‘True Blood’ recap: Bill reveals motive for refusing hep V cure

Vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) reveals why he won’t accept a lifesaving antidote on “Love is to Die,” Episode 79 of HBO’s “True Blood.”

The cure for Bill’s hepatitis V infection courses through the veins of Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp). But Bill’s refusal to drink the blood mystifies and devastates his former girlfriend, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin).

Vampire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), who rid himself of hep V by biting Sarah’s neck, tries to change Bill’s mind for Sookie’s sake.

“What you’re doing to her is unconscionable,” Eric insists.

“It’s what she needs,” Bill replies. “She’ll learn to love someone else, but not while I’m on the planet.” Then he tells of a fever dream in which Sookie cradles their newborn -- an infant without a face.

“It was a void, a black void,” Bill recalls. “Sookie had given birth to death. That’s what we are, Eric. That’s all we can give her.”

Speaking of giving, Bill grants freedom to his progeny, Jessica Hamby (Deborah Ann Woll), by releasing her from his control. Saddened by her maker’s decision to opt for the “true death,” Jessica turns to former beau Hoyt Fortenberry (Jim Parrack) for solace.

This naturally upsets Hoyt’s current girlfriend, Brigette (Ashley Hinshaw). It’s either her or me, the Alaskan microbiologist demands.

Hoyt chooses Jessica, his first love. He just can’t remember their blissful-then-disastrous romance because Jessica mercifully “glamored” him into forgetting.

Jessica apologizes for ruining their relationship, saying she was a troubled 17-year-old who needed to explore her dark side. Now, with Hoyt returning to Bon Temps, “this is the first time I’ve been able to see any future for myself in a really long time,” she says.

As for heartbroken Brigette, she spends the night with Deputy Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten). In an unusual move for Jason, he fights his attraction to Brigette by engaging in conversation rather than sex.

“There’s nothing inside of you that’s missing,” Brigette assures Jason, who fears he’ll never experience a lasting relationship with a woman. And if he ever gets married and has a daughter, she’d be lucky to date a guy like Jason, Brigette adds.

Finally, Eric and his vampire progeny, Pam Swynford De Beaufort (Kristin Bauer van Straten), have big plans for Sarah. Her unique blood with its ability to cure hep V is worth a fortune.

“Nu Blood is not a permanent fix, Sarah,” Pam says, explaining that the synthetic product from Yakonomo Corp. doesn’t eradicate the deadly disease. “But you’re the real deal. One drink from you and a vampire’s good as new.”

Mr. Gus, the corporation’s ruthless North American president, has sworn Eric and Pam to secrecy about Nu Blood being purposely designed as a stopgap measure for treating hep V. That way, infected vampires must buy Nu Blood forever or they’ll die.

Suspecting that Sookie and Bill were told the truth about Nu Blood, Mr. Gus orders his yakuza henchmen to capture Pam and threaten her with death unless Eric confesses. He initially denies telling anyone about the closely guarded trade secret.

“Shame on you, Mr. Northman,” Mr. Gus says with a menacing snarl. “I offer you the world and every time all you offer me is lies!”

As a wooden stake comes within inches of Pam’s heart, Eric admits that he told Sookie about the hep V cure, thus placing her in mortal danger.

So, with only one episode remaining in the seventh and final season, several huge questions remain. Will the yakuza assassinate Sookie? Will Bill save his life by drinking Sarah’s blood?

And, most poignant, will Bill and Sookie find true love in each other’s arms?