List of True Blood characters

True Blood is an American television drama series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris.

Main Characters

Sookie Stackhouse

Main article: Sookie Stackhouse

Sookie is a telepathic waitress in a small-town restaurant and the main protagonist of the series. Because of her ability, she has difficulty forming lasting human relationships. She becomes involved in a romantic relationship with a vampire, Bill, upon discovering that she can't read his mind. This relationship with a supernatural being causes a lot of controversy in her small town. Through Bill, she finds herself entering into a world of creatures and supernatural conflict that surpasses her worst nightmares. She has lived with her grandmother, Adele Stackhouse, since childhood, after the death of her parents.

Also through Bill, she has found out where her telepathic ability is coming from and what she is in the 11th episode of season 3. Sookie is a hybrid descent from the human and fairy a species that is supposed to be extinct over years.

• Jeffrey Nicholas Brown plays Corbett Stackhouse and Jenni Blong plays Michelle Stackhouse, Sookie and Jason Stackhouse's parents. They are killed in a flash flood prior to the events of the series. They appear only in flashbacks, and are portrayed as loving parents albeit horrified and confused by Sookie's telepathy.

Bill Compton

Main article: Bill Compton (The Southern Vampire Mysteries)

Bill Compton is a vampire romantically involved with Sookie. Turned during the American Civil War against his will, Bill shows more compassion for human life than many other vampires. He is outwardly expressive of his emotions and holds onto memories of his past human life, behaviors that are unique amongst his vampire peers. While not an extremely old vampire, Bill is quite powerful and was referred to by Russell Edgington as one of the most promising vampires in the Americas. Bill risks his life and standing in vampire society to protect Sookie from those who wish to take advantage of her fairy ancestry.

• Amber Dawn Landrum plays Bill's wife, Caroline Compton, in a flashback during Season 1.
• Shannon Lucio is cast to play Bill's wife, Caroline Compton, in an expanded role during Season 3.

Sam Merlotte

Main article: Sam Merlotte

Sam is the owner of Merlotte's, where Sookie works. During the first season, Sam is characterized by his adoration and loyalty towards Sookie Stackhouse. When Bill Compton becomes involved with Sookie, he openly disapproves of their relationship and (despite initially showing support for equal vampire rights and selling Tru Blood at his bar) feels as though vampires and humans should be separate whether they're equals or not. Sam is also a shapeshifter, often watching over Sookie in the form of a dog, and the first supernatural introduced to the series that isn't a vampire. He keeps his nature as a shapeshifter hidden from Bon Temps (though vampires and other supernaturals appear to be able to recognize what he is on sight), and Sookie is the only human resident to know his secret during the first season.

• J. Smith-Cameron is cast to play Melinda, Sam Merlotte's biological mother, in Season 3.
• Cooper Huckabee is cast to play Joe Lee Mickens, a role described as the husband of Sam Merlotte's biological mother in casting calls, in Season 3.
• Marshall Allman is cast to play Tommy Mickens, Sam Merlotte's younger brother, in Season 3.

Jason Stackhouse

Main article: Jason Stackhouse

Jason Stackhouse also known as "The Stack" is Sookie's not-too-bright, self-involved brother. He supervises a road crew during the day, and is known for bedding the women of Bon Temps at night. During the first season, he is the prime suspect in the murders of four women, all of whom have a connection to him: Maudette Pickens, Dawn Green, his grandmother, and Amy Burley. He meets Amy at Fangtasia while attempting to score V, to which he has become addicted. After Amy is killed, he comes to believe that he is responsible for the murders and turns himself in; while in jail, he is recruited by the Fellowship of the Sun, an anti-vampire church, who approve of what they believe to be his crime of killing fangbangers. During the second season, Jason becomes more involved with the Fellowship, attending a leadership conference with the Rev. Steve Newlin and his wife Sarah, the church leaders. Although he and Sookie spend little time together, Jason is vigilant in defending and protecting her. He bonds with Andy Bellefleur after the events at Sookie's house precipitated by Maryann Forrester. He shoots Eggs in the head in the season finale when he thinks that Eggs is going to hurt Andy. His action is concealed by Andy, who lies and says he killed Eggs in self-defense, as Eggs was the killer of Miss Jeanette and Daphne (it is true that he committed those crimes, though Andy didn't know that).

Tara Thornton

Main article: Tara Thornton

Rutina Wesley portrays Tara Thornton in HBO's, True Blood. Brook Kerr was the first actress to portray Tara; she was replaced immediately after the pilot episode and her scenes were reshot with Wesley.

In the television adaption True Blood, Tara is an woman who has been Sookie Stackhouse's best friend since they were children. Tara grew up in a very abusive home with an alcoholic mother, and consequently finds it difficult to fit in with normal society or to trust people. She is very adept at reading people and constantly distances herself from others by speaking her observations candidly and plainly. As a result, she has difficulty holding down a job until Sam Merlotte hires her to be a bartender at Merlotte's. Tara has been secretly in love with Jason Stackhouse since they were children and Jason protected Tara from the wrath of her drunken mother. While growing up, Tara spent a lot of time at the Stackhouse home. In season 1, Tara becomes a "friend with benfits" to Sam, and in season 2 she falls in love with Eggs Benedict Talley thanks to the manipulations of Maryann Forrester. Lafayette is Tara's cousin. As angry and resentful as Tara is of her alcoholic mother, she still attempts to help her, and frequently yields to her mother's manipulations, only to be emotionally abused once again.

Lafayette Reynolds

Lafayette is a short order cook at Merlotte's, a drug dealer, a member of Jason Stackhouse's road crew, and a gay prostitute.

In casting, Alan Ball had concerns that the character's sexuality would be a dominating trait, "because you don't want to bring in someone who's going to play that in a phony way." Nelsan Ellis says that it took him a few episodes to find the character. Ellis says that he based many of Lafayette's mannerisms on his mother and his sister, and that the costuming also helps him get into character.

I have more makeup on than any of the females in the cast. Once they get me with the fake eyelashes and the eye makeup, I listen to some Rihanna and I'm there.

— Nelsan Ellis, The Philadelphia Enquirer

At the end of Season 1, Lafayette is kidnapped by Eric on suspicion of being involved in the disappearance of a vampire, Eddie, under Eric's jurisdiction. Lafayette is chained in the basement of Fangtasia for a long time, and Lafayette demonstrates that he is a survivor, as he uses his skills to attempt escape and to convince Eric to not kill him. Sookie ultimately rescues him, and he then suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder for the rest of the season. In Season 3, Lafayette meets Jesus Velasques and they begin a relationship. When he and Jesus take V together, they both discover that their ancestors used black magic.

