What We Do In The Shadows Season 6: Jerry’s Betrayal Of The Baron & Major Episode 9 Character Death Explained By Star

Warning: This post contains spoilers for What We Do in the Shadows season 6, episode 9.In What We Do in the Shadows‘ most recent episode, Baron Afanas faces a dramatic betrayal during what was meant to be a celebratory gathering, and star Doug Jones breaks it down. The series, based on the 2014 mockumentary film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, follows the lives of vampire roommates navigating modern life in Staten Island. Jones, renowned for his roles as grotesque creatures (The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth), plays Baron Afanas, an ancient vampire who initially set the Staten Island vampires on their mission to conquer the New World.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Jones discussed the unexpected betrayal at the meeting of all the New York vampires. Despite his initial fiery demise in season 1, the Baron has returned multiple times, with Jones’ portrayal of the What We Do in the Shadows character earning praise for his comedic temperament and physicality. Here’s what he had to say:

Jerry bait and switched him on that, you know, I thought I was there for a celebration of me. The Baron loves celebrating himself, he’s such a narcissist, he thinks he’s all that. [Laughs] And to have an arena full of all the vampires in the New York burghs coming to celebrate him, what a great night. He loved it.

So to have Jerry then turn it on him was like, “How dare he.” But he wasn’t wrong.
The thing is, Jerry was not wrong.
We set out to conquer the New World, and I think the Baron’s aware of that, and it’s like, “Oh shoot.” And then, of course, Laszlo’s monster came in to shut Jerry up permanently, so slinking off after that, getting everybody riled up was like, “Okay, we have a real problem on our hands now.”

So, when I brought my little family of vampires together, “Let’s go back to the arena. Let’s get everybody back together again, and let me take my rightful place as the leader of this entire region,” I think that was a triumphant moment for the Baron, who’s been such a slacky lackey.

He’s the leader of this family of vampires that were supposed to conquer the New World and haven’t. I think I, as the Baron, got comfortable, too. Like, I like my life. I’m living it out in a farm property in New Jersey that’s an Airbnb with The Sire and the hellhound, I got comfortable.

So,
I think this was the Baron’s wake up call,
that comfort is not what we’re about. We’re about conquering. So he got back to it, and so I think that was a fun way to come back to the arena and take his rightful place as the leader again. I honestly don’t know [if the Baron’s drive will continue in the final two episodes]. I know that sounds like I’m being creepy, but I don’t. [Laughs]

What Jerry’s Betrayal Of The Baron Means

Baron’s Character Evolution In What We Do In The Shadows

Jerry’s betrayal of Baron Afanas offers a mix of humor, tension, and character growth for What We Do in the Shadows season 6. Played by Michael Patrick O’Brien, Jerry is portrayed as an unassuming yet opportunistic vampire, making his double-cross at the Baron’s party all the more impactful. This betrayal forces the Baron to confront his complacency, as he has spent most of the recent seasons enjoying a quiet life on a New Jersey farm property with Guillermo’s hellhound and the Sire, the other ancient vampire.

Once a commanding figure, the Baron has become more of a relic in the series, content with his secluded life far removed from his original mission to conquer the New World. Jerry’s actions serve as a catalyst, reigniting the Baron’s drive to reclaim his position as a leader within the vampire community. As the absurdities of supernatural life come together with moments of unexpected depth, Doug Jones’ portrayal of the Baron adds nuance to the character’s arc, balancing his narcissistic tendencies with moments of vulnerability and self-reflection.

Our Take On Jerry’s Betrayal Of The Baron

Baron’s Triumphant Return to Vampire Leadership

Baron Afanas’ triumphant return to the vampire arena after Jerry’s betrayal underscores his reawakened ambition, setting the stage for potential power struggles in the season’s final episodes. Jones shines as the Baron, blending arrogance with charm, making his return to leadership both hilarious and triumphant. With What We Do in the Shadows nearing its end, the Baron’s renewed ambition promises exciting developments, keeping viewers eager for the vampire household’s next moves.

What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary-styled comedy series that follows the exploits of four vampires and a familiar living in Staten Island in the twenty-first century. Unrelated to the film of the same name, the show’s vampires attempt to acclimate to the modern world but tend to find themselves lost often, leaving familiar-hoping-to-become-a-vampire Guillermo de la Cruz to pick up the pieces in the wake of their accidental destruction.

Cast

Doug Jones , Natasia Demetriou , Matt Berry , Mark Proksch , Kayvan Novak , Harvey Guillen , Kristen Schaal

Release Date

March 27, 2019

Seasons

6

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu

Showrunner

Paul Simms

Expand