PRESENCE OF SPIRITS
Throughout True Blood, there is a presence of a number of spiritual figures who were once either living mortals, vampires, or witches. We will take a look at two of these spirits, one that was once a living mortal, and one that was a vampire. These two spirits have a presence in the series when they were living, but also after they have died and come back in flashbacks or have the ability to come back as spiritual figures.
Gran
Throughout True Blood, there is a presence of a number of spiritual figures who were once either living mortals, vampires, or witches. We will take a look at two of these spirits, one that was once a living mortal, and one that was a vampire. These two spirits have a presence in the series when they were living, but also after they have died and come back in flashbacks or have the ability to come back as spiritual figures.
Gran
Gran present at one of her Descendants of the Glorious Dead meetings
In season one of True Blood, one of the first characters to be introduced is Sookie’s grandmother, Adele Stackhouse (Gran). Although she was a grandmother, she was a mother figure for Sookie and her brother, Jason, as their parents passed away when they were young. Tara, Sookie’s best friend, also thought of Gran as a mother as her own mother was often unfit to raise her.
The series portrays much conflict due to the fact that vampires are often not willingly accepted into society. However, Gran was “the perfect embodiment of a form of wisdom based on goodness, intelligence and humor, welcome[d] Bill without prejudice, [was] absolutely convinced that God loves vampires as much as all his other creatures…”* She had shown a great interest in Bill’s knowledge of the past and invited him to come speak at her society meeting “Descendants of the Glorious Dead”.* Shortly after the meeting, Gran was murdered by Drew Marshall, crushing Sookie’s world (season one, episode five*). Sookie finds comfort in those around her but the loss difficult since she lived in Gran’s house and was very close with her. Gran does reappear in flashbacks that Sookie has throughout the series, especially as she remembers her grandmother’s advice.
The series portrays much conflict due to the fact that vampires are often not willingly accepted into society. However, Gran was “the perfect embodiment of a form of wisdom based on goodness, intelligence and humor, welcome[d] Bill without prejudice, [was] absolutely convinced that God loves vampires as much as all his other creatures…”* She had shown a great interest in Bill’s knowledge of the past and invited him to come speak at her society meeting “Descendants of the Glorious Dead”.* Shortly after the meeting, Gran was murdered by Drew Marshall, crushing Sookie’s world (season one, episode five*). Sookie finds comfort in those around her but the loss difficult since she lived in Gran’s house and was very close with her. Gran does reappear in flashbacks that Sookie has throughout the series, especially as she remembers her grandmother’s advice.
Here Sookie and Gran discuss Bill. This displays how Gran does not show prejudice toward Bill because he is a vampire.
It is in season four, episode five*, Sookie visits Marnie, the leader of a Wiccan group, to seek a reading. It is during the reading that Sookie hears Gran speaking to her and warning her to get away from Marnie, as she is dangerous. In episode twelve*, Marnie is living maliciously inside of Lafayette, taking over his body with mischief. Gran appears as a ghost and pulls Marnie out of Lafayette. This implies that ghosts have the ability to do so. Before Gran leaves to go, she tells Sookie to follow her heart. While Sookie asks her to stay, Gran states that she cannot. As a ghost she does not have the ability to come back as a living mortal.
Gran comes back to pull Marnie out of Lafayette, and to protect Sookie
Godric
In season two, episode five*, we are introduced to Godric, a vampire who essentially lived to resent living mortals. He turns, or ‘makes’, Eric into a vampire and is thus his ‘maker’, passing on his resentment for the living. For the first thousand years of his life, he was murderous and barbaric, taking the lives of many humans. Later, he took on a new motto and began to sympathize with the human race, valuing their lives.*
When looking at the meaning of the name ‘Godric’, we find that it means ""power of God" and is derived from Old English “god” combined with “ric”. The “ric” part means “power” or “rule”.”* To Eric, Godric’s progeny (offspring of the vampire maker), Godric is like a God. Eric idolizes Godric and holds him in the highest regard.
After living for two thousand years, Godric decides to commit suicide. “In a Christ-like gesture, he voluntarily goes to the Fellowship of the Sun…”* to offer himself up to be killed as he is redemptive of all of his past violence and killings. Unlike his natural vampiric instincts, he wishes for a calm integration of humans and vampires together in society. “Godric yearns to die…because he has received all of what time can give him…the presence of Sookie at his side with her human tears turns death for Godric into the experience of an encounter through which he sees the promise of something new.”*
When looking at the meaning of the name ‘Godric’, we find that it means ""power of God" and is derived from Old English “god” combined with “ric”. The “ric” part means “power” or “rule”.”* To Eric, Godric’s progeny (offspring of the vampire maker), Godric is like a God. Eric idolizes Godric and holds him in the highest regard.
