And The Interwebs Went Boom!
I knew last night, as True Blood ended, that I should probably avoid all forums for the next week for the sake of my own sanity. But I also knew that was completely impossible.
It's almost tragically funny. If last night's episode had ended forty-five seconds earlier, it would have been all orgasms of rainbows and happiness. As it is, there is much gnashing of teeth, wailing, and fighting. Alan Ball had better be hiding out in a bunker, the villagers are lighting their torches. Frankenstein couldn't survive this shit - Ball doesn't stand a chance.
The problem is, in the books, Eric has never, ever, ever … ever… hurt Sookie. Rather, he repeatedly uses his own body to shield her from harm. I do believe the number of bullets he has leapt in front of now totals three, and that's just the start of it. When he can't manage to save her, he tends to her wounds and puts her back together again. In the later books, these moments come complete with the requisite self-flagellation, and tears (yes, tears!) over his failure. Suffice to say, the message readers have taken to heart is that when Sookie is hurt, it hurts Eric. Badly.
So the image of Eric chaining Sookie up in his dungeon, with a neck collar no less, is a rather strong one to end on. Inflammatory even. I suspect… Scratch that. I know to my bones, purposely so. To say that shippers are in a bit of tizzy, well, understatements of grand proportions and all that.
But here's the thing - I still don't think we need to be.
Eric spent the episode being a sad woobie about his fate, yet taking the time to say goodbye to Sookie Stackhouse and wishing her well. He meant it. When Pam suggested he give Sookie to Russell, he vehemently refused - twice, saying he won't do that to her. I don't think he changed his mind, even when Pam pointed out that Russell will end up getting Sookie anyway. He learned something extremely important at the beginning of the episode - the day-walking magic powers of her blood only work for a minute, but you still burn. He filed that away. And he seems to be resigned to the idea that despite any attraction growing, Sookie is much more comfortable hating him. It's his own doing - and he's starting to wear that hurt like a badge.
Eric will take care of Russell Edgington. He still believes he will likely meet his final death in the process. Sookie is a completely combustible and unreliable asset/liability. See my previous post on her being a crazy pants and Eric asking her to please just shut the hell up. Echoed last night when Sookie barged into his office, Pam glowered that she'd insisted, and Eric stated, hilariously resigned, "She always does."
Eric is going to use Sookie as bait. He is going to let Russell drink from her - leading him to believe he can walk in the sun. And then, somehow, Eric is going to let the motherfucker burn. And no - I don't think he is going to let Sookie in on his plan.
He expects to die, Sookie cannot be trusted, and he doesn't have time to win her over to his side. His only option is to play the monster she expects him to be. It's a rather noble gesture, if a fucked up one, when you think about it. He can stand Sookie hating his guts, so long as in the end she is safe and alive.
It's an interesting break from the books. In the second book, Eric did not have any direct interest in the action other than acting as a good sheriff. In the third, his interests aligned with Sookie's. In both cases, he was allowed plenty of time to act the sexy, charming bastard, who occasionally surprised her with moments of tenderness. Whereas on the show, there has always been something else, something bigger, demanding his attention. Last year was desperate fear and then grief. This season it's the revenge opportunity that has built him, that he has been waiting his entire existence to fulfill.
I'm trying to hold onto the pathos of it. It's a look at what could happen to this relationship, these characters, if plunged into completely different circumstances - and it's tragic. He has met the woman who could make him happier than he's been in centuries, but his world is spinning out of control and he doesn't have the time to seduce and to woo. Instead it looks like he might have to let her go.
Of course, we know that Eric isn't really going to die. And the love story isn't going anywhere: the kiss was hot, the love theme was lovely. The question then becomes, how will Sookie ever forgive him? How does he win her now? And I, for one, am very, very interested.
On a personal note. I know I haven't been around much. I was in a course during the day and tutoring at night in July. And after that I've been back and forth to the cottage all August. Meanwhile, my own life, in about five different ways, has been so completely up in the air, and as a result so stressful, that I don't even want to talk about it. So aside from shiny Eric/Sookie distraction, I've pretty much been in journal avoidance mode.
