Holy craziness!! The season 3 finale of True Blood was one wild ride with no real resolution to any of the madness introduced this season. At the end, I was left saying, “That's it!” This finale felt more like segue into season 4.
Okay, let's get started with the smaller story lines that are sure to be prominent in season 4:
Lafayette & Jesus: Lafayette is still seeing visions of bizarre things, including blood on Sam's hands and Renee with his hands wrapped around Arlene's neck whispering, “I'm inside her.” Afraid he may be schizophrenic like his mother, he calls Jesus in a panic. Jesus rushes to Merlotte's to comfort Lafayette. Here, we learn that Jesus is a witch. We also get the impression from Jesus that Lafayette is also a witch (because he is seeing things people are trying to keep hidden). Looks like Jesus is going to train Lafayette in the ways of the witch. Look for a pretty big witch story line in season 4 with Jesus, Lafayette, Holly, and Arlene.
Tara: Sam reveals to Tara that he is a shape-shifter. This was a bit much for Tara, who leaves to find her mother...getting busy with one married reverend. Her mother is convinced he is leaving his wife and she will finally be happy. Tara grudgingly smiles, wishes her mother the best, and leaves for Sookie's, where she chops off all of her hair (she looked adorable with short hair, by the way). After hugging Sookie, we get the feeling she is saying goodbye, which was pretty much confirmed when she drove to Merlotte's, stared at the building lovingly, then drove off. Is she gone for good? Is she leaving Bon Temps? Stay tuned...
Sam: After discovering Tommy stole all of his money, Sam grabs his gun and hunts his little brother down. Here is where his past foreshadowed his future (remember the flashbacks of the girl and her boyfriend stealing Sam's money and he shoots them?). Once he finds Tommy in the woods, Sam essentially shows zero emotion for his little brother and demands his money. Tommy shrugs him off, saying Sam will never fire that gun. What does Sam do? Yep, he fires the gun. Did he shoot his little brother? Cliffhanger.
Jason & Crystal: The government DEA jerks show up to take down Hot Shot, but Jason and Crystal get there first. Unfortunately, Calvin (Crystal's dad) isn't keen on taking orders from Jason, but does agree to get rid of all the V. Felton (Crystal's ex) shows up, clearly high on V, and refuses to let Calvin destroy the V. When Calvin bucks him, Felton shoots him in the head. Felton then issues Crystal an ultimatum: come with him or watch Jason die. Crying, Crystal bestows leadership duties upon Jason, who eagerly and emotionally accepts getting the were-panthers to safety. The DEA officer-dude brings Jason to Andy, handcuffed. Andy is understandably ticked, but Jason reminds him that sometimes doing the wrong thing turns out to be the right thing. Oh, and I don't think Andy has tried V yet, although he is very tempted.
Hoyt & Jessica: Hoyt & Jessica must be the cutest couple on the show. Summer and Hoyt's mom try an intervention of sorts by accosting him at his job, reading sappy letters, and basically trying to “save” him from Jessica. Hoyt wishes Summer the best, tells his mom he could care less is she disinherits him, and walks off. Hoyt sweetly surprises Jessica with a house of their very own and even proposes to her. Jessica says she doesn't know what she would do without Hoyt, and he assures her she'll never have to know. This bothered me, and with good reason. As they happily embraced in their new home, the camera pans out and we see a creepy baby doll on the floor in a dark room. Now, that baby doll could mean one of two things: 1. Showing us that they will never have a happy family; or 2. Getting rejected by Hoyt, Summer (who we learned earlier collects baby dolls) is going to be the virgin Fatal Attraction chick and will go after Hoyt and/or Jessica. Another big problem? Hoyt's mom was shown buying a vampire-killing, high-powered rifle. Trouble is brewing for our happy couple.
