The jaws of "True Blood" fans collectively dropped to the floor after witnessing the show's most shocking, illicit and blood-drenched season finale yet. The finale focused on what the show is best known for: sex and death. E! Online reports that the ending included not just one death, but two, which included the apparent demise of a principal character.
The finale opens after Terry's (Todd Lowe) funeral. Alcide (Joe Manganiello) and Sookie (Anna Paquin) talked about the absence of Jason (Ryan Kwanten) from Terry's funeral. The personal conversation was interrupted when Alcide sniffed vampires. The vampires that Bill (Stephen Moyer) saved were seen fornicating in the grass, and Jason was spotted carrying Violet (Karolina Wydra) on his shoulders. Sookie warned Jason to be wary of Violet, who was shown feeding on Jason by a tree.
Later, vamp/faerie Warlow (Rob Kazinsky) tried to convince Sookie that he was in love with her and insisted to take her as his wife. However, after Sookie asked Warlow to slow down their relationship, it was revealed that Warlow only wanted Sookie for the usual vampire fare, blood and sex. As Warlow began to physically abuse Sookie, Jason, Bill and Sookie's great grandfather Niall (Rutger Hauer) swooped in to save her, killing the bloodthirsty Warlow.
Although fans had mixed feelings about seeing psycho-vamp Warlow go for good, it was clear that his death was best for Sookie. Yet, Warlow's end triggered the death of a character who no one wanted to see die, Eric (Alexander Skarsgård). Eric, who was sunbathing in the nude in Sweden, (the hunky vampire was full-fruntal nude, for the first time on the show,) instantly exploded into flames in the sun as he lost his day-walking powers due to the death of Warlow. Fans were shocked and saddened by the apparent death of the chiseled vamp, but it is not clear if he is truly dead or not.
The finale then jumped ahead six months in the future. Although the scene did not show Eric at all, the fast forward did show Sookie dating Alcide.
The scene also revealed that Bill wrote and published a book about Hepatitis-V to get the word out about the deadly virus. Sam (Sam Trammell) was shown as the mayor of Bon Temps, who came up with a plan with Bill to save the small town by having Hep-V free humans pair up with vampires, so the humans can get protection while the vampires suck their blood (and use them to satisfy their insatiable sexual desires).
Once Bill was back to his regular self, he offered Sookie protection, which Sookie refuses. But Sookie may regret that decision, because the ending scene showed a horde of Hepatitis-infected vampires descending on Merlotte's while the characters were having a party.
The "Walking Dead"-esque finale left the finale a macabre cliffhanger. Will fan favorite Eric make a return? Will Pam (Kristen Bauer van Straten) come back? How will the characters fend off the disease-ridden vamps?
Fans will have to wait until the residents of Bon Temps return to HBO for another unearthly season to find out the answers.