Season four brought many a Supe to Bon Temps causing insult and injury to the declining human population and vampires alike. Where previously in another article, I compared the on screen changes to the book on which most of this season including the Witch War, the ebb and flow of this gory season was wrapped in a high body count, as only True Blood can.
The season had a few minor flaws that we won’t touch on here, such as the confusing season opener with the time lapse and glimpse of Faery that was only touched on again when Andy sees the fairy in the woods; and too many people being possessed by ghosts including an side plot that tied Lafayette to Terry and Arlene when their child, Mikey was being followed by a dead woman. Bill, whom had come off passive in the past became a ruthless King in something the book hadn’t thought up. Finally the back story of Sam’s brother, Tommy, was resolved in the boy doing the only decent act of his life by being killed protecting his brother. In the books Sam’s only real mention of his family was when he came to Texas to look in on his shapeshifter mother whom had been shot by his stepfather after the Weres went public. The side journey of Lafayette to understand he was a medium in which led to dark magic revealed in Jesus’ past also seemed a tad too drawn out.
The big story of this season was the romance between Eric and Sookie which took a few books to fully develop. Though we were cheated out of the actual shower scene in which the couple first made love, the lovely additions of sex scenes throughout the season and the cutesy looks and high school goth oneliners as they made goo-goo eyes at each other was precious and well executed.
So onto tonight’s spoilers:
-The series didn’t seem to quite know how to end the witch war or the strange final possession of Marnie into Lafayette after the all out battle at Moon Goddess. In the book, only one fight sequence led by Pam and Weres, Wiccans, vampires, shifters, and one telepath- ended quickly and all was as well as it could be in Bon Temps. Instead a strange scene in which Marnie in Lafayette’s body- had Eric and Bill abducted and about to burn at the stake when using nearby spirits, Holly led a circle to draw Marnie out. For a strange tie-in, Sookie’s grandmother came back from the dead for the moment to assist. Unless their was a lot of necromancy used, indicted by what seemed to be Bill’s dead guards on the ground around them, this came off very scene missing.
-Arlene, whom is a background character in the book along with Lafayette, Tara, Terry, and countless others keeps seeing her dead husband, Rene, the murderer in a past season. Again with the ghosts. He warns her that Terry is the one to be afraid of. No resolution to any of Arlene’s issues this season.
-Andy is off the “V”. What the point of this whole story with him, who really knows.
-What a season for Jason! Unlike the book, when his abduction ended in becoming a werepanther, the series must have decided there were too many about with the introduction of Luna, Alcide, Debbie, and the weres all being furry by moonlight. Instead the strange little community of Hotshot that in the books spawned Jason a cheating wife in Crystal, Jason was held captive and raped by the women of the inbreed colony for most of the season. Suddenly freed after being saved from the roadside by Jessica and Hoyt, Jason and Jessica fall into lust. The finale ends with Jason and Jessica deciding not to date even though Jason gets beat up by Hoyt for confessing, but staying bed buddies in a nicely shot sex scene including one naughty red riding hood.
-Sam is far from in the clear after his all season battle with the former packleader, Luna’s ex. Just when he thinks they have gotten away with murder, a panther sneaks up on Sam. Since most of the only werepanthers seen this season were from Hotshot, who know why Sam is about to be ambushed and by whom.
-In a strange twist, Sookie decides to take a little time for herself dumping both Eric and Bill after nursing both with bleeding wrists after being burned at the stake. Even though Bill pretends to not to care and gives the green light to a clearly suffering Viking, Sookie leaves the house in tears saying she couldn’t decide between the two and this would be the best for everyone involved.
-While Marnie still resides in Lafayette, she gets the jump on Jesus and forces him to share his magic, which results in his death. Jesus later shows up to tell his murderous lover it wasn’t his fault and he would always be around though Lafayette is clearly heartbroken.
-Nan of the American Vampire League propositions Eric and Bill to go rouge with her but they quickly dispose of both her and the guards after she threatens the safety of Sookie. What this means for the AVL next, we have to wait to find out.
-Speaking previous seasons, notice on G. Steve Newlin at the door of Jason…with fangs. The leader of the Fellowship of the Sun is back from the grave and only the next season with explain why. Also remember that hole with the silver chain that Alcide is checking out in that garage? Look like a familiar resting spot for one former king?
-In a scene taken from the book, the story does end with the killing of Debbie Pelt. Where in the books, Eric was the accomplice to the attack on Sookie, Tara is in the wrong place at the wrong time and takes the bullet pushing Sookie out of the way. Looks like curtains for Tara. Sookie grabs the gun in a scene that is similar to a past attack from Debbie in her house and fires the fatal shot.