True Blood Recap: “Sunset”

by Sarabeth Pollock:

True Blood Recap: “Sunset”
Original Air Date (HBO): Sunday August 19, 2012
Season 5 Episode 11

Has the sun set where you are, Fang Nation?   Sunset, as a literary term, refers to the end of something, just as it relates to the end of the Sun’s daily transcendence across the sky (that sounds much more poetic than the truth, which is that the Sun isn’t actually moving but it only appears that way because the Earth is moving).  At any rate, what I’m getting at is that this season of True Blood is approaching its sunset, and tonight was the penultimate episode before next week’s season finale.

The first segment of the show followed our friendly Authority members through the New Orleans headquarters.  Bill steps off the elevator and hears someone calling his name.  He follows the disembodied voice into the sanctuary, where the doors leading to the vial of Lilith’s blood open by themselves.  Naked and bloody Lilith appears and tells Bill that only one vampire can be the leader, and she has chosen him.  She instructs Bill to drink all of her blood.  Bill is caught up in this moment; is it real or is he imagining it?  It’s hard to tell what is really going on.  He shakes his head and turns away, and when he looks back, Lilith is gone…but the glass box has been opened and there are bloody fingerprints on it.  His expressions are very interesting.  Was he buying it, or was he just playing along?  It’s not quite clear.

Nora is meditating on her vision of Godric.  She recalls that he said that Lilith will tear them apart.  For the first time this season, she appears nervous and shaken.  Uncertain, even.  Salome enters and lets her know that General Cavanaugh is coming to talk to them.  Salome sees that something is wrong with Nora.  She seems different somehow.  Salome thinks that it has something to do with Russell’s defection and disappearance, and she reassures Nora that Russell is inconsequential and all of their dreams are about to come true.  She and Nora share a passionate kiss.  Things may be better for the moment, but clearly all is not well with Nora.

Jessica wanders into the bedroom that Salome and Bill seem to be sharing (at least, this is where she seduced both Roman and Bill).  A cellphone is on the ottoman and she reaches for it, but Bill gets there first.  She tells Bill she only wants to warn Jason about Steve Newlin being on the loose, given that she had to defend him twice already (oh yeah…that happened so long ago this season…).  Bill won’t let her call.  He tells her that Lilith’s wisdom has allowed him to forget about all of the mortal associations he once had.  She reminds him of Jason and Sookie, and Bill coldly replies that humans are “food and nothing more.”  Ooh, cold.  Jessica proposes that she could make Jason a vampire.  She loves Jason, after all, and the Book of Lilith has decreed that vampires need to procreate.  Bill sees right through her plan.  He calls her bluff and puts two Authority guards on her, and together they will go back to Bon Temps and Jessica will make Jason a vampire.

A gaunt Eric paces angrily in his small bedroom/cell.  Oddly enough, Eric doesn’t look very healthy considering that he has been feasting on human blood.  It’s also interesting that he doesn’t have a lavish room, given that he is now back in the Authority’s good graces.  At any rate, he’s not happy.  He’s agitated.  Nora, in a daze, walks down the hall and straight into his room.  He embraces her and they share a chaste, sibling-worthy peck on the forehead…and then the clothes come off and they shag like vampire bunnies on the bed.  “Forgive me,” she pants.  “What are we going to do?”  Eric is resolute, even though he probably doesn’t have a play (yet).  “I’ll get us out of here,” he vows.

At the fairy club, Jason presses Sookie to make sure she’s okay.  He calls the scroll BS, but he admits that the airy shape that claimed Sookie as his own was “creepy.”  But Maurella said that the fairy Elder could help, he points out.  Jason leaves, telling Sookie to stay in the safety of the club.

Back in New Orleans, the military arrives.  General Cavanaugh marches through the underground lair with an air of authority and familiarity.  He’s been there before.  Salome greets him, and he asks for Roman.  Oh yeah, Roman.  Bill tells him that Roman is busy.  General Cavanaugh informs the group that the government knows that the vampires are responsible for bombing the Tru Blood factories.  They had an agreement that vampires would mainstream and not harm humans anymore.  I wish we had more insight into that backstory!  Eventually the chancellors admit that Roman is no longer part of the program.  This jolts the general because Roman was the last bastion keeping vampires away from the humans.  Bill hopes that the general can join them on their new path, but the general has other ideas.  He tells the group that they have video of Russell and Steve tearing apart the Gamma Kappa Tau frat house.  Russell was supposed to be dead, so if word gets out that the Authority lied about his removal, there will be issues.  Nora calls them empty threats, but General Cavanaugh insists that the human government has weapons to fight vampires, weapons that the vampires have no idea about.  Eric has had enough of this prattle.  As the general turns to leave, Eric is there, blocking his path.  Eric’s fangs pop.  “Oh, God,” whispers the general.  “God is a vampire,” Eric informs him.  And he snaps the general’s neck.

