Birth, Sex & Death: 10 Shocking Moments from True Blood Season 6

The following is a guest post from True Blood fan Lana Cooper. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

It’s hard to get more shocking than the recent announcement that the next season of HBO’s True Blood will be the last – but Season 6 of the show that put the “gore” in “gorgeous” sure came close. Brimming with blood, True Blood’s sixth season packed a wallop in terms of surprises. It was tough, but we’ve narrowed it down to 10 truly jaw-dropping moments from the show’s now penultimate season.

10. Jessica Offs Andy’s Offspring (Episode: At Last)

You know how there’s always that one, cool older girl that all the younger girls look up to and want to hang out with? Well, Jessica Hamby tried to be “that girl” to Sherriff Andy Bellefleur’s four fairy offspring with disastrous results. During an attempt to lure the girls in so that her maker, Vampire Bill, could take samples of their blood (purely for science!), Jessica’s bloodlust kicked in. Since fae blood is the vampiric equivalent of Lucky Charms and vamps can’t get enough of it, Jessica could not fend off the temptation and fed on each of Andy’s hapless daughters, leaving only one (barely) alive. When Jessica finally came out of her blood frenzy, she was overcome with remorse for her deeds, particularly since the girls appeared as the same age she was when she was turned.

9. A Vampiric White Knight (Episode: Don’t You Feel Me)

When all of New Orleans’ vampires were rounded up at the behest of Governor Burrell and placed in a vampire internment camp, they were subjected to cruel tests and experiments. Among these experiments, vampires were forced to get it on with one another with (perv-tastic) scientists watching on and clocking just how fast they can “go.” Jessica was supposed to be brought in for one of these tests and forced to have sex with another vampire she didn’t know. The young vampire, James, valiantly refused to rape Jessica for spectator sport, incurring severe punishment himself in the process.

8. Vampire Bill Decapitates the Governor Burrell (Episode: Don’t You Feel Me)

Sometimes, when you’ve got the blood of a vampire goddess coursing through your undead veins, you have a duty to ensure the safety of your people. Bill, still channeling Lilith, was a man on a mission to save vamp-kind from the clutches of corrupt, vampire-hating Governor Burrell. Following a heated exchange, Billith shoved diplomacy aside and took matters – and Burrell’s head – into his own hands and ripped it clean off. True Blood doesn’t get much more shocking that that gruesome moment that came out of left field!

7. Nicole’s Pregnant (Episode: Dead Meat)

Luna wasn’t cold in the ground for half a season before shapeshifter Sam moved on to another love interest, human vampire activist Nicole. It took even less time before Sam knocked her up, with Nicole visibly pregnant by the season’s final episode set 6 months in the future. Damn, Sam! You couldn’t have waited at least a year?

6. Nora Succumbs to Hep V (Episode: In the Evening)

At the Vamp Camp, Nora was injected with a fatal strain of Hep V serum as part of an experiment. Upon learning of her dire condition, Nora’s “brother” Eric Northman desperately raced against time in a futile attempt to find a cure. Nora deteriorated rapidly, with black veins creeping along her skin. After freeing her from Vamp Camp, Eric tried to make his sister comfortable in her final moments. And what final moments those were! Within seconds of the Hep V finally reaching her brain, Nora dissolved then exploded into a big, gooey mess that splattered all over poor Eric.  Chalk up yet another memorable – and kind of gross – death for True Blood!

5. Terry Bellefleur’s Death & Funeral (Episodes: Don’t You Feel Me / Life Matters)

One of the most shocking deaths of the series was the passing of the very human Terry Bellefleur. Beloved husband to Arlene, father to their brood, and salt-of-the-earth fry cook at Merlotte’s, Terry could not leave his (literally) haunted military past behind him and chose to die rather than live with PTSD. Unbeknownst to his family, Terry made preparations to ensure they were well-cared for after his demise and asked a “friend” to put a hit on him be sure his family received his life insurance policy. Terry died after knowing one perfect day of happiness following Arlene finding a way to mystically make Terry forget the horrors of war. The couple’s final scene together made for touching television and not a dry eye in the house. Ditto for the ensuing funeral attended by most of the citizens of Bon Temps, sharing memories of their fallen friend.

