The end is coming soon. And it's going to be bloody. HBO will air the final episode of "True Blood" season five on Sunday evening.
Following a season that left virtually none of its characters powerless, or traditionally human, "True Blood" creator Alan Ball warns that the episode has "a big body count," and adds, "Probably more than any episode we've ever had." Will Sam be amongst the casualties or will he be able to shift into something small enough (like a fly) to get away?
"Right, who's the normal person left to react?" said Sam Trammel, the show's Sam Merlotte. "It's all in the [Sookie Stackhouse] books - they divvy out the supernatural creatures as the story goes on. But now even Tara's been turned! The show keeps getting bigger and the writers need something to work with."
The official synopsis for "Save Yourself" reads, "In the fifth-season finale, Eric makes one last attempt to thwart the Authority and save Bill from losing his humanity. Meanwhile, Alcide prepares for another battle with JD; Sam and Luna try to escape the Authority; and Andy deals with the fallout of a pact."
After Twitter hit 100,000 tweets using the hashtag "#SaveYourself" HBO released a new extended sneak peek.
The new True Blood season 5 episode 12 sneak peek from the finale "Save Yourself" shows that Sookie and Jason get away from Russell somehow, but exactly how has yet to be revealed.
Eric, played by Alexander Skarsgård, and company struggle to save Bill's humanity while shape-shifter - and mostly all-around good guy - Sam infiltrates the Vampire Authority headquarters to rescue his lady love's daughter from the hands of corrupt bloodsuckers.
If there is anyone who can help Bill regain his sanity, it will be Sookie, so Eric says in the new clip. In the snippet, Eric, Nora, and Tara visit Sookie's house to ask her to help save Pam and Jessica who are held captive in the Authority headquarters.
Tara constantly reminds Sookie that she owes Pam, but Jason who now seems to hate all vampires won't let his sister go with Eric, leading to him trading insults with Eric. Sookie then brings up the factory bombing incident, and learns the hard truth that Bill was behind the bombing.
As Eric makes one last attempt to thwart the Authority and save Bill from losing his humanity, Alcide prepares for another battle with JD. Sam and Luna try to escape the Authority, and Andy deals with the fallout of a pact.
A previously-released preview for the episode hinted that Jason won't stay still during the potential big showdown among the vampires and declares it's time for a war.
In an interview with TV Guide, Trammel let a few tidbits slip on where the series might be headed next.
"Oh, sure [he still loves Sookie]," said Trammel. "We've gotten pulled off in our different ways, but when you think about it, it's only been about a year and a half or two since the action started. It seems almost like a reasonable thing for them to end up together."
Trammel thinks his character has serious trust issues on the show, but sees him eventually outgrowing them. "[Sam] does have trust issues - that irrational fight-or-flee impulse. But I think he's found real love [with Luna], and he's learning how to hold onto it. It's about that moment when you know you want to pursue it in a serious way," Trammel said.
The season finale also marks the end of creator Alan Ball's control of the TV show. "We would prefer that he stayed, for sure. But he's gonna be involved; he's not going to be completely gone," said Trammel. "Alan is that hand on the tiller. He's made a lot of the choices that have made this show a success in the first place."