This episode was just so fucking hardcore!

I'm flabbergasted.

[This review will literally be jumbled with opinions, some of the understandable kind, with the majority a cluster of incoherent fanboyish ramblings.]

I have no idea where to begin. Everything is coming together, and I absolutely, positively LOVE it. True Blood has become essential television again, I'm ecstatic!

Let's start with the bad, since there's just so much bloody, bloody goodness, even Jason's storyline is picking up! I have to agree with Tara (still as badass as ever); Sookie is a dumb bitch. I realise that she's in love with Bill, but he violated her beyond reproach, and Sookie even admits it this very episode, and yet at the end of the episode, they indulge in crazy aggressive sex, with Bill choking Sookie and Sookie choking Bill. Sure, it was hot as hell, but what kind of message is that sending out to women everywhere? What kind of message is that sending to Sookie fans everywhere? Unless this was just a once off, and Sookie just needed a good 'ol shag to let off some steam -- which I very much doubt -- I can't get behind this. I really do hope Tara slaps some sense into this girl.

Still, Bill was all kinds brilliant in this episode: he finally trains Jessica (in one of the show's most visually striking and amusing scenes), and challenges Russell, a 3000 year-old vampire, to a fight he knows he cannot possibly win. We find out that he trained Jessica to counteract the werewolf raid on Sookie's house, and I almost squealed (in a manly fashion, I assure you) when Jessica sped onto to my screen, to take out one of the wolves, with a cutesy greeting and a little wave, before attacking it. (Baby vamps grow up so fast!) And then Russell gets his mouldy claws on her, and I am suddenly on the verge of a panic attack - he was going to kill my Jessica!

Bill may have released her, but she is mine.

There's been a lot of ruckus online over the ''abundance'' of homosexual activity in this episode. Really, folks? Really? Two kissing scenes, and a naked rough and tumble, with the only phallic shaped object being inserted into anything being that of a stake through the heart -- go Eric! I mean, I would have preferred Eric to have gotten jiggy with someone less annoying than Talbot, but I was thrilled to see him exact some revenge on Russell by killing his true soul-mate, which inadvertently saved Bill's life.

But what will happen now? Russell can kill Eric with the bat of an eyelid, and we certainly don't want that. I do wonder, though: if Eric were to team up with Sophie-Anne, would their combined ages, and various strengths and abilities, be enough to stop the king? Throw Pam into the mix, and you have three relatively strong vampires taking on one incredibly strong vamp. Make this happen! Just, ya know, don't kill off Eric, and, actually, now that I think of it, let's leave Pam out of the equation, since I'm still hoping for her own spin-off. Sure, she wasn't in this episode (again -- I thought she was a main cast member this season?); but I never pass up an opportunity to throw a line or two in of my favorite vampire.

After the amount of craziness Tara has been put through, she's allowed quite a few tender moments here. I actually felt a lot for her in this episode, but it doesn't look as though Franklin is out of the picture just yet. While he's still presumed dead-dead, he shows up in one of her erotic dreams (a side-effect to drinking his blood) and it completely immobilizes her. She can't seem to do anything without recalling the torture Franklin put her through, and I'm waiting for the episode where he comes back, and I'm dreading it beyond belief. Poor Tara. Silly Tara. She should have gone for the bloody axe!!

Jason's storyline is building into something worthwhile (finally!) and it's mostly down to Crystal, who I have to admit, has this indescribable thrall over me, too. So I think it's safe to say she's not a nymph, since her father could sense that Sam and Tommy were shifters, but what in the hick town is she then? She had to swim to get to Jason, to keep her family from nabbing onto her scent, and since we saw one of her deranged hillbilly relatives feast on a freshly caught deer, I'm going to throw my two cents in and say she's a werewolf? A shifter? Or maybe she's just a cannibal! [Books! - Ed.]

While I may not agree with Sookie's decision regarding Bill, Anna Paquin was on fire in this episode. Her opening moments, where she breaks it off with Bill, felt so genuine, and so heartfelt, I can only hazard a guess that she drew from her off-screen relationship with fellow actor, Stephen Moyer (also on fine form here), and what it would be like if they broke up. Then, of course, we have one hell of a cat fight, when Debbie shows up to kill Sookie. Boy, did she mess with the wrong fang-banger! Sookie kicks the crap out of her, leaving her with a scar the Joker would be proud of, but the 'were-bitch' manages an escape, so we haven't seen the last of her screeching just yet.

In between all of this madness, Arlene dreams of Rene, and fears that her baby will grow up to finish the job he was unable to do (I didn't get this threat towards Arlene, since all he wanted to do was kill Sookie...). It's also heavily implied that Lafayette has some power in him, whether this is a reference towards his brute strength, or strong compassion for others, is still up in the air, but I'm guessing it's meant to be taken as supernatural. His mother mentioned witches were afoot... god, I love this show!!

Sam is still the weakest link as of right now, but there's the potential here for something great, as his storyline seems to be overlapping with Jason's involvement with Crystal and her family of mutants, making way for an awesome showdown. I can't see Tommy lasting the entire season, he's just counting down the days for a big fight, and I think he found one with Crystal's family, and I don't think it will end well (and I'm just starting to like the kid).

Overall, this is one hell of an action romp! And to think, this is only the calm before the storm: Russell talks briefly of an oncoming war.

Expect a lot of casualties.

The Checklist

Vampires Vs Werewolves:	Vampires? Werewolves? Shall we call it a tie?
Cliff-hanger:	Bill and Sookie enjoy crazy, wild sex for the first time this season!
Pam's Corner:	I think I may have to change this to Jessica's corner...

  -- Mark Ritchie