"Thank You" | |
Season 7, Episode 10 | |
Air date | August 24, 2014 |
Written by | Brian Buckner |
Directed by | Scott Winant |
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"Thank You" is the tenth and final episode of the seventh and final season of the HBO original series True Blood, and the series' eightieth episode overall. The series finale, this episode marks the official end of the True Blood series.
Summary[]
Sookie weighs a future with and without Bill. Eric and Pam embark on a new enterprise, while Sarah faces the consequences of her actions. Sam embraces his new life; Andy comes upon an unexpected inheritance.
Synopsis[]
― Bill Compton
Sookie walks into the living room, with Bill following behind her. She tells him in a slightly exasperated way to explain himself. Much to her surprise and annoyance, he reminisces about the first time he "called on her" and met her family in that room just a couple of years before. Sookie tells Bill that she is confused by his ability to recall memories so fondly while being so committed to his own suicide. He starts by telling her that she deserves everything in her life that will make her happy. She counters that all that will make her happy is to have him live. He challenges her to consider what her future would look like if he is still in her life, and tells her that no matter how many times she promises herself to forget about him and other vampires, she keeps returning out of her love for him. She angrily asks him if he choosing to die because she has no self-respect. He denies this, and she again demands a coherent reason for his decision. Bill tells her that Hepatitis V has made him feel more human than he ever has before, even when he was still human, because it has given him back his mortality and reminded him of what a natural life is supposed to be. He mentions pausing at the graves of his family in the Bon Temps Cemetery, and remarks that his grave is the only one that is empty. He explains to Sookie that the natural course of life is to live and learn and enjoy the rewards of love and parenthood, not outliving one's children and descendants by centuries. He goes on to say that he knows that she wants to experience those things, but she never will if he remains in her life, as they could never have children together. Choking back tears, she suggests that since she cannot quit him, then he should quit her. Bill admits that he cannot anymore than she can. He then gently asks her to help him die by using her vampire-killing light ball that would not only end his misery, but end hers as well, as she would no longer be a Faerie and her problem with vampires would be over. Sookie is horrified by this, and asks him to consider the magnitude of what he is asking. Bill replies that there is nothing shameful about being human, and she would finally have the normal life that she always wanted. Visibly disturbed, she asks Bill to leave. He tries to press on, but she warns him that she will rescind his invitation if he does not leave on his own. He begins to head toward the door, when he stops and asks her to think about his request. She answers that she is thinking, and it is obvious that the thought is too awful to comprehend. He turns and exits the house.
Members of the Yakuza speed on their way to Sookie's house with dance music blaring. Meanwhile, an aggravated Mr. Gus sips his drink at the bar in Fangtasia. In the dungeon, Pam apologizes to Eric for having been used as the pawn to betray Sookie to the Yakuza. He does not answer, but instead glares at Sarah, who is still bound and gagged. Pam calls his name to prompt some acknowledgement. To her surprise, he tells her to unchain Sarah. She asks him if he has a plan or if he is acting impulsively because of his anger. He calmly replies that he is releasing Sarah. This statement shocks both Pam and Sarah. Pam does not move, and Eric proceeds to unchain Sarah, who gasps with joy. He tells her not to get her hopes up too high, because they have no intention of allowing her to escape from them. He viciously grabs Sarah by the throat and lifts her off the ground, slamming her onto the table that Pam had just been silvered on. Confused, Pam reminds Eric that Sarah is still considered to be missing and many parties are searching for her. She then suggests that they all escape through the back tunnel, of which Mr. Gus and the Yakuza are still ignorant. Eric replies that they are not going to run, but instead are going to kill Mr. Gus and steal New Blood from the Yakonomo Corporation. Pam smiles and happily agrees to it. Eric then proceeds to glamour Sarah into remaining silent as he removes her gag, and orders her to drink Pam's blood so that they will be able to locate her later. He also glamours her into fearing every person she encounters in order to guarantee that she will not attempt to seek assistance from others. They then release Sarah, who crawls through the back tunnel and escapes Fangtasia from the back entrance. Back in the bar, Mr. Gus makes an origami swan as he awaits word from the Yakuza that they have killed Sookie. Eric and Pam call for him from the dungeon, indicating that Sarah has escaped. Mr. Gus and two of the Yakuza rush downstairs into the dungeon to find Sarah gone and a back door open. He demands to know how Sarah escaped. Eric smiles and tells him that the door leads to a tunnel. Mr. Gus walks toward the door to see the tunnel that he had not been aware of. Incredulously, he rhetorically asks if they had let her go. Pam defiantly confirms that they had. As Mr. Gus enters the tunnel to chase after Sarah, he yells to the Yakuza in Japanese to kill Eric and Pam. In a flash, the two vampires back-flip over the Yakuza gunmen and snaps their necks. Pam starts after Mr. Gus, but Eric stops her and obtains a gas can and a lighter, ominously commenting that Mr. Gus won't be able to get far. In the tunnel, Mr. Gus approaches the end of the tunnel when he suddenly notices smoke billowing all around him. He stops and turns around at his peril; a wall of fire blasts through the tunnel and incinerates him alive as the tunnel explodes in an inferno. In Bon Temps, the Yakuza men pull up in front of Sookie's house, and exit the car. They make their way to her front lawn, when Eric suddenly lands behind them. He bows to them and apologizes in Japanese before quickly dispatching them. Their screams and the sounds of swords awake Sookie in her bed. She gets up and begins to walk to her window, but by the time she reaches it, the yard is empty and the sound of a car speeding off is all that can be heard in the distance. In the car, Eric speeds back to Shreveport in the Yakuza's car, music still blaring and the bloody corpses piled into the backseat. Eric, covered in their blood, grooves to their Euro-trash house music.
