The sixth episode of True Blood’s fifth season was caught up in a lot of hype, due to it airing on the final day of Comic-Con 2012. The True Blood panel was held on Saturday and by now everyone has seen the video(s) of that panel. I am sure for some, that Comic-Con fever has not worn off and most probably feel as if they have a hangover of sorts. I am certain that despite that hangover, folks from the Con managed to view this penultimate episode written by Alan Ball, either from their laptops through HBOGO or from the comforts of their home. Boy, were we all in for a wild ride and that is not something I have said about True Blood in a long time. Now, with that said where the hell do I begin? I guess at the beginning, well here goes. If there is something that I did not mention, it was probably because I did not find it worth mentioning because it was a bore and again that is a shame.
Back at the Asylum with the Scooby Gang
We begin with Alcide being dragged off by one of Russell’s minions aka wolves and Sookie dashing after him as if she could do something about it. Trust me when I say I had no problem with Sookie in this episode, I just wanted to make light of the situation. While Bill and Eric are otherwise occupied with the other two wolves that came out of the morgue doors, Russell thinks he is going to take a bite of his favorite tree fairy. In my opinion, Russell calling her a tree fairy means that he either now knows more about the fae or he knew about them all along. Definitely, food for thought there but I digress. Well, Miss Sookie who now has a firm grasp on her ‘microwave’ fingers blasts him into next week, actually just the next wall but that is just semantics.
After the wolves are disposed of, Eric is dead set on staking Russell and ending this shit right here and now. You know how the Striking Viking operates and Bill puts a stake in his back. Bill, in his ever present infinite wisdom (do note the sarcasm) reminds Eric it would be better to bring him in alive because if ‘he dies we die”. He spouts off that “Eric might be bored after living a thousand years and he is ready to die but you do make that decision for me”. I will give the devil his due and say that the Queen had a point but never ever put a stake at my Viking’s back again. I’m just saying.
The Authority Always Wins
The Authority, complete with Gay Storm Troopers take Russell into custody. Russell is in prime form and is mouthing off to Authority member Kwiebe stating “you better hope you are not around when I am fully restored and oh I will be, the Authority (spits on the ground) what fucking Authority do you have, given to you by what Lilith? You idiots, you’re no better than humans with you’re absurd magical thinking, there is no Lilith”. Did I ever tell you all that I love Russell? Well, I do! Kwiebe, citing blasphemy pops Russell a good one. Kwiebe, I think you ought to be scared, very, very scared. While Russell is being carted off screaming “I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids”, Alcide comes in mostly clothed and Kwiebe thinks they know too much and wants them taken care of and Bill thinks to glamor Velma and Scooby. Eric glamors Alcide, which was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time on this show. I have to admit that I was thoroughly entertained by this moment, despite the ‘you think she’s disgusting’ part. I thought this was a little OOC for TB Eric at first but then thought it was more like book Eric in a sense. While I do not think book Eric would have said the word disgusting, I do believe he would have found a way to keep Alcide from her. It really was no different than him ordering Quinn not to enter into his area.
Bill pretends to glamor Sookie so that the Authority do not take her in. I admit that both Eric and Bill were looking to protect her in this regard. Bill was letting her know during this pretense that he was basically saying goodbye to her as he does not know if Eric and he will make it out of this situation. After all is said and done, Sookie and Alcide drive off into the night with Sookie in tears. She is crying for she doesn’t know if she will ever see them again and it saddens and relieves her at the same time.
Eric sees another side of Bill with his comments about Lilith and wonders why Bill is so into it all of a sudden and Bill is all “I’m just covering my ass”. When are you not covering your ass Bill? Eric only had one thing to say about Lilith and that was another classic line by him. They are then transported to the headquarters of the Authority where they are sure to have a blast.