• Alfre Woodard plays Lafayette Reynolds's mother in Season 3.

• Lafayette appears in only the first Sookie Stackhouse novel, as his body is discovered in Andy Bellefleur's car at the beginning of the second novel. In the TV show, it is the body of Miss Jeanette that is found. The character was preserved in the TV series due to his popularity and in order to help support Tara's expanded role in the series.

• Kevin Alejandro plays Lafayette's love interest in Season 3.

Eric Northman

Main article: Eric Northman

Eric Northman is the Sheriff of Area 5, a vampire district in Louisiana. A Swedish Viking warrior in life, he is over 1,000 years old and is a powerful member of the vampire community. He runs the vampire bar, Fangtasia, in Shreveport, and develops an interest in Sookie Stackhouse after discovering her unique ability to read minds during the first season. Immensely strong and the oldest vampire in Louisiana, he rips a man into pieces during the second season. As sheriff he enforces vampire law, a duty that includes bringing Bill Compton to be tried by the Magister for killing a fellow vampire: Longshadow. Eric and Bill are portrayed as being in a strained form of conflict; Eric wanting Sookie but being unable to take her due to vampire etiquette, and Bill unable to act on his anger toward Eric due to being a vampire subject to Eric's jurisdiction as sheriff.

For several weeks during the second season, Eric holds Lafayette Reynolds prisoner at Fangtasia for selling V. Eric trades Lafayette's freedom (and a substantial sum of money) for Sookie's assistance in his search for Godric, the missing Sheriff of Area 9 in Dallas and his maker. Eric, still technically bound to Godric, is intensely loyal and cares deeply for his maker. This quality of the character is highlighted when Godric (who has grown weary of life after over 2,000 years of existence) decides to commit suicide by exposing himself to sunlight at dawn. When he first hears of Godric's desire to end his life, Eric shows anger, then breaks down weeping, begging his maker not to leave. Here Eric shows a vastly different side to his usually collected and taciturn personality. At first insistent on staying by Godric's side and dying with him, Eric does not leave until Godric invokes his authority as Eric's Maker to directly order him to leave.

Throughout the second season, Eric's interest in Sookie progresses from his initial curiosity to romantic attraction. This attraction comes to a head when he tricks Sookie into sucking silver bullets out of his body (ostensibly to save his life), resulting in her unintentionally consuming an unknown portion of his blood. This causes Sookie to feel sexually attracted to Eric, and also allows Eric to monitor her emotions and location at all times.

At the beginning of the third season it is also revealed that Eric is aware of the werewolves who have taken Bill and, with Godric, masqueraded as SS during the Second World War, hunting Werewolves. His prejudice toward a specific group of Werewolves stems from his family being murdered by a group of them, who were ordered by a mysterious vampire which Eric learns to be Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi. His feelings and attraction to Sookie are also more apparent, as he begins to have dreams of her in his sleep.

To get close to Russell, he pledges his allegiance by betraying Sophie-Anne and blackmailing her into marrying Russell. He also forces Hadley, Sookie's cousin, to reveal that Sookie is a fairy, and that Sophie-Anne sent Bill after her. When they get back to Jackson, Eric offers to help calm down Talbot's stress while Russell goes after Bill and Sookie. Eric and Talbot almost have sex, but Eric stakes Talbot as part of his revenge. Eric reveals Russell's plans to Nan Flanagan and the Authority. They task Eric to conduct an "off the books" mission to hunt and kill Russell.

• Natasha Alam plays Yvetta, Pam and Eric's new sex toy and the new Fangtasia dancer, during Season 3.

Jessica Hamby

Jessica Hamby is a young vampire "made" by Bill as a part of his punishment for murdering a fellow vampire at the end of the first season. Having been raised in an overly strict family, she relishes the freedom that comes with being a vampire, but her petulant attitude tries Bill's patience. During season two, Jessica finds a love interest in Hoyt Fortenberry, but because she was a virgin before she was made vampire, her hymen grows back each time they have sex. Their relationship is put under strain when after a fight she attacks his mother when provoked. Distraught after her fight with Hoyt and his mother she feeds on a trucker, accidentally killing him. She is haunted by this and is eventually blackmailed by Franklin who uses the trucker against her. Her relationship with Hoyt is still strained due to her inability to talk about what she has done; he proceeds to make her jealous with another woman due to her ignoring him and mistakenly thinking she had moved on. Jessica becomes the new hostess at Merlotte's and is seen to be feuding with Arlene. In episode eight of Season Three, she tells Bill how she killed the trucker because Bill had never taught her how to behave as a vampire. The pair bonds and she admits to Bill that she loves Hoyt, but feels her inherent nature as a vampire is unworkable with his good, kind personality. She is portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll.

• Ben Lemon plays Jordan Hamby, Jessica's father.
• Cheryl White plays Mrs Hamby, Jessica's mother.
• Annalise Basso plays Eden Hamby, Jessica's little sister.

Pamela Swynford De Beaufort

Pamela Swynford De Beaufort, commonly referred to as simply Pam, made into a vampire by Eric about a century before the events of the series, is introduced during the first season as his loyal (albeit lazy) assistant and the bouncer at Fangtasia. Though Pam's background has largely not been explored within True Blood, she and Eric occasionally speak to one another in Swedish. She also has claimed that she used to be a prostitute "a long, long time ago." Cynical and apparently devoid of feelings, she is often by Eric's side but does not accompany him to Dallas in the second season. After Lafayette is healed by Eric's blood, she enlists him to sell V for Eric. Throughout the series, Pam often displays lesbian tendencies. In season three she was briefly held captive and tortured by the Magister, who was trying to find out who was selling V. She is freed by Mississippi Vampire King Russell Edgington as a favour to Eric, who helped Russell blackmail the Queen of Louisiana into marrying him, thus uniting the two states. In episode 33 Pam reveals that she's been with Eric for 100 years.

Tommy Mickens

Tommy is Sam's brother who first appears in Bad Blood. He is seen to be more in control of his shape-shifting abilities than Sam is. He has tried to kill Sam, and has stolen from him. He is shocked by the news of having a brother he never knew about and hated him at first, but after spending time with him he begins to enjoy having Sam for a brother to the point where he asks Sam to let him stay with him after a fight with his father, Joe Lee. Sam also gives Tommy a job at Merlotte's. It is revealed in "Hitting The Ground" that Joe Lee uses Tommy and his mother (in the past) in dog fights in order to gain money. Once Sam discovers this, he persuades Tommy to leave his parents and stay with him and Tommy accepts. Tommy is also shown to pick fights at Merlotte's and shows an open dislike to Hoyt, which may be due to his feelings for Jessica Hamby. He is portrayed by Marshall Allman.

