First off, If you find yourself frustrated over not being able to watch the latest episodes of your favorite shows until they become available online or on Netflix, it may be time to update your DirecTV package. This way, you won’t miss out on exciting television events like the latest episode of True Blood, which aired this past Sunday, September 4th. The episode, entitled “Soul of Fire,” followed the familiar True Blood pattern of starting and ending in high suspense.
When the episode begins, we pick up with Marnie, having gathered a number of hostages, including Sookie, Lafayette and Jesus among others, barricaded and protected by a spell. Meanwhile, Bill, Eric, and some of the other vampires are on their way to kill Marnie and end the spell she has placed over them (through which she can force them to walk in daylight). However, just as the vampires are approaching Marnie’s hideout, armed with automatic weapons, Jason rushes in to stop them, both to save them from dying in Marnie’s protective force field and to keep Sookie from coming to any harm at Marnie’s hand.
Thus begins an awkward standoff that lasts for most of the episode: Marnie and her hostages remain inside, while the vampires try to figure out a way in. Meanwhile, however, Marnie kills Casey, a human girl (in self defense, she later claims), prompting Antonia, the spirit that dwells within Marnie and gives her power, to
attempt to leave. We see a confrontation between Marnie and Antonia through Lafayette’s eyes, as he is the only one present who is capable of seeing spirits; Marnie appears to overpower the spirit, swallowing her and maintaining her power. Then, somewhat subtly, Jesus claims that Casey has pulse, and he and Lafayette are allowed to take her to another room to attempt to heal her.
Shortly after this, Marnie and Sookie actually step outside, as Marnie has agreed to negotiate with Bill and Eric. As it turns out, this “negotiation” is merely a terrible offer: Sookie in exchange for both Bill and Eric killing themselves. Shockingly, Bill and Eric are preparing to agree to this offer, when Pam, another vampire, launches a rocket at Sookie (which explodes on the force field) to stop them. This ends the negotiations, and Marnie and Sookie retreat inside.
Once back inside, Marnie begins work on a spell that starts to drag the vampires toward the force field, which will surely kill them if they come into contact with it. Jason, who, as a human, is not drawn by the spell, helps to pull the vampires back, and also communicates with his mind to Sookie, telling her to stop Marnie.
Sookie manages to break the spell, and shortly afterward Jesus, who has used a combination of magic and the blood of the dead girl, Casey, manages to overpower Marnie and draw Antonio out of her. This breaks the force field, allowing the vampires to burst into the building, where Bill ultimately shoots and kills Marnie.
At this point, the episode seems to calm down with something of a happy ending. In a side plot, Marcus the werewolf has been killed, which helps Sam to avenege his dead brother. Meanwhile, Marnie has been defeated, and her hostages freed. However, just as the episode is coming to a close, as Lafayette is offering words of encouragement to Jesus (who is a bit shaken from his own spell work), the spirit of Marnie appears
with a wicked expression, and seems to possess Lafayette – setting us up once again for a suspenseful beginning to the next episode.
