"We'll Meet Again" may very well have been the most family-focused episode of the season, if not all of True Blood, with blood-ties playing a key role in numerous story arcs explored. Then again, blood is always sort of relevant in this drama.
"I ruin people's lives."
Sookie was long overdue for a binge drinking session, and tonight she gave herself one after nearly dying in a car accident. The car issues were Lafayette's fault. His inner demon came out to play, once again after Lafayette called Sookie "the fuckin' Angel of Death" due to her involvement in every bad thing that ever seems to happen. He nearly sent her to her death when he went all demon-face and put some weird spell on her car. I doubt the tuck-and-roll approach is used all that often in car accidents in real life situations, but it worked well for Sookie. After she failed to gain control of her vehicle, that's what she did to avoid slamming into the steering wheel when her car slammed into the tree. She made it home on foot and promptly drank her sorrows away. Lafayette seriously needs to get a handle on his alter-ego. And Sookie needs a new car, because I'm thinking hers now looks about as forked as Lafayette's demon-tongue.
On the subject of Sookie, tonight's episode felt like a throwback to Season 1, not only because she was back working at Merlotte's in her trademark skin-tight t-shirt, but also because everyone there was judging her, this time not for being a "fangbanger" so much as for her part in Tara's vampirization. Apparently, word is out and there isn't a person in Bon Temps who doesn't think less of Sookie for what she did.
Speaking of Tara…
Obviously, Tara didn't fry herself to death in the tanning bed. Pam got to her in time, honoring the sacredness of being a maker by saving her progeny from a gross, melty death. And after slapping Tara's charred face, she commanded her not to condemn herself to death by acute tanorexia. Such commands cannot be denied, no matter how badly the vampire loathes her new nature.
Pam's maternal side seemed to kick in after that, and a lot of that likely had to do with Eric's return. Tonight was a huge episode for Eric and Pam. After Eric interrogated her over the Russell situation, she sort of challenged him to release her. She was mainly trying to prove a point at the time, and it worked. After that, Eric knew that it wasn't Pam who dug up Russell nor did she have anything to do with his return. But it got Eric thinking. He's walking around with a stake pointed at his chest and the Authority breathing down his neck. His days may be numbered. Maybe it's time to cut Pam loose.
Eric decided that it was for the best that he release Pam. She'll carry on the family line if anything happens to him. It was a moving scene, but I can't help but feel like it's all a set-up for some other scenario that probably won't have much (if anything) to do with Eric's Authority situation, which I just don't believe will amount to Eric's true-death. Who knows though? Maybe the Authority will end up killing Eric, but what does releasing Pam have to do with anything? If he dies, doesn't she carry on the family name anyway? And even with her being released, isn't she still associated with him enough to be at risk? Maybe I'm over thinking this. Probably. I'll buy the whole ordeal, I just won't be surprised if, at some point down the line, Pam being separated from Eric doesn't prove to be much more relevant to the show than the need to release her proved to be.
It was sort of fitting, though, that Pam should be set free. She's a maker now. The figurative torch has been passed. She has her own progeny to look out for. And she did just that when she ordered a reluctant Tara to feed off a doe-eyed blood-donor who was bizarrely eager to be Tara's meal.
Authority
The Authority continued to torture Nora, trying to get information out of her about the Sanguinista. She was prepared to be sent to her true-death for her beliefs, but not prepared to keep her mouth shut if it meant Eric (and Bill) dying too. After a creepy blood-anointing gesture that had Salome cooing words of encouragement into her ear, Nora evidently gave up some information on a traitor in the Authority's midst. And he comes in the form of the kid vampire Alexander Drew - a.k.a. Judas (or known to me as The Anointed One 2.0). Roman made a big show of calling out Alexander Drew, going on about his fancy stake, which was fashioned from wood from Judas' hanging tree. And then he made a bloody mess of the kid. I'm not sure I've seen a bloodier boardroom scenario since O'Ren Ishii made her point in Kill Bill: Vol 1.
So, are we assuming Nora's been kept alive?
Alcide
Alcide had a big night. After storming away from Sookie upon learning about Debbie, he confronted the Pelts to let them know Debbie was dead. Then he blamed her death on Marcus, which is just as well as Marcus is dead too and Debbie was involved with him, after all. He said he killed Marcus for killing Debbie. The Pelts were clearly angry with Alcide, despite how remorseful and tear stricken Alcide was. Given that he and Debbie have been together for years, it seems like they will blame him, if only for not protecting her. Justified? No. Understandable? Sure. They're distressed and grieving. Let's just hope they really did leave without planning to return for any kind of revenge.
The Debbie matter may actually be wrapped up. Not only have the Pelts left, but Jessica helped the situation by glamouring Andy into forgetting about the investigation. So that's that. And then Alcide went to Sookie's to let her know everything was dealt with. Evidently, his feelings for Sookie are strong enough to look past the fact that she killed Debbie, because after a couple of drinks and Sookie flirtatiously calling him out for being in love with her, the two were making out. About time! Of course, Bill and Eric just happened to be watching from outside. Convenient timing, but at least it fast-forwards the point at which they find out that Sookie's moved on. And now it seems like Bill feels less bad about dragging her (back) into this Russell mess.
Everything else...
Andy and Jason went with "the Judge" to what they thought was a club of some kind, but was actually a secret faery burlesque place filled with hot women who seem to have no prejudice against middle-aged sheriffs or judges. Jason wasn't doing so bad himself, until one of the faeries read his mind and discovered his preference for a certain redheaded vampire. And then he spotted Hadley, who was working there and sort of hiding out to protect her precious part-Faery blood. She let slip that Sookie and Jason's parents were killed by vampires and that's when things got out of control. Jason tried to get Hadley to explain the situation, but he and Andy were promptly ejected from the club and back into the faery-field, after which they were zapped with what looked like the same light-power Sookie has. Where will we find them next week? (I'm guessing laying in a field with no memory of what happened.)
At the club, Andy ran into Morella, the faery woman who seduced him at the end of last season. Seems likely his relationship with her will conflict with his relationship with Holly. Andy may not want to piss either of those women off though.
Sam was invited to "run with" a couple of shifters. They also extended the offer to Luna, but then chose Sam over her when they learned that he and Luna were on the outs. Sam accepted and went to meet up with them only to find them dead. It looked like they'd been shot. Was it the werewolves? Or is someone else targeting shifters?
On their way to North Dakota to find Eller with Patrick, Terry flashed back to a night in Iraq when some of the soldiers were drinking and doing drugs. They were watching a city get attacked when a local approached them. Either because he was messed up on booze and pills or just angry, Eller shot him. More shooting ensued and a bunch of people were killed. These are the kind of things that explain why Terry doesn't want to talk about Iraq. Back in the present, he and Patrick found Eller hiding in some weird bunker somewhere. The situation did not look good.
Eric wasn't the only one having a parent moment tonight. Amidst searching his house for a bug that would explain how someone found out about where Russell was buried, Bill took a moment to note how well Jessica is doing, saying he thought he did well with her. It was nice to see these two back on screen together. And after watching Eric release Pam, I have to admit, I appreciated the relationship between Bill and Jessica a bit more.
Tonight's episode was short on great lines, but Tara gets the quote of the night, when referencing Sookie…
"She's always safe, because there will always be some fool that'll take a bullet for her. Always."
