Eric tries to make an escape after murdering Russell’s lover. He’s been planning this for a thousand years, but still doesn’t want to drag Pam in to anything. Eric really doesn’t have the option of hiding out now that there have been complications within the politics of the vampire community. The ratification for the vampire rights amendment is at hand, but Nan Flanagan takes a break from politicking to question Eric about the missing magister. He manages to turn the attention to Russell, which can still be considered treasonous. Eric is the easier target to go after. If they don’t go after Russell, Eric will have to face the ultimate death.
There was a very strong scene between Eric and Pam. Eric has never told Pam his entire motivation of a 1000 year long revenge plot; that need to hurt the ones Russell loves that is constantly with him. Pam is clearly surprised that she can have been through so much with Eric and still not know such a big part of his tragic past and his present vengeful desires. Eric replies by telling her he is not weak and can handle the pain on his own. Even though Eric remains guarded, there is a sentimental nature in the scene. Even if they can’t say the words the possibility of Eric’s final death is causing them a lot of pain.
I have to say Russell was seriously awesome in this episode, especially at the end. I’ve seen this coming and the potential for engaging material with a dark, instinctual nature was evident. It’s great to witness it though rather than just seeing the potential in Russell’s mind. Russell tampers with the ideals of all vampires. Tru Blood enabled them to reveal themselves to the humans around them, to fight for the right to be equals; to co-exist. Russell has more traditional ideals though. He sees humans as inferiors, as dinner. Trying to be equals with them is like lowering the entire vampire species. Russell takes this opportunity to display murder and mayhem on a live broadcast and show the world what true vampires are like, starting a war he intends to finish.
On the topic of creepy traditional vampires, Franklin, despite being smashed to pieces by a very pissed off Tara, makes an appearance! I’ll admit it, I thought he was dead, but I guess you can never really be sure with vampires, especially stalking lovesick vampires. Hopefully his return won’t be too short lived, because he is probably the creepiest vampire on the show. I love how desperate he is for Tara’s affection, yet there has to be hostility and blood involved or it’s just not hot enough for him. In this episode it seems like the thought of killing her is just as appealing as winning her over, that’s a wonderfully contradictory character.
I was starting to get worried about Tara turning in to weak again. Tara had been a victim for so long and despite the mental and physical torture she was going through she somehow found the strength to play just as dirty and kick some serious vampire ass, in particular the vampire who had been tormenting her all this time. In her confrontation with Franklin she stays strong though. She willingly faces death rather than let him have a piece of her again.
Sam goes through an interesting transition through this episode. His brother insists that Sam’s spineless and lets everyone walk all over them. When Crystal’s father makes a scene in the bar, Sam snaps and nearly beats him senseless. Jason has to be the one to pull him away. Jason would have probably liked to see him beat to death more than anything. Sam has clearly been bottling a lot up and it all exploded in a brutal bar brawl in his bar where he’s usually the one keeping peace. Things are getting complicated with Crystal too. They always were, but both Crystal’s fear for her family and fiancé and her need to hold on to her identity that rests with them is making it hard for Jason to even attempt to protect her. There’s still a lot about Crystal, her family, and her hometown that he doesn’t know about.
It was a small portion of the episode, but I was glad we got to see more with everything that was piling up on Hadley, Sookie’s cousin and Queen Sophie-Anne’s human lover. More importantly this enabled Sookie and Hadley’s son, Hunter, to meet. Hunter is like Sookie; he’s psychic. Sookie knows all of the alienation and hate this creates. Their relationship will continue to be an important part in the series as Sookie might have the chance to help someone like her and at least give him someone who understands; something she never had.
Unfortunately, Bill and Sookie do appear to be dating again. We can only hope Bill has deceived Sookie in some other way that will come back and break Sookie’s trust in him further. The one interesting thing we get out of this is that it causes Bill to try to figure out what Sookie is so he can protect her better. Bill enters the same dreamlike world that she visited while she was in a coma, making him learn Sookie’s true nature.