Jessica has found Jason, who is on patrol in Bon Temps.  She tries to talk to him, but good old Jason is a little dense, and he’s not picking up on her signals.  And the guards are cramping her style.  Jessica talks about trust, and Jason agrees that it’s important but he cites their past issues with trust.  The guards have little patience and threaten to turn Jason themselves.  Jessica convinces them to back off.  She approaches Jason and mouths “trust me” to him before she sinks her teeth in his neck.

Eric has caused an uproar in New Orleans.  Half of the group is elated that the general is off their backs, but the others fret over what his death will bring upon them.  Eric proposes that he goes out on a glamouring campaign.  Nora agrees, telling the group that she knows the top government executives and can make sure the death is covered up appropriately.  Salome thinks it’s a good idea, but Bill is suspicious.  He agrees to let them go, but he assigns a guard detail to make sure things go as planned.

Jessica’s guards bury Jason next to her in a hole beside the road.  They tell her that this isn’t a sad moment; it’s triumphant and great to bring over a vampire.  While they’re talking, Jessica leans over and tells Jason to “do it.”  He sits up, pulls his weapon and shoots the guards in the hearts, turning them into goo.  Jessica tells him that all of the emotions she felt about him were real.  Jason flees from the hole.  He has to warn Sookie!

At Fangtasia, Tara and Pam finish up a monumental spring cleaning job, just like Eric and Bill did in the first episode of the season.  Tara doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation.  Pam explains that the Authority can do whatever it wants.  It is a government group run by the church.  Interesting.  She compels Tara not to speak about what happened to Elijah.  Pam knows they are in hot water for killing the new sheriff.  Jessica rushes in and asks Pam to hide her.  Pam doesn’t want to help, but Jessica knows where Eric is.  This piques Pam’s interest.  But she has a warning for Jessica: “don’t play games, little ginger bitch.”  Classic Pam.

Eric and Nora are in an Authority vehicle that is being driven by their guards.  The radio is on and the emotionless voice drones on about Steve Newlin’s debate.  Eric wants to change the channel as they approach a red light.  Perfect opportunity to stake them both.  He and Nora get out of the car.  Nora symbolically tears off her Authority necklace, and together they launch into the air.

While the vampires plot, no one notices two giant white mice/rats running through Authority headquarters.  Sam and Luna shift into their human forms.  They can smell Emma.  They’re close.  They shift back and continue their search.

Maurella warns Sookie that the Elder is a bit scatterbrained, what with all of the timelines and information floating through her head.  When she appears, dancing wildly, it looks like she’s also channeling Sirius XM radio.  “Ke$ha, for or against?” she asks (she also asks about John Cougar Mellencamp and Boys II Men as well).  She tells Sookie that she knew John Stackhouse, who was a creep, and she says a dark time is coming.  If the light is protected, they will be free.    Jason stumbles into the club, his neck bleeding.  He tells everyone that Russell is alive and coming after Sookie.

Back at Merlotte’s, Holly serves Andy a breakfast fit for the noble Sheriff of Bon Temps.  He says she’s so sweet she even makes this food taste good.  Holly tells Andy that her boys, Rocky and Wade, are ready to apologize for putting the picture of Andy’s derriere on Facebook.  They’re not exactly sincere, having seen so many suitors come and go.  Andy promises to care for their mother, and they can take his promise to the bank.  “Banks suck, they took our house,” Wade sighs.  Andy tells him that’s just a figure of speech…

A truck pulls up to Jackson Herveaux’s trailer in Jackson, Mississippi.  He has come to let Jackson and Alcide that there has been an increase in baby vamps in their town, and these baby vamps are forming packs.  Jackson suggests that they use silver-plated fencing to keep them away so you can shoot them.  Mr. Rollins isn’t amused by Jackson’s seeming lack of concern for the other Mississippi wolves.  He leaves, and Alcide decides to confront his dad about the money he stole, an act which led to his eviction from the pack.  What ever happened to “Pack First?”  Jackson warns Alcide that he doesn’t need his own son to turn against him.  Those wolves left him to rot, so they can go fuck themselves.

At the club, Sookie rallies the troops.  Russell will never stop trying to capture her and any other fairy he discovers.  She’s tired of fighting.  It’s time to fight.  The other fairies don’t want to fight in a battle that they’ll surely lose…but the Elder disagrees.  The must fight together.  Outside in the clearing, Sookie asks Jason if he understands their plan.  He does.  Jason likens this situation to his time as Bon Temps High School’s “QB1”: the best defense is a good offense.  It’s “game time!” he says.  The Stackhouse siblings embrace and vow to “give ‘em hell!”

Andy comments to Arlene that it’s good to see that she and Terry are back together.  Arlene worries that Lafayette will tell Sam that she’s not working as Terry grabs her in an embrace.  “I’m a bitch, not a snitch.  Love it!” he retorts.  Arlene says a good relationship is built on trust, honesty and loyalty, because you never know when an “Iraqi ghost woman will attack your family.”  Of course.  I was thinking the same thing.  Clearly Andy is thinking about Holly, but his thoughts are interrupted when pregnant Maurella appears.  She reminds Andy that he swore on the Light to protect her, and that protection extends to her baby, too.  Arlene asks if this is his baby, but that isn’t possible—they just saw each other a week ago.  Maurella pulls Andy aside and tells him that he accepted her Light, which means he will protect her.  If he reneges on his protection, it’s tantamount to a declaration of war.  Andy sputters.  He’s not stupid; how can the baby be his?  But somehow, it really is his baby.  Must be a fairy thing.

