True Blood Season 6 Episode 7 Recap: Let's Just Be Frenemies

Culture

In last night’s True Blood episode “In the Evening,” allegiances were tested, shifted or just plain obliterated. The episode began and ended with Eric holding onto his dying sister, Nora — an allegiance so strong that Eric is willing to submit himself to his “frenemy” Bill in the hope of saving Nora. 

After Eric and Nora escape from vamp camp, they arrive at Bill’s house. Having witnessed Sookie stake Bill to no effect, Eric believes Bill’s blood can cure Nora’s Hep V infection. Nora refuses Bill’s blood for fear of inhabiting Lilith. Desperate to save his sister, Eric humbles himself before Bill and offers his allegiance if Bill agrees to feed Nora his blood. If you recall from previous seasons (and flashbacks), Eric and Bill have quite a tumultuous relationship. Their first encounter at Pam’s 17th century brothel was so charged, Eric had to hold himself back from killing the (then) baby vamp Bill. So Eric admitting to Bill’s divinity is a pretty big deal. Bill reveals his vision of the white room to Eric and enlists Eric’s help in getting Warlow back, so that they may have a chance at preventing his, Tara, Pam, and Jessica’s true death.

But alas, Bill’s blood does not prevent Nora’s death. The episode ends with Eric clutching Nora as she slowly turns into a large pile of vampire goo. On her death bed, Nora tells Eric that he must now let his progeny, Pam and Willa, walk beside him in her place. Speaking of those two gals, at vamp camp, Willa warns Pam not to drink the contaminated Tru Blood. Pam advises Willa to share this news with Tara and Jessica only, lest they alert the camp authorities to their intel by having the entire vampire population suspiciously avoiding Tru Blood at mealtime. Although Pam doesn’t like Willa, she realizes she has to trust her new sister if she has any chance of making it out alive. The second part of Pam’s escape plan? Seducing her infatuated therapist in exchange for access to something which I missed. Did anyone catch that part? Write it in the comments.

In his noble quest to help Jessica escape from camp, Jason may actually end up doing more harm than good to himself. When Jason finally finds Jessica, she’s less than excited to be rescued and instead has come to terms with her eventual death at camp. The only help she wants from Jason is to track down the male vampire who selflessly refused to have sex with her in last week’s episode. Jason complies, but when Jessica asks for privacy to speak with the vampire, the hurt and confusion on his face is palpable. Jason feels rejected — especially since Jessica and the vampire end up having sex while Jason stands outside the door, no doubt looking pitiful in his LAVTF uniform.

Of course, Sarah Newlin pops up right on time to dig into Jason’s wounds just a little bit deeper. Literally. After discovering Governor Burrell’s severed head at his home, Sarah devises a plan with a Louisiana senator to hide Truman Burrell’s death from the public and carry out his vision to exterminate vampires with Hepatitis V. With a new found sense of power, Sarah finds Jason waiting outside the doorway and proceeds to wound him with a knife and throw him into the female vampire general population. At the mere sight of blood, the girl vamps go crazy, but luckily, Tara steps in front of her old pal Jason to protect him. If only she’ll be able to protect him from the head vampire in charge (who’s name I’ve yet to hear). By the looks of next week’s episode, Jason’s in for a world of hurt.

In a similar situation is Alcide; but instead of being surrounded by a pack of ravenous lady vamps, he’s in the middle of his own ravenous wolf pack. Alcide returns to his pack with a pocket full of lies — mainly that Nicole and Sam are both dead. Little does he know that Rikki captured Nicole and her mom on their attempt back to wherever the heck they live. Once Rikki calls Alcide out on his lies, his own pack seems to turn on him. I didn’t see Rikki’s blatant betrayal coming (or is it Alcide who has been disloyal?). Regardless, Alcide’s dad warns him towards the beginning of the episode that they’re not “pack” sorts of people. Looks like dad might be right.

Lastly, we find Warlow and Sookie in their post-sex bliss. Warlow mistakes their love-making for Sookie’s submission to his wishes. When Sookie hears Arlene grieving for Terry, she leaves Warlow in the fairy realm and returns back home. At the Bellefleur Estate, Lafayette, Andy, Holly, and Andy’s daughter await Sookie and Arlene. Lafayette and Sookie run off to determine what is actually in Terry’s safe deposit box, for which he dropped off the key to Lafayette last episode. They find Terry’s life insurance policy and realize he planned his death. 

Back at the Bellefleur estate, Sookie and Lafayette find a severely drunk Arlene and crew. She’s not in the best state to share their revelation of Terry’s death, so Sookie and Lafayette keep this bit of information to themselves for the time being. Suddenly, Bill walks into the house, much to everyone’s fear, confusion, and amazement considering he’s a vampire and it’s daytime. After a few awkward pleasantries, Bill requests that Sookie return Warlow in order to have any chance of saving her “friends,” Tara, Jessica, Eric, and Pam from meeting the true death. Sookie’s faced with an interesting dilemma: risk Warlow’s life for her vamp friends, or vice versa. My money is on Warlow, actually. Sookie’s in a selfish mode this season (and I can’t say that I blame her). Until next week, here are my liner notes:

- How sad is it that Lafayette has been relegated to having gay slurs tossed around at him, with barely an ounce of real emotion shown towards that or anything else he’s been doing this season?

- I love a good True Blood flashback, don’t you? Bad wigs (like Eric’s hair) seem to come with the territory.

- Sarah caressing and kissing Governor Burrell’s severed head was something only True Blood could pull off. Just how desensitized and jaded is Sarah?