Review: True Blood "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

Non Spoiler Review:
Events come to a head for both Terry and Patrick, as well as the vigilante storyline, as the identity of the dragon is revealed. Sookie continues her investigation into the identity of the vampire Warlow, while the politics within the Authority spill into the outside world.

There are the customary plot devices thrown out here and there, especially a convenient message from gran to get the ball rolling on Sookie's investigation. But it was satisfying to see two of the many storylines get (hopefully) wrapped up to free up screentime in the remaining episodes, as well as killing off a couple of characters here and there. So not too bad at all.

Spoilers Now!

As TruBlood factories are bombed, Salome and her entourage (including Eric and Bill) prepare to feast on a human captive. Meanwhile, Molly finds she has lost her clearance and Eric seeks her out for a private chat. The place is locked down so neither of them can get out, but she has an idea.

Sookie consults Lafayette about her vision of Warlow but he can't detect any spiritual goings on. Getting back to Tara, he informs her she's refused to talk to either of them. As they talk, Lafayette picks up several spirits, including gran. Gran is apparently glad the fairies are looking after Sookie, and offers a clue to the vampire mystery. Sookie takes out a box under her bed full of plot devices mementos. A newspaper article informs her the Stackhouse bodies were found by then deputy (later sheriff, and now retired) Deerborne.

Sookie goes for a visit. He admits it could be a vampire, but at the time they didn't know about them, so assumed it was alligators. She quickly finds out he's hiding something and asks him about Warlow, realizing he doesn't recognize the name as she reads his mind. She gets knocked out by Deerborne's girlfriend, Sweetie.

Jessica offers her testimony at the sheriff's office, though tries to defend Hoyt's actions and doesn't want to see anything bad happen to him. Jason sends her home and promises to find him.

Luna appears to be recovering and insists on helping Sam on the investigation. They return to the basement and pick up the scent of pigs. Andy tells them both to go home so they transform into flies to listen in on what's going on. Andy and Jason realize the two prisoners they have were both arrested by Deerborne once for drunkenness. Whoever the dragon is they're scared of him. While reviewing the hate group's website, they recognize the boots one of them are wearing in a web video, and realize Deerborne is involved.

Patrick takes Arlene hostage at Merlotte's, then calls Terry. Terry wants a fair fight and let the best man win, but Patrick realizes he's stronger than him, so orders him to sacrifice himself for Arlene. Arlene stabs him in the neck and Terry wrestles with him as Arlene pulls a gun to his head. Patrick stands down. Bleeding out from his neck, he tells Terry to either shoot him or take him to a hospital. Arlene wants him to shoot Patrick, but Terry struggles and sees the ghost of the woman, telling him to do what is right. Terry shoots Patrick in the head. Blood has been paid with blood, she says. The Ifrit appears and consumes Patrick, then disappears. Problem solved.

Pam is pensive about the TruBlood news, but insists on continuing to serve it so as not to start a panic, but discretely feed on humans. Tara suspects someone who blew up the factory wants the mayhem, but Pam stays out of politics. Tara knows she's worried about Eric.

Eric finally gets a chance to chat with Bill about what he's doing. He knows Bill is putting on an act. Bill wonders, what if god is a vampire, given they saw Lilith, and doesn't know who to trust. Eric asks if Sookie is just food to him now and Bill is more than a mainstreamer than he'll ever be, and they're leaving. There's only one way out—the chancellor's blood. Bill has to steal it so they can open the door, and Eric will handle Nora before dawn.

Sookie wakes tied up in a pig barn and sees Hoyt unconscious next to her. He's been drugged. Her fairy powers can't free her, and the vigilantes arrive with Deerborne. He says supernaturals have been murdering people for years and he needs to put an end to it. Sweetie, the dragon,  insists Sookie isn't human and should be treated like a supernatural. Sookie asks what happened to her to fill her with such crazy hate, so reads her mind and finds she was rejected by her boyfriend for a shifter (really). Deerborne tries to drug her.

Andy and Jason show up at Deerborne's empty house. Jason realizes his wife had a pig farm. Sweetie prepares to record their manifesto as they bring in the pigs to feed on Hoyt and Sookie. Sam shifts into human form and captures her, then fights the group naked. Andy and Jason show up with reinforcements. Deerborne makes a move to kill Sam and Andy shoots him. Sookie regains consciousness. Meanwhile Sweetie runs through the woods and is chased down by Luna who beats her up. Jason tries to wake up Hoyt who has been chowed down on by the pigs.

Eric finds Nora in the chapel. While she continues to attempt to turn him to her cause, he acts as though he acquiesces. Meanwhile, Bill is in Salome's chamber watching her dance for him. She thinks Lilith has chosen him for her Adam. As they have sex he sees Sookie, then Lilith. He and Salome both feed from one another and he realizes he has her blood in his mouth.

At Fangtasia, Pam gets the news from vampire Elijah the monarchs have lifted the ban on human feeding and he's the new sheriff, and he kicks her across the room, declaring everyone can feed.

Russell brings Newlin to J.D.'s pack to celebrate his leadership and offers them all his blood. Martha is not impressed. She refuses to drink from him, so Russell takes Emma and gives her to Newlin as a pet. J.D. tells Russell he can't let him do that, but Russell quickly shows him who's boss.

Alcide has a flashback to his father lecturing him about the value of the pack. So he goes to Jackson to see him, where his father is now far less of the man he was and is living in a trailer in the woods.

Hunter and some fairies arrive at Sookie's place, warning her vampires are behind the bombings and are taking over the world.

Nora is pleased to have Eric on her side as he takes her to Molly. Eric drugs her and they await Bill so they can escape. He shows up, but Salome and the Authority are with him. Bill tells Eric he's doing it for him. It's what God wants. Eric is led away.

The Verdict:

While this season continues to be defined by outrageous and messy writing, this week advanced the plot significantly, so made for a decent episode. 

Maxine was the red herring for the dragon, and was a good enough twist, though it would have been nice to have Deerborne back at least on a semi-regular basis rather than the last couple of episodes preceding the reveal.

Cheers to Terry shooting Patrick and ending this plotline finally. Now a respite until next season's customary Terry/Arlene story where she inadvertently hires a zombie nanny.

I'm still unsure what game Bill is playing. If he is fully converted, he'll need some significant redeeming by the end of this, but it still seems more likely he's got some complicated plan in play.