‘True Blood’ Recap: Bill and Antonia Try to Negotiate Peace
“Spellbound?” deals with the aftereffects of the mortal danger that last week’s “Cold Grey Light of Dawn” found the vampires in. It seems that the threat of their immortal lives coming to an unexpected end pushed the vampires into new emotional territory. Bonds are strengthened, others are broken and most everyone is hyper aware of the consequences at hand — even if they’re not immortal. As Amnesia Eric says in perhaps the wisest moment of the season so far, “There is no right and wrong. These are human notions.” So the real question, then, is what is controlling tonight’s episode: conscious decisions or spellbound actions?
Vampires and Witches:
Just as Jessica is about to face the sun and the true death, Jason comes barreling in, pushing her back inside. Emotions are running high, and the two exchange a passionate kiss before Jason re-silvers Jessica back in the cell. The moment confirms to Jessica that she should leave Hoyt and she returns home to break the news to him. He pleads with her, saying he’ll die without her. “So die!” she says, pushing his head into the counter and leaving to join Jason waiting in the truck — or wait, just kidding! Her break-up with Hoyt (this shocking version, anyway) was just a vivid dream, another one to add to the list after her and Jason’s blood bond was formed. In reality, Jessica does break up with Hoyt, claiming her love for him isn’t enough to overcome her vampire ways. He screams at her, then rescinds his invitation, leaving her heartbroken on the porch. Her attempt to start something with Jason is thwarted when he, too, rescinds his invitation to avoid the temptation to bring their vivid dreams to life. This relatively new love triangle between one vampire and two humans (well, a human and a possible werepanther) is just as intriguing as the vampire/human triangle that Bill, Sookie and Eric have been in the past four seasons. Though, sorry as we feel for Hoyt, we’re team Jason.
Meanwhile, Sookie offers her neck to Eric when she realizes he is weak from not feeding since her fairy godmother. In exchange, he offers his blood, forming a sacred bond between the two of them: “We will be one,” he says. Still caught up in their own little world, Sookie and Eric go to take a shower but wind up in bed in a magical snow-filled space. Several hours of naked fun in the snow later, they wind up back in Sookie’s bed, once again pondering their future in the context of the looming showdown with the witches. “I’ve never seen you as human as you’ve been these last few days; it’s what I’ve fallen in love with,” Sookie says. “But you’re also a warrior, and you don’t run from a fight.”
After charming Maxine and a local newscaster on the scene to cover Beulah Carter’s death (“She kept herself like a vampire. Or a serial killer,” Maxine explains), Bill calls Antonia to apologize and propose a meeting to discuss peace later that night. Antonia, furious that her spell only killed one vampire, agrees. Despite the new bond forged between Sookie and Eric, her old bond with Bill seems to remain firmly in the background. Bill’s old protective ways come out as he and Eric fought over whether or not Sookie had the right to fight against the witches. Bill’s noble Civil War-era stance was that Sookie should be protected, while Eric’s inner Viking determined it was Sookie’s decision to make. “Call me crazy, but I’m willing to die if it means keeping a group of people I know and love from being eradicated in the name of hate,” she said, explaining her decision.
Sookie might as well be psychic: though her telepathic powers are what alert Bill that Antonia was casting a spell while the two negotiated peace, her sense of Eric’s warrior ways proved accurate once the fight kicked in. After Antonia and Bill each revealed their numbers (and Sookie was surprised to see Tara on Antonia’s side), Eric got his blood-hungry Viking on and tore the heart out of a witch. Game on. Marnie cast a fog and, in the chaos, Pam‘s latest attempt to kill Tara was thwarted by Bill, who forbade Pam from ever harming Tara under penalty of death at the hand of her king. “Why did you save me?” Tara asks. “You know why,” Bill says, referring undoubtedly to his [sigh] undying love for Sookie.
Sookie’s powers come to the forefront again when she conjures a protective ball of light in her palm to ward off a witch — but isn’t able to detect a bullet headed her way. As both Bill and Eric gasp “Sookie,” she slinks down in the graveyard, blood spreading from her stomach. But it isn’t her vampires that save her; Alcide, in tall, hot-blooded human form, comes to carry her away as Bill is silvered and Eric is cast into obedience by Antonia.
