'True Blood' recap: Will Sookie marry Warlow for her vampire friends?

By Alan Eyerly

Aug. 5, 2013 12 AM PT

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) wrestles with an incredibly huge decision in “Dead Meat,” Episode 68 of HBO’s “True Blood.”

If Sookie persuades faerie/vampire Warlow (Rob Kazinsky) to donate his sunlight-resistant blood, her imprisoned vamp friends will escape a fiery “true death.” But in exchange for Warlow’s cooperation, Sookie must marry him and lose her mortal self.

“If I do this, I want you to be mine -- forever,” insists Warlow, who’s loved Sookie for nearly 6,000 years and understandably can’t wait much longer to tie the knot.

Sookie’s agreeable to a movie date. But letting Warlow kill her human self so she can morph into a faerie/vampire bride? What’s a girl to do?

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Agonizing over her destiny, Sookie visits the graves of mom and dad -- who tried to kill her rather than let Warlow turn her into an undead supernatural.

“I’d rather walk the earth as a corpse than spend another minute thinking about you,” she says bitterly to the spirits of her parents.

Sookie then pays a call on Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell), who’s long been attracted to his favorite waitress.

“Part of me always thought you and I would wind up together or something,” she confesses.

“Your timing could not be worse,” replies Sam, frustrated and confused.

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Sam has fallen in love with and impregnated peace activist Nicole (Jurnee Smollett-Bell). They want to be together but mamma Mary (Valarie Pettiford) doesn’t like the idea of her 23-year-old daughter dating a man twice her age -- and a shapeshifter to boot.

After painful deliberation, Sookie leads vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) to Warlow so she can consummate the marriage pact. But to Sookie’s horror, she finds Warlow lying unconscious -- maybe dead -- in a graveyard, blood dripping from his neck.

“Who did this to you?” Sookie asks frantically.

“Eric,” replies Bill, knowing his vampire rival is literally out for blood following the death of his sister, Nora (Lucy Griffiths), and imprisonment of his progeny, Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten).

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Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) also drank faerie blood from Adilyn (Bailey Noble), the sole surviving daughter of Sheriff Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer). Supernaturally aging from a newborn to thrill-seeking teen in just two weeks, Adilyn was drinking alcohol and fooling around with two local boys when Eric attacked.

Andy later finds his daughter wandering down a road with fang marks on her neck -- a father’s worst nightmare!

At the Vamp Camp prison/research facility, Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp) is confronted by outraged businesswoman Ms. Suzuki (Tamlyn Tomita), who suspects her Tru Blood product is being adulterated. Got that right. It’s tainted with vampire-killing hepatitis V.

A girl fight ensues as Sarah chases down Suzuki and smashes her face into a metal grate as hungry vampires bite her from below. Blood-spattered Sarah shows no remorse for her murderous act, exclaiming: “Thank you, Jesus!”

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Sarah also acts ruthlessly when some of the imprisoned vamps refuse to drink their lethal Tru Blood rations. She locks Pam, Willa (Amelia Rose Blaire), Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), James (Luke Grimes), Tara (Rutina Wesley) and ex-husband Steve (Michael McMillian) in a circular observation room that soon could become their execution chamber.

“We’re all gonna meet the sun in here,” Jessica says fearfully.

Elsewhere in violence-plagued Lousiana, werewolf packmaster Alcide (Joe Manganiello) is challenged by fierce Rikki (Kelly Overton), who’s furious that Alcide lied about slaying Sam, Nicole and her mom.

“Poor Alcide,” Rikki says scornfully. “You’re just not a killer, are you?”

Them’s fightin’ words to Alcide, who swiftly pummels Rikki into submission. Then losing his blood lust, Alcide decides to step down from his werewolf leadership role.

“My pack days are behind me,” Alcide tells Sam over a cold one. Looks like they’re beer-drinking buddies once more.

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