TRUE BLOOD #9:I Will Rise Up/Season 2/2009

I Will Rise Up

No Book Spoilers please, for the rest of the Season. Thank you.


Writers:Nancy Oliver Writer

Recurring RolesDale Raoul--Maxine Fortenberry
William Sanderson--Sheriff Bud Dearborne
Michelle Forbes--Maryann
Jessica Tuck--Nan Flanagan

Stars:Sam Trammell--Sam Merlotte
Jim Parrack--Hoyt Fortenberry
Deborah Ann--Woll Jessica
Mehcad Brooks--Eggs “Benedict” Talley
Rutina Wesley--Tara Thornton
Nelsan Elli--Lafayette Reynolds
Ryan Kwanten--Jason Stackhouse
Anna Paquin--Sookie Stackhouse
Stephen Moyer--Bill Compton
Alexander Skarsg-- Eric Northman

Did you come from the future?

I liked this episode a lot, but for me it didn't really gel together like it should have. The individual scenes were all good, but as a whole... to me it felt like a series of scenes, instead of an episode.

Wow, the CGI on Godric was awful. Also inconsistent with how we've seen other vampires react with sunlight.

Lafayette was seven kinds of awesome in this episode. I don't see Lafayette being able to take on Eggs normally, let alone with such ease as he did. I suspect he's gotten a little boost from drinking Eric's blood. It may also make him resistant to Maryanne's black-eye, like the other "supes."

However, the king of ass-kicking in this episode has to go to Hoyt. While his scene with Jessica in the beginning was meh, the rest of them were great.

What? Sam being smart and clever? Huh? I liked how he showed up naked at Andy's door, and Andy just let him in, no questions. Andy has to know that Sam was locked up, and that Sam somehow escaped. I'm hoping Sam reveals his ability to Andy. I also have to say, I like that they're having Sam change into other forms besides the collie.

The Sookie/Jason scene was nice... but RK acts circles around Anna.

I guess I buy Godric being suicidal. As he said, he doesn't think like a vampire anymore. The implied ending to that thought is that he thinks like a human once again, after two thousand years. Of course, now that he is dead, the vampires have lost a major force for morality. Perhaps Godric was able to set something in motion... or perhaps not.

There was an interesting line that Sookie says to Bill that went something like, "After 1800 years, maybe you'll be Godric." Of course, the implication is that Sookie doesn't quite think of Bill as being as human as Godric, but that's an aside. Whereas Godric took 2000 years to come to right versus wrong, Bill came to it in only 200 (less, more likely). I would dare say that, if still alive in 2000 years, Bill is at the forefront of the morality of vampires. He isn't perfect, but he tries. It also makes sense then that Jessica has retained most of her morality. Again, it's a matter of nature versus nurture. That's underscored with the comment (I forget by whom) that Godric made Eric what he is. Of course, Godric was wrong, and admitted it to Eric... so maybe there's hope for him yet.

Back on the lighter side of things, it's readily apparent that the remainder of the season is going to be a sort of Return of the King style denoument, where Sookie, Jason, Eric, and Bill return to Bon Temps to stop Maryann, perhaps with assists from Sam, Andy, and Lafayette.

LightPhoenix said:

Wow, the CGI on Godric was awful. Also inconsistent with how we've seen other vampires react with sunlight.

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He specifically pointed out that at his age, he would burn quickly. No reason to believe that "differently" wouldn't be part of that.

I also have to say, I like that they're having Sam change into other forms besides the collie.

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Agreed.

I liked this episode too, though I would have prepared Godric staying around for a while and trying to do more "good". But maybe this is really the only time where it made sense to have him die.

But I don't know what the Vampire media girl was worried about - their political enemies didn't come off well, now that the two are in conflict with each other...

Mustrum_Ridcully said:

But I don't know what the Vampire media girl was worried about - their political enemies didn't come off well, now that the two are in conflict with each other...

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Well, being the PR person for a bunch of evil creatures that prey on humans probably does not leave much leniency for screw-ups, even if the Newlins are crazy. After all, most of the vampires we've seen have very loose morals and ethics. It's one of the major problems with the series, one that I suspect stems from the books.

Mixed feelings about this ep. Very uneven; couldn't Sookie see through Eric's ham-fisted acting?

Also, wouldn't everyone who tried V be connected to the vampire who provided the blood?

Krug said:

Also, wouldn't everyone who tried V be connected to the vampire who provided the blood?

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This very same though occurred to me as well. I should be easy for Vampires to track down V users is they can sense those who drink their blood. Also Bill stated that even a drop would be enough to make the connection.

You would also have a bunch of people being attracted to that particular Vampire if they came across each other.

I think the connection is broken if the blood is consumed at a later date.

I found it comical that Sookie's first instinct was to suck the pieces out instead of using her fingers or a pen.

All in all, it was a good episode. I'm hoping for a confrontation between Mary-Ann and the vampires. I wonder if Eric, being as old as he is, has any idea on what she is.