A garbage can with empty styrofoam containers lay on the closed fairgrounds. A starving Sarah cowers in a car on the children's carousel, eating from one of the discarded containers. Suddenly, the lights of the carousel come on, and Pam appears, sitting on a horse above her. She revels in the sight of the once mighty Sarah Newlin being reduced to eating garbage. Sarah asks Pam if she wants to know why she chose to be found at the carousel. With nothing better to do, Pam answers that she would like to know. Sarah informs Pam that this is the place where Eric turned Willa, hoping to rehash feelings of resentment and jealousy in Pam and drive a wedge between her and Eric. Pam glares at Sarah and asks how she knows this when she did not. Sarah replies that she learned of it from Bill's best-selling book. Pam remarks that she had never read the entire book, and had only skipped to the portions that mentioned her. Sarah comments that she knows that she is a horrible person, and suggests that her talents for duplicity make her a good candidate to be a vampire. Amused, Pam asks if she is serious. Sarah excitedly replies that she is, and offers herself as Pam's progeny. Smirking, Pam declines. Sarah tells her that she would be a faithful servant to Pam, and tells her that her destiny was not to be the woman behind the powerful man, but to be the woman behind the powerful woman. Pam laughs at Sarah's twisted notion that she can change her sexuality at will in exchange for being made vampire. But Sarah insists that she would be open to giving and receiving sexual favors from her female maker, and begins to state that Pam must want a new progeny since losing Tara. At this, Pam rushes at Sarah at vampire speed and grabs her by the neck to silence her, telling her to never speak of Tara. She then sits next to Sarah in the car, and obnoxiously puts her arm around her. She tells Sarah that no amount of money would ever be enough to have sex with her, but that there is one thing she desires from her: her blood. She proceeds to feed on Sarah to immunize herself against Hepatitis V. Sarah screams into the night as Pam feeds.
Bill sits in his living room in contemplation. He then notices the headlights of a car shine through the window. He goes to the window and sees that it is Jessica. He walks to the foyer to open the front door to see Jessica reaching for the knob; Hoyt is standing behind her. Bill and Jessica gaze at each other without speaking. Hoyt breaks the silence and greets Bill, who had not known that he had returned to town. Jessica walks into the house past Bill, looking distraught. Hoyt shakes Bill's hand and explains that he returned for his mother's funeral, but that he plans to stay for good. He then inquires if Bill made use of his donated blood. Surprised and grateful, Bill answers that he had found a blood bag, but did not know that it had been Hoyt's. Jessica interrupts and tells Bill that she came to tell him that she does not want him to die. She goes on to say that if he chooses to go through with it, she knows that she will ultimately be alright without her beloved maker. She admits that she will never understand Bill's reasons for suicide, but she will find a way to learn to accept it nonetheless. Overcome with emotion, Bill embraces Jessica and thanks her for telling him what he needed to hear. She sighs and tells him that he feels warm, which is another symptom of progressed Hepatitis V. He lets her go and tells her that he is aware of it. Bill thanks Hoyt for bringing Jessica home to him one last time. In true Southern style, Hoyt asks if there is anything else he can do for them. Bill hesitates as he chooses his words carefully, and asks Hoyt if he is choosing to remain in Bon Temps for Jessica. Hoyt confirms that she is the only reason he is staying. Bill politely apologizes for being presumptuous, and asks Hoyt if he ever intends to propose to Jessica. Alarmed at Bill's bluntness and Hoyt's obvious embarrassment, Jessica immediately interjects, assuring them both that she has no desire to put such pressure on Hoyt when, in his point of view, they have only known each other for two days. Hoyt interrupts and affirms that he does intend to ask for Jessica's hand in marriage someday. Jessica stares in amazement, as Hoyt proceeds to ask her if she would ever consider marrying him in the future. Instead of giving him an answer, she asks to speak with Bill alone and storms off upstairs, appearing to be annoyed and humiliated. Hoyt and Bill look at each other, and Bill winces before following Jessica. They go upstairs to her room. Bill begins to apologize for his forwardness, but she interrupts him and tells him that she is embarrassed to admit that she had spent a lot of time fantasizing about her nuptials when she was a child, but what had transpired just then was the antithesis of her fantasies. Bill insists that Hoyt loves her, but she reminds Bill that Hoyt barely knows her, as he has no memory of their past together. Bill counters that falling in love can happen very quickly. He takes a few steps toward her, but becomes visibly dizzy. She becomes concerned as he slowly sits on her bed; he is becoming weaker by the moment. To divert attention away from his condition, he tells Jessica that he asked Hoyt about his intentions because he had missed out on the wedding of his human daughter, Sarah Compton. He goes on to say that he did not want to die without knowing that she, his vampire daughter, would eventually be betrothed to the man she loves. Moved, Jessica asks for a hug, to which Bill embraces her again. Jessica then asks if Bill would wait while she asks Hoyt if he would consent to marrying her immediately, fulfilling Bill's dying wish to give away his daughter at her wedding.
