Arguably, the most talked about scene in any of The Sookie Stackhouse novels is the shower scene (Book 4, chapter 6, in case you are wondering). On tonight’s episode of True Blood season 4, we see Alan Ball’s interpretation of it. Not surprisingly, it is truly bizarre.

All of that chanting for practically nothing.

When the last episode ended, Jessica was opening the doors to walk into the sun and we heard a gun go off outside where Jason was wrestling with a guard. Of course, Jason was fine, and ran at Jess and tackled her and closed the door with his feet. But Jason didn’t really think this one through because Jessica is a vampire, afterall. And a vampire willing to kill to get to the sun, at that. Just before she was about to bite Jason in order to do just that, Antonia stopped chanting, apparently thinking she had done enough. So Jess, grateful to Jason for saving her, kissed him. He took her downstairs, and at Bill’s request silvered her a little better this time. Jason tried to be comforting because she was in pain (physically from the silver and emotionally at realizing she killed a guard trying to get to the sun) but Bill asked him to leave. They agreed they would call it even – Jason wouldn’t tell that Jess killed that guard and Bill wouldn’t punish Jason for shooting a guard outside. I like how these two deal with each other.

Antonia was beyond upset later that night to discover the only vamp that died was Maxine Fortenberry’s neighbor. She ranted on to Tara about how she wanted all the vamps dead, and Tara seemed okay with that. Oh Tara… Bill came to the news crew outside the dead vamp’s house and gave a statement (after glamouring the news reporter into letting him do so) saying that this vamp killed herself because she felt alone. She was the victim of all the hate and racism that was caused by Russell Edgington’s actions. Which are not the actions of most vampires. Andy, meanwhile, wanted to just stick his face in the disgusting bloody remains of the vamp because he is in serious withdrawal and thinks he is no good unless on the V. Jason tells him to get it together. Good luck with that! Bill called Marnie and was surprised to find Tara answered the phone. He wanted to meet so they could discuss a peace treaty. Alone. In the cemetery. At midnight. They both agreed, but it is obvious neither was going to show up alone….

A woman, her baby and a doll

As always, Terry brought Mikey and the creepy doll to work with him (how is this legal?) and Arlene was upset because she thought that meant that Rene’s ghost was just going to be hanging around Merlotte’s. But that isn’t the ghost they need to worry about – it’s the lady in the yellow dress that is hovering over the play pen. Lafayette starts to walk in the kitchen, but when the ghost lady gives him a look he leaves, not wanting to deal. Back at home, the ghost gives Lafayette dreams – he sees that she had a baby with a white married man (who lived in Hoyt’s house, I believe. Or maybe she was the one living there. Either way – that was the same house as Hoyt’s correct?). She bought a doll and went to bring it to the baby but the white guy came out and told her he “took care of it” or some such euphemism that basically meant he couldn’t have a half black baby that was his so he killed it. Whatever the story, which I’m sure we will learn more of, it was tragic. Then Laf woke up, and she was standing there, and like Tio Luca, she entered him. And off Laf/Ghost lady went to the Bellefleur mansion where Terry, Arlene and the kids are staying. She got in, grabbed a gun from Andy’s holster and then went and took Mikey out of his crib. My question: Obviously the doll is the connection (creepy doll is the doll the lady bought for her baby), but Mikey was all creepy before the doll came to him – like possibly bursting a vein in Arlene’s eye. So what is going on???

Breaking up is hard to do

After Jessica wakes up, she goes home to Hoyt and  tells him she wants to break up. He begs her to stay saying he loves her and can’t live with out her. So she tells him to die, bashes his head into a counter and then leaves. Jason, waiting in the truck, is so turned on by the sight of her covered in blood that he rips his shirt off demanding they have sex while she bites him. And then Jessica wakes up because clearly that was a dream! In reality, things don’t go as well for Jess. When she gets home, Hoyt isn’t worried about where she was, just annoyed. She gives him the “I love you, but…” speech, and Hoyt, well, he does not react well. He tells her he deserves better than to be with someone like her – an eternal virgin who is dead. Ouch. She starts to cry and tells him she does love him she just needs to figure out being a vampire. But he rescinds her invitation and she is thrown out of the house and left to cry on the porch while listening to Hoyt go into an anti-fanger rage. Then she goes to Jason’s. Honestly, I thought this was dumb because Jason is Hoyt’s best friend. If Hoyt decided to go anywhere after the break up, wouldn’t it be here?? Anyway, Jason is pissed that Jess broke up with Hoyt, you know, because they are best friends. But she says she knows he likes her and kissed her back. Jason can’t deal with the drama and rescinds her invitation too. So poor Jess is left alone. Jason handles the stress by doing push-ups. Of course.