Werewolves:
Alcide and Debbie are at a pack gathering, where Alcide exerts what pack leader Marcus refers to as the “alpha” in him and tames some unruly wolf pups. Though it seems like the relationship between Alcide and Marcus is one of mutual respect and wolf bonding, Marcus’ words seem like an ominous foreshadowing of pack tensions to come. Meanwhile, Debbie continues to oscillate between believing Alcide is going to stay out of Sookie’s life and being highly skeptical of his promise to do so. Turns out, she has a good reason for the former: Despite Marcus’ warning for the pack to stay out of the vamp/witch war, Alcide — unaware he is being followed by Debbie in wolf form — goes to check on Sookie. When he ultimately becomes her hero in the mist, carrying a wounded Sookie away, Debbie transforms back to human with a look of unmistakable shock and hurt on her face. We’d be concerned about Debbie’s reaction more if Sookie weren’t in what appears to be mortal danger already.
Shifters:
Sam goes to Luna‘s to apologize again, and she relents — especially after Emma runs out with an obvious fondness for Sam. It’s not all home-cooked meals and Barbies, though. Marcus is finally confirmed as Luna’s threatening ex/Emma’s father when he shows up unannounced to interrupt the happy trio. A problematic situation is averted due to Emma’s presence, but the stage is set for a shifter/werewolf throwdown.
Meanwhile, fueled by his brother’s hatred and his own greed, Tommy uses his new skinwalker powers to shift into Maxine Fortenberry and meet with the man who told him about the wealth of natural gas Maxine’s house is sitting on. His crude portrayal of the already blunt Maxine is entertaining but, like most everything Tommy is involved in, doesn’t bode well for the future. The last time we see Tommy is as he’s running through the woods, puking up his skinwalking experience.
Humans:
Andy is inching closer to rock bottom with his V addiction, the one constant it seems like the season has held on to. As he and Jason examine the remains of secret vampire Beulah Carter, Andy gets on all fours and is overwhelmed by animal instinct. Jason comes to the rescue once again: “Are you serious? You want to eat a pile of dead vampire Beulah Carter? … You are one sad, sorry fuck, Bubba. Get a grip.” Andy, in turn, treats Jason like a therapist, revealing that being on V is the only time he feels like he’s living up to people’s expectations and doesn’t want to hit everyone else with a bat for the false impressions he feels they have of him.
Mediums:
Lafayette‘s newfound identity as a medium is up to its first real test. He continues to see the spirit surrounding baby Mikey‘s doll, exclaiming, “Oh, hell, no!” and turning in the opposite direction until he can no longer avoid her. While trying to sleep, he catches glimpses into her life and we find out that this woman had spent all of her money for her baby only to find out the white, married man who fathered the baby had killed it while she was out. We can only assume her grief has influenced the baby’s behavior — and now the nameless woman appears in Lafayette’s house and he consumes her being. Lafayette-as-woman goes to the Bellefleur’s, where Arlene and Terry and brood are staying, goes to Mikey’s crib and takes the baby.
Favorite Couple: Sookie and Eric, but not for the reasons you may think — until the battle starts, their almost childlike-glee at being together is a welcome change of pace from the drama happening around them.
Losing Species of the Week: The vampires. Though it seemed like they were regaining strength and making a good showing against Antonia’s coven, the loss of both Bill and Eric to the witches at the end of the episode brought them back down to losers.
Winning Species of the Week: The witches, who, like the vampires, started off in once place and wound up in another. Antonia’s threat seems to be greater in person than from afar, and it paid off.
Related
• Video: Deborah Ann Woll Reveals ‘True Blood’ Secrets at Sexy Photo Shoot
• The Season of the Witch: ‘True Blood’ Delves Into Magic and Past Lives in Season Four
• The Kinky Beasts of ‘True Blood’
• ‘True Blood’: Key Moments of the First Three Seasons
• The Joy of Vampire Sex: The Schlocky, Sensual Secrets Behind the Success of ‘True Blood’
• Peter Travers on the Best and Worst Vampires on Film and TV
Previously:
• Marnie’s Power Increase Means Mortal Trouble for the Vampires