The Vault’s Random Thoughts is a weekly review of the episode as a whole with a sprinkling of personal insights.
This week’s episode was better than even last week’s which was even better than the week before. It’s good to see that things are now gelling; I was worried.
It’s a full moon in Bon Temps and all sorts of crazy supernaturals come out on a night like this. Alcide and Debbie are out for a run with their new were pack, Sam and Tommy are scheduled to do so as well, and Jason sits in the back yard with Sookie waiting to turn into a werepanther. Arlene and Terry’s house burns down and we see more weird beings in the form of a woman that Arlene’s baby sees outside the house. Could this be another witch, spirit or supernatural? Everyone seems possessed by something in this episode as you will read below.
Sam and Tommy in a Sam suit
Tommy turning into Sam was, for me, the most entertaining part of the entire episode. Sam Trammell nailed being Tommy in a Sam suit! OMG, he was so like Tommy I could really feel that it was Tommy inside Sam’s body. Sam’s every move was Tommy and I have gained even more respect for Sam Trammell’s talent as an actor, he is just amazing.
Tommy, as Sam, goes to Merlotte’s and reeks havoc by first firing Sookie, and then starts yelling at everyone. However, his worst offense is later, when he’s back at Sam’s trailer. Just as poor Sam Merlotte finally found someone he thinks he can love in Luna, mischievous Tommy, while still being Sam, has sex with her when she arrives proclaiming she is ready to make the relationship real. Once the sex is over, Tommy, as Sam, throws her out. In his defense, Tommy didn’t throw her out because he wanted to be cruel, but because he had to. He was turning back into himself and knew he’d better get her out of there pronto. It was pretty clear that Luna sensed something was wrong even before this, so I’m hopeful that Sam will be able to patch things up. I wonder why Tommy was so sick at the end when Sam came back and found him? I’m guessing that turning into your brother takes a lot out of you.
Antonia/Marnie/Luis
We learn, in flashbacks, what Antonia suffered in the 17th century from the Vampires. It seems that Luis is the one who really had his way with her back then and it’s now clear why Antonia is out to get all vampires, especially him. In the flashback, we again see Antonia (through Marnie) burning at the stake, chanting something that makes the vampires come out during the day and walk out into the sun. They all catch on fire and meet the true death. After the flashback is over we see Marnie in her cell and Antonia is on the other side of the room. We then see her enter into the body of Marnie and she takes her over. Toward the end of the episode, Luis sees into the cell, while in Bill’s office using his computer, and he notices the change in Marnie. He foolishly (or is he under control to) goes down to the cell to see up close and he and Marnie/Antonia speak and they both recognize each other. While Luis gets ready to presumably kill her, exposing his fangs, she quickly prevents him and overpowers him. It looks like Luis might be one of the first vampires to go. So now, Marnie is completely possessed by Antonia and has in fact, become her.
Lafayette as a medium
A similar possession happens to Lafayette in this episode where we see him serve as a medium to save Jesus. We come in on Lafayette and Jesus having breakfast with Jesus’ grandfather and his pregnant woman. Lafayette isn’t too keen on the goat tongue they are served, but they also get criticism from grandfather, who additionally gives them a dish of, you only want me for my powers. He tells Jesus that they must go out and get a sacrifice, if they want his help. They do so by finding a rattlesnake and bring it back to him. The grandfather allows it to bite Jesus and while Jesus is in pain and starting to die, his grandfather tells Lafayette to heal Jesus. Lafayette at first doesn’t know what to do, but he then sees tio luca across the room who jumps into Lafayette (sort of like Antonia went into Marnie) and Lafayette becomes him spouting words in Spanish, healing Jesus.
What is this power that Lafayette has; is he like Marnie, a shell to inhabit other spirits, or will he have his own identity and power by being able to become others? And, who is “tio luca?”
Sookie, Eric, Bill and vampire business
The episode opens with Sookie and Eric taking up where they left off from last week, but just as their passion really starts to pick up and get good and steamy, Bill storms in, stopping the mood. Eric and Bill fight, but as soon as Eric hears that Bill is his king from Sookie (who is by the way, saving Bill’s life here), he immediately stops and bows in allegiance. Bill takes Eric prisoner to his house while Sookie protests all the way. She is angry and thinks that Bill is arresting Eric just for spite and she assures Bill that Eric is fine and is different now, but Bill is worried about much more, Eric’s possession.
We get some clearing up of old Sookie/Bill business when Bill exclaims to Sookie ”you lied to my face“, but she quickly retorts, “you have a hell of a nerve lecturing me on lying.” Stalemate!
Eric defends Sookie saying, “whatever I am guilty of, Sookie has nothing to do with it, she was only protecting me.” Bill replies, “How touching; silver him!” Eric tells Sookie she doesn’t have to defend him and that she has done too much already and Bill retorts, “yes you certainly have” and Sookie says “That’s what this is all about?” And Bill has a great line here when he says, “Believe it or not my entire existence does not revolve around what or who is between you legs.” Bill then tells her that Eric is under a spell by necromancers and is a danger to everyone.