Alcide Herveaux

Alcide is Sookie's werewolf bodyguard that Eric sent to her to accompany her on her trip to Jackson, Mississippi in an effort to find Bill. He is still struggling over his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Debbie Pelt who after becoming addicted to V, gets engaged to Coot and starts to work for Russell. He helps Sookie survive in werewolf meetings, and discovers that Russell Edgington is supplying Coot's pack with V. When he changes, he appears as a white wolf. He is portrayed by Joe Manganiello. Manganiello announced at ComicCon 2010 that series creator Alan Ball had asked him to become a series regular as of Season 4.

Recurring Characters

Arlene Fowler

Arlene Fowler is a fictional character in The Southern Vampire Mysteries, a series of ten books written by New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris. She is a waitress at Merlotte's. Arlene is introduced in the first novel, Dead Until Dark and appears in all subsequent novels. HBO's television series True Blood is based on this book series and the character of Arlene Fowler is portrayed somewhat differently. The character plays a part in most of the current storylines. She has been played by actress Carrie Preston since her character's debut on the series. Arlene has been married four times, and she is the mother of two children. While she has a good heart, she is often apt to resort to bigotry (directed at vampires) and openly disapproves of Sookie's relationship with Bill. Toward the end of the first season, she becomes engaged to her boyfriend Rene, but her happiness is short-lived when she discovers that he is the Bon Temps serial killer. When 'Rene' is killed by Sookie, Arlene tells Sookie that she wants her to check inside the head of her next would-be husband. In at the end of Season 1 and for the duration of Season 2, she begins a new relationship with Terry Bellefleur. In Season 3, Arlene begins to suspect that she is pregnant. Arlene reveals to Terry that the baby is indeed Rene's.

• Alec Gray plays Coby Fowler and Laurel Weber plays Lisa Fowler, Arlene's children.

Terry Bellefleur

Terry Bellefleur, a cousin of Detective Andy Bellefleur, is an Iraq war veteran who works as one of the cooks at Merlotte's. He shows clear signs of posttraumatic stress disorder and has apparently spent time in a VA Hospital but, despite his unusual behavior, he is a gentle soul. He is one of the few who are kind to Bill and he finds him to be a kindred soul as Bill is a veteran like him. While working at Merlotte's he begins to show interest in Arlene, and the two become romantically involved during the second season. Due to Maryann's influence, their relationship appears to progress more quickly than Terry wants. In Season 3, Arlene reveals that she is pregnant and Terry is very excited. When Arlene reveales that the baby is Rene's, Terry is adamant in keeping the child and raising it as his own.

Andy Bellefleur

Detective Andy Bellefleur is a police detective in Bon Temps who is somewhat incompetent at his job and is regularly disrespected by the town's citizens. He is a recovering alcoholic. He is assigned to investigate the series of murders that occur during the first season. Throughout the season, Jason Stackhouse is Andy's primary suspect even when evidence doesn't point toward him being responsible—he resents Jason for his renowned success with women. Though he is initially praised for his actions, he begins drinking heavily once the true killer's identity is revealed. During one of his binges at Merlotte's, the body of Miss Jeanette is left in his car in the parking lot, making him a suspect in her death. Due to his nearly constant state of drunken impairment during the second season, Sheriff Dearborne takes his badge and gun, and suspends him from duty.

The Bellefleur family was more socially prominent in years gone by. Andy mentions that his family once owned the whole town. When Bill first hears Andy's name, he remarks at it.

After Bud Dearborne resigns as sheriff in season 3, he names Andy as acting sheriff of Renard Parish. In episode 8 of season three, "Everything is Broken", Andy is shown to be keeping vials of V in his desk for reasons unknown.

Sheriff Bud Dearborne

Sheriff Bud Dearborne is the sheriff of Renard Parish and an old friend of Sookie and Jason's deceased parents. While he is well-respected in the town of Bon Temps, he goes out of his way to show his distaste for vampires and vocally objects to Sookie's relationship with Bill. He doesn't believe Jason is the murderer in the first season. Despite the blatant prejudice he shows Bill, he regularly scolds Andy for being unfair and biased in his dealings with suspects. In Season Two, he investigates the murders of Miss Jeanette and Daphne. His attempts at identifying and locating their killer is complicated by the outrageous behavior of Bon Temps' residents while under Maryann's influence. During Season Three, Bud resigns as sheriff after becoming weary of the rash of bizarre murders occurring in Bon Temps.

Hoyt Fortenberry

Hoyt Fortenberry is a friend of Jason's who works on the road crew. Sweet and good-hearted, he is the only person whose thoughts are consistently kind when Sookie eavesdrops and is the first character (excluding Sookie) to first show kindness to Bill when he first arrives. He is extremely shy around women, and takes the prospect of forming a relationship seriously. For the majority of the first season he is bossed around by his mother, but eventually stands up to her. In the second season, he begins a relationship with Jessica, a newly turned vampire and Bill Compton's vampire-ward. His relationship with Jessica becomes strained near the end of season 2 due to his mother. In Season 3, he moves in with Jason and attempts to make Jessica jealous with other women. In the tenth episode of Season 3, Hoyt tells Jessica that he loves her. When Tommy transforms into a dog and attacks Hoyt, Jessica comes to Hoyt's rescue. He is badly injured and Jessica opens one of her veins in her wrist to give Hoyt her blood.

Lettie Mae Thornton

Lettie Mae Thornton is Tara's abusive, alcoholic mother. After attacking and driving Tara away in a drunken stupor during the first season, she unexpectedly shows up at Adele Stackhouse's funeral and acts unusually composed. She convinces Tara to fund an exorcism to expel a demon that she is convinced is responsible for the terrible things she has done, and chooses to corrupt her because of her closeness with Jesus. While the fake exorcism appears to have the desired effect, it has become clear that she can be just as cruel sober. After Tara gets arrested for drunk driving, Letty refuses to pay for her daughter's bail. This leads to Maryann bailing out Tara.

In season 2, after Miss Jeanette gets her heart ripped out, Lettie Mae is called to the police station for questioning. While there, Tara tells her that the exorcism is fake but she doesn't believe it. She teams up with her nephew, Lafayette Reynolds, to forcibly remove Tara from living with Maryann and Eggs.

In season 3, after the death of Eggs, Tara stays with Lafayette until she gets better but one night he had to leave for work at Merlotte's and called Lettie Mae to watch Tara while he was gone. But instead of watching her and not trying to rush things, she calls for the local reverend to help her cope with Egg's death. After he says she will be fine she begins to hit on him and lets Tara go the bathroom alone, where she begins to take pills to overdose and commit suicide. After Lafayette came home and found out she let Tara out of her sight, he ran to the bathroom to find it locked and breaks it down to save her. With Tara safe for now, he tells her that he never wants her to get involved in Tara's life again as she always makes it worse in some way.

