You know summer has arrived when “True Blood” returns to HBO. Along with our return to Bon Temps on television, we must also acknowledge the end of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse mystery series (also known as the Southern Vampire Mysteries). Book 13, Dead Ever After, is due to be released on May 17th. The close of the book series, and rumors that Season 6 will be the last for the HBO series, brings us the inevitable, burning question: who is Sookie’s supernatural soulmate?
Throughout the series, Sookie has had a few romantic options. Sam has always been interested in her, and did little to hide his puppy love. Bill, of course, was the first man and vampire she was interested in, saving her from the Rattrays that first night outside Merlotte’s and piquing her interest. But, as things with Bill got more complicated, she spent more time with Eric, who she also developed feelings for. As her relationship with Bill became more and more unstable, she continued turning to Eric. In Sookie’s few moments when she was sick of the vampires, Alcide stepped in for some warm-blooded attention.
Let the debate begin!
Rochelle: Let’s start with who she should NOT be with!
Victoria: Alcide is SOOOOO obsessed with pack and were and pack some more. He broke all his moral codes and drank V last season finale – “for the good of the pack!” And when it’s not pack, it’s all honor and blood and muscle. Sookie needs more than muscle. Sookie needs someone to love her. Alcide isn’t made out for a great love story. Remember Debbie? Does anyone else remember Debbie? Yeah, that was Alcide’s “true love” – he even took her back after her V-drinking days, which is such a no-no for a were. The man could not pick a good girlfriend, and, worse!, he doesn’t know how to protect and love someone at the same time. Example again: Debbie Pelt. So for anyone saying Alcide is the best, puh-lease! Watch the show and you’ll see that Alcide is just the worst. Heck, Sam would be better!Also: where was Alcide last season when all hell broke loose for Sookie? After Russell broke free, Eric and Bill were caught up in the Authority, and Sookie needed help, where was he? Not around! He was too busy with the pack and not being the pack!
Rochelle: While the vamps are cold-hearted and settle for nothing less than what they want, the shifters are warm-blooded softies who don’t set boundaries and standards for themselves.
Sam: Sam is a clingy, sort of sad puppy dog. He has jealous and controlling tendencies when it comes to Sookie, and they’re just friends…imagine how that would magnify if he had any sort of “claim” to her.
Alcide: His relationships tend to revolve around some sort of savior complex. It reflects on both his emotional immaturity and his longevity as a true partner for her. When Sookie isn’t in danger anymore will he just tire of her? He wasn’t able to set boundaries for himself and his emotional needs with his sweetheart Debbie, and Debbie totally railroad him as a result. Sookie and all her drama was a natural replacement for Debbie’s drama, but he needs a nice, safe girl. And Sookie needs someone much tougher. She is a no-nonsense ball buster and I see her accidentally walking all over him. He may be good for Sookie in that he will dote on her and care for her, but the relationship wouldn’t be for the long haul!
Victoria: If we are going to be truly honest, Eric is the best choice for Sookie. He is a very old vampire and can protect her. Fangtasia has provided him with plenty of money to keep them both happy until eternity ends. Once Eric loves something, he loves it fiercely. In season 4, NO ONE was going to hurt Sookie when he was around. Eric has frequently saved or protect Sookie, such as in season 2 when he shielded her from the Fellowship of the Sun bomber. The True Death is nothing to Eric as long as Sookie is safe. That’s love right there, folks, even if she doesn’t return it!
Rochelle: I actually tend to think what is best for Sookie is none of these guys! If I had to pick one I would probably pick Eric as the best, but he is still a problematic option.
All of the dudes: Their supernatural powers and strength outdo hers, hands down. Her faerie blood does level the playing field a bit, but with the vamps it also puts her in more danger because it makes her, literally, that much more edible and desirable of a target.
Eric/Bill: They’ve both shared blood with Sookie, so she’s psychically in tune with what they want, and she’s not really able to determine if she’s strongly feeling their desires, or if their desires happen to align with her own. So, she’s sort of like their toy, who does what they want, and while they try to respect what she wants, their will is always going to overpower, because her will mentally bends to theirs. That even causes her concern, when she admits she has doubts about which feelings she has are actually her own.
Even their “I’ll risk my life for you” is a form of control over her. They’re constantly risking their lives for her, even when she doesn’t ask for it, and refusing to let her takes risks for them, which is replete with guilt-trips and manipulation. And the natural consequence is that both men feel entitlement to and ownership over Sookie.
Also – Bill is a boring, two-faced liar – to still be boring after his treachery requires a LOT of boring.
Victoria: Alleluia! Preach that “I hate Bill,” sister! As to Sookie not having a man, well, what kind of storyline is that? Yes, Bill is a liar and a cheat and a horrible former human being. She should NOT be with Bill under any circumstances. Sam, good ol’ dependable sheepdog Sam, has turned his back on Sookie, not to hurt her, but for his own good. Even shifters get tired of faeries and their vampire boyfriend drama. And what is Bill but drama? Don’t make me start on Alcide again, either!