Part of what made Terry’s death so tragic was his status as one of the few non-supernatural beings in Bon Temps – and the likelihood that no vampire/witch/fairy plot device could be used to bring him back from the great beyond. The fact that he and Arlene provided one of the show’s only realistic, non-supernatural and (oh, yeah) functioning relationships was another sore spot. However, Terry’s PTSD plight also served to underscore the very real trauma suffered by so many returning servicemen and women, bringing a show about vampires and fairies squarely back down to earth.

4. Eric’s Freudian Slip of the Hand (Episode: Life Matters)

In an act of revenge against the doctor who injected his beloved Nora with Hep V, Eric extracted revenge on the doctor administered the dosage and promptly …. “relieved him of his manhood” in the most forcible way possible. From there, Eric continued his rampage to oversee vengeance against the creepy, pudgy shrink who took advantage of his progeny Pam. Revenge was never sweeter… Or more graphic.

3. “I Love You… Jason Stackhouse!” (Episode: Life Matters)

In a show packed with many memorable – and sudden – death scenes, there aren’t too many True Blood characters who have a chance to utter some equally memorable last words. Fortunately for Reverend Steve Newlin, former anti-vampire crusader turned out n’ proud vampire, he was granted a chance to speak his final piece before meeting the True Death in the sunlight.

Unaware of a counter-plan the internment camp vampires had hatched, Newlin’s ex-wife Sarah plotted to kill them all by having them “meet the sun” in a specially designed room. To combat the effects of the sun, vamp campers fed off of Bill Compton’s super-charged blood. As all the other vampires fed from Bill, poor Steve Newlin tried to get his suck on to no avail, wandering around the sunlit room like the runt of the litter pushed away from Mama Pup by more aggressive dogs. Eventually, the sun’s rays hit Steve, burning him to a crisp. Before completely combusting, Reverend Steve looked up to meet the eyes of his ex-wife and uttered, “I love you.” Her reaction was priceless when he finished that statement with “Jason Stackhouse,” confessing his secret longing for Sookie’s goofball brother. Alas, Steve Newlin… We hardly knew ya.

2. Warlow Shows His True Colors (Episode: Radioactive)

Half-fae. Half-vamp. All douche. In Season 6, Warlow provided True Blood fans with a number of plot twists and turns. From initially leading viewers to wrongly assume fairy grandpa Niall (played by the legendary Rutger Hauer) was Warlow, to  the Big Reveal that the scruffy young Southern gent who took a shine to Sookie actually WAS Warlow in disguise, Warlow took fans and the good folk of Bon Temps for a ride. After Sookie took him for a (ahem) “ride” to extract some magical fairy blood to help save her vamp pals, Warlow showed that his sensitive schtick was just a ruse — slapping Sookie silly and demanding that he claim her, as promised, body and soul. Luckily for Sook, her brother Jason and (in a grand act of deus ex machina) Grandpa Niall showed up to help dispose of Warlow with a stake to the heart, sending him packing to that great vampire fairy graveyard in the sky. Good riddance.

1. Eric Northman Gets Toasty (Episode: Radioactive)

The moment that has True Blood fans across the web talking is Eric Northman’s final scene in the last episode of Season 6. One minute, he’s full of fairy blood, impervious to sunlight and blissfully catching rays in the buff (full frontal alert!) on a deck chair, all by his lonesome in the snow. The next, he’s regretting not using SPF 1,000,000+ when Warlow bites the dust and the effects of his fae blood wear off. The camera cut away while Eric was still a Roman candle, so it remains to be seen whether everyone’s favorite Viking vamp will “live” to see the show’s final season next year.

Showrunners have confirmed that Eric return, but have not outlined just how – and in what condition – Pam will find her maker. We’ve got another 9 months to wait until Season 7 and find out how this sordid, sexy, sanguine saga of Sookie and sundry ‘sociates all ends. (Just please don’t let her wind up with Alcide! And if it’s going to be the final season, please get some more Lafayette up in the mix, hooker!)

So, did we miss any shocking moments from this past season? Speaking of “miss,” what will you miss most about True Blood when the show finally slams its coffin lid? Weigh in in the comments below!

About The Author:

Lana Cooper writes on behalf of Dish Systems. She is a pop culture enthusiast, and a lover of alliteration and anything vampire-related that doesn’t sparkle.