As it thunders and rains outside, Sookie sits alone at her dining room table, as she looks around her house of memories. As she gazes out the window, she can hear the giggling of herself as a child, running through the rain with Tara. She flashes back to a memory of herself and Tara as adolescents running into her house to escape a storm. Little Tara beats her inside, and remarks that if Sookie's hair frizzed from the moisture of the rain the way her hair did, she would have ran just as fast. Little Sookie giggles as she follows her best friend inside. Present-day Sookie smiles at the memory, and looks away from the window. Suddenly, she hears her grandmother's voice from the kitchen, as she flashes back to the memory of herself and Tara, soaked and wrapped in towels, sitting in her kitchen. Adele tells little Sookie and little Tara that they should have called her for a ride, rather than run through the rain. Little Sookie replies that running in the rain was fun; little Tara chimes it also treats them to hot cocoa, as Adele serves them their mugs. The girls thank her, and she leaves to retrieve some dry clothes for them. As they drink their hot cocoa, little Sookie hears little Tara's thoughts, revealing her crush on Jason. Shocked, little Sookie announces incredulously that Tara likes her brother. Little Tara tells little Sookie to stop listening to her thoughts. Little Sookie apologizes, but little Tara complains that it isn't fair that she cannot keep a secret from her telepathic friend, and asks little Sookie to reveal who she secretly likes so that they can be even. Little Sookie replies that she doesn't like any of the boys that they know, because she can hear their sordid thoughts. Little Tara asks if Sookie will always remain single and childless for this reason. Adele overhears their conversation as little Sookie answers that she wants to marry and have children someday, but she doesn't believe that she ever can. Adele scolds her for giving up so quickly without even trying, telling little Sookie that she may have any kind of future that she desires, as long as she does not limit herself. Adele asks little Sookie if she understands what she is saying. Little Sookie responds that she does. Adele turns to little Tara, and tells her to make sure Sookie does not forget her instructions if she is no longer with them when Sookie is grown. Little Tara agrees.
Brigette washes dishes in Jason's kitchen, still clad in his t-shirt and boxers. There's a knock at the door; it is Sookie, who is not expecting a stranger to answer her brother's door, but also does not appear to be too surprised that a random young woman is there. She introduces herself and asks if Jason is around. Brigette introduces herself and states that Jason is still asleep, and invites Sookie in. Sookie apologizes if she feels awkward, but she really needs to speak with her brother. Brigette innocently asks why their interaction would be awkward for her, to which Sookie reminds her that she is wearing Jason's clothes. Catching on, Brigette replies that she and Jason had not had sex. Taken aback, Sookie expresses surprise and listens in on Brigette's thoughts that reveal that she had just broken up with Hoyt the night before and that she has become very fond of Jason. Brigette asks Sookie if she knows Hoyt. Sookie asks her if she is Hoyt's girlfriend from Alaska. Still stung by her failed relationship, Brigette answers that she and Hoyt are no longer together. Seeing her discomfort, Sookie reserves against asking for details. Brigette asks Sookie if she would prefer to wake Jason herself, or would she rather her to do so. Sookie informs her that neither of them should wake Jason without a cup of coffee in hand. Brigette replies that she had searched around the kitchen and could only find instant coffee. Sookie remarks that Jason prefers foul-tasting coffee, and walks toward the cupboard to prepare some for him. Once finished, Sookie enters his bedroom and holds a mug close to Jason's face as she calls his name, hoping the smell of coffee will help wake him. After a few moments, Jason awakes and takes the mug. Sookie sits next to him on the bed and tells him that Bill had asked her to end his life with her Fae light. Bewildered by such a request, Jason expresses surprise. She goes on to say that Bill wants her to have a normal life with a family, which he doesn't believe can happen as long as he is alive. Jason asks her what she plans to do; she admits that she does not know. She tells him that she feels terrible over Bill's waning health and wants his misery to end, and she relates how she has debated with herself many times over whether her Halfling status is a gift or a curse. But now that she has been given a request to give up her light, she admits that she is not entirely sure that she wants to. Jason listens, and asks if Sookie is asking him for advice. Sookie replies that she is not; she just needed to talk. Relieved, Jason admits that he has none to give in this situation, but tells her that he will love her whether she is human or Halfling. She tells him that she loves him, too. Just then, Jason's cell phone starts ringing from the kitchen. He begins to get up to retrieve it, but Brigette offers to bring it to him. She picks up the phone and recognizes the number; dejectedly, she tells Jason that the caller is Hoyt. Just as Jason takes the call, Sookie's phone begins to ring. Hoyt tells Jason that he has an unusual request to ask, considering the fact that he had just knocked Jason out the night before. He goes on to say that Jessica had told him that they had grown up together as best friends. Sookie answers her phone; it is Jessica on the other line. She asks Sookie if Jason is already speaking with Hoyt on his phone. Jason tells Hoyt that he doesn't hold any hard feelings against him. Hoyt then asks Jason if he would be his best man. Jason repeats the question out loud, confused. Just then, Jessica asks Sookie if she has access to a wedding dress. Sookie and Jason look at each other, perplexed. Sookie asks what madness had she missed out on the night before.