Lorena Krasiki

Lorena is first introduced during flash back sequences to Bill's birth as a vampire in the first season, but is featured more prominently during season two. She gives Bill the "gift" of eternal life over a century before the events of the series when he is returning from service during the American Civil War. After Bill is made a vampire, the two live as lovers for approximately 70 years (Bill indicates to Sookie that he was turned in 1865, and a flashback scene from "Release Me" shows Bill and Lorena breaking up in 1935) before parting ways. Bill's refusal to adopt Lorena's disregard for human life makes their relationship miserable. Lorena is at first incredulous when Bill reveals this to her, but she reluctantly releases her hold on him when he threatens to commit suicide if she will not.

The two characters are reunited through Eric's machinations during season two. While investigating Godric's disappearance in Dallas, Eric sees an opportunity to drive a wedge between Bill and Sookie. He invites Lorena to Dallas, and asks her to detain Bill while Sookie infiltrates the Fellowship of the Sun. Though Lorena initially feigns disinterest, her feelings for Bill become evident while she holds him captive in his hotel room. Despite her being stronger and faster than Bill, he eventually escapes her to be with Sookie. Later, Godric stops her from attacking Sookie and reprimands her for her childish behavior considering her age.

Though Lorena does seem to reside in Bon Temps when she makes Bill, the two take to traveling the world while they are together. Her whereabouts between her breakup with Bill and the events of the series are unknown. After Godric forces her to leave his home, she took up residence in the house of Russell Edgington, the vampire King of Mississippi. Lorena was made by a vampire named István, who would use her to lure in men so he could brutally murder them and defile their bodies. In Season 3, episode 7, she is staked by Sookie with help from Bill..

Sophie-Anne Leclerq, the Queen of Louisiana

Sophie-Anne is the Vampire Queen of Louisiana. She commands Eric to make Lafayette sell V in order to keep her fortune from running out, despite vampire taboos against humans drinking their blood, and against the V trade in general. Her human lover, Hadley, is Sookie's cousin. She is seen as very cold and unforgiving and also having the personality of a spoiled child. But she is very powerful and full of useful information about supernatural creatures. She is portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood.

Nan Flanagan

Nan Flanagan is the spokesperson for the American Vampire League and has intermittently been shown being interviewed on televised news programs within the series. She presents a beautiful, unthreatening view of vampires to the human community at large. She denounces acts of violence committed against vampires (especially those perpetrated by the Fellowship of the Sun during the second season) and denies allegations of vampire attacks on humans based on a lack of evidence. Off the air, she is revealed to be much more aggressive and not possessed of particularly lofty ideals. In "I Will Rise Up," it is implied that she is a high-level bureaucrat within the vampire community, a position that gives her the authority to fire Godric. In "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues", Sophie-Anne says that Flanagan and the League have no authority over vampire monarchs. A "documentary" on the fifth disc of the season 1 DVDs shows pictures of Nan Flanagan with both President Roosevelts (Teddy and Franklin) and possibly appearing in a painting by René Magritte. The season 3 episode "Everything is Broken", she conducts an interview with Eric on behalf of the Authority regarding Russell, King of Mississippi. She later issues Eric the Authority's order to go after Russell and kill him. Nan is shown to deal out harsh words and punishments with ease in her mission to make vampires equals with humans. Despite this, she is seceretly a hypocrite; after stating out loud that she only drinks True Blood, Nan Flanagan is shown to have a woman in her limousine that she feeds upon.

Magnus

Magnus also known as The Magister is a vampire judge who presides over all the vampires of North America. During the first season, he tries and sentences Bill for murdering Longshadow, a fellow vampire. As punishment for the crime, he forces Bill to sire Jessica in order to replace the vampire he's killed during a time when their numbers are so important. In season 3 he tasks Sophie Anne and Eric with finding out who is selling vampire blood and their source. Although he is suspicious that they are the actual culprits he nonetheless takes their innocence at face value. In episode 7, he is forced by Russell to officiate a marriage between Russell and Queen Sophie-Anne. After the deed is done, Russell uses Magnus' cane to decapitate him.

Other Characters - Season 1

Amy Burley

Amy Burley is Jason's bohemian, drug-addicted love interest. Originally from Connecticut, she became a drifter in the South to spite her rich parents. She became involved in environmental and drug culture while studying philosophy at Wellesley College. She meets Jason Stackhouse at Fangtasia when he goes there looking for a place to buy V—it's unclear why she is there. Jason takes her back to his place where they use V together, and they learn that they have very powerful reactions to V when they use it together. Afterwards, they decide to start a relationship and Amy stays in Bon Temps, where she starts working at Merlotte's. When they run out of V, Amy orchestrates an attack on Eddie Gauthier, the vampire from whom Lafayette was getting blood. Jason seems under the impression that they are just going to get some blood from Eddie. However, Amy kidnaps him, and it is clear to Jason that she has long experience in abducting vampires, with the implication that she is a drainer. She keeps Eddie in the basement, starved and bound with silver, as a constant source of V. Eddy starts to befriend Jason (who is unhappy about the vampire's treatment) and warns him that Amy is a psychopath. Jason begins secretly feeding Eddie and alleviating the pain he gets from the silver. But when Jason tries to free Eddie, Amy stakes the vampire, straining the couple's relationship. Jason decides that he and Amy should give up V. Amy agrees, with the provision that they get high one last time. While on their final V trip, Drew Marshall enters Jason's house and strangles Amy while Jason is high on V next to her.

Eddie Gauthier

Eddie Gautier is the vampire who supplies Lafayette with V in the first season. Before the events of the series take place, his relationship with his wife falls apart because he's gay. After he is kicked out of their house, his lack of sexual attractiveness and his boring personality means he has no romantic success with human males. He becomes a vampire about a year before the events of the show's timeline, hoping that doing so will improve his dating life. Unfortunately, as a young, weak vampire, he is having little luck. He is not yet able to glamour others, and he is trapped for eternity in the middle aged, pot-bellied body he had upon his death. He therefore appears to spends most of his time at home, watching television. He supplies Lafayette with his blood in return for sexual favors (under the illusion that Lafayette is genuinely attracted to him and isn't a prostitute). He is kidnapped by Jason and Amy to use as their supply of V, and is later staked by Amy after Jason attempts to free him. During the second season, Jason has a nightmare in which he wakes up to find Eddie lying beside him in the barracks at the Fellowship of the Sun.