Skinwalkers and Dead Beat Dads

Sam heads to Luna’s to let her know that he kicked Tommy out. This isn’t a plea to let him back in her life (yes it is) he just wanted her to know (please still love him). They discuss how Tommy killed his parents and that is why he is a skinwalker now. I thanked the writers silently for that small exchange because I totally forgot that is how it works. Emma comes to the door and see Sam and asks (demands!) that he come inside to play Barbies while Luna makes dinner. And just like that, all is well for Sam. Meanwhile, Tommy has broken in to Maxine Fortenberry’s house and stolen some clothes, shoes, jewelry and her purse- he changed in to her to get the money from the Natural Gas prospector. Turns out – it was only worth $5700 because Maxine doesn’t own a lot of land. He takes it anyway. Tommy runs off and then pukes in the woods. Gross. (Brief shout out to the entire cast this season – Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, Fiona Shaw and Dale Raoul have all done fantastic jobs at taking on another character that is in their skin!)  Alcide and Debbie, meanwhile, are at a pack meeting at Marcus’s house. Marcus is saying that they are all to stay out of this vamp/witch war (Alcide assumes Debbie told him, but she denies it.) and some kid says he could totally take on the vamps. Marcus tells him no – the vamp would kill him. It is dangerous to be so prideful when it comes to vamps. Later, Alcide helps Marcus pull apart a fight with the same kid – he is going to be an issue. Marcus says Alcide could be an Alpha, but Alcide doesn’t want to be involved in politics. Debbie freaks again thinking Alcide is going to do something bad to get them thrown out of the pack – you know, like help Sookie. But he says no. (LIES!) Marcus makes a call saying he is going to come tuck his kid in… gee I wonder who that can be! It’s Emma! And Marcus is none to happy to see Sam there playing happy family with Luna and Emma. Sam offers to leave but Emma practically throws herself at him saying no, and tells her dad it is because Sam is nice and plays Barbies. This is going to get really ugly.

A snow storm in Bon Temps

When nightfall comes, Sookie takes the chains off Eric. It’s painful and he yells out some Nordic words that I’m sure are not so nice. It’s also very gross and he isn’t healing well because he hasn’t fed since draining Claudine. So Sookie offers up herself, as long as Eric can control himself. He tells her to get some silver and use it on him if needed. So he bites her and then when he stops he bites his own hand and offers it to Sookie so they can be blood bonded. Well here’s the thing – her blood is extra special faerie blood and his blood is 1000 year old super strong vampire blood so they both end up in a hallucinogenic trip, not unlike Jason and Amy in season 1. This leads to the shower scene. Well, how do I explain this… Sookie and Eric (who is now all healed) go into the shower, looking to recreate Charlaine Harris’s version of it, I’m sure. But Alan Ball apparently had something else in mind. When Sookie turns on the shower, it doesn’t work, and instead it starts to snow. They open the curtain and find a bed in a snow covered forest which they frolic to while naked and then have sex in the snow fall and talk about their love. It’s…. wacky. But hot. (Or cold, I suppose) When they wake up from this crazy dream (aka come down from the high) Eric wants to run away with Sookie and just never get his memories back. She says no because they need to stay and fight with Bill. She has other vamps she loves here and she is not going to abandon them. Eric resists at first, but then agrees, they will fight.

….And then a fog rolls in

Eric and Sookie show up at Bill’s to tell them they are there to fight. He basically says no, it’s too dangerous for Sookie. Eric says it is her choice. Sookie just gets annoyed they are talking about her like she isn’t there. She tells them both (but mostly Bill) that she has powers and she cares about the vamps so this is her fight too and he can’t keep her from it, which she knows he knows. Bill gets a cute smile because he loves this side of Sookie- the side that won’t be pushed around by anyone. He agrees to bring them. So Bill shows in the cemetery and finds Antonia. She says she knows he isn’t alone, so Eric, Sookie and Pam walk out of the woods. Bill knows she isn’t alone too, and she makes her few people appear as well. Including Tara. Awkward moment for her and Sookie!! Bill and Antonia exchange words, but Sookie listens in and hears Antonia doing a spell in her head. She warns Bill – boy is Anotnia surprised! It moves things up a bit and Antonia reveals she a lot more people hidden. But so does Bill – including a lot of his humans with big guns. Eric rips a witches heart out and the battle begins. A fog rolls in – or actually, Antonia produces it so it is harder to see. Meanwhile, Alcide is knocking on Sookie’s door frantically (how did he know??) and hears the screaming from the cemetery and runs towards it. Running behind him- a white wolf. Things in the fog are cah-ray-zee. Pam tries to attack Tara after Tara shoots a vamp with a wooden bullet, but Bill stops Pam (who thinks that is totally lame) and helps Tara up, saying she knows exactly why he is helping her. Take that Tara!! How can you be mad at that? Sookie “faerie lights” a vamp but then is shot in the stomach. Her pain makes Bill and Eric both try to come for her. Bill is silvered by several witches and can’t move. Then Eric faces off with Antonia and she does that same “kneel before me” thing she did with the sheriff. So Sookie is alone and dying… until Alcide comes and picks her up. Then the white wolf transforms to Debbie and she gets the crazy eyes!

So things end on a life or death note for all 3 of our main characters. Well played, Mr. Ball. I really enjoyed this episode. I’m curious where it goes since the fog fight is the climax of the book and we still have 4 episodes left. What did you think of the episode? Where do you think it’s going? And who will look at snow differently from now on?

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter: @serrae

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