Jason, dressed in his best, cuts purple roses from Sookie's rosebush. Sookie exits her house, holding a white dress. She asks Jason if he is ready to go; he replies that he is, and helps her down the steps of the porch. He takes the dress and offers to put it in the trunk. Sookie quickly corrects him and tells him that the dress is to go in the backseat. He absentmindedly tosses the dress into the backseat of his cruiser; Sookie stares for a moment at his carelessness. Jason tells her that he understands that this is very hard day for her to be attending a wedding. She replies that her feelings don't matter, and that she will help Jessica fulfill Bill's wish to give his daughter away at her wedding.
Bill sits brooding in his study, also dressed in his best, with a rose tucked into his breast pocket, and drinking a glass of blood. Outside, a car pulls up to Bill's house; it is Andy, Holly, and Arlene. As they exit the car, Arlene remarks that she has never attended a vampire wedding before, to which Holly replies that she has not either. Andy carries an amplifier with him as the three walk toward the house. Arlene asks if Bill has explained why Jessica and Hoyt have decided to get married so quickly. Andy, in his usual gruff way, tells her that all he was asked was to come over and perform the rite. Speculating on the possible reasons, Holly wonders if it is possible that Jessica could be pregnant; Arlene replies that she does not think so, but that it would interesting if she could. The three walk through the front door; they pass a homemade sign that states "-Welcome- Hamby-Fortenberry Wedding. Come on in!" Once in the foyer, Bill calls Andy from the study, and asks if the front door has been closed. Arlene quickly closes it behind them. Bill then asks if Andy would join him for a chat in the study. Arlene cheerfully responds that she and Holly will be snooping around while the gentlemen talk, and they marvel at the grandness of the house. Andy enters the study. Bill warmly invites him to sit. Uncomfortable as ever, Andy walks over to Bill to take a seat, and tells Bill that he didn't know that his illness was as far along as it was. Bill sits across from him, and tells him that he has a favor to ask. He admits that the history between the two hasn't always been a good one, but reminds him that the two belong to the same family. Bill states that with Andy's grandmother suffering from dementia, Andy is his de facto eldest living heir. Bill tells him that he had attempted to legally will his house and estate to Jessica, but found that he could not. Therefore, it will all automatically pass to Andy upon Bill's death. Andy appears a bit surprised and even more uncomfortable by this news, and tells Bill that he could never live in the house where his daughters were killed. Bill asks him if he will rent the house to Jessica and Hoyt for the written fee of $1.00 per month with the understanding that the couple will actually live there for free. Andy agrees.
Upstairs, Hoyt fumbles with his tie in the mirror. A quick knock at the door reveals Jason, who walks into the bedroom. He displays the rose that he has for Hoyt, and proceeds to arrange it nicely on his breast pocket. After a few moments, Hoyt asks Jason if Brigette is still at his house. At the sound of Brigette's name, Jason jumps slightly. He cautiously answers that she is, and that she is to board her plane back to Alaska that night. Hoyt asks if Jason had told her about the wedding; Jason nods, visibly uncomfortable. Feeling horribly guilty about marrying another woman the day after they broke up, Hoyt suggests that he should call Brigette to explain himself. Jason interrupts and tells him that that is a very bad idea. Noticing the black eye, Hoyt apologizes for having punched him the night before. Jason takes the liberty to properly tie Hoyt's tie, and tells him that he would happily take more beatings in order to get his best friend back. Hoyt admits that he is starting to get nervous. Jason offers the fact that the upcoming nuptials will not be recognized legally as a way to help Hoyt relax. Hoyt recounts watching the film Regarding Henry, and tells Jason how he can relate to the subject of the film who must relearn everything about himself and his loved ones after being stricken with amnesia. He mentions that he doesn't remember the event which led Henry to lose his memory. Jason correctly states that Henry had been shot. Hoyt asks Jason if he had also seen the film. Jason awkwardly replies that the two of them had watched the film together many years ago. He goes on to tell Hoyt that if they live every single day to its fullest, then their lives will naturally fall into place. He then asks Hoyt who he would want to wake up with if he was told that the world would end the next day. Without missing a beat, Hoyt replies "Jessica," and smiles at his certainty. Jason responds that that was all he needed to know, and that rather than dwelling on the lost memories, he must look forward to making new and better ones. The two of them psyche each other up, and start to head downstairs.