Rene Lenier

Rene Lenier is introduced as a Cajun resident of Bon Temps who is a member of Jason's road crew (and a close friend of Jason's) at the beginning of the series. He is the main antagonist of the first season. He dates and then becomes engaged to Arlene. However, it is revealed at the end of the first season that he is a serial killer who has been killing women fangbangers, most of whom are Jason's lovers, for months. Before the events of the series, he lived in Bunkie (a neighboring city to Bon Temps), and his real name is Drew Marshall. He had a great hatred of vampires and murdered his sister Cindy when he discovered she'd become a fangbanger. He disappeared before the Bunkie police became alerted to his possible role in his sister's murder. Before moving to Bon Temps, he grew a goatee and learned how to speak with a Cajun accent. He started a relationship with Arlene and became a respectable member of the community, even while murdering women that (like his sister) he discovered had been sleeping with vampires, using his friend Jason as an unwitting source of knowledge about which women have been involved with vampires. While attempting to kill Sookie, he is distracted by Sam (in the shape of a dog), and Sookie is able to decapitate him with a shovel. In season two, it is revealed that rather than tell her children he is dead, Arlene Fowler tells them he is on a "vacation with Jesus" as they had grown quite fond of their former future stepfather. In the finale however, the children reveal their suspicions that he is dead and are quite nonchalant about it. In season three, episode three "It Hurts Me Too" Arlene discovers that she is pregnant and suspects that baby is Drew/Rene's, and not her current boyfriend Terry.

• Stacy Rippy plays Cindy Marshall, Drew's murdered sister.

Adele Hale Stackhouse

Adele Stackhouse (née Hale) is Jason and Sookie's paternal grandmother. She is often referred to as Gran by both Jason and Sookie. She was portrayed by Lois Smith in season one of True Blood. When the character's son Corbett and daughter-in-law Michelle die in a flash flood, she is left to raise her grandchildren Sookie and Jason. Adele is portrayed as a motherly figure, not only to Sookie and Jason but to their friends as well (most notably Tara Thornton). Adele's interest in history prompts her to lead a Civil War historic group called "The Descendants of the Glorious Dead."

When Sookie first tells Adele about meeting Bill Compton, Adele becomes interested in learning about his history, and the history of Bon Temps. She is the only character shown as being supportive of Sookie's relationship with Bill, and invites Bill to speak for her historic society. Following the club meeting, Sookie returns home and finds Adele murdered in the kitchen. At the end of the season, her attacker is revealed as being Rene Lenier, a close friend of Jason Stackhouse.

Miss Jeanette

Nancy LeGuare is first introduced in season one as Miss Jeanette; she works as a drugstore clerk but also performs fake exorcisms on the side to support her family. Her body is discovered at the end of the last episode of season one in Andy Bellefleur's car. In the first episode of season two, it's revealed her heart has been cut out (something that becomes a trademark of Maryann's throughout the season). In a later episode, it's explained that (as a maenad) Maryann attacks supernatural beings to offer their heart to Dionysus. Thinking that Miss Jeanette is genuinely supernatural in nature, Maryann removes the woman's heart in the hopes that it will lure the god to her. When her body is examined, she's shown to have the same scratches on her back as Sookie and Daphne; another signature of Maryann's.

Chow

Chow is the bartender at the Shreveport Vampire Bar, Fangtasia. Chow is introduced in the series as the new bartender after Longshadow is staked by Bill. When they first meet in season one, Bill admits that he prefers Longshadow after Chow boasts of having a lower par in a golf video game for Wii.

Chuck and Wayne

Chuck and Wayne are friends of Royce Williams and appear with him in each of his appearances in season one. Both characters are regulars at Merlotte's and share Royce's bigoted attitude towards vampires and homosexuals. They are accomplices in the murders of Malcolm, Diane, Liam, and Neil Jones, as well as the arson of the three vampires' home in Bon Temps. Despite sharing in Royce's guilt, neither are shown being kidnapped by the vampires at Fangtasia.

Dawn Green

Dawn Green is Sookie's co-worker and friend. Dawn engages in an on-and-off again relationship with Jason Stackhouse, which they rekindle during the first season shortly after Maudette Pickens' death. When Jason discovers that Dawn has slept with a vampire (later revealed to be Eric) and criticizes her for it, Dawn throws him out of her house at gunpoint. Later that night, she is strangled to death by Drew Marshall.

Maudette Pickens

Maudette Pickens is a local woman who videotapes her sexual encounters with various men, including Jason Stackhouse and a vampire named Liam. While having sex with Jason in the first season, he grabs her by the neck (imitating the way she's treated in a video with Liam), and she deceives him into thinking that he's choked her to death. After Jason leaves, Drew Marshall kills her and steals all of her tapes except the one in which Jason appears, making him the lead suspect in her death.

Mack and Denise Rattray

Mack and Denise Rattray are a low-life couple who work as "drainers": people who make money by draining vampires of their blood and selling it on the black market. Mack is also a V addict. They attempt to drain Bill Compton of his blood in the show's premier episode. After Sookie attacks them and rescues Bill, they threaten to retaliate and nearly beat her to death in Merlotte's parking lot the following night. Bill kills them before they can succeed, making their deaths appear as though they are the result of a tornado descending upon their house. Because of the potentially fatal injuries they inflicted upon Sookie, Bill gives her vampire blood—her first taste of it.

Bartlett Hale

Bartlett Hale, known as "Uncle Bartlett" to Jason and Sookie Stackhouse, is their great-uncle and Adele's estranged brother. In the first season, it's revealed that he molested Sookie when she was a child, causing Adele to cut off ties to him when Sookie tells her grandmother of his crime. During the events of the series, he upsets Sookie by attending her grandmother's funeral. She confides the traumatic events of her childhood to Bill, who immediately tracks him down and kills him in an act of revenge. Uncle Bartlett's body is discovered in the second season, and Sookie learns that Bill killed him, which almost causes her to terminate their relationship. Under the terms of Uncle Bartlett's will, Sookie inherits $11,000, all of which she gives to Jason as she cannot bear to take his money.

Malcolm, Liam and Diane

Malcolm, Liam, and Diane are vampire acquaintances of Bill Compton who live together in a "nest" (a small coterie of vampires. Living together in this way often makes the members more brutal and callous about human life) and come to live in Bon Temps during the first season. They all despise mainstreaming and have no regard for human life. Malcolm is the oldest of the three; indeed, he is older than Bill, and assumes a leadership role in the nest. He likes to party and has a human lover named Jerry. Sookie discovers, telepathically, that Jerry has Hepatitis D and is trying to infect the nest. Liam pays Maudette Pickens a large sum of money to have sex with her, and is videotaped in the act. Diane slept with Bill shortly after she was turned in the 1930s, and has been trying to seduce him ever since. All three vampires are killed in a fire set by Royce Williams and his associates, Chuck and Wayne. Sookie initially thinks Bill was caught in the fire as well.