Now, Eric. He’s a good guy, even if he does have some deceptive ways to being good. If we are going to be truly honest, Eric is still the best for Sookie. Here are some of my reasons:
1. He can protect her in ways that weres, shifters, and younger vamps (I’m looking at you, Bill!) can’t. Many times he’s defended her and hasn’t lost. So what if he can’t be there during the day? Neither can other vampires! Faerie-draining Russell is dead and the faeries aren’t around to drain. And Sookie can take care of herself, too. Still remember Debbie Pelt? Gunpowder and lead, ladies and gents, can kill a were – and so can Sookie!
2. Fangtasia has provided Eric with great income, good enough that he bought Sookie’s house, renovated it, and made it a beautiful Southern mansion again. And remember that hole in the wall at the end of season 5 which was LOADED with cash? If Sookie wanted to stop working at Merlotte’s because Sam continues to be annoying and depressing, she can afford to leave. That’s a whole new kind of independence for her!
3. He can be very loving and dedicated. Remember season 4? So what if he was a little brainwashed; he adored Sookie! When Sookie has been in danger many times, Eric was the one to save her. In season 2, who showed up at the church? Eric. Yeah, Bill was preoccupied with Lorena, who was sent by Eric to distract him, but still: Eric saved the day. He even offered to sacrifice himself for her safety (and for Godric). And remember the bomber? It wasn’t Bill who shielded Sookie, but Eric. In season 3, he tried to help her against Russell numerous times, even though he was pushing his own agenda to kill Russell. In season 4, protecting Sookie was his whole mission, brainwashed or not, and the same could be said for even seasons 2 and 3. He even offered to face the True Death for her when faced with an ultimatum from Marnie! For Eric to offer his eternal life for someone means only one thing: he adores the ground Sookie walks on and true loves her.
Rochelle: I agree, Eric is hard to pass up, to say the least. Maybe after Sookie finds herself, she should go find Eric again – after all, even if it takes a few years, that’s what, like 2 weeks in eternal vampire time? And we both agree Bill is a cheat and a liar, and totally boring. But, both Bill AND Eric will always be a threat to her! Remember when Bill almost drained her to death? And when Eric drained her faerie godmother (whose allure is only a magnified version of Sookie’s faerie allure)? Not to mention their obsession with her makes all the other vampires obsessed with her, then they smell her faerie blood, and they, too, want to drain her blood.
Victoria: But Eric didn’t drain Sookie when he was hungry. He told Nora not to eat her, too. Eric cares more about Sookie than just eating her. Or any magical fae elements that create a whole Sookie.
Rochelle: Eric does care for her, and he doesn’t always use their blood-share link to his advantage, he tries to respect her wishes if they don’t too drastically differ from his own. Like I said, if I had to pick one of them, I’d pick Eric. If she would become vampire, then she should definitely pick Eric! But as she is now, Sookie’s inability to take care of herself is the biggest part of why I think she should just run the heck away from all these “knights in shining armor”. She needs to learn how to grow into the incredibly powerful woman she can be. As it stands, she has intermittent powers that are controlled by her emotions instead of her mind, and yet she is quick to act and get herself into situations far out of her league.
She needs positive female role models who don’t need to be saved and from whom she can learn the power of relying on herself and, of course, thinking things through. As it stands, she has Tara, who has been SUCH a hot mess the entire series. Maybe Tara’s newfound vampire life, and her relationship with Pam which has the makings to be more stable than her past relationships, will help make her a more stable influence in Sookie’s life! And maybe if Sookie can find relationships with more stable witches, like in the books, she can learn to harness her own natural powers and become a formidable force in her own right, THEN try to start dating one of these supernatural guys (aka, Eric).
Victoria: Sookie will never become a vampire. She loves the sun far too much and would likely have an adverse reaction to the “changing process,” as seen in the books when a were or two have been bitten and become vampires. On her own, though, Sookie is pretty, erm, how do I say this? Sookie needs a babysitter!
As much as I love to credit Sookie for being strong and blowing away Debbie Pelt, Tara shielded Sookie from that first bullet and provided Sookie an opportunity to kill Debbie. It looks like “Strong Sookie” is still a bit out of our reach. A relationship provides Sookie with protection. Why that in NO way means a woman needs a man to be strong and protected, in terms of Sookie, it kind of does. But Rochelle, I understand: what Sookie needs more than a man is a strong woman in her life as a friend and role model. Maybe season 6 will provide just such a person.
Rochelle: Okay, I see your point! Maybe she will die if she isn’t with one of these guys. And of course Eric drained her faerie godmother, the only stable female influence in her life! But, that is such a crap reason to be in a relationship that has all sorts of other psychological issues attached to it! How about she grows up instead!
I think you just convinced me more, though, that she shouldn’t be with any of these guys, and should be looking to grow into her own first.
To be continued…
So, dear readers, while we wait for evidence from season 6 before continuing, we leave this argument in your hands: Should Sookie be with Eric, Bill, Alcide, Sam, or just by herself? We want to hear your opinions!