In the basement at Fangtasia, Jessica recounts her tale of what is going on in New Orleans.  She and Tara look so young sitting on the coffins together.  The wheels are spinning in Pam’s mind.  Something big is happening.  She explains that Bill’s erratic behavior comes from being part of a nest .  She and Eric had always steered clear of nests.  Eric can fend for himself, she says.  This isn’t a moment for them to bond and braid hair and talk about boys.  She stalks off, feigning indifference.  Jessica sees through her tough demeanor.  Tara agrees that she’s a lot of bark AND a lot of bite.  Jessica timidly asks Tara if she “likes” Pam.  It looks like Tara isn’t sure how to answer that question.  Jessica admits she doesn’t have any friends and she likes talking to Tara.  Thanks to her vampire nature, she heals quickly after their fight.  What a good way to put a positive spin on it!

Rosalyn storms into Fangtasia and approaches the bar where Tara is working.  Pam watches from Eric’s old throne as Rosalyn questions Tara about the whereabouts of her progeny…Elijah.  I certainly didn’t see that one coming.  Even though Elijah is one of 204 children ol’ Ros has sired, she can still feel it when one of them meets the True Death.  Pam steps in and announces that she killed Elijah.  Tara can’t respond, as you’ll recall, because Pam compelled her to never talk about it.  Talk about foresight.  The guards come in and arrest Pam.  While she is led away, Rosalyn smells Jessica.  “Daddy has been looking for you,” she sneers.

Bill has another visit from Lilith, who appears once again and tells him that she has chosen him to lead.  He says he isn’t worthy, but she doesn’t relent, instructing him to drink all of her blood.  She disappears, and this time her blood is on his lips.  Was she there, or wasn’t she?  It’s hard to tell.

Alcide is heating up his dinner and Jackson is watching the basketball game when the baby vamps come to visit.  They start attacking the fence.  Alcide says he has to help Rollins.

Jason is patrolling Sookie’s house when Russell arrives.  “Jesus!” Jason exclaims.  Russell says he knew Jesus, who he describes as a “boring hippie.”  Steve shows up to complete the hunk sandwich.  Russell glamours Jason into telling him where Sookie is.  Jason says she is with the fairies.  Russell asks him to lead the way.

Alcide is shooting the vampires.  The yuppie vampire is shocked to see that vampires turn into goo when they die.  Alcide reminds him that he’s already dead.  Just as it looks like Alcide is about to be overpowered by baby vamps, Jackson arrives with his crossbow.

Sam and Luna find Emma in a cell.  I thought she was in Steve’s room.  It seems a bit odd that she’s locked up in the holding cells with the humans who will soon be providing meals to the vampires.  At any rate, the guards find Sam and Luna outside of their cells.  Bill is hungry, so Sam volunteers to be his “meal.”

We flash quickly to the Vial Room, where Kibwe is kneeling in front of the chalice.  He tells Bill that Lilith chose him.  Not likely.  Bill dispatches him quickly.

As Sam is being taken to Bill, he passes Pam as she is led to her holding cell.  He implores her to help Luna.  Pam doesn’t know Luna….

Rosalyn brings Jessica to Bill.  Bill is furious that Jessica sacrificed two vampires for a paltry human.  He backhands her, sending her flying across the room.

While this is all going down, Lilith appears to Salome.  Guess what, kids?  She has chosen Salome to be the leader.  I see a pattern forming.  Maybe Godric was right all along.

Back in the clearing, Jason stops the police cruiser and he and Russell get out (“baby, let me out!” Steve cries from the back seat).  Russell and Steve are overwhelmed by the scent of fairies all around them, but they can’t see anything.  Safely inside the club, Sookie and the fairies watch as Russell zips about the field trying to find them.  They’re ready to attack the vampires as planned, but the Elder has another idea.  She steps outside, and she repels Steve with a bolt of fairy light.  She tries to banish Russell, who uses Jason as a human shield, and in the process she sends Jason flying as well.  He crumples to the ground, unconscious.  Russell seizes on the Elder’s confusion and clamps onto her neck, draining her.  “Heaven, thy name is fairy!” he proclaims.  Ah, Russell.  Always the showman.  He takes in the field with a new set of senses.  Everyone inside realizes that he can see them.  And he’s coming for them.

This week’s episode was quite a ride, Fang Nation.  I have no idea how all of these storyline will be concluded…and if the teasers prove true, there won’t be many answers for us next week.  I’m confident that Eric is working to save the day, but I can’t decide which side Bill is on.  Just when I think he’s playing a game, he takes things to the next level and I’m lost again.  What is Pam up to?  Will she be able to escape? Are Alcide and Jackson about to kick ass and take names?  And what is going to happen to cute little Puppy Emma?

I’m eager to hear your thoughts, Fang Nation.  We’re in the home stretch.  Until next week…

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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.