True Blood Season 5 Ep. 7 'In The Beginning'



Sorry for the late post, but I had some urgent matters to attend to. As always, spoilers are ahead, so on with the show...


Last week's episode ended with Roman (and his chest of steel--*sigh*) meeting the true death at the hands of Russell Edgington. This week's episode, entitled "In The Beginning," deals with the aftermath, setting up what is sure to be a huge, end-of-season clash:  fundamentalist humans feeling spit on for being normal and hellbent on destroying all the supernatural freaks, fundamentalist vampires tired of playing nice with their food, a.k.a humans. with all the half-human, half-supes and supes who want to peacefully co-exist caught in between. It's positively X-Men.

No sooner than we find Russell standing over Roman's remains, golf polo and all, than someone hits the lights. Cut to more Nora praising Lilith while baking like rotisserie and Eric strung up on a column by Russell as the V-Feds descend upon and silver him. Turns out that Salome was the one who set up detective Stabler. Shocker! It was obvious Salome was the hooded figure who dug Russell out of his concrete grave from Sookie's first mind read.

Needless to say, Eric and Bill are none too pleased at the recent turn of events (the phrase "you bible-banging c*nts comes to mind)--I'm surprised he didn't eviscerate Nora on sight. However, Salome has no intention of killing the boys; she wants them to join her, Nora and Russell in heading the sanguista movement and devouring all humans. The two refuse, but are invited to a ceremony to clear Russell of his crimes.
After Russell pledges allegiance to Lilith, everyone takes a sip of her blood, leading to a raucous night out on Bourbon street. Who knew Bill could cut loose? Lorena would be proud. Plus something tells me Steve and Russell are gonna be exchanging more than clothing compliments when the night's over. Eric may have been an atheist and Russell a con artist-- I don't believe a word that comes out of his duplicitous mouth--but all bets are off once Lilith's ghost materializes out a pool of blood. Everyone goes back to gorging on dead bar patrons when Godric appears and speaks to Eric, telling him to save Nora from whatever evil Lilith has in store for them. Which poltergeist will he believe?

The coming vampire revolution has also trickled down into the werewolf world, as JD is recruiting wolves to serve Russell. In a glorious, all-too-short scene, a shirtless Alcide "trains" with the woman who backed him up when he challenged JD. Martha breaks up the lovefest and tells Alcide to back down, dismissing his accusation that JD's on V until she sees him hand Emma a vial. I'll say this--Emma's in way better hands than Sally Draper. Grandma Francis probably would've served up a few vials as a before bed snack. But I digress. Clearly this is going to be a battle between the pure/fundamentalist wolves (i.e Alcide and Martha) and the ones who bow to a fanger (JD).

Back at the Moulin Fairy, Sookie, still knocked out from the rays of light that hit her, is being examined by Claude and a woman to test the strength of her light. After waking up, she learns that her powers are finite due to her only being half fae, a revelation that fills her with hope rather than dread as she and Jason leave. Jason, in what is perhaps his most emotionally mature and astute moment in the entire series, tells her that their parents' death isn't her fault, and thanks her for not making it feel like it was his, despite all the years he blamed himself. It was a genuinely sweet scene, and neatly tied Jason's whole "man in the mirror' story arc back into Sookie's world of supernatural craziness. Though  judging from the light show she put on at the end of the episode makes me think she's had enough of were/vamp/fairy/witch/shifter drama and just wants to be "normal."

Meanwhile Sam is all but reveling in his shifter-dom, rolling around on the floor like he just popped out of a wedding cake and sniffing any and everything to catch the vigilantes that shot him and Luna. Sookie comes to visit in the hospital bearing flowers and Sonic ("It's all about the Sonic" is probably the best line Luna's ever uttered) in a ruse to talk to Sam. The two talk about Sam's new superhero status, giving the Sookie the perfect segue way to go all Rogue and ask him if he'd give up his "powers" for a regular life. Sam basically voices her thoughts, explaining he's tired of fighting the hate and believes if he weren't a shifter, many of the people he loved would still be alive, before shrugging his shoulders and saying "we are what we are." Not exactly a Jessica Tandy "it gets better" speech is it? But it did give us a quiet, emotional scene between the two, something we haven't seen a lot of lately.

Speaking of Jessica, she best watch her back, now that she and Jason are over and Hoyt has to told his new posse he hates her. Do you believe that? Me neither. Something tells me he'll take a wooden bullet to the chest before watching Jessica become a pile of blood goo.Ironic the two ex-friends have something common, though Jason's vamp hate comes from a deeper place; Hoyt's just a sucker for peer pressure. Oh and in other human news, Holly comforts Arlene while watch her wedding video/memorial (i.e. dead folks and broken relationships, a True Blood prerequisite) and Patrick talks Terry off the ledge as they wait for the Ifrit to come and annihilate them. I was glad Terry didn't blow his brains out, but I'm ready for the fire demon to put up or shut up.

Lafayette, taking Ruby Jean's advice, drives down to Mexico (how much does being a fry cook pay again? gas ain't exactly cheap right now) to confront Jesus's uncle. Instead he's greet by Jesus's actual severed head, its mouth stitched shut, and a shotgun to his back. Jesus's uncle wants the brujo magic Lafayette--technically Marnie--stole from their family back, a process that apparently involves stitching the thief's mouth shut, slicing their brain open and rubbing a your wife's squirming, demon-impregnated belly. Lucky for La La, said pregnant wife got up and hack Bartolo to death, then cut his stitches. Maybe he should have brought Ruby Jean for backup.&

While we're talking crazy mamas, Tara's stripping at Fangtasia, to the motherly approval of Pam (who in a rare coif misstep, crimped her hair. Really girl?) when Lettie Mae strolls through the door. Is she coming to rescue her baby and comfort her? Nope. Instead she tells Tara she's dead to her now, ignoring the fact her daughter was made a vampire against her will. Tara acts cold and nonchalant until she leaves, then cries a few tears in the club's office. Pam reassures Tara that she won't even remember her a century from now, causing Tara to get all touchy feely and hug her. Pam tolerates it for as long as she can before telling her progeny to get back on the pole. Aww, thanks Mom.

 So what did you think of "In The Beginning?" Discuss.

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