Arlene wanders around Bill's house in awe. She makes her way to a door that has a written sign that says "Groom KEEP OUT! But I still love you!" She knocks on the door, and asks if the ladies inside are ready. Sookie opens the door and says that they are almost ready, and only need a few more minutes. Arlene asks to see Jessica. From inside, off-screen, a nervous-sounding Jessica says that she welcomes another opinion. Sookie asks her teasingly if she doesn't trust her opinion. Arlene walks in and gasps approvingly at Jessica, telling her that she is already picture perfect. Downstairs, Hoyt and Andy are mingling when Arlene excitedly rushes in, announcing that Jessica is ready. She plays a recording of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons: Spring" on a little record player (rather than the more traditional Wagner's "Bridal Chorus"). Sookie walks in and straight for Bill, who asks her if everything is alright. She tells him that Jessica wants to know if Bill feels well enough to escort her into the room. He smiles, and replies that he is. Sookie tells him that Jessica is waiting in the foyer. Bill makes his way out of the room and finds Jessica sitting on the steps, looking very nervous. Bill is moved by her appearance, and tells her how beautiful she looks. He kisses her hand and they walk, arm-in-arm, into the next room. Everybody rises and gasps at how lovely Jessica looks in her wedding dress. Bill walks Jessica to Hoyt and Andy; she clutches a tissue to dab away blood, as both she and Bill are suffering from the bleeds. As Bill steps back, Jessica asks Hoyt if he is okay. He assures her that he is feeling great. They both look to Andy to signal that they are ready to begin. As usual, Andy looks a little uncomfortable with the spotlight now on him, and removes some papers from his breast pocket. He asks Arlene to turn the music down, who quickly complies. Andy tells the others to be seated, and awkwardly mentions that he has brought along notes from which to read. He proceeds to read aloud, and states that all of those gathered present play a part in bringing Jessica and Hoyt together at this moment; at this, Jessica glances at Jason, who smiles. Andy ceremoniously asks who gives Jessica to Hoyt in marriage; Bill responds that he does. Fighting back tears, Jessica hugs Bill. He then begins to sit down next to Sookie. Jessica asks him not to leave her side, but he assures her that he will not be far away. As Andy continues, Bill sits next to Sookie and, to her silent shock, she begins to hear his thoughts for the very first time. His thoughts are gentle whispers that reveal him to be in a lot of physical pain, while telling himself to remain focused and dignified. She gasps; Bill and Jason look at her expectantly. She pretends that nothing is the matter. Bill asks her if she is okay. She takes his hand and tells him that she is fine. He turns and looks at Jessica and Hoyt, but Sookie can hear that his thoughts are all about her, how much he loves her. She does her best to keep from crying. Andy then asks who gives Hoyt to Jessica in marriage. Jason raises his hand, as though he were still in school, and states that he does, but the two of them had already hugged each other prior to the start of the ceremony, and tells Andy to proceed. Holly and Arlene giggle to themselves. Andy then declares that while Louisiana and the whole of the United States does not recognize their marriage, he has no doubt that God does. He tells them that their love for each other is beautiful, and that it does not require official recognition to be real. He asks if either Jessica or Hoyt have any written vows. They both admit that neither of them had the time to prepare any, nor were they able to acquire rings. Andy instructs Hoyt to take Jessica's hand to repeat the vows that he had written in his notes. As Hoyt recites the vows, Sookie hears Bill's thoughts of his desire for Sookie to have a wedding of her own someday. She tries not to let on that she can hear his thoughts, but it is clear that she is constantly on the verge of crying. Jessica begins to recite her vows, and asks for another tissue for her bleeds. Sookie quickly supplies her with another tissue. Andy finally asks the couple if they take each other to be the other's spouse. They both accept, and Andy pronounces them married. The party claps while the couple kisses in wedlock.
