‘True Blood’ recap: Eric, Bill liberate Vamp Camp; goodbye to Terry

With the “true death” about to strike down all the inmates at notorious Vamp Camp, rivals Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) come to the rescue in “Life Matters,” Episode 69 of HBO’s “True Blood.”

In the previous episode, Eric drained nearly all the blood from Warlow (Rob Kazinsky), an ancient faerie/vampire who can walk the earth day or night. Now vampire Bill wants what’s left of that blood to save his imprisoned subjects. But that’s a nonstarter for Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who fends off Bill with a powerful blast of faerie light.

After reviving himself with Sookie’s blood, Warlow asks whether she’s still serious about getting married.

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“When I promise something, I keep it,” Sookie assures him. But Warlow isn’t looking so good. Maybe those nuptials aren’t a done deal.

Next stop for Sookie -- and just about everyone else in bucolic Bon Temps -- is the military funeral for Terry Bellefleur (Todd Lowe), who overcame his Iraq War-induced PTSD only to die from a sniper bullet.

In a series of flashbacks, friends and family recall how Terry returned from the war a broken man and slowly put his life back together. When it’s time for restaurateur Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammel) to speak, he recounts the time Terry caught a catfish but didn’t have the heart to let it die.

“Every life matters,” Terry once said to Sam. “Throw it back.”

Telepathic Sookie describes how Terry was instantly attracted to future wife Arlene (Carrie Preston).

“He loved you since the second you walked into his life,” says a tearful Sookie, who’s comforted by hunky werewolf buddy Alcide (Joe Manganiello).

Meanwhile, a horrific scene unfolds at Vamp Camp, where Eric literally rips the guards to shreds, then opens the prison doors.

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“You’re free,” Eric tells the liberated vampires. “Go forth and kill the humans.”

About the only human Eric spares is Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten), who’s barely moving after feeding his blood to alpha female Violet (Karolina Wydra). She’s an old-school vampire -- as in medieval old-school -- who mates for life.

“Darling, you feed only me,” Violet insists. Given his playboy tendencies, Jason had better be careful.

Escaping the carnage is Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp), the religious fanatic in charge of Vamp Camp. Sarah makes it to the roof and lets in the vampire-killing sun.

But fortunately for the vamps below, Bill has enough sun-resistant blood to save his subjects. Except for turncoat vampire Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian), that is, who bursts into flames as Eric holds him in the sunlight.

When Jason catches up with Sarah, he wrestles away her handgun and holds it to her throat. In a desperate attempt to live another day, Sarah asks:

“What will become of your soul, Jason?”

“I don’t know,” he replies, “but at least I have a soul.”

When he starts to pull the trigger, however, Jason opts for mercy and lets Sarah speed away in her fancy SUV.

As for Bill, he’s near the “true death” after being drained in that vampire feeding frenzy.

“Come. Your time on Earth is over,” say a trio of bloody, naked sirens (Chanon Finley, Jodie Smith and Chloe Holmes) dispatched by vamp goddess Lilith (Jessica Clark).

Thanks to an emergency blood donation by vampire James (Luke Grimes), however, Bill should be back for next season.

As the episode concludes, Eric locks eyes with his spurned progeny Pam (Kristen Bauer van Straten), who’s obviously still in love with her maker.

“Don’t you dare leave me,” Pam pleads.

But Eric doesn’t say a word as he swooshes into the bright sky, abandoning Pam once more.

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