True Blood Recap: Season Finale Shortens the Cast List

Last night HBO aired the season 4 finale of True Blood. I’m still in shock over the enormity of this episode. I think if I had to rate it on a scale of one to ten, as season finales go, this on had to be 11 1/2. So much happened to wrap up the season and then again to launch storylines for next season, I am still reeling and not sure where to begin. I think just going character by character will have to do.

Sookie – I don’t know what deep, dark well Anna Paquin has within herself, but from it she pulled some gut-wrenching scenes. Beginning with a sweet moment with her childhood BFF, Tara, Sookie shares some of her confusion and questions that have come up since Bill Compton walked into Merlotte’s. This was a moment that was needed for the pair of friends, after all they had just been through. Sookie asked Tara if she believed in the afterlife, which was a foreshadowing of what was to take place later in the episode.

After Eric and Bill are rescued from Marnie, Sookie lets them both feed from her. Then she tells them both she loves them in spite of their flaws, owns up to her own mistakes and leaves them both. I have to admire Sookie here. It takes a very strong woman who can stand up to two gorgeous men who want her, and tell them both that she can be her own person, apart from them. Apart from any man, really. To me, Sookie has built something there that is stronger than any blood bond can ever be, and she did it on her own terms. And since Sookie has decided not to decide on one or the other, can we now have peace in the fandom once more?

Finally, the closing scene is on Sookie as she holds a horribly injured, possibly dead (though I don’t think so), Tara in her arms and screams for help. This wasn’t just an “Oh my God!” scream, it was from the depths of despair and I have to wonder what awful place Anna had to go to retrieve that. Such intense acting is why she was chosen for the part four years ago.

Bill & Eric – I had to put these two together because that’s where they belong. I don’t mean in a lover-like way, I’m talking about the frenimy bromance between them. I was struck by how Eric still talks to Bill in that condescending tone, with a lot of snark thrown in, yet in the presence of Nan, he tells her, “His Majesty showed great leadership in extremely perilous circumstances. You should be kissing his ring.” In other words, Eric can pick on Bill all he wants to, but no one else can. And when they work together on one plan they are in perfect sync. They took care of Nan and her “Gay Stormtroopers” in the blink of an eye! I’m thinking that the “order” on their heads for the true death will be lifted once the ‘Authority’ and the AVL find out that Nan had turned mutinous.  And didn’t you just love the cute matching PJs they wore while they were with Sookie? They may dislike each other to annoyance, but at the end of the day, or night in their case, Eric and Bill have got each other’s back.

Jason – As if we hadn’t had plenty of examples of Jason’s evolution throughout this season, we get more are he takes on the responsibility of confessing to Hoyt that he’d been sleeping with Jessica. Not only did he man-up and own-up, but he took the limps that Hoyt pounded on him without raising his fist. He broke “the code” and he knew it. I have to respect him.

Jessica – Jessica has figured out that she wants to remain unattached. She likes Jason and wants to be with him, but she tells him she doesn’t want to hurt him like she hurt Hoyt. Fair enough! The baby vamp has some more growing up to do and she is aware of that. I had to admire her.

Pam – This poor girl is so lost. Eric is really angry with her and she goes back to Fangtasia to throw a good old fashioned temper tantrum. Ginger comes in to offer comfort and in a tender moment, wraps her arms around Pam and let’s her cry it out. For once, I was glad she didn’t scream.

Jesus – The first casualty of the evening was Jesus. I knew it was coming, but I was surprised who dealt the death blow. Lafayette kills him at the point when Jesus summons his demon. The demon goes into Lafayette and Jesus dies. It was either that, or Marnie, who was possessing Lafayette, would have harmed his body. Jesus answers the question, do you love enough to forfeit your life for that person? Jesus said yes.

Lafayette – He spent half of the episode possessed by Marnie, but when Marnie is pulled out of him by Gran’s ghost, he’s left to deal with the aftermath of what Marnie had done. Jesus’ death devastates him. However, this is Samhain, where the veil between the living and the dead is very thin. Jesus’ ghost visits Lafayette to reassure him that everything is as it should be, and that he is happy. It was a very sweet way to say goodbye to Jesus.

Marnie – Made more powerful with the addition of Jesus’ demon, Marnie rounds up Eric and Bill with the speed of light and chains them to a stake. Sookie, Holly and Tara arrive on the scene to try and stop her, but she ignites the wood surrounding the vampires and the fire begins to cook them. Holly, Sookie and Tara join hands and summon the spirits of the dead to help them. Adele Stackhouse won’t let anyone harm her kin, so she reaches into Lafayette’s mouth and pulls Marnie out. Then Antonia appears and begins to calm Marnie down and coax her into going with her. You could almost feel sorry for Marnie if she weren’t so unhinged.

Sam – Standing by his brother’s grave, Sam is joined by Maxine Fortenberry. Maxine isn’t a nice lady, but you have to give her credit for showing up. Also arriving is Luna with Emma. So Sam didn’t have to go through that alone. Sookie should have been there too but she shows up at Merlotte’s later in the day and Sam gives her job back to her. It was curious that he didn’t tell her that Tommy was a skinwalker and that it was actually him that fired her. When we last see Sam, he is facing a snarling werewolf. The mystery to solve is who is that werewolf? You have nine months to come up with the answer.

Holly – Holly showed some cool, calm control as she pours a circle of salt around herself, Sookie, Tara, Eric and Bill, leaving Marnie outside. As she and the girls join hands and begin to chant, that circle proves to be a shield protecting them against Marnie. I have loved Holly’s complete control in every scene she was in. Even in the midst of caos going on around her, she stays the course. I want to see more of her next season.

Andy – He seems to have recovered from his V addiction and tries to patch things up with Holly, and it works. Good for Andy! Oddly enough, she is dressed as a faerie for Samhain. A clue for season five?

Arlene – I didn’t think this would happen at all, so I was truly surprised when Rene’s ghost shows up for Arlene and warns her that there is darkness inside Terry that she needs to run from. The whole season Arlene has been living in fear of Rene’s spirit showing up in her baby and he appears when and where she least expects it.

Terry – We were introduced to Patrick, an old Army buddy who served with Terry back in the day. Terry looks shocked to see him, thinking that he had been dead all these years. What’s Terry’s secret, and does Patrick know it? I smell blackmail!

Tara – It’s not yet clear whether we’ve truly seen the last of Tara. When she sees Debbie Pelt aiming a shotgun at Sookie, ready to pull the trigger, she jumps in front of Sookie as Debbie fires. She goes down and the closing scene has Sookie holding her body and screaming for help. Some say she’s dead and some say she’ll be revived somehow in season five. We won’t know until next year. Maybe not even until the premiere, knowing Alan Ball. I think he’ll keep a tight lid on that story. But like Jesus, Tara paid the ultimate sacrifice for her best friend whom she loves.

Alcide – It’s been no secret that Alcide wants Sookie. In this episode he offers her a choice: the vampires who hurt her or him. Ah, to be Sookie for just one day!

Debbie Pelt – She is no more.

This was the season of the witch and Alan Ball and the cast promised a wild, crazy, exciting roller-coaster ride. I think they delivered. Next season will see the return of Russell Edgington, and Steve Newlin is back – as a vampire? Raise your hand if you saw that coming!