Jason pulls up to his house, next to where Alcide's old truck is parked. He asks Sookie if she is okay, as she has been totally silent since leaving Bill's house. She tells Jason that she was able to hear Bill's thoughts. Confused, Jason asked how that was possible, as Faeries cannot hear vampires' thoughts. She replies that she does not know, but tells Jason that Bill had told her that the disease was making him feel more human than he had ever felt before; perhaps, the virus was literally giving him back his humanity. Jason asks what Bill was thinking. Sookie answers "All the right things." At this point, Brigette exits Jason's house and begins walking toward his cruiser. Jason asks Brigette to give him and his sister one more moment alone to talk. Before he can continue, Sookie remarks that Brigette likes him. Jason denies this, but Sookie admits to hearing Brigette's thoughts about him that morning. Not wanting to go down this road again, Jason refuses to listen. Sookie tells him that with his desire to grow out of his promiscuous lifestyle aside, she would approve if he began a relationship with Brigette. He replies that he will not repeat the same mistake of having sex with Hoyt's girlfriend. Sookie counters that it is safe to assume that Brigette is no longer Hoyt's girlfriend, considering that they had just witnessed his marriage to Jessica. She exits the cruiser as Brigette walks around to the passenger side. The two give each other a hug, telling the other that they were glad to have met. Brigette enters Jason's cruiser, as Sookie climbs into Alcide's truck.
Sookie pulls up to the Bon Temps Church. She exits the truck and heads for the entrance. Inside, Reverend Daniels is sitting alone in one of the pews, writing in a notebook. Sookie asks him if it would be alright if she came in; he welcomes her. She asks him what he is writing. He answers that he is working on his next sermon. Sookie asks if he always writes his sermons in church. He replies that he does not always, but finds the atmosphere helps when he is in need of inspiration. She asks if God ever speaks to him; he answers "Not once." Sookie states that she wishes that he could speak to God, because she could really use His advice. Reverend Daniels correctly deduces that Sookie never expected to find an actual god in church, and had really come to speak with him. She joins him in the pew, and the two sit silently next to each other for several moments. After a while, she remarks how the world has become so complicated since the Great Revelation, and how much simpler the times were when humans were ignorant of vampires and other supernatural creatures. He agrees, commenting that they were among the many reasons why his sermons were becoming harder to write. She asks him if he knows what she is. He states that she is a telepath. She informs him that her telepathy is a product of her being a Faerie. Taken aback, he asks her if she's kidding; she responds that she wishes she was. She then asks him if he believes that God made all creatures the way they are supposed to be, or that some creatures are mistakes of nature. Reverend Daniels reminds Sookie that her actions helped rescue Bon Temps from the rabid Hepatitis V vampires, and that most of the town's citizens know this and respect her for it. He rejects any notion that she may be a mistake in any way. Sookie tells him that there is a way to rid herself of her Halfling status, and asks if it would be a sin to do so to free herself of the burden of being Fae. He replies that he does believe that it would be a sin to change what God has created, but acknowledges that God also gave people brains with which to use and to make their own choices. He asks if his advice helps her at all; she answers that it does, and thanks him for taking the time to speak with her. She rises to leave, and then asks if he would like some advice about his sermon. He chuckles, and states that he is always open to advice. She tells him to tell his congregation that help is on its way, and that the danger will be over soon. The Reverend asks her how she knows this. Without revealing any information about Sarah and the cure for Hepatitis V, she simply responds that she just knows. She walks out of the church.
The phone rings at Bill's house. He answers; it is Sookie. She ominously tells him that she has made all of the arrangements with the cemetery, and that she will meet him there that evening.