It's almost tragically funny. If last night's episode had ended forty-five seconds earlier, it would have been all orgasms of rainbows and happiness. As it is, there is much gnashing of teeth, wailing, and fighting. Alan Ball had better be hiding out in a bunker, the villagers are lighting their torches. Frankenstein couldn't survive this shit - Ball doesn't stand a chance.
The problem is, in the books, Eric has never, ever, ever … ever… hurt Sookie. Rather, he repeatedly uses his own body to shield her from harm. I do believe the number of bullets he has leapt in front of now totals three, and that's just the start of it. When he can't manage to save her, he tends to her wounds and puts her back together again. In the later books, these moments come complete with the requisite self-flagellation, and tears (yes, tears!) over his failure. Suffice to say, the message readers have taken to heart is that when Sookie is hurt, it hurts Eric. Badly.
So the image of Eric chaining Sookie up in his dungeon, with a neck collar no less, is a rather strong one to end on. Inflammatory even. I suspect… Scratch that. I know to my bones, purposely so. To say that shippers are in a bit of tizzy, well, understatements of grand proportions and all that.
But here's the thing - I still don't think we need to be.
Eric spent the episode being a sad woobie about his fate, yet taking the time to say goodbye to Sookie Stackhouse and wishing her well. He meant it. When Pam suggested he give Sookie to Russell, he vehemently refused - twice, saying he won't do that to her. I don't think he changed his mind, even when Pam pointed out that Russell will end up getting Sookie anyway. He learned something extremely important at the beginning of the episode - the day-walking magic powers of her blood only work for a minute, but you still burn. He filed that away. And he seems to be resigned to the idea that despite any attraction growing, Sookie is much more comfortable hating him. It's his own doing - and he's starting to wear that hurt like a badge.
Eric will take care of Russell Edgington. He still believes he will likely meet his final death in the process. Sookie is a completely combustible and unreliable asset/liability. See my previous post on her being a crazy pants and Eric asking her to please just shut the hell up. Echoed last night when Sookie barged into his office, Pam glowered that she'd insisted, and Eric stated, hilariously resigned, "She always does."
Eric is going to use Sookie as bait. He is going to let Russell drink from her - leading him to believe he can walk in the sun. And then, somehow, Eric is going to let the motherfucker burn. And no - I don't think he is going to let Sookie in on his plan.
He expects to die, Sookie cannot be trusted, and he doesn't have time to win her over to his side. His only option is to play the monster she expects him to be. It's a rather noble gesture, if a fucked up one, when you think about it. He can stand Sookie hating his guts, so long as in the end she is safe and alive.
It's an interesting break from the books. In the second book, Eric did not have any direct interest in the action other than acting as a good sheriff. In the third, his interests aligned with Sookie's. In both cases, he was allowed plenty of time to act the sexy, charming bastard, who occasionally surprised her with moments of tenderness. Whereas on the show, there has always been something else, something bigger, demanding his attention. Last year was desperate fear and then grief. This season it's the revenge opportunity that has built him, that he has been waiting his entire existence to fulfill.
I'm trying to hold onto the pathos of it. It's a look at what could happen to this relationship, these characters, if plunged into completely different circumstances - and it's tragic. He has met the woman who could make him happier than he's been in centuries, but his world is spinning out of control and he doesn't have the time to seduce and to woo. Instead it looks like he might have to let her go.
Of course, we know that Eric isn't really going to die. And the love story isn't going anywhere: the kiss was hot, the love theme was lovely. The question then becomes, how will Sookie ever forgive him? How does he win her now? And I, for one, am very, very interested.
On a personal note. I know I haven't been around much. I was in a course during the day and tutoring at night in July. And after that I've been back and forth to the cottage all August. Meanwhile, my own life, in about five different ways, has been so completely up in the air, and as a result so stressful, that I don't even want to talk about it. So aside from shiny Eric/Sookie distraction, I've pretty much been in journal avoidance mode.