Now, prepare yourself for Sookie, Bill, Eric, and Russell:
We begin the episode with Eric and Russell on their backs, burning to a crisp in the sun, when from the sky Godric appears to Eric, asking him to forgive Russell. Eric (in the ancient language) refuses. Godric says Russell will find peace in the after life anyway, whether Eric makes him suffer or not. Meanwhile, inside Fangtasia, Sookie takes another trip to Fairyland before Bill revives her. When she awakens, she slaps Bill across the face. Bill proceeds to tell her that Eric and Russell are outside, dying. Sookie can't let Eric die, so she storms past Bill, heads for Eric, uses her fairy power to blast apart the handcuffs, and blast Russell clear across the parking lot. Sookie then drags Eric inside and feeds him her blood to help heal his wounds.
Swayed by Godric's plea, Eric insists Sookie drag Russell in from the sun. Russell is fried...and I do mean fried: black, flaky, and he even crackles when he moves. It was quite hilarious and very well acted. Eric has him chained to the stripper pole, and while securing him, Russell coughs up a fang. Eric replies something like, “Well, that's embarrassing.” Funny. While Bill, Eric, and Pam head to their coffins for sleep, Sookie is left to guard Russell. After a few attempts at trying to gain Sookie's allegiance, Sookie grabs Talbot's remains and happily pours them down the garbage disposal (even cackling while she did so). This, naturally, angered Russell something awful.
Eric calls Alcide to help with Russell. When Alcide shows up at Fangtasia later that night, Sookie started acting very sweet, awkward, and flirty. It was actually pretty sweet. They both admitted thinking about each other a great deal. Eric drags Russell to Alcide's van, while Bill bids farewell to Sookie; Sookie decides to go home. Eric's new plan is to bury Russell alive...in concrete. Apparently, Eric isn't keen on Russell finding any sort of peace after a true death, so he figures encasing him in cement for years and years will be enough to drive him mad—alone with his thoughts, memories, anger.
Godric appears once again, imploring Eric to reconsider. “You make me bleed, my child,” Godric whispered.
“This is what you made me,” Eric responds angrily.
Russell vows revenge as Eric pours on more concrete. While the concrete encases Russell, Bill extends a hand to Eric. Reaching to shake his hand, Eric quickly realizes Bill has other plans: Bill tosses Eric into an empty hole next to Russell and proceeds to bury him alive as well.
Bill shows up at Sookie's later that night to tell her Russell is gone...as is Eric. At first she is upset, but he explains that he has decided to kill all vampires who know about Sookie's fairy blood. He vows to keep her safe, even if she has decided not be with him any longer. Bill goes to leave, but Sookie, touched by his feelings, calls after him. Things seem to be going well until....
Bill opens the door and there on the porch, caked in cement, is Eric (he called to Pam, who helped get him out and complained later on about probably never being able to get the dried cement out of her hair). He proceeds to tell Sookie everything she never knew about Bill: Bill was sent to Bon Temps to “procure” Sookie for Sophie-Anne; Bill allowed those two thugs from season one to beat her within an inch of her life so she would have to drink his blood. Devastated, Sookie un-invites Bill from her home. She has some choice words for Eric, who, though putting on an indifferent act, says he is sorry she is in pain before leaving poor Sookie alone, very distraught.
The second to last scene shows Queen Sophie-Anne showing up at Bill's house, expecting Sookie's fairy blood. Bill informs her that he brought her there under false pretenses and intends to kill her. She laughs, saying she's older and he doesn't stand a chance. Bill says he has nothing left to lose. Then, in a slightly awkward scene, Bill and Sophie-Anne raise off the floor, fangs out, poised for attack...the scene abruptly cuts to Sookie running for her Gran's grave. She falls to her knees and cries, feeling alone and lost when Claudine appears. She quietly tells Sookie to come with them, as other fairies appear around the graveyard. Sookie walks forward, places her hand in Claduine's, and they all disappear in a flash of golden light.
And that, my friends, is the season finale. Next season should be a good one! I'd love to hear your thoughts!!!!