Sookie stares at herself in the mirror in her bedroom, mentally preparing herself. After a long while, she exits her house and starts walking toward the cemetery. When she arrives, she sees that Bill's grave has been dug six feet down, revealing his empty coffin. From across the cemetery, Bill solemnly exits his house. He pauses at the door, and then makes his way to the cemetery. He arrives to find Sookie staring down at his grave. She tells him that she has been trying to figure out why there is a coffin in his empty grave. Bill explains that many of the soldiers killed in the Civil War were never brought home to be buried, and that empty coffins were used as a way to help the families find closure during the funeral services. Sookie tells Bill that she does not want to do this; he tells her that he knows. She throws herself into his arms; he holds her tightly, appearing to be on the verge of tears. She whispers that she can't let go of him. He tells her that it's time, but she just shakes her head. He gently begins to remove her arms from him to help her let him go. They hold each other's face as they kiss. He thanks her, and climbs down into his grave. He opens his coffin to find a small container in the center. He picks it up, wipes away the dirt, and opens it. He becomes visibly moved by its contents. Sookie asks him what it is. He tells her that it is the photograph of him and his daughter Sarah that was taken the day he and his family gathered for portraits before he went to war. He begins to weep, now knowing that young Sarah had found too painful to keep the photograph when he did not return from the war. Sookie tells Bill to get into the coffin before she changes her mind. He looks up at her sadly, closes the picture frame, and he climbs into his coffin. Clutching the picture frame, he tells Sookie that he is ready. Choking back tears, she tells him that she will never forget him. He tells her that he wishes he could promise the same, but he honestly does not know what will happen after he dies. She harnesses her light-ball, and he lays back in his coffin. She stares at her light and seems to become mesmerized by its energy and colors. After a few moments, Bill lifts his head to see why she hasn't struck him yet. Sookie tells him that she had not truly considered the magnitude of what giving up her light would mean for her, and she realizes now that the Fae is part of who she is. Bill sits up as she tells him that she cannot give up her light, not even for him. She absorbs the light-ball back into herself. Crying softly, Sookie asks him if he still wishes to die. Bill affirms that he does. She looks around and spots a shovel. She breaks the handle off into a makeshift stake. She throws it into the grave next to the coffin, and then climbs down. She picks up the stake and joins him in the coffin. Sookie asks him again if he is sure; Bill replies that he is. She tells him that she loves him. He tells her that he loves her, too. She leans in for one last kiss, and begins to cry as she raises the stake over his heart. He lays back down, but she hesitates. He looks up at her, and places his hands over hers. Realizing that she cannot do it, he impales himself. He cries out, but then smiles before exploding in a pool of gore. In an instant, he is gone, and Sookie is left kneeling in his remains, bawling. She slowly steps out of the coffin, and closes it. She sits down on the coffin, and continues to cry. After a while, she climbs out of the grave and begins to fill in the grave with dirt with her bare hands. Afterward, she walks out of the cemetery, covered in Bill's blood, and heads for home.
One year later, Eric and Pam film a cheesy infomercial for their product New Blood: From Vampires, For Vampires. Eric appears to be channeling Mr. Gus' smarmy personality in his on-screen persona. The content of the infomercial is the true story of Eric's illness and their hunt for Sarah Newlin, who has become the Aunt Jemima-like icon for New Blood. The true story becomes fiction, however, when they claim that they never found Sarah, but were able to recover drops of her blood on glass shards, and were able to have her blood synthesized from it.
Three years after the filming of the infomercial, Eric and Pam appear to be at the dizzying heights of wealth as they triumph at the New York Stock Exchange.
The following Thanksgiving, someone carefully lowers a full turkey into a deep fryer outside. Inside, a heavily pregnant Sookie grabs a dish from the fridge, which is filled with several cans of New Blood. We hear a man's voice shout to her that the turkey is frying. She calls back "Thanks hon." Elsewhere, Jason crawls on the floor of his house, and is soon tackled by his eldest daughter. In walks Brigette, who is now apparently his wife, struggling to hold the hand of their second daughter, while carrying their third child, an infant. He jumps up and absentmindedly begins for the door, when Brigette patiently asks him for some help getting the children together. He quickly comes to her aid. Later on, Jason and his children are playing catch in Sookie's yard when an SUV pulls up. Sam exits the vehicle, and carries his eldest daughter from the backseat. Sookie, Jason, and Brigette walk up to greet him and his family.
That night, Fangtasia is more active than it ever was before. Eric has returned to his rightful place on his throne. In the dungeon, Pam counts money as she oversees a vampire feeding from the femoral artery of a chained-up and dolled-up Sarah. After exactly one minute, Pam tells him that his time is up. The vampire, Maurice, begs for one more minute. Pam rushes at him at vampire speed, and throws him off Sarah, reminding him that he had paid for just one minute with the infamous fugitive. He offers his credit card, but Pam throws him out, shouting that it was a cash-only transaction. Pam grabs the small bag full of money, smiles at Sarah, and walks back upstairs; coming full circle, Pam has returned to her human profession of being the madame of a whorehouse. Only now, her only whore is Sarah, who can bring in a whopping $100,000 for one minute, making her the most expensive prostitute (of sorts) in history, just as Pam had predicted. Sarah pathetically weeps to herself as she is left alone in the dungeon. She looks up and sees a hallucination of Steve Newlin with a shit-eating grin on his face. She whines to him to go away and leave her alone. Steve taunts her by reminding her that as it is Thanksgiving, it is tradition to state what one is thankful for. He tells her that he is thankful to see the last remnants of her sanity slipping away. And because he is nothing more than a hallucination, he can never go away and will continue to haunt her for the rest of her life. He sarcastically asks what she is thankful for. She answers honestly: "Nothing."
Back at Sookie's house, a large crowd of her longtime friends have assembled for a big Thanksgiving dinner outside. Jason playfully runs out of the house carrying his daughter on his shoulders, and Sam's daughter under his arm. Sookie pours beverages for the youngsters at the children's table, which includes Lisa, Coby, and Mikey. The rest of the guests sit at the main table: Jessica, Hoyt, Willa, Arlene, Keith, Rocky, Reverend Daniels, Lettie Mae, Jane Bodehouse, her boyfriend, Andy, Holly, Lafayette, James, Nicole (holding her infant), Sam, Brigette (holding her infant), Jason, Adilyn, and Wade. Sookie walks toward the end of the table and gives a hug to a young, unknown bearded man who is credited as her husband; the audience never sees his face. The two of them takes their seats, and everyone raises their glasses in a toast. Years after Bill's demise and the advent of New Blood, it appears that everybody lives happily ever after... except for Sarah Newlin.
