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When last we left Bon Temps, a full-blown war had broken out between Marnie’s coven and the vampires, the latter side buffeted by Sookie’s powers. But in the final minutes of the episode, the tide had been turning in favor of the witches, leaving our major players in great peril. This week sees the conclusion to the battle and its aftermath, and it is safe to say that grim mortality and the possibility of destruction hang over every plotline in the episode. Since neither side wins this first round, things only escalate from here on out.

• Director: Romeo Tirone
• Writer: Brian Buckner
• Cast: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, Nelsan Ellis, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Deborah Ann Woll

• Marnie: Marnie â€" or, should I say, Antonia â€" has been a powerhouse these last few episodes. She continues to steal the spotlight in this episode, this time showing off in a display of power that is the most compelling and frightening for our main characters since Maryann Forrester threatened the livelihood of Bon Temps back in season two. By the time the dust clears, Marnie/Antonia might go down as one of my top “True Blood” villains.
• Bill vs. Nan: I always love when politics drive a wedge between characters, especially when Nan Flanagan and her tart tongue come around. Bill and Nan going head-to-head on the burning issues of the day is a well-written and revealing exchange that elevates the political dimension of the show to a whole new level. That, and the quick cut from the shot in Bill’s office to that of Bill, Nan and Jessica chained up in the jail cell adds the perfect touch of humor to counterbalance the necessary seriousness of the situation.
• Role reversal: In this episode, we see just how much Jason has come into his own as an officer of the law â€" and how far Andy has fallen from grace due to his addiction to V. It’s fascinating to see the new partner dynamic unfold, as Jason takes on the role of the sagacious, honorable officer and Andy continues to tumble into oblivion and continuously needs to be held back.
• Sam and Luna: The more I see Sam and Luna together, the more I like them. It’s too bad that Marcus and his drama will inevitably tear them apart. Nonetheless, for the duration of this episode, the two of them, along with Luna’s daughter, had the most genuinely touching moments of the whole hour.
• Jessica and Jason: Besides the fact that I’m quickly falling in love with these two, I just want to point out how hilarious it is that Jessica and Jason consummate their relationship to the oh-so-innocent Taylor Swift’s CD. Bravo to the HBO executive who made that choice.
• Debbie’s betrayal: Debbie’s role has finally been given a little more meat (no pun intended). Things are obviously being set up so that Alcide and Debbie will be fighting on opposite sides when the time comes. That will be a sight to see.
• Line of the night: The line itself is fairly tame, but Jessica’s tearful delivery is pitch-perfect: “I wish I was dead. Except I am, and it doesn’t even matter.”

• Lafayette’s possession: Although this episode’s performance is indicative of Nelsan Ellis’s amazing talent as an actor, the whole medium/possession plotline just isn’t all that compelling. It feels like it is tacked on to the main plotline of the show simply because of the common thread between them: magic. The only consolation that I have for having been forced to sit through these scenes is that they wrapped up relatively quickly, in the span of a couple of episodes. Nevertheless, the episodic nature of the plotline makes it seem that much more unnecessary. It easily could have been left on the cutting room floor, or at least have been better integrated into the main arc of the season.
• Sookie’s fantasy: Some may hate me for this, but I have no problem saying it: the Eric/Sookie lovefest has long outstayed its welcome by this point. It’s getting close to giving me a cavity! While the inclusion of Bill into the mix certainly adds some much needed conflict and drama to the situation, there must be much more interesting ways to settle this love triangle than with yet another retreat into a V-fueled, hazy dream world. Keeping things within the confines of Sookie’s imagination, without any consequences occurring in the “real world,” is also a sign of the cop-out to end all cop-outs. Evidently, the writing staff just isn’t ready for Sookie to make a decision about the loves in her life, and so they are toying with the audience through this dream of hers.

Although the main plotline that courses through this arc of the season continues to take us for a thrill ride, the show’s supporting cast â€" and even some of the main players â€" have fairly weak plotlines to contend with. Peppered with the usual humor and some exciting moments, the subplots of this episode mostly flounder, leaving me to hope that things will get better come next week. With the witch/vampire war on the horizon, I imagine that everyone will eventually converge on the strongest plotline of the season.

“True Blood” airs every Sunday night on HBO!

What did you think of last night’s episode?

I'm reading: True Blood: Season 4, Episode 9 – ‘Let’s Get Out Of Here’ – TV Review