True Blood Episode Recap: “In the Beginning”
On this week's episode of True Blood, it's all about gaining and losing supernatural power. Sookie decides that maybe she doesn't want to be special anymore. The Authority, under the new leadership of Salome and Russell, decide to assume more power. And Lafayette and Terry confront their personal demons, with radically different results.
RUSSELL
So duh, it turns out that Salome is the traitor. She dug up Russell, she messed with the iStakes and she allows Russell to gain control of the Authority. It seems she too is a Sanguinista, and Step 1 of their plan for human domination is to drink the blood of Lilith. She and Russell drag most of the other Authority members, that disfigured former prisoner, Rev. Newlin, Bill and Eric into it as well.
At first, it's kind of funny. They drink the blood, appear to get high and walk through the French Quarter terrorizing humans. They happen upon a rehearsal dinner or something, and Russell joins one of the bridesmaids on stage for a hoary duet of "You Light Up My Life." But then... they eat everyone there. It's a gory slaughter: The floor of the restaurant is nothing but a lake of blood.
From which, suddenly, a naked female figure rises. It's Lilith, of course, and, for the record, she doesn't look anything like Frasier's wife from Cheers — especially the fully naked part. Wordlessly, she surveys the scene, approaches Nora and breathes what appears to be blood vapor on her and the carnage begins anew.
But then a spectral Godric appears to Eric, and he tells him that he knows what he is doing is wrong, but that Nora doesn't. Will Eric heed his maker?
JASON and SOOKIE
Because Sookie is only half-faerie, the faeries tell her that her abilities are finite. In other words, once she uses them up, she'll be normal again, human. This is a prospect that intrigues, even perhaps pleases her. (Aside: I like seeing Sookie and Jason being loving siblings — that doesn't happen that often on this show.) Sookie visits Sam and Luna in the hospital and asks him if he'd give up his abilities if he could, and he says no. He does, however, admit that the people he loves would probably be safer if he was normal, and something clicks in Sookie. In the next scene, we see Sookie in a field, trying her damndest to use up all her powers.
Meanwhile, Jason, who is justifiably perturbed by the news of a vampire's role in his parents' death, visits Jessica to talk to her about his conflicted feelings. It's a very tense, but sensitive conversation, until they kiss, and Jason tastes blood on her lips. (She had just been feeding, you see.) They argue, and she bites him, and quick as a flash, he shoots her in the head. They both heal, of course, but it's a shocking image nonetheless.
PLUS:
-Poor, aimless Hoyt seems to like the redneck assassins that kidnapped him, and as a result, he joins their anti-supernatural effort. This can't end well.
-Alcide is unsuccessful in convincing Martha that J.D. is a V addict, particularly because Martha remembers when J.D. stepped aside so Markus could become the packmaster. So Alcide prepares to challenge J.D. for the title, with the help of his still-unnamed sexy wrestling partner. We quickly discover, of course, that Alcide is right about J.D., just as he is telling the pack that he has a vampire friend who says a vampire-human war is coming, and the only way to gain their allegiance is to drink their blood. Fortunately, Martha catches J.D. trying to get Emma to partake just in time.
-Poor Arlene sits watching her wedding video, thinking back to happier times. Meanwhile, Terry and Patrick are sitting in a field, waiting for the fire monster to come get them. Ifrit shows up, but instead of burning them alive, he appears to laugh (?) and taunt them. Terry says he doesn't think he can take it, so he grabs Patrick's gun and aims it at his throat. Patrick prevents him from doing the deed, but needless to say, poor PTSD-afflicted Terry is back, and I really hope that Holly can help him and Arlene get through it.
-Lafayette goes to see Jesus' abuelo, finds his dead lover's head on a chair with his mouth sewn shut, just like he and his mother had been seeing in their nightmares. The abuelo wants to take back his grandson's abilities from Laf, so he trusses up his mouth similarly, drapes a cloth over his pregnant wife's abdomen and begins some ceremony that appears to be a transfer of Laf's powers to his unborn son. Just as it appears that the abuelo is going to make a jack-o'-lantern out of Laf's head, his wife jumps up and stabs him repeatedly, killing him. The woman then unstitches Lafayette's mouth, and it's wicked gross.
-Tara is a better pole dancer than a bartender, so that's what she does at Fangtasia now, as Pam looks on, beaming at her progeny's powerful sexiness. But then Tara's human mother shows up. Awkward! Lettie Mae is a preacher's wife now, so she's there to disown Tara. At first, Tara is more than happy to let her go, but later the tears flow as she lets go of another piece of her human life. (Hey guys, guess what? Pam found a crimping iron this week!) Ahem. But more importantly, Pam does the closest thing to comfort Tara in her moment of sorrow, but when Tara goes in for a hug, Pam is like: "Back on the pole!" Still, it was nice for a second.
-Andy said, "Jesus tits on Christ" tonight. Heh. (Also: See you in hell!)
What did you think of "In the Beginning"? Are you excited for the human-vampire war, with Russell at its helm? What happens to True Blood if Sookie becomes... normal? Are any of the other stories grabbing your attention this season? Tell us all in the comments below!