Notes[]
Accolades[]
- This episode currently hasn’t received any awards.
Allusions[]
- This episode does not contain any allusions.
Bloopers and Continuity Errors[]
- There are no bloopers that occur in this episode.
Continuity[]
- When Bill opens his coffin he finds the photograph he took with his daughter before he left for the Civil War, the flashback to this image being taken occurred in "Fire in the Hole".
Flashbacks[]
- Sookie has a flashback to when she and Tara were children and Gran tells her to not limit herself because of her ability.
Miscredits[]
- There are no miscredits that occur in this episode.
Music[]
- "Thank You" - Led Zeppelin
Production[]
- Rutina Wesley and Tara Buck are credited but do not appear in this episode.
- Stephen Moyer's daughter Lilac Emery-Haynes appears as young Sookie.
- The series finale is extended to 65 minutes, making it the longest running episode of the series.
Title[]
- In addition to sharing the name of the song that plays over the end credits, the title of this episode is likely a reference to Bill thanking Sookie for giving him the true death.
Trivia[]
- Tara Thornton appears in this episode but only as a child. Rutina Wesley is the only core original character to not be in the final episode.
- Bill Compton becomes the second of the core original main characters to die this season after Tara.
- The time-jump at the end of the series places the events during Thanksgiving 2015.
- Sarah Newlin delivers the last line of the entire show: "Nothing."
- Charlaine Harris makes a cameo as a control booth operator during Eric and Pam's infomercial for New Blood.
Memorable Quotes[]
Pamela Swynford de Beaufort: (to Sarah Newlin) "I wouldn't let you go down on me for a billion dollars. And as for me going down on you, there's not enough money in the world."
Bill Compton: "I had already been made vampire before my human daughter, Sarah, got wed. So it goes without saying that I didn't get to give her away. Never even met the man she married. I don't know how much time I have left Jess, but it's not gonna be very long. And yes, I just wanted to know that you'd be spoken for before I leave this place."
Adele Stackhouse: "You can have any kind of life you want! You can persevere! Anything you want, Sookie, you are entitled to it. There are no limits on you if you don't put them on yourself."
Jason Stackhouse: "I want you to listen to me, Hoyt. It's been a long fucking week, and it's been a weird fucking week. But I figured something out along the way. We gotta live everyday like it's our last, man. And if we do that, it puts everything in prescription for us!
Sookie Stackhouse: "When I asked you this morning if you realized what it was that you were asking me to give up, I don't think I understood the gravity of it myself. This is who I am. It's part of my truth, just like Jason's my brother, and my parents are my parents. They're a part of me, whether I like it or not. And you, Bill, you're a part of me, too. And you always will be, but I can't do this for you."
Steve Newlin: "Oh come on Sarah, it's Thanksgiving! Let's say what we're thankful for. Personally, I'm thankful that you're losing your fucking mind!"
Memorable Dialogue[]
Sookie Stackhouse: "What? You want me to kill you? Are you fucking kidding me?"
Bill Compton: "Use your light on me and you will be done with vampires forever. If you don't, there's gonna be a line of suitors from here to the gates of hell, trying to call you theirs."
Pamela Swynford de Beaufort: "In case you've forgotten Eric, the whole world's looking for her. If Gus didn't know about the tunnel, why not crawl out with her?"
Eric Northman: "Because, Pamela Swynford de Beaufort, we are going to kill Mr. Gus. And we're going to steal New Blood from him. I've tried trusting, I've tried sharing, and it's just not fucking working for me. Now, you with me or not?"
Pamela Swynford de Beaufort:"Oh, I am so fucking with you."
Eric Northman: "I thought you might be."
Jason Stackhouse:"I ain't gonna be no girlfriend fucker again!"
Sookie Stackhouse: "I get that, but we just came from Hoyt's wedding. She ain't his girlfriend anymore."
Cast[]
Episode Ratings[]
Episode # | Episode Title | Viewers (in millions) |
#7.10 (80) | "Thank You" | 4.04 |
True Blood Season 7 | |
<< Season 4 • << Season 5 • << Season 6 | |
#01 "Jesus Gonna Be Here" | #06 "Karma" |
#02 "I Found You" | #07 "May Be the Last Time" |
#03 "Fire in the Hole" | #08 "Almost Home" |
#04 "Death is Not the End" | #09 "Love is to Die" |
#05 "Lost Cause" | #10 "Thank You" |