Neil Jones

Neil Jones is the coroner's assistant and a closet "fang banger" (a human interested in sleeping with or being bitten by vampires). He moves to Bon Temps from Kentucky, and quietly becomes one of the groupies at the Shreveport vampire bar Fangtasia. He is burned alive with Malcolm, Liam and Diane.

Longshadow

Longshadow is the bartender at Fangtasia. In season one, Sookie discovers that he's been stealing money from the bar when she reads the mind of a waitress working there named Ginger. Longshadow glamors Ginger when she discovers what he's been doing. Bill stakes Longshadow in order to save Sookie's life when he attacks her for revealing his treachery, and this murder means that Bill now must be punished by the local vampires.

Royce Williams

Royce Williams is a Bon Temps local who, along with two friends, burns down the house where Diane, Malcolm, and Liam live, also killing their human guest, Neil Jones, in the process. Royce and his friends, Chuck and Wayne, not only have an open distaste for vampires but send back food prepared by Lafayette Reynolds at Merlotte's (implying that they'll catch AIDS if they eat it because he's gay). He is captured by Eric Northman for killing the three vampires. While being held captive at Fangtasia, he confesses to Lafayette that he's been a screw-up most of his life. The sordid escapades he details include a sexual adventure with one of his cousins' girlfriends and a homosexual encounter in camp. During an escape attempt, he is torn apart and partially devoured by Eric as retaliation for attacking him with silver. After death, he provides important assistance to Lafayette, who uses the metal implant in Royce's femur to break his chains.

Ginger

Ginger is one of the human employees working at Fangtasia and first appears in the final episodes of season one. She is known for her shrill, and frequent, screaming. During Sookie's telepathic investigation at Fangtasia, when Eric enlists her to help identify who is stealing money from the bar, Ginger is introduced as the last human employee (though her exact job title is never provided). By reading Ginger's repeatedly glamored mind, Sookie is able to learn that a vampire is responsible, prompting Longshadow to attack. Bill kills Longshadow to prevent him from harming Sookie, and Ginger is traumatized from having to watch. Pam reluctantly glamors her again to solve the problem, deciding that further deterioration of her mind is preferable to transforming her into a vampire to ensure her silence. Ginger continues to work at Fangtasia in season two, but her vapid, emotional nature makes her unreliable. She tells Sookie the location of Lafayette when held at gunpoint by her in Episode 3 and lets Sam Merlotte, Lisa and Colby Fowler into Fangtasia before dark after Sam bribes her in Episode 11.

Deputy Kenya Jones

Kenya Jones is introduced during the first season; she works as a sheriff's deputy on the Bon Temps Police Department. The character first appears when she is called to the scene of Tara's car accident and arrests her for driving under the influence. She appears to be familiar with both Lettie Mae Thornton and Maryann, as well as Tara. Kenya appears to show a dislike towards Andy Bellefleur and begins working more closely with Sheriff Dearborne when Andy is removed from the force.

Other Characters - Season 2

Sarah Newlin

Sarah Newlin is the wife of Rev. Steve Newlin. She claims to have originally supported vampire rights, but that she had an epiphany after her fangbanger sister disappeared. She argues with her husband frequently because he will not give her more of a leadership role in the Fellowship of the Sun. She has a strong attraction to Jason Stackhouse, and moves him from the Fellowship camp into her home so that she can be close to him. The two characters have an affair, though their relationship dissolves when her husband realizes that Sookie is his sister, and believes (incorrectly) that Jason is a spy. She disagrees with Steve's methods with regard to starting a vampire war.

Steve Newlin

Rev. Steve Newlin is the head of the Fellowship of the Sun, an anti-vampire church that Jason joins, and one of the chief antagonists of season 2. His father (then head of the Fellowship of the Sun), mother, and baby sister are killed in the first season, an event he blames on vampires; Stan later confirms the accusation. During the second season, he's featured using the Fellowship organization to engage in what he believes is a war between vampires and humans. He strongly believes that all vampires are evil and should be destroyed. Though his attempted kidnapping of Sookie in Dallas is unsuccessful, he later takes her hostage when she tries to infiltrate the church in order to investigate the disappearance of Godric, Eric's maker. In the post-mortem to season 3, episode 6, it is revealed he and Sarah are getting divorced and that Steve is experiencing "tax-related issues." After Russell attacks a news reporter on nationwide TV, Steve Newlin returns to the public eye, claiming the attack proves to the world that he was right all along.

Maryann Forrester

Maryann Forrester is a wealthy, mysterious woman who claims to be a "social worker"; she is the main antagonist throughout the second season. Before the events of the series, she has a brief sexual encounter with Sam Merlotte when he was seventeen. He sneaks into her home, naked (due to having shapeshifted from a dog), and while looting the house picks up a statue representing the mother of her deity, Dionysus (referred to as "the god who comes"). Maryann interprets his arrival and interest in the statue as being a sign that he is "the vessel"—a mysterious unknown ingredient to a ritual all maenads seek to perform in order to lure their god to Earth so that they may be ravished and devoured. They have a brief and disturbing sexual encounter in which Maryann takes Sam's virginity. The encounter ends with Sam stealing some of her belongings and $100,000 in cash before she is able to sacrifice him. She's drawn back to Bon Temps by a faux exorcism performed on Tara Thornton (sacrificing the "exorcist," Miss Jeanette, in hopes that she's an actual supernatural being and the vessel), but her attention eventually turns toward Sam. In her first appearance within the series, Maryann stands naked in the middle of the road with Daphne Landry (a shapeshifter in the form of a pig at the time), causing Tara to crash her car. After Tara is arrested for driving while under the influence and ignored by all of her friends and family, Maryann posts her bail, invites her into her "home," and introduces her to "Eggs" Benedict Talley. Maryann holds great appeal for Tara as a friend and mother-figure. She uses parties, marijuana, and Eggs' appeal as a romantic interest to slowly gain control over Tara's life.