Sookie and Bill argue further about the fact that maybe Bill is jealous, but he explains that “this is vampire business“. Sookie’s knowledge of vampire business and politics is so limited that she could not possibly understand all the angles and reasons behind Bill’s order to arrest Eric. Bill took an oath to protect the vampires of Louisiana. All Sookie knows is that a witch has erased Eric’s memory, but she has no idea about necromancers, Antonia, the Authority or vampires walking out in the sun to meet their true death. This is an authentic vampire emergency, but the only reason Sookie can think of to explain Bill’s behavior is that he is motivated by sour feelings over their lost love and therefore still thinks that Bill is just jealous. She says she won’t leave unless Eric goes with her, but she doesn’t win this battle because finally Bill banishes her from the house telling his guards to arrest her for trespassing if she ever tries to enter the ground again.
Eric is now a prisoner, and is put in a cell in the basement with Pam. He sees what Pam has become and they talk about what is happening. Pam tries to reason with Eric reminding him of what he was by saying, “You have no loyalty to Bill Compton, you are a Viking Vampire God and bow to no one,” but Eric doesn’t want to return to the vampire he once was; he is ashamed of what he was. Pam is obviously hurt and shocked.
Bill gets permission from the AVL to give Eric the “truth death” and we see him out in front of the Compton Mansion as guards bring Eric to him. Bill is now ready to stake Eric.
Before he does, he asks Eric if he has any last words. Eric accepts his fate by saying, “According to my progeny, I am a barbarian thug who has never respected your authority; I don’t expect you to show me any mercy. The Vampire I used to be is a stranger to me. I have nothing to say in his defense, I accept my sentence.” He does request that Bill release Pam and asks him to say to Sookie, “Tell her, I was born the night she found me and because of her, I went to my true death knowing what it means to love . Tell her, Thank You.”
Eric then says to Bill, “She still cares for you, I saw it last night. After I’m gone, I hope you’ll find your way back to each other.“ Bill asks, ”why would you want that?” Eric replies, “Because she deserves happiness to whom ever can give it to her.” And right there in that moment, probably for the very first time, Bill feels a connection with Eric. Just like Bill in the 1930’s, Eric would rather die than be the ruthless vampire he used to be once again and they both share the experience of loving a human. We then see Bill raise the silver stake, presumably to kill Eric.
We don’t know the fate of Eric until he comes upon Sookie in the woods. We learn that Bill has spared both Pam and Eric, which not only frees Pam to raise havoc, but also sends Eric straight into Sookie’s arms. I wonder what punishment Bill will have to endure for that transgression of not carrying out his orders from AVL, but none the less, I”m glad he decided to free Eric.
We next see Bill on his porch, the same place where he waited for Sookie to come to him, just a year ago, alone and drinking Tru Blood.
We then see Eric and Sookie when they close out the episode with the long awaited scene where they join together in love making in the woods. The song, which carries the title of the episode, and the setting were particularly lovely and it was a good ending.
Jason and Jessica – the potential love triangle
Jason is so afraid of becoming a werepanther, now that it’s a full moon, that and he and Sookie wait for a long time to see if it happens. However, when Sookie goes into the house to get drinks for them, Jason takes off into the woods, presumably because he doesn’t want to have Sookie witness his possible transformation. Jessica who is serving Tara and her girlfriend at Merlotte’s senses Jason’s fear and quickly runs out to help him.
We are given a very nice and touching scene between them and it was a welcome sight not to see Jason immediately humping a girl for once. It’s clear that they both are attracted to each other, but Jason is doing all he can to hide it. Jessica is acting coy as well, but she is somewhat more obvious about it, and if Jason had tried to kiss her, I know she would have allowed it. They both part though with nothing resolved or begun but, I don’t think this is the last of the Jessica/Jason relationship that we will see, and I wonder how it’s going to affect Jessica’s relationship with Hoyt.
Arlene, Terry, the armadillo, Andy, Holly, and other things
The big house burning scene happened in this week’s episode. I remember seeing photos of the burning of the houses here in LA. Wow, you’ve got to give the production people credit for that burning sequence, it was great and very authentic and must have cost a bundle, even though it didn’t take up a lot of screen time. I remember when they had the burning sequence in Season 1 of the vampire’s house, but that was in Louisiana and this time, it was in Los Angeles in a much more populated area. I have to comment on the detail and care taken with the making of in True Blood, it’s exceptional! Kudos to everyone!
Arlene and Terry manage to get out of the burning house safely, with all the kids, but we have to wonder what started the fire and who that woman is that the baby sees. I loved seeing Terry’s pet armadillo, Felix, but that rascal looked more viscious than friendly. Alan Ball talked about it at Paley saying that when writing the scene they had no idea that armadillo’s didn’t like being held and therefore didn’t take the danger into consideration.
It looks like Andy Bellefleur might finally be getting a love interest in the form of Holly. When I interviewed Lauren Bowles , who plays Holly, last week, she wouldn’t tell me if the rumor of their relationship was true, but she sure hinted about it. I hope that Andy gets some lovin’ because he seems so alone and Holly, has been a single parent for too long and they just might be able to give each other what they each need. I sure hope so.
Pam comes up on Tara and her girlfriend, undoubtedly to get some vengeance. Since she is so obviously about to rot to death, I suppose she thinks what does it matter if I kill these two women and get even with, Tara.
In closing I have to say that this probably was the most well done and written episode of the season. While there may have been particular scenes in previous episodes I liked more, this episode, as a whole, was clear and to the point. It also brought all the many story lines together into a cohesive theme of vampires vs. witches, which the season is supposed to be about. I just wish it hadn’t taken 1/2 of the season to get here. But, with that said, True Blood is still the best show on TV for me, and I just can’t believe this season is half over and we will soon be saying “waiting sucks” again.
