on. So Sam’s experience with abuse was different, plus he had the role models of Lucy and Michael in addition to them protecting and shielding him from the abuse as much as they could. Sam grew up in a shitty situation, but he also grew up knowing his mother and brother loved him no matter what, and you can see that in how confident Sam is in who he is. Sam knows he’s different, knows he’s weird and queer (in both senses of the word), but he takes it in stride and is unashamed of his nerdiness. That contrasted with Michael and Lucy— who both have no real clue who they are— is so telling.
And then you look at the Frog Brothers of it all. Literal vampire hunters, who within minutes of meeting Sam decide he has what it takes and try to recruit him to fight against monsters. Who, from the get go, are extremely open about everything that’s happening. Who literally give Sam all of the information and weapons he’d need to not be a victim. The Frog Brothers give Sam all the information about who and what they are, what they want, and then give Sam time to come to his own decision about the whole “vampire” of it all. They don’t force him into vampire hunting, just say “hey, take and read this and make your own choices about it.”
It’s just so interesting that even though, yes the vampires and the hunters are opposites, you don’t even realize how opposite they are and how subtle it actually is. The Frog Brothers outright telling Sam they’re hunters vs Max and David not telling Lucy and Michael until it’s too late. The Frog Brothers giving Sam time and space to deal with everything vs Max and David forcing Lucy and Michael’s hands and putting a deadline on things. The Frog Brothers wanting Sam to join them so they can help and protect others vs Max and David wanting Lucy and Michael for selfish reasons. The Frog Brothers literally handing Sam weapons and information so he can protect himself and his family vs Max and David actively wanting to make Lucy and Michael worse and make them hurt other people.
Me when the bit is revictimization and cycles of abuse, but how the cycles can be broken if someone has a proper support system that offers them information and ways to get out.
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