During the second season (with Bill and Sookie out of Bon Temps), she uses her powers to take control of the town, holds several bacchanalia and makes repeated attempts to capture Sam so that she can sacrifice him. She initially uses Daphne to bait Sam by seducing him, but this plan proves unsuccessful. Maryann finds another use for Daphne when she hypnotizes Eggs, has him kill Daphne and then dumps her body in the freezer at Merlotte's (implicating Sam as her killer). Sam is arrested for the crime, but he escapes the Bon Temps jail before Maryann is able to collect him for her sacrifice. Enraged, she captures most of Bon Temps under her thrall and forces them to hunt down Sam. Though the residents of Bon Temps are unable to successfully detain Sam for her, Lafayette Reynolds captures Sookie once he's under Maryann's power.

Maryann becomes captivated with Sookie after she's attacked with an unexplained arc of light projected from the waitress' hands (something she likens to being attacked with "nature herself"). Sookie is unable to re-create the experience on command, but Maryann claims that the girl clearly isn't human as she's unable to possess her or draw energy off of her. Regardless, by having Sookie as the "maid of honor" in her ritual, she hopes to draw out Sam, who will in turn draw out Dionysus. Bill eventually arrives with Sam in tow, and agrees to trade him for Sookie. Eggs stabs Sam through the heart; Maryann paints her throat with his blood, and confirms he is in fact the vessel. Sookie interrupts the ritual by destroying a large shrine Maryann has constructed for her god, sending the maenad into a rage. Sookie flees when Maryann transforms her hands into claws, but Maryann pursues. She pauses before attacking Sookie when she catches sight of a white bull. Believing it to be her god, Maryann approaches him, and allows herself to be gored upon one of his horns. The bull transforms into Sam (healed by Bill's blood—the events were all part of a plan to trap Maryann) and he crushes her black heart in his hand. Because Maryann's power were derived from her belief in her god, her confused, doubting utterance of "was there no god?" after she realizes the bull is Sam, seals her loss of power and her death.

Maryann possesses an assortment of strange abilities which include: enhanced strength, superhuman speed, the power to influence or control the behavior of others, forcing shapeshifters into changing shape, immortality, blood that is black and toxic when consumed by vampires, being invulnerable to bullets, able to feed off of the energy of humans and the ability to transform her hands into claws that secrete a powerful neurotoxin able to neutralize the healing effects of vampire blood in humans. Maryann uses this final ability to attack Sookie Stackhouse; as a result, Bill Compton takes her to Eric Northman in order to keep her from dying from the poison delivered in the wound. Daphne also says Maryann can do other things to other supernatural creatures, though these are not specified.

Godric

Godric was the vampire sheriff of Area 9, a designation for an area that includes Dallas, Texas. Despite being at least 2,000 years old, he still looks like a teenage boy—the body he had at his first death. He is also covered in tattoos from the rituals of a long-dead tribe. He is depicted as being friendly toward humans, interested in their well-being, and supportive of a peaceful co-existence between vampires and human beings. Eric Northman claims "there are none above him in the New World," referring (erroneously) to the physical power he has accumulated as the oldest vampire in the Americas.

When he goes missing, Eric sends Sookie Stackhouse and Hugo to the Dallas area to look for him. It's discovered that he's being held prisoner by the Fellowship of the Sun for a ritual execution. While infiltrating the Fellowship, Sookie is captured and attacked by one of their members, Gabe. As Gabe is attempting to rape Sookie, Godric appears and rescues her by breaking Gabe's neck. Conflict at the Fellowship comes to a head with a standoff between the Fellowship members and a vampire force led by Stan (one of Godric's lieutenants). Godric is able to defuse the incident without bloodshed. However, the Fellowship retaliates by sending a suicide bomber to his home, destroying three vampires and killing two human companions.

When asked how a vampire as powerful as he is could have been captured by humans, Godric reveals that he was taken into their custody willingly, believing that allowing himself to be killed by anti-vampire fanatics will bring about some sort of reconciliation, and atonement for his many crimes against humans during his long life. He takes the blame for what Nan Flanagan describes as a "PR disaster", as well as for the deaths from the bombing. He resigns as sheriff at her recommendation. After such a long life, Godric finds himself weary of his existence and saddened that humans and vampires refuse to work together and coexist, Godric decides he has been alive long enough. He decides to "meet the sun" at dawn on the roof of the Hotel Carmilla. He is Eric's Maker, having turned Eric vampire after seeing his magnificent fighting in a battle. As his Maker, Godric is greatly loved and revered by Eric, who begs him not to kill himself—to no avail.

Daphne Landry

Daphne Landry is a waitress hired at Merlotte's when Sookie Stackhouse leaves for Dallas in season two. She claims to have some experience working at the Cracker Barrel in Alexandria, Louisiana during her interview, though (despite an obvious effort) she proves to be consistently inept in accomplishing what's expected of her as a waitress. She is shown to have strange claw marks on her back that are eventually revealed to be a trademark of Maryann Forrester's; the marks are also found on Miss Jeanette's corpse and inflicted on Sookie early in season two. After tentatively flirting with Sam Merlotte, she reveals that not only does she know that he's a shapeshifter, but that she's a shapeshifter as well. The two begin a romance soon after, but when Daphne lures Sam to one of Maryann's bacchanalia, it becomes clear that their relationship was all a plan to trap Sam for her mistress. As Daphne is unable to secure Sam as a sacrifice, a possessed "Eggs" Talley carves out her heart at Maryann's command instead.

Luke McDonald

Luke McDonald is a member of the Fellowship of the Sun depicted as a friend, enemy, and rival of Jason Stackhouse at different points of the second season. Growing up in Odessa, Texas, he signs up to join a training camp for the Fellowship of the Sun (an anti-vampire church) when a knee injury prevents him from joining the military or maintaining a college football scholarship. On the bus ride there, he bonds with Jason Stackhouse, though he later becomes jealous of the amount of attention Jason receives. At camp, Luke tells Jason that the only reason that Sarah likes him is because she wants to sleep with him, making his resentment clear to everyone. Luke is eventually selected to join the Soldiers of the Sun, though his initial performance is poor due to his attempts at out-pacing Jason. Though a bitter animosity grows between the two characters, they make amends when Jason helps Luke climb over a fence he is too exhausted to scale.

After the confrontation between Stan's vampires and the Fellowship, it initially appears that Luke has left his position with the Soldiers of the Sun. Later, at Godric's gathering, he arrives with a bomb strapped to his chest. After detonating the bomb, he's killed in the explosion along with (according to Isabel) three vampires and two human companions. The character was part of various interactive internet campaigns related to the show; including a fictional blog and YouTube channel.

