What did we expect of the 'True Blood' finale?

*SPOILERS* - Episode 6x10 "Radioactive"

Last night, the season 6 finale of our favourite vamp show aired and as predicted, in true True Blood style left us on a massive cliffhanger. The whole season, based upon Bill embodying almighty Lilith and the human-Government uprising against all vamps, with a side-story of a supposedly deadly vampire/fae-cross named Warlow. Sounds like your typical HBO, "all things happening at once" plot, doesn't it? Well, you aren't wrong.



Last week's episode, built around the funeral of character Terry Bellefleur, was quite an emotional one, looking back into some of the origins of friendships of the Bon Temps residents, and this episode seemed to share a similar sentiment. Most of it's stories were based around the idea of getting back to the start/forgetting all the drama that Governor Burrell brought upon Louisiana trying to punish all vampires. It was a little calmer than we were used to and a little more saccharin, but I think this was necessary for the programme, to bring it back down from the drama-filled seasons previous to the sixth.

Firstly, the thing that most viewers are frantically talking about this morning, is the idea that blonde bad boy Eric might finally face his true death in a way we really didn't think such a powerful vampire (and main character) was going to go. Following on from Bill's sacrifice to save his kind, all of the Bon Temps vampires are able to walk in the sunlight, but we all know these effects will wear off. Unfortunately, Eric doesn't seem to be blessed with this wisdom and is sat on a bright mountain top, naked, in the middle of Sweden when Lilith's magical blood loses it's mojo. But the fact that we only saw him burning and not completely burned, does mean that Alexander Skarsgard may not be leaving True Blood just yet. My question however, is where is Pam after going off to find Eric?!

Another plot-line that has audiences up in arms (and me, admittedly) is the cosiness of these two in the 'Six Months Later' portion of the episode. That's right, it looks like after years of panting over her, Alcide finally wore Sookie down into dating him. The big guy's okay, but he doesn't make for a relationship as interesting as the ones we're used to seeing her share with our favourite bloodsuckers. Alcide has always been a bit of a safe, dare-I-say boring, character, so the idea that they will be together in season 7 is not one that instils much excitement. Although Bill and Sookie's arrangement that he will be her protector right at the end of the episode, regardless of the werewolf's protestation, gives us all hope that she won't be with Alcide for much of the next season.

At least, Alcide finally had that mop chopped off I suppose.

Whilst I am normally dubious as to the need for "some time...later" in any television show (I stopped watching Desperate Housewives when it decided to skip five years for no reason), this one fit in with the rest of the season smoothly. It pushed the story forward, but not so much that it felt rushed or out of place.

Despite what appears to be a lot of backlash regarding the ending of this season and the story lines set up for season 7, I actually think these last few episodes were exceptionally good. Season 5 in particular got a little hard to follow, with a lot of audience members complaining that it got too farfetched with the strong introduction of faeries and an evil Bill, but this season has completely changed the doubts that this programme could survive the test of time, in my eyes.

Something that did let the season done however was the dramatic build-up, but then complete lacklustre fate of Warlow. You would think a combination of vampire and fairy would be a dangerous one, with the ability to walk in daylight constantly and heal oneself, but in the end, he proved a little too easy to vanquish despite even Bill (as Lilith) being afraid of him. I think this story would've fared much more successfully if Sookie never fell for him and he remained a threat for the whole season.

There were some moments throughout the series that I hope they don't forget come season 7, said to air in the summer of 2014, such as Terry's agreement to have himself murdered and the relationship between Tara and Pam but all in all, I'm looking forward to what the seventh series has to offer. It's refreshing to see lesser characters like Andy and Arlene share some of the spotlight with the main trio and the whole cast become more of an ensemble rather than completely lead by Anna Paquin's Sookie.

Now, it wouldn't have been a True Blood finale without leaving audiences screaming at the television to keep going, and this season didn't disappoint. Right before the credits roll, whilst all the main characters are mingling at what is now Bellefleur's Bar & Grill, a vast group of bloody-mouthed growly vampire strangers close in on the residents. If that's not pull enough to get you to watch at least the first episode of the next season, I don't know what would be.