Kwiebe oh Kwiebe, you little hypocrite, you are not a man of your word! You told those poor humans that they would be let go after being interrogated and you lied. After you told them “Ladies and Gentlemen, please accept my apologies for the inexcusable acts of the vampires that have terrorized you” you went and savagely killed them. That is some humanity you have inside you mister, I thought you were into being equal with humans! I guess that is when we should have known that shit was going to hit the fan!
He-man Jason Part Deux
Even though he is not wearing the jammies in this episode, he feels just like he did as a child when his daddy appeared in his dreams. He vowed that he would find the ‘vampire’ who killed them. It really was a sweet moment and you could tell that their death had a significant effect on him.
Vamp/Bitch Fight
Meanwhile, in the Fangtasia ladies room, Tara is chomping down on Hoyt and Jessica is munching on a feast of her own. What else are newbie vamp besties going to do together huh? All is well until Jessica hears Hoyt and feels his fear and crashes Tara’s party. Hence, a vamp bitch fight ensues and Tara comes out the winner in my eyes. Well, she was a cage fighter you know? Jessica responds with a sarcastic “Well I guess that whole friendship thing is on hold?” Well yeah you know never to interrupt a vampire while their eating, it is bad manners! Pam is proud of her new prodigy, albeit as proud “as a human is of a well-trained dog”. It turns out that Hoyt loves being bitten by vamps but really only wants Jessica to be the one. I really don’t like what is going on with Hoyt so moving on.
Sam, Luna and Emma
I just have to say how cute Emma as a wolf is! Just saying! Sam and Luna are taken to the hospital where they are kept for their bullet wounds. They talk about how humans are shooting shifters and Sam tells Andy he will help him find the shooters. The shooters kill a vampire that is feeding on Hoyt and take Hoyt with them; it is someone he knows turns out. My bet is his Parish road worker friends!
The morning after the night before
The next morning we see Alcide in Sookie’s bedroom I assume to give the impression that they did ‘it’ which thank the Lord did not happen. Alcide wanders downstairs asking Sookie if anything happened between them and she said “no but some other stuff happened’. He asks her what and she went to take his hand and he brought his hand back really fast prompting Sookie to get a WTF look on her face. Fucking Eric she says and proceeds to ‘unglamor’ Alcide. Sookie knows perfectly well how Eric operates and it did not surprise her in the least what he attempted with the wolf. Alcide goes into a tirade about the wolves being used and what were Bill and Eric thinking keeping Russell alive? He leaves Sookie’s still in that tirade I mentioned.
Alcide takes off to find the pack as he is never letting this shit happen again to his people and he challenges JD for the right to be pack master. He just wants to know the time and place and he finds a friend in Rikki who offered to be his second. I am not sure how I feel about this particular plot yet, the jury is still out.
If you ask me, she just ca’t wait to be part of the ritual that occurs after Alcide wins the challenge for pack master, if you know what I mean? She likes what she sees in Alcide and wants to roll in the hay with him!
Lafayette
I love La La but I could not get into his story line this week to save my life. I find this a shame and I can only hope things get better for him story wise. I was enjoying it more when his story tied in with Sookie’s. La La goes to see his momma who tells him Jesus needs him, he’s in trouble and loves him. She tells him she was always able to see stuff. Jesus wants to talk to him, he is in Mexico, and oh that means Don Bartolo! Our poor Lafayette having to deal with that madman again. I love Ruby Jean, she just cracks me up!
Sisterhood
We were treated to a little female bonding between Holly, Arlene and Sookie when they are talking about men. Sookie has a hangover and bitches about the male customer who started at her tata’s the whole time she was taking the order. The way she sees it men are nothing but T-R-O-U-B-L-E! This was the first time in a long time that I have seen a glimpse of book Sookie and it was refreshing.
Off to see the Fairies
Speaking of trouble, Jason walks in to talk to Sookie. She accuses him of being on V again when he tells her about the Fairy nightclub. Sookie, you expected him to believe you about the other fairy realm you went to so you should have believed him. Just saying.
