by Sarabeth Pollock:
True Blood Recap: “Hopeless”
Original Air Date (HBO): Sunday July 15, 2012
Season 5 Episode 6
Hello, Fang Nation! I hope you enjoyed the live Tweeting from San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend. The True Blood panel was amazing and I’ll be posting behind the scenes info and pictures as soon as I recover…. One thing is for sure, Alan Ball and the cast are very excited about the remaining episodes, so let’s get right into it.
Last week Alcide was jumped by a wolf at the end of the episode. Tonight started right where last week left off. Alcide was jumped and dragged out of Russell’s morgue bedroom by a wolf, and when Bill follows after him another wolf jumps out of the morgue’s freezer and attacks him. Russell immediately takes advantage of the chaos to pursue Sookie and her precious fairy blood. That’s when Eric steps in and greets Russell by telling him how much he wants to kill him. Bill reminds Eric that if they kill Russell without taking him back to the Authority, they’ll both die. If they let him live, they might be allowed to live as well. Sookie takes this all in with interest. Before Eric can do anything, the Authority soldiers burst into the room and take charge of the situation. Those iStakes really keep our boys on a short leash.
At Fangtasia, Jessica and Tara continue their fight from last week, taking the action out of the restroom and out into the bar. Jessica ventures a guess that their friendship is on hold over this little incident, and Tara confirms this. That’s what you get coming into my house, Tara tells Jessica. Pam intervenes, dragging her progeny into the back. She’s proud of Tara for standing up for herself, but she insists that she’s proud the way a human is proud of a well-trained pet. Ironically, when Bill left Jessica he told her that she could do whatever she wanted. The mansion was hers. And we all know she took advantage of it. But Pam isn’t extending the same thing to Tara. Not yet. I think Pam is going to put Tara through her paces and make her earn her stake (pun very much intended) in Fangtasia.
We flash quickly to South Dakota, where Terry and Eller flee from the Ifrit after it killed Kessler. Nothing good can come from this situation.
Now that Russell has been captured, the question remains of what to do with Sookie and Alcide. The Authority has no idea who they are and dismissively suggest killing them, but Bill concocts a story about finding them humping like livestock (well, that was Eric’s addition to the story) and the man who brought Russell to the hospital was with them and they needed a car and…well, the rest didn’t matter. Bill suggests that they glamour them instead. The soldiers agree. Now, Sookie can’t be glamoured. She is immune to it. But Bill tries to send her a message under the guise of glamouring her. He says that she should forget him, forget Eric, and forget all of the supernatural things she has seen and instead live her life as it was meant to be lived, in the sun. You can see Sookie’s heart being wrenched by this, because she’s too smart not to see that there’s something big going on. Eric, meanwhile, went to work on Alcide. He used his blood to heal some cuts on Alcide’s face, but then he told him to forget what he’d seen. He also told him to protect Sookie with his life, but then he told Alcide to keep his hands off of her, that he finds her disgusting. Hmm. Looks like our big Viking isn’t over Sookie either.
Sam and Luna are rushed into a hospital in Bon Temps, both covered in blood from their gunshot wounds. While they battle for their lives, little Wolf Emma runs to Martha’s house for help. Martha picks the wolf cub up and cradles her to her chest protectively.
As if fighting with her new friend wasn’t bad enough, Hoyt approaches Jessica while she’s pouting into her drink. She teases Hoyt about his leather clothing. He’s exercising his right to be a fang banger, he tells her, but more importantly Jessica’s reaction tells him that she still cares about her. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Jessica sinks even lower into despair. We’re over, she tells Hoyt, but he persists. Hoyt invites her to do whatever she wants to him. He’s ready, he claims. It’s what he wants. Jessica refuses, telling him that this isn’t really him. This, of course, only enrages Hoyt.
Alcide drives away from the hospital. He’s dazed and confused about what just happened and where he was. Beside him, Sookie sobs.
The Authority soldiers acknowledge that no one believed Eric and Bill would deliver Russell to them. But are they safe from the True Death? Only Lilith knows. (Does anyone recall hearing vamps refer to Lilith in the previous seasons?) Eric laughs at the mention of Lilith. “Lilith can blow me,” he says. He wants to know why Bill is suddenly so pious. Bill shoots him a sideling glance. He’s covering his ass. Meanwhile, the humans who had been destined as Russell’s next meals were all gathered in a van. Doug was among them, and he was hoping for the whole darn experience to be erased from his memory. Some of the other humans wondered if they would receive monetary compensation. They weren’t certain, but they thought they saw Russell. But Russell was supposed to be dead. No matter. The soldier shuts the door to the van and blood splatters on the windows.
Jason has another dream. This time, he wakes up to find his father sitting beside him. Jason tells his dad that he liked when he called Jason “champ” because it made him think he was proud of him. Jason felt good about himself when his dad said it. He vows to find the vampire who killed his parents. His dad smiles and tells him that there is only one thing to fear is…. And then Jason wakes up. Sigh. This can’t be good.
