Review: True Blood "Sunset"

Non Spoiler Review:

It becomes apparent another force is at work within the Authority compound while Eric and Nora come to a decision about their future. Bill presses Jessica to convert to the cause by forcing her to see Jason. Sookie continues to seek answers about the pact her ancestor made with Warlow. Sam and Luna get into deeper trouble in the search for Emma, while Pam and Tara's actions at Fangtasia catch up to them.

Another brisk episode that brings an assortment of characters together for what should be an exciting finale. While the show is slowly ridding itself of the dragging plotlines, we're still left with one of the big pitfalls—the fairies and their ridiculousness. And this week was no exception, delivering one of most poorly conceived scenes yet.

Spoilers Now!

Bill has a vision of Lilith telling him she chooses him to lead the vampires. He's directed to drink all the remaining blood from the vile, but leaves instead. Nora is having bad memories of her vision of Godric. Salome interrupts, who tells her Russell is inconsequential to their plans and not to worry. In his quarters, Eric is visited by Nora and has some passionate make up sex. She asks his forgiveness and he promises to get them out of there.

Jessica asks to use Bill's phone to warn Jason that Newlin is on the lose with Russell, but he refuses. Bill admits accepting the word of Lilith has distanced him from the trivial matters of humans. She then muses about making Jason a vampire, given that is supposedly the greatest gift according to Lilith. Bill asks her if she thinks he's an idiot and won't be manipulated by her lies. So he takes her up on her offer and instructs his guards to take Jessica to sire Jason. 

Sookie deals with learning she's been sold to a vampire 300 years before, and plans to talk to the fairy elder for further answers. But Jason has to go, leaving her there where it's safe. 

An army general, Connor, is brought in to Salome and wants to see Roman. He knows they bombed the TruBlood factories and wants to know what's going on, but Eric tells him he's in no position to make demands. The US government and the Authority have an arrangement for mainstreaming. He was working with Roman for twenty years, but now there are talks at the Pentagon to eradicate vampires. He's informed the regime is sanguinista now and he's advised to be careful. Roman was the only one keeping the world from sliding into the dark ages, he says. 

Connor shows him video of Russell and Newlin killing a frat house the previous night. If anything happens to him that video will be released to the public. They lied about Edgington, and if it goes viral the human population will rise up. He adds that they're prepared, and they own the day—they have weapons they've never heard of. He suggests the Authority makes its next choice carefully, and leaves. 

Eric stops him and breaks his neck. The others are furious, but Eric says he can fix it—a glamor campaign to eliminate knowledge that the video exists. He and Nora get permission but Bill suggests they take a security detail.

Jason finds Jessica and her guards at his place waiting. They refuse to leave them alone. She tries to subltly get through to Jason to kill them, but he doesn't get it. She tells him to trust her and bites him. They're buried together in a grave, but Jason is only faking and she gives him the word to kill her guards. She explains what's happened with Russell and the Authority. She admits she would want to spend eternity with him if she'd had to do it. He goes off to warn Sookie.

Pam has cleaned her office but is worried the death of the sheriff will go up the Authority and explains the situation to Tara. They cant talk about it ever again. Jessica comes in and wants to be hidden there. She knows where Eric is and will tell her if she hides her. Pam isn't impressed but agrees. Jessica fills her in.

On the drive, Eric and Nora kill their guards. Now that they're fugitives, she throws away her chancellor medallion. 

Sam and Luna shift back within Authority headquarters, wondering where they are. They can sense Emma is there. 

Sookie is brought to the elder, the oldest fairy to escape the portal. She has difficulty focusing given so many realms she's passed through. In fact she's quite loopy. Sookie asks about John Stackhouse, whom she knew. There's a reason she finds vampires irresistable—her destiny is entwined with Warlow. Dark times are coming and she needs to hold on to her light. She begins to tell her something else, but Jason arrives to inform everyone of what's happening. The elder is horrified to learn Russell Edginton is alive.

