This week's installment of True Blood featured a
lot of the things that viewers hate about the series (a bunch of random
new characters, overcomplicating plot lines with Vampire politics, a stupid
Civil War-era flashback), and yet it was still a great episode.
We'll dish on tonight's most shocking death in a bit, but suffice
to say the final season's ongoing thinning of the ensemble has successfully
upped the stakes. It really feels like no character is safe. Plus, we got the
return of Anna Camp's Sarah Newlin. Sure, she's a bit more subdued than we last
saw her, but she was absolutely the best thing about last season, and I could
not be happier she's back. Hide your stillettos, because I'd wager it shan't be
long before we see Newlin at her most unhinged.
There were enough deaths tonight to warrant this episode's own In
Memoriam montage.
Before we go into tonight’s shocking turns of events, let’s take a
quick trip back to the ‘80s,Carrie Diaries-style. Eric (Alexander
Skarsgård), still looking fine as hell, is getting his Wang Chung on with a
young frenchwoman. They’re getting down in the vineyard when Nan Flanagan
(Jessica Tuck) shows up and tells Eric and Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) the
Authority is working on Tru Blood, paving the way to make mainstreaming a
reality. But, it’s going to be hard to stay hidden in the interim if they get
caught sticking their baguettes in the vintner’s daughter.
But, Eric will be Eric, and he’s not changing. With a name like the
Authority, they don’t really seem like the kind of folks who handle pushback so
well. A few sword-wielding assassin types pay a return visit to totally tubular
‘80s Eric and send him a message. Choose who lives: Pam or pretty French girl.
Eric chooses Pam, and le petite fille gets a sword through the belly. Adieu!
Back in present-day France, Eric tells Pam he noticed the symptoms
of his Hep-V last month. She tries to tell him that they’re working on a cure
and he just needs to keep up hope, but he’s having none of it. He’s resigned
himself to waiting for the true death. Pam knows something that will give
him reason to go on: Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp) is still alive. Once he hears
this news, they’re off to find her and make her pay.
Where, oh where could she be? Turns out, she’s gone brunette and
using a fake alias (Ms. “Noomi,” if you’re namaste). Her new spiritual practice
also involves downward doggy-style with her yogi. The two finish a tantric
tryst, but, once Sarah heads to the wine cellar to grab a bottle, those
sword-wielding assassin types are back. She can hear them interrogate her lover
while she hides in the wine cellar. When he refuses to give up her location,
they kill him.
Meanwhile, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) is having himself a little
party. He gets a visit from James (Nathan Parsons), who is looking for another
high. Too bad all Lafayette has this time is pharmaceuticals and vamps can’t
swallow pills. Lafayette offers to do all the swallowing for him (heyyyyy),
that way he can enjoy the high as well. James confesses to Lafayette that there
is some trouble in paradise between him and Jessica, but when Lafayette asks if
maybe James has a thing for him, James demurs (even though recent stories indicate these two are heading to at
least a hookup at some point).
Still, they’re having a better time than Lettie Mae (Adina Porter),
who still hasn’t come down from the vamp blood she tricked Willa (Amelia Rose
Blaire) into supplying her last week. The Reverend Daniels (Gregg Daniel) gets her in
bed, but has to break it to Willa that it’s nice and all that she was trying to
help Lettie Mae, but the woman is an addict and can’t have a steady supply of V
in the house. So, Willa needs to go. He rescinds her invitation into their home
and sends her on her way.
She better be careful, because Bon Temps has gotten a lot less
friendly to vampires since Vince (Brett Rickaby) and the other easily-riled
masses took up arms. Just ask Mayor Sam (Sam Trammell). He and his vamp run
into the mob driving home, and Sam barely escapes alive after they kill his
vampire. The mob left Adilyn (Bailey Noble) and Wade (Noah Matthews) locked up
back at the station, but Andy (Chris Bauer) and Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) free
them (just before Adilyn and Wade indulge in a little teenage makeout).
Next stop is Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten)’s apartment to warn him that the
easily-riled masses are targeting anyone who’s different — including,
potentially, Sookie (Anna Paquin). Jason and Violet (Karolina Wydra) put a pin
in the argument they were in the midst of (she thinks he’s a wimp for wanting
kids) and head out with Andy and Jessica. They run into the rogue,
trigger-happy townsfolk, where Mrs. Fortenberry (Dale Raoul) wants to settle
some scores. She shoots Jessica in the shoulder, which prompts Violet to fwoosh on
over and tear out one of Mrs. F’s organs (an important one, too, because she
dies pretty quick). The townsfolk scatter.
Remember how it seemed like Sookie was cooking up a terrible plan?
To ascertain the whereabouts of the missing Bon Temps residents, Sookie plans
on luring the H-vamps over with her sweet, sweet faerie blood. Then, she’ll let
herself get kidnapped and alert Bill (Stephen Moyer) to the location using the
vampire magic blood tracking trick. Apparently, after the other vamps drank
Billith’s blood last season, it drained him completely, thus breaking his
connection to Sookie and also giving them a pretty good opportunity to start
over. He feeds her a little of his new and improved Bill blood and they begin
to wait.
While they’re killing time waiting for Sookie to be kidnapped, they
have a little girl talk. Sookie loves Alcide (Joe Manganiello), it’s just the
he loves her so much more. Let me repeat that: Sookie (an idiot) doesn’t love
Alcide (a doting, near-perfect specimen of a man) as much as he (the nicest guy
on the show -- last season's bizarre detour to jerkdorm, notwithstanding) loves
her (the one with all the terrible plans). What a dummy! When the H-vamps do
show up from their hunt (with a glamoured Holly in tow), Alcide and Sam (both
in their canine forms) leap out, along with Andy, Jessica, Violet and Jason.
They take out all the H-Vamps, but then -- BANG! BANG! -- Alcide is shot by
some of the easily-riled masses. R.I.P., Alcide. We hardly got to see your butt
nearly enough.
Were you shocked by Alcide’s death? What’s your take on Sarah
Newlin?
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