The next morning Alcide wakes up in Sookie’s house. He doesn’t even fit in the bed. (Eric never seemed to have this problem…) Sookie is in the kitchen. She offers Alcide some coffee and Advil. Clearly Alcide can’t remember what happened the night before. He starts having flashbacks of shared intimacy with Sookie, but that doesn’t make sense given the fact that he doesn’t seem to like her very much… “Did we…?” he asks, haltingly, as if afraid of her response. No, she assures him. They did other stuff. She reaches for him and he recoils. The realization dawns on her that he wasn’t just told to forget what they did the night before. “Fucking Eric,” she grumbles, grasping Alcide’s hand. He starts to recall some of the details, but there’s no way she can fully explain what was going on with Bill and Eric.
Sam seeks Luna out at the hospital. The nurse tries to keep him away but he doesn’t back down. They try to figure out why humans tried to kill them. Suddenly Emma rushes in, followed by Martha. Martha explains that little Wolf Emma ran straight to grandma’s house. She tries to assure Luna that she loves Emma, that Marcus lives on through her, but she acknowledges that Luna gave birth to her and so Martha will respect her wishes. Sam and Luna agree that they will need Martha’s help with this.
Terry bolts from the car as they flee. Patrick tells him that they have to have each other’s backs, now more than ever. If not for Patrick, though, this never would have happened. Terry says he never should have killed that woman. In a flashback we see him kill her. When Patrick tries to pull rank, Terry says he’s not his private anymore. He is furious that Patrick ordered him to commit such an evil act. There’s a decision that must be made, he realizes, because the Ifrit will not stop until they’re dead too. His time with Arlene and the kids was too good to be true, but he can’t put them at risk.
Lafayette goes to visit Ruby Jean at the nursing home. They told him she’d had a seizure, and when he goes into her room she’s lying motionless on the bed. Then she wakes up. She’s okay. But Jesus isn’t okay, she says. He’s in trouble. He’s with an evil man who made him drink goat blood. Lafayette wants to know how she knows this. He doesn’t even know where Jesus is. Ruby Jean implores Lafayette to save Jesus. Jesus loves him, she says, even though Lafayette “is an abomination.” After this, I really hope we see more of Ms. Ruby Jean. She’s awesome.
At Merlotte’s, Arlene tells Holly how Terry left so abruptly. She tells her that Terry never shared any stories about Iraq, so it has been hard to help him without knowing what was wrong. Sookie blows in like a firecracker and announces that men are like dogs, that they’re way more trouble than they’re worth. Jason interrupts and tells Sookie that a vampire killed their parents. He tells her about Hadley and the fairy nightclub, and that he was cast out of the club with light bombs that shot from their hands. Sookie wants to see it for herself.
Sam tells Andy that their attack was a hate crime against supernatural creatures. Each attack was targeting shifters, after all. He offers to help with the investigation, citing his personal stake in the matter. Andy doesn’t like the idea of Sam being involved, but eventually Sam convinces him. He would go out on his own anyway, he points out, and he can use his powerful senses to help them move faster through the investigation. Andy is human, after all, and he can’t know what it’s like to be different.
In Shreveport, Alcide challenges JD, the wolf who had been protecting Russell at the hospital. He accuses JD of being on V and challenges his promiscuity. (JD insists that he and Martha have “an arrangement” about being with other people) Alcide accepts his role as pack master, but JD has already assumed that role. The only way Alcide can take over is by issuing a challenge, but he needs a second in command in order to issue the challenge. A woman stands up and offers to fill the role. Readers off the books might wonder if this is Janalynn. We shall see.
Roman is in the mood for a celebration back in New Orleans. Bill and Eric note that there are no soldiers waiting at the bottom of the elevator when they arrive, and instead they find a quaint celebration going on in the meeting room. Their iStakes are removed and they learn that Salome has been interrogating Russell, who has been pumped full of silver. She thanks them for bringing Russell to them. Bill says they were doing their duty. “Boy scout,” Eric taunts. “Delinquent,” Bill replies. Eric asks to speak with Nora, and Salome informs him that she has revealed her loyalty to the Sanguinista movement. The expression on Eric’s face makes it seem like he’s starting to put pieces of the puzzle together. Whereas Bill is willing to play along, like the politician he has become, Eric knows better than to put blind faith in just anything.
Roman bursts in, wearing a bright blue Nike golf shirt. Chris Meloni does a great job filling that shirt, I might add. He proclaims that Bill and Eric shall henceforth be known as the guys who took down Russell Edgington. He offers up a bottle of 18th century Austrian hemophiliac blood, noting that it cost a “fucking fuckload.” No one seems particularly drawn to it. (even Roman makes a face) Bill and Eric have saved countless human and vampire lives, but more importantly they have proved their loyalty to the Authority and its cause. He asks them again if they believe in the idea of coexistence between vampires and humans. Bill instantly agrees, but Eric is more cautious with his words. He has felt protective about certain humans, he tells Roman. In the past, he adds. Roman thinks it’s funny that Eric is “too cool for school.”
