Review

With the Wiccan versus Vampire standoff at the Moon Goddess Emporium reaching new levels of sacrifice Pam takes matters into her own hands and fires a rocket into the magical barrier Antonia erected around the store. Naturally this backfires but saves Bill and Eric from the "true death"; they were going to sacrifice themselves for Sookie. Marnie decides to take things into her own hands but is thwarted by Sookie using her fairy powers, Jesus casting a breaking spell to override Marnie binding Antonia to herself, and finally Antonia who has no wish to support someone who would kill innocents. When the barrier comes down Marnie finds she was just as weak as she had always been.

Meanwhile Andy is trudging through the woods after being left at Fort Bellefleur by Terry, he gets lucky when a Fairy pops into existence but has to make an oath to the light - whatever that means. Sam, Luna, and Alcide track down Marcus after the pack master took Luna's daughter Emma and headed on over to Alcide's place to get hot and bothered with Debbie Pelt. It doesn't end well and Alcide divorces Debbie in lupine fashion. Think that's about it for the episode, though this one has a heck of a cliff hanger ending setting up the final episode!

The penultimate episode throws down the final confrontation at the Moon Goddess, and it was well worth waiting on. Marnie has lost it completely and is getting back at all those folks who wronged her during her life, Jesus is going full on hoodoo, Sookie is being emo, and the Vampires are Making some bad decisions. It all gets pretty explosive and Director Michael Lehmann isn't taking a backward step in reiterating that Vampires can be blood soaked when called upon. The only problem being the final episode is going to be slightly disappointing after the climatic confrontation in Soul of Fire. Talk about firing your big guns and then wondering what to do when the smoke clears.

On the bright side the episode does set up some intriguing possibilities for next week, or indeed next season if a couple of ideas are held over till season five. We're talking revenant on the loose, one pissed off Were who will no doubt head on over to Sookie's place, and Andy getting entangled with Supernatural romps in the forest. There is also the faint hint of change in the air with Sookie once again being exposed to the savage inherent in Vampires and Luna being shocked by Sam's involvement in Marcus' demise. Besides sounding like one of those Twitard Moms I'm thinking there's going to be a few home truths coming home to roost in the final episode. Hell we're still got little to no closure on the Jason, Jess, and Hoyt triangle. Damn, sign me up for those Paranormal Romance appreciation classes I'm sounding like a tween chick wearing a Team Shovel Face tee!

Things exploded down the Moon Goddess emporium but Marnie like a good slasher villian isn't going quietly!

Thankfully there's a fair amount of violence in this episode allowing manly dudes like myself to scream out "Hell Yeah" and "That's what I'm talking about"! If you don't like blood on the menu then this episode is going to freak you right out, Eric takes things in hand there. Strangely True Blood seems to bounce between ultra violence, that doesn't seem to put the chicks off, hot steamy sex, that doesn't put dudes off - what am I saying, before meeting somewhere in the middle with what can only be described as shenanigans. No wonder the Fundos are up in arms over this one, all that sex is detracting from their violence requirements! Or something like that anyway, I don't know, go ask Alice. Anyways episode has some gore and death dealing, make your own viewing choice.

I should I guess also mention Jason, who this episode does everything in his power to save the Vamps from pretty much falling on their arses, and then gets caught in an explosion for his troubles. The boy keeps on keeping on and has been portrayed as perhaps a little less simple this season, which is all for the good as Jason has troubles enough with an unresolved Were situation and of course the whole Hoyt thing. Interestingly it's the actions of Jason along with Sookie and Jesus that pretty much set the resolution in motion, the Vampers are shown as pretty ineffectual in this episode if you have the right approach to dealing with them. Wonder if that will come into play sometime next season? As long as there is no attempt at defanging them I'll be happy with developments.

For those wanting a bit of Vampire mythos served up, and finally we get something added to the whole Necromancers can control the living dead, this episode delivers. Pam decides to take matters into her own hands against the express command of her maker Eric, clearly some ties can be broken if the situation is extreme enough. I've got my fingers crossed the Producers of True Blood keep that in mind going forward.

Looking a bit ahead to next season, this episode was mighty fine so think we can move on, Alcide may be in trouble with the pack after the altercation with Marcus didn't end well. Seems Debbie Pelt needs the pack, wolves are group animals after all, where does this leave Alcide? Can Weres go it alone or do they develop psychotic tendencies if outside their social structure? I can imagine a whole story line along this idea with maybe Alcide being held responsible for a number of deaths and the audience unsure if he was involved or not. Speculation, but the major plot point of season four has been resolved I'm already looking ahead yo.

While I was more than happy with Soul of Fire albeit with a feeling that the episode wasn't as densely packed as we have come to expect from True Blood, I'm left wondering what exactly the final episode is going to bring. I've got this notion that season four has fired its big shots prematurely and the final episode will go all chick moment on us. Hence why I really enjoyed this episode, it could be downhill next week. Not the best episode of the season for mine, fingers crossed we're not limping over the finishing line.