After living for two thousand years, Godric decides to commit suicide. “In a Christ-like gesture, he voluntarily goes to the Fellowship of the Sun…”* to offer himself up to be killed as he is redemptive of all of his past violence and killings. Unlike his natural vampiric instincts, he wishes for a calm integration of humans and vampires together in society. “Godric yearns to die…because he has received all of what time can give him…the presence of Sookie at his side with her human tears turns death for Godric into the experience of an encounter through which he sees the promise of something new.”*
Final scene of Godric living as a vampire as he speaks with Eric and Sookie and then gives himself up.
He and Sookie discuss the idea that God does not punish, but forgives.
He and Sookie discuss the idea that God does not punish, but forgives.
Scene before Godric gives himself up. He speaks with Eric who does not want him to die, and cries tears of blood.
Even after season two, Godric reappears as a spirit and in dreams. In season three, episode twelve*, Godric reappears and comes to Eric as a spirit. It is proven that at this point he has still retained his sympathy for humans and demanded Eric to forgive the vampire who killed his family, and talks him out of murder and suicide. In season five, episode seven*, Godric reappears again as Eric’s voice of reason to advise Eric and Nora (Eric’s sister) to stop with violence. Godric’s last and most recent appearance in the series was in season five, episode ten* where he advises Eric and Nora to not partake in the drinking of Lilith’s blood (“the first vampire, supposedly made in God’s image”*). Godric insults Lilith by calling her a “godless god”. Lilith then beheads Godric for doing so.
Text Sources:
Indicated with an asterisk.
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Adele_Stackhouse
"Sparks Fly Out." True Blood. HBO. 5 Oct. 2008. Television.
"Me and the Devil." True Blood. HBO. 25 July 2011. Television.
"And When I Die." True Blood. HBO. 11 Sept. 2011. Television.
"Never Let Me Go." True Blood. HBO. 19 July 2009. Television.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Godric
http://www.trueblood-online.com/the-goodness-of-godric/
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
"Evil is Going On." True Blood. HBO. 12 Sept. 2010. Television.
"In The Beginning." True Blood. HBO. 22 July 2012. Television.
"Gone, Gone, Gone." True Blood. HBO. 12 Aug. 2012. Television.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Lilith
Photo & Video Sources:
http://i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/true-blood/character/adele-hale-stackhouse-gran-1024.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SitkITu6Qs
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21700000/True-Blood-gif-true-blood-21716504-500-231.gif
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJZrXgcGOjo
http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/True-Blood-ep-10-Godric-1024x640.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rvW3C-qEA
http://effyeahtrueblood.tumblr.com/post/64104570958/the-feels-every-time-trueblood-godric
Indicated with an asterisk.
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Adele_Stackhouse
"Sparks Fly Out." True Blood. HBO. 5 Oct. 2008. Television.
"Me and the Devil." True Blood. HBO. 25 July 2011. Television.
"And When I Die." True Blood. HBO. 11 Sept. 2011. Television.
"Never Let Me Go." True Blood. HBO. 19 July 2009. Television.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Godric
http://www.trueblood-online.com/the-goodness-of-godric/
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
Marrati, Paola. "True Blood, Bon Temps, Lousiana 2008-2012." MLN 127.5 (2012): 981-996. Print.
"Evil is Going On." True Blood. HBO. 12 Sept. 2010. Television.
"In The Beginning." True Blood. HBO. 22 July 2012. Television.
"Gone, Gone, Gone." True Blood. HBO. 12 Aug. 2012. Television.
http://trueblood.wikia.com/wiki/Lilith
Photo & Video Sources:
http://i.lv3.hbo.com/assets/images/series/true-blood/character/adele-hale-stackhouse-gran-1024.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SitkITu6Qs
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/21700000/True-Blood-gif-true-blood-21716504-500-231.gif
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJZrXgcGOjo
http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/True-Blood-ep-10-Godric-1024x640.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rvW3C-qEA
http://effyeahtrueblood.tumblr.com/post/64104570958/the-feels-every-time-trueblood-godric