Salome wants to interrogate Roman, but Roman says his plan is to execute him right away. He offers a prayer. (Did anyone notice how Dieter rolled his eyes when Roman offered the prayer? It seems like the Authority might not be as tight as it wants to believe it is) Salome believes they should take the time to interrogate Russell, but Roman points out that it would be pointless, given that they have no way of knowing if he’s telling the truth. Roman proposes killing Russell that same night, so that he can go golfing before the sun comes up. Salome seems distressed. Eric asks Roman to see Nora, and Roman informs Eric that they know that she is his sister. Eric promises that he will be at Russell’s execution, which puts Roman at ease. Bill adds that he loves a good execution.
Terry shows up at Merlotte’s and tries to explain to Arlene that he has been cursed. She thinks he has gone off his medication, so he tells her the story of what happened in Iraq. He says he has to leave Bon Temps to keep her safe. Arlene still thinks he is off his meds. She tells him that they have three children who depend on them for survival. Terry doesn’t relent. He has to leave, and he thanks Arlene for taking a chance on him and wishes things could have been better.
Sookie and Jason go to the field where the club was, only there is nothing there. Sookie can feel the club’s energy, and suddenly she disappears. “That’s my sister, you fairy fuckers!” Jason shouts (possibly the best line of the season), but then Sookie reaches out and pulls him in. While she looks around, Jason sees a dancer wearing his tie. When he asks for it back, the dancer hits on him, so Jason lets him keep it. Sookie finds Hadley, who tells her that the fairies keep her safe. Hunter is there as well. Claude comes up and introduces himself as Claudine’s brother.
Andy and Sam visit the Stake House, the place where Sookie went at the beginning of the season. Andy wants to question the proprietor, who calls himself Junior. Junior says the shop exists because he doesn’t believe that the government is being open about the existence of other supernatural creatures, and so humans have to level the playing field. He does indeed sell wooden bullets and sells quite a few every month. Sam wanders in and checks out a crossbow while Andy talks. When Junior goes to pull something out from under the counter, Sam takes the crossbow and shoots him. Junior had a gun in his hand and would have shot them both, Andy realizes. Sam claims revenge for Emory and Suzanne.
Outside Fangtasia, Hoyt has convinced a vampire to feed on him. The vampire notes that Hoyt doesn’t have much left, but Hoyt tells him to keep going. Suddenly a van pulls up, and the door opens and the masked men shoot the vamp, who then explodes all over Hoyt. The men know who Hoyt is and tell him that they saved his life. They pull him inside the van and take off.
At the fairy club, Claude explains that these fairies escaped the Queen Mab and built a sanctuary. There is no fairy fruit at their club and therefore no danger. Claude tells Sookie that Claudine told him that there was a vampire there when Sookie and Jason’s parents died. The vampire had been drawn to a band-aid in the back seat, a band-aid that held traces of Sookie’s fairy blood.
Eric visits Nora in her cell. She’s lost in a trance, and she doesn’t move until Salome drags Russell down the hall toward his execution. When Nora hears the news, she says this is all part of Lilith’s plan. Eric’s eyes narrow in calculation. Roman tells Russell that their work is all about order instead of chaos, that the balance must be restored. Russell says that human blood drives him, it makes his “dick hard.” Roman takes his iPhone and pushes the button to activate Russell’s iStake (he doesn’t want to get his Nike polo dirty, after all), but nothing happens. Russell lunges at Roman and pins him down, holding the stake over his heart. “Peace is for pussies,” Russell proclaims, and he drives the stake into Roman’s chest.
Now, I don’t believe that Roman is dead. I just saw Chris Meloni at Comic-Con and I doubt they’d bring him in for six episodes and then kill him off. Then again, this is HBO and this is True Blood. So who knows? I thought it was interesting that Sookie still seems kind of drunk through this episode. Her personality has changed a lot from last season. I also went back and watched the other Authority chancellors in this episode, and if I was Roman, I wouldn’t trust any of them. I’d trust Salome the least. At any rate, tonight’s episode was packed with action. I’m not sure where the subplots are going, but I’m eager to sit back and see what happens, especially after seeing the trailer for the second half of the season. Something big is coming. As always, I’m eager to hear what you all thought of the episode. And watch for updates on the True Blood panel at Comic-Con.
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DarkMedia contributor Sarabeth Pollock is an avid writer, reader, and pop culture fan. Follow her on Twitter at @SarabethPollock and check out her blog at http://sarabethpollock.wordpress.com.
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