They head to the clearing where the portal to the club is located and Sookie finds the opening and goes inside. Jason had one of the cutest moments here and I found it endearing.
Once inside the fairy club, Sookie gets told about her parent’s death by Claude who only knows what Claudine told him which was that a vampire was lured to her parents by the smell of her blood so he stopped them and murdered them. She projects her ‘microwave fingers at Claude saying she does not believe him.
Authority Headquarters
Eric and Bill receive a rather warm greeting from members of the Authority, complete with vampire champagne. Let me tell you that this is a far cry from how they were treated when they were brought in before. Salome gives Bill a kiss on the cheek and they share a few meaningful glances several times during this scene. I don’t know what all that is about YET but that must have been some ‘great up against the wall’ sex they had. Eric is told about Nora and her allegiance to the Sanguinistas and he looks very sad.
The Istakes lady is on hand to take that damn contraption off our lovely Viking and that is a welcome relief to all of us Viking Wenches! SHEW!
What a gentlemen, leaning down so she can reach to take the damn thing off. I am so glad to see Bill and Eric have kept a lot of their animosity for each other, they work so much better as enemies.
Roman is all happy that Eric and Bill brought Russell in and called them his boys.He questions them about their beliefs and if they believe in co-existence with humans. Of course kiss ass Bill says “wholeheartedly”, guess he is covering his ass again. He has been doing that for years. I loved the answers that Eric gave to Roman. Eric is just not into all the political bullshit.
Eric asked for permission to see Nora and when Roman asks why, he tells him that she is his sister. Roman plans on executing Russell that night and wants Eric and Bill there. They would not miss it for the world. While Eric is visiting Nora, they lead Russell to his execution which seems to get Nora’s attention after Salome speaks directly to her. I found this and the conversation that Eric and Nora have very interesting, so much so that it is worth including in this post.
Nora: “They are executing him tonight”
Eric: “Oh so now you’re acknowledging my presence”
Nora: “It’s happening, it’s finally happening after all this time”
Eric: “What’s happening?”
Nora: “God’s plan made manifest by her. Oh thank you Lilith thank you she who transcends death”
Eric: “Nora did you know where Russell was? Did you release him?”
Nora: “No it’s a miracle. It’s all part of her plan she was right she’s been right all along”
I think she is talking about Salome at this point and might have been deceived by Salome. Now, Eric is going to think that she betrayed him. Now we come to the point in the story where we are taken for a wild ride on the crazy train. Russell is on his knees before Roman, who is once again praying which sets Russell off on a tirade of his own.
Russell: “In the name of my ass God and Lilith you think you are any better than the Sanguinistas You use Lilith to justify your bloodlust for power just like they do to justify their bloodlust for humans. You’re both fucking hypocrites. I am the only honest one here. I want to gorge on human blood not because some fucking bible tells me too but because I like it, its fun it makes my dick hard.”
Roman: “You done”
Russell: “You were a pompous self-righteous prick during the fucking renaissance and you still are one today. This is all about your ego.”
Roman: “This is about order instead of chaos; this is about mercy instead of satiatism. It is about balance this is about peace”
He pushes the button to activate the Istake and nothing happens. Russell gets up and gets the better of Roman and they get fangy with one another. Eric vamp speeds in and Russell stakes Roman who looks at Salome who has tears in her eyes but not because her lover is gone, I don’t think. Where Roman’s death is concerned and not exploding like other vampires do, I think it was due to the fact that he was juiced up on whatever blood is in that vile. I think we would all like to know that. think that she is Russell’s child and they both set this plan in motion once he was brought in by Eric and Bill.
Episode ends with Nora saying “praise her”.
Overall, I thought the episode was pretty good and it set up the events that are to come very nicely. There are some things that I could have done without and took too much time away from more important things. What did you think? Sound off below.
*screencaps by me*
*gifs from skarsgardnorthman and woodsb0ro-killer
