The premiere of What We Do In The Shadows season 3 sets up many interesting storylines to unravel for the Staten Island quintet. Season 3 debuted on FX with two episodes simultaneously, "The Prisoner" and "The Cloak of Duplication," which pick up a month after the bloody events at the Théâtre des Vampires. The return of What We Do In The Shadows for season 3 has been highly anticipated after a 15-month intermission between seasons, especially following season 2's cliffhanger.
With Guillermo finally revealing his deadly skills as a vampire hunter, What We Do In The Shadows season 3 is poised to usher in big changes for Nandor, Lazlo, Nadja, and Colin. With so many vampires slain at the end of season 2, the showrunners were gifted with an opportunity to expand on existing vampiric lore by introducing new characters and settings beyond the insular scope of the vampire house, which made up the majority of the prior seasons' screentime.
What We Do In The Shadows' two-part premiere establishes numerous plotlines with ample room for expansion as the season progresses. Lingering questions from the end of season 2, such as the void left by the dead vampiric council, are swiftly addressed, as is Guillermo's heritage choice plot. Other threads are left un-pulled, with writers Simms, Johnson, and Marcil cleverly leaving breadcrumbs in character dialogue that will no doubt be followed at a later date. Here's every season 3 story set up in the new premiere of What We Do In The Shadows.
The New Supreme Leader
From the moment Kristen Schaal's Floating Woman reveals there is only one council throne, and by extension, only one Supreme Leader position, the joy of the vampire quartet at being appointed as the new Vampiric Council is replaced by ambition. Nandor and Nadja emerge across the course of the season 3 premiere as the two primary candidates for the role of Supreme Leader, with both feigning deference to one another while courting power. This sets up a competitive dynamic for What We Do In The Shadows' season 3 plot between the two alpha personas of the vampire house, with both Nandor and Nadja believing they possess relevant qualifications for the role. Nandor is shown throughout "The Cloak of Duplication" to attempt diplomacy, citing his prior leadership of Al-Quolanudar. In contrast, Nadja shows her poor temperament, which she perceives as strength, in the same episode by tearing out a rival's heart after they refuse to pay their vampiric membership fees. While both vampires are, in reality, poorly equipped to rule alone, it will be fascinating to see whether they realize that their strength lies by working together or whether one of them comes out on top.
The Sire Unleashed?
Early in season 3, episode 2, the group is shown a chained, shaking door in the Chamber of Curiosities by Kristen Schaal's Floating Woman, which is said to contain The Sire. The Guide explains that The Sire is the world's first and most ancient vampire, who is kept locked up at all times, alluding to his immense power. While the quintet is told that none of them must ever open the door, Colin still cannot resist peeking inside one of the hatches before an immense gust knocks him backward. This is surely some heavyhanded foreshadowing by the season 3 writing team, who will undoubtedly unleash The Sire at an opportune time. With the group's last encounter with an ancient vampire, Baron Afanas, ending in disaster, it will remain to be seen whether their inevitable unveiling of The Sire leaves them in better stead by the end of the season.
Colin Robinson's Origins
In "The Cloak of Duplication," season 2's most powerful vampire, Colin, reveals that he is turning 100 years old, placing him in an introspective mood as he researches his origins in the council library. The What We Do In The Shadows showrunners have given a minimal backstory to Colin, with the comedy of his energy vampirism taking a front seat in the character's scenes thus far. This could change as season 3 progresses, with Colin eager to learn more about his personal history, which could skew in many unusual ways. His lineage as a daywalker may yet also take on greater significance, given the show's previous references to Blade and the appearance via Skype of Wesley the Daywalker.
Guillermo In Love
While wearing the Cloak Of Duplication in an attempt to woo Nandor's crush, Guillermo unwittingly reveals his true feelings regarding his master. Meg's conclusion that he should tell Nandor he loves him perturbs Guillermo and causes introspection in equal measure as Meg gives voice to his subconscious. This could mark the start of a long-speculated storyline for What We Do In The Shadows, where Guillermo actively pursues Nandor as a romantic interest. The season 3 premiere has already hinted at offering fans just as much. Guillermo confessing his co-dependency with Nandor, coupled with Guillermo's new status as the group's appointed bodyguard, may conspire to put the two characters on a different trajectory altogether.
Nandor's Existential Crisis
While Guillermo grapples with a newfound realization, Nandor also looks to be working through some strange and alien feelings in the What We Do In The Shadows season 3 premiere. A warrior and military leader in the Ottoman empire, Nandor is shown in "The Cloak of Duplication" to prefer appeasement during conflict despite his fearsome reputation. Nandor later asks Nadja if she is tired of killing and bloodshed, causing Nadja to mock him and prank him with the magical cloak. It would seem Nandor is being painted as a lonely figure in season 3, unlucky with his gym crush Meg and envious of Nadja and Lazlo's eternal relationship. Whether this opens the door to a relationship with Guillermo or another character remains to be seen. Still, Nandor may ultimately find a watershed moment in his storylines as he simultaneously pursues love and claiming the council throne, with the What We Do In The Shadows writers unlikely to give him both.
The Guide's True Plan
The Floating Woman has taken on greater significance in the season premiere, delivering Viago's (Taika Waititi cameo) message to the group and helping them acclimate to their new council surroundings. Yet The Guide has openly admitted to the documentary cameras that she feels the new council of Nandor, Lazlo, Nadja, and Colin are ill-prepared for their duties despite her insistence she "lives to serve the council." This admission, coupled with her poorly veiled fondness for Viago as a ruler, may open up some interesting conflicts. It is worth noting that The Guide attempted to kill the group in season 1 after helping the council trap Lazlo, Nandor, and Nadja in a well. Viago himself has also stated that the vampires would ordinarily be in serious trouble for what happened at the theatre and may feel compelled to try and install a new council. This may or not be with The Guide's help, depending on how the new season of What We Do In The Shadows progresses.