It’s incredibly depressing how misunderstood Louclaudia’s dynamic is. Both by other characters and within the fandom.
Their relationship was imperfect. That is not up for debate. Louis did often dehumanize Claudia and treat her unfairly. Ranging from her extremely horrible vampiric birth to as subtle as petty snipes “without the burden of her”.
But it is a MASSIVE disservice how often their relationship is painted as black and white villainous. As nothing but tolerant and disastrous. As though, despite their imperfections, there wasn’t actual love there. There was, from both sides.
And despite what Armand (extremely complicated relationship with parent-child dynamics) and Daniel (whose kids no longer speak to him) believe, there were times Louis chose Claudia.
Times Louis Chose Claudia (or at least tried to)
Not chasing after her all the times she left. The college phase, the train, and later with Claudeleine. Louis has selfish tendencies, often putting his pain over that of others. But he respected Claudia’s wishes to not be followed each time she left, despite never genuinely wanting her to go.
The 7+ years of just the two of them in Rue Royale post-drop. It was obvious how much Louis missed Lestat. Had Claudia not been there, he probably would’ve taken him back within a few months. Hell maybe even right after (they’re some toxic mfers)! But Louis held off those years because the drop was traumatic not just for him, but for Claudia too. She needed time too.
Going through with the murder plan. The finale gets oversimplified a lot, even Daniel in-universe only saw it as Louis choosing Lestat. But Louis’ actions that night were him choosing both of them, just using extremely messy and unhealthy methods. He slits Lestat’s throat in league with the plan, siding with Claudia. He gets excessively violent with Claudia when she talks of burning the body, siding with Lestat. He puts Lestat in a coffin and sends it to the dump full of rats, siding with Lestat. And then Louis leaves NOLA and travels the world with Claudia, following her lead on wherever she wants to go and whatever she wants to look into, siding with Claudia. The S1 finale is Louis erratically trying to side with both of them. He would’ve just stayed in NOLA waiting for Lestat to recover otherwise.
Their road trip looking for vamps despite Louis not wanting to be there. He requests at times if they can go home (not fooling either of them he means back to Lestat). After Daciana’s death, Claudia grows depressed and Louis has to take the reins on their journey. This was the perfect moment to bring them back to NOLA. But he doesn’t, because despite how much he clearly missed Lestat, New Orleans would do nothing for Claudia. Louis holds off and takes them to Paris instead, a compromise, similar to home for him but with enough refreshing differences to be breathable for her.
Staying with TDV despite the danger. Louis could see the risk in them getting cozy with a coven that kissed the ground Lestat walked on. He didn’t even like their shows! He had no attachment and every reason to leave. But there was life in Claudia again. She was happy and vibrant and so he agrees to stay.
Opening himself up to a relationship with Armand. I wrote an analysis on how that ties to his love for Claudia.
Turning Madeleine. Louis was very unimpressed with Madeleine when they first met lol. Their relationship disturbed him for many reasons, mainly because Claudia is making a life for herself beyond him. In 2022 he admits that when he turned Madeleine, he saw how radiant Claudia looked from her POV. A lot of his initial bitterness about their relationship is based on possessiveness and jealousy. And yet, he respects Claudia’s wishes for the two of them to leave him behind in Paris. Not trying to stop her, not trying to find a way to make her stay. He just lets them go and stays behind. In a relationship with a man he embraced for Claudia, in a city he chose for Claudia, after a road trip he embarked on for Claudia. It takes time for Louis’ anger to go away, but it does, because regardless of it all, he loves Claudia. (Disclaimer: Please do not interpret this as me downplaying Loumand. They also have a complex relationship I’ve talked about at length. But this post rn is about Louclaudia.)
Avoiding Lestat for years post-trial. At this point in time, Louis can’t fucking stand Lestat, and yet still loves and misses him like crazy. But as a way of punishing them both and “trying to do right” by Claudia, he vows to leave him in the dust. Repressing the memory of sparing Lestat in the S1 finale because the pipeline of him granting Lestat mercy only for Lestat to “kill Claudia in revenge” later is too much to handle. A guilt too heavy to bear. And so he avoids Lestat like the plague as it’s one of the only ways he can think to avenge her without completely destroying his own soul.
The 1973 SC attempt. Armand conceitedly interprets it as Louis preferring death over a relationship with him. While Louis has always been suicidal, in that moment, coked out of his mind and depressed beyond survivable, he was running to Claudia. She calling me. Armand exposed what he was trying to do with the interview (reach for Lestat) and to stay it would’ve just again been him and Armand like always (choose Armand). Averse to both, Louis was trying to choose Claudia in the only way he could think of.
The reveal of her diaries in 2022. On one hand, it is for sure an invasion of privacy. Claudia’s agency and innermost feelings were often exposed and exploited, and sadly even in death, that seems to be the case. She cannot give consent post mortem so there is definitely an invasive layer with exposing her diaries. But on the other hand, Louis sharing them with Daniel is also a way for her story to be told through her own words. Not only through Louis’ own biased POV, but through her own thoughts and feelings. The diaries hurt Louis, they contain some not-so-kind opinions she held about him. But they’re her opinions. They are Claudia, and so Louis, without even fully understanding them, allows Claudia to tell her own story through the only way she now can. She existed, not only in his memory, not only as an extension of him, but as herself. Does he do this perfectly? Is this a completely selfless act? No. But it’s his attempt.
There could be some moments I’m missing, but the general point of this post is that it is simply NOT TRUE that Louis never chose Claudia.
Every character in this show has their own biases. They all have past experiences that shape how they view things.
Armand saying Claudia didn’t love Louis the same way he and Lestat do does not mean Claudia did not love Louis. She did, she does, and Armand’s own complicated background with relationships doesn’t change that. Daniel saying Louis always chose Lestat and never chose Claudia does not make it true. He did, more than once, and Daniel’s own background with family dynamics doesn’t change that.
This is not to say Louclaudia had a perfect bond. Far from it! Louis dehumanized Claudia often, saw her as a doll rather than a person at times, and, yes, did choose others in reverse. My post is NOT saying Louis never chose others over Claudia, my post isn’t saying he fully supported everything she ever wanted or said or did. There were times when Louis was straight up cruel to Claudia, and I’m not even talking about moments of violence! Like all the other relationships in the show, their dynamic was deeply flawed.
But it feels like their relationship isn’t allowed the same level of nuance other relationships are. Like fans are all too eager to apply the most basic, simplest interpretation and quickly turn the page, not having any desire to give them more than a second of thought.
Louis and Claudia’s relationship is complicated. It’s hideous and beautiful. Selfish while full of sacrifice. Relatable while full of mutual misunderstanding. They love each other but they also make each other sick!
Does Louis love Claudia like he loves Lestat? Like he loved Armand? Like he loves Grace and Paul? No! He doesn’t love ANY of them in the same way because not all love will be the same!! I’d argue that NO love of any kind can be experienced the exact same! And the same goes for Claudia and her love for Louis versus her love for Madeleine versus her love for Lestat. It’s all different, but that doesn’t mean it’s nonexistent!
Louclaudia is just as complex as every other relationship on this show, but it feels like it’s the one that gets simplified the most.