The faeries are in a panic, but Sookie tells them he'll come for her and then the faeries, so they should fight back together. The elder agrees and vows to fight with her. Later, Sookie and Jason agree on their plan of attack. 

Andy makes peace with Holly's boys. Terry and Arlene seem to be back to normal and happy. Mirella shows up in Merlotte's and tells Andy he swore to protect her and the fruit of their union. Andy takes her in the back... he only saw her a week before. She tells him he swore on the light. To ignore the pact will be an act of war against her clan.

Alcide is staying with his father when they're visited by a fellow werewolf warning them of baby vampire packs running wild. Alcide knows his father was kicked out of the pack for stealing money. His father won't talk about it. 

Pam tells Tara and Jessica that when vampires feed off one another for a long time it creates nest behaviour and makes vampires crazy (especially with Lilith's blood). When Pam leaves, Jessica sees that Tara likes Pam. Tara is mortified. 

Rosalin enters Fangtasia looking for her progeny, the sheriff. Tara tells her he moved on but Rosalin can smell his blood on her. She sensed her progeny die and wants to know who killed him. Pam admits it was her and gives her attitude. Rosalin calls in security and arrests her. As Pam is taken away Rosalin sniffs out Jessica and tells her her daddy is looking for her.

Bill continues to hear Lilith's voice in his head. This time he kneels before her and drinks from her as she instructs. 

Jason stands guard at the Stackhouse place. Russell and Newlin show up and takes his gun. Russell glamours him and learns Sookie is with the fairies, and gets him to lead them there.

Sam and Luna come across a room of cages of humans, as well as Emma. Guards find them and throw them back in the cells. They're advised Compton is expecting his breakfast, so Sam volunteers to go. Rosalin arrives with Jessica and Pam. Pam's taken to her own cell but runs into Sam being led away. 

Bill goes into the vault to find Kibwe there. He tells Bill Lilith came to him and chose him. Bill cuts off his head. He goes out to find Jessica, who apologizes for her failure, but Bill is outraged she chose a human over two vampires. She tries to reason with him, explaining he's in a nest and that's what is making him crazy. He strikes her and informs her he's the chosen one. Meanwhile, Salome has a vision of Lilith herself, receiving the same you are the chosen one message.

Jason arrives in the meadow with Russell and Newlin, and he shows them where the portal is. The scent of them nearly drives them mad, but they can't find where it's coming from. Inside, the elder refuses to reveal them to fight, telling Sookie the plan is changed. Russell threatens Jason, and then the elder appears to him. Her power sends Newlin flying across the field. She is about to banish Russell to the realms and beyond, but Russell puts Jason in the path and he's thrown into a tree. Russell grabs her and feeds from her, and she dissolves. Russell realizes he can see the portal entrance, and rushes towards Sookie and the group of fairies.

The Verdict:
The season continues to improve and come into better focus as it reaches its conclusion. I especially enjoyed the insight into the vampire/human relationship via the general and his hints of the arrangement between the government and the vampires going back decades.

Bill seems to have completely drunk the Kool-Aid along with the others. But is the Lilith apparition simply the result of this nesting condition that Pam spoke about? It's a bit too convenient of a solution, so I hope we get a sufficient explanation.

There are lingering plotlines I wonder how will fit into the finale—Alcide and his father, for one. There are also plenty of questions remaining from Lafayette's visit to Jesus' grandfather, and now the appearance of Mirella to Andy. Regardless, the finale looks to be an exciting conclusion even if it doesn't give us these answers.

So it all worked...that is, all except for the fairy elder which was so ridiculous it took me right out of the scene. What were the writers thinking? I get a sense of what they were hoping to achieve with this (and previous fairy portrayals) but it just does not work and came across so stupid this time around. The fairies lack any cohesive ability to fight on a good day, much less dealing with this terrible leader.