"Eggs" Benedict Talley

"Eggs" Benedict Talley is a guest of Maryann Forrester's who has a less than reputable past; he gradually begins a romantic relationship with Tara Thornton during the second season. After he and Maryann move into Sookie Stackhouse's house, the water heater breaks, and he travels out of town with Tara. During the drive, he leads the two to a site where a human sacrifice seemingly took place; later this suspicion is confirmed with the victim identified as Miss Jeanette. Unnerved by the experience, he becomes increasingly more alarmed every time he is unable to account for his whereabouts when he "blacks out" (more specifically, when Maryann has taken control of his actions). As the season progresses, his relationship with Tara becomes more intense. Even when Maryann's control over him is total, he misses her when she's been kidnapped by Lafayette Reynolds and Lettie Mae Thornton. It also becomes apparent that Eggs has likely murdered a number of supernaturals and potential supernaturals during his relationship with Maryann. When Daphne is no longer of use to Maryann, he removes her heart while under Maryann's control. In the final episode of the season, he stabs Sam Merlotte through the heart as well during Maryann's ritual. Once he's freed of Maryann's influence, he has a complete breakdown upon finding blood all over his hands. Later, he asks Sookie to help him regain his memories. Finally being shown the deaths of those he killed under Maryann's control, he becomes lost in guilt and confusion.

Later that night, he approaches Andy Bellefleur with a large ritual knife, looking to confess for the crimes he committed. Deeply disturbed, he attacks Andy in his confusion and knocks the detective to the ground. Trying to protect his friend, Jason Stackhouse shoots Eggs and kills him. However, Andy takes Jason's gun and quickly dismisses him before people come out for the gunshot, taking the responsibility upon himself.

Isabel

Isabel is a lieutenant of Godric's introduced during the second season. She and Stan bicker constantly throughout the investigation in Dallas, much to Eric's frustration. At one point, Stan mentions that she has been working for Godric for forty years. She has a human boyfriend, Hugo, who accompanies Sookie when she infiltrates the Fellowship of the Sun, but is revealed to be a traitor to the vampires. In a conversation with Eric, she describes her interest in Hugo as being like "a science experiment," however even after the discovery of Hugo's treachery she admits to still loving him (prompting Godric to reduce his punishment from execution to banishment). During a meeting with Nan Flanagan that results in Godric's resignation, he recommends that Isabel take his position as the sheriff of Area Nine. Whether or not she becomes Godric's replacement after his suicide is unclear. Her appearance in "I Will Rise Up" suggests that she does not follow Hugo into exile. Sookie phones her while she is looking for Bill, suggesting that she is still in Dallas.

Karl

Karl is Maryann's assistant and serves her as an all-purpose domestic worker. Making his first appearance in the last episode of season one, he functions as a cook, chauffeur, house keeper, and masseur at various points during season two. Karl serves Maryann and her guests without complaint, speaking infrequently in general. He seems to knowingly help in the coordination of Maryann's bacchanalia, but he neither participates nor shows visible signs of possession. At the end of the second season, Lafayette Reynolds tries to shoot Maryann, but she deflects the bullet and it goes into Karl's head. Maryann only shows the most momentary pause at the death of her companion and her role in it, remarking that he "never made it far in this lifetime."

Stan Davis

Stan Davis is Godric's lieutenant in Texas. He is opposed to vampires "coming out of the coffin," and wants to kill the members of the Fellowship of the Sun. His age is unknown but it's implied that he was turned during the Middle Ages. According to Isabel, he survived and lived his life happily ever after.

Gabe

Gabe is a mercenary who helps train and lead the Soldiers of the Sun, Rev. Steve Newlin's secret, paramilitary unit of the Fellowship of the Sun. Appearing in the second season of True Blood, he is characterized by the typical abhorrence of vampires common amongst Fellowship members. After Hugo informs Rev. Newlin that he and Sookie Stackhouse are being sent to infiltrate the Fellowship, Gabe helps Rev. Newlin kidnap and imprison the two of them in the church basement, where they are also keeping vampires and a vampire-fighting arsenal. Once Rev. Newlin learns that Jason (a Fellowship member at the time) and Sookie are siblings, he and Gabe apprehend Jason. Gabe is left to execute Jason for his betrayal, but Jason overpowers him and escapes. Enraged, Gabe returns to the church, and tries to rape Sookie. Before he succeeds, Godric appears and breaks his neck.

Barry Horowitz

Barry is a bellboy at the Dallas vampire hotel, the Hotel Carmilla, in the second season. Sookie discovers that he is also a telepath. He is terrified of anyone learning that he is a telepath, and refuses to communicate with her. Nevertheless, when Sookie calls for his help telepathically when the Fellowship of the Sun captures her, he does help her. Lorena briefly feeds from Barry, stopping when she realizes that his blood tastes different from other humans. This distracts Lorena long enough for Bill to attack her and knock her unconscious with a plasma television. Bill then helps Barry escape.

Hugo Ayers

Hugo Ayers is introduced during the second season as Isabel's human boyfriend, and is later revealed to be an informant for the Fellowship of the Sun and extremely claustrophobic. Hugo becomes affiliated with the Fellowship out of bitterness in connection with his romance with Isabel; he loves her obsessively and has given up everything in his human life to be with her, but feels he is not all that important to her, and is angry that she will not turn him into a vampire. When Bill Compton, Sookie Stackhouse, and Eric Northman are investigating Godric's disappearance in Dallas, Sookie offers to infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun in order to use her telepathic abilities to determine where they're keeping Godric. Hugo overhears this and informs Rev. Newlin that he will arrive with Sookie (arranging to accompany her to the church in the guise of her fiance). Ultimately, Hugo is viewed as just another "fangbanger" by the Fellowship, and of little importance; they intend to kill him as well as Sookie. After the Fellowship dissolves, Godric chooses to banish him instead of executing him for his crimes. Though Isabel confesses to still loving him, her presence in "I Will Rise Up" suggests that the character does not accompany him in his exile from Area Nine.

Hadley Hale

Hadley Hale is the cousin of Sookie and Jason Stackhouse and one of Queen Sophie-Anne's human lovers. Hadley is first mentioned during "Cold Ground" in season one, when the residents of Bon Temps are visiting Sookie's home to offer their condolences for the recently murdered Adele "Gran" Stackhouse. Tara Thornton asks Sookie whether she should contact Hadley, and Sookie responds that after leaving a rehabilitation clinic that Gran paid for, no one has heard from Hadley or knows where she is. She makes her debut in the series during the second season episode "Frenzy," when Bill Compton visits Sophie-Anne, the vampire queen of Louisiana. Hadley is a member of Sophie-Anne's retinue of human companions, and is often in her mistress' company. When Sophie-Anne leaves Bill momentarily, Hadley asks him how Sookie and Gran are doing. Though she is still interested in her past amongst human beings, she's aware that there is no way she can return from the vampire world she is now a part of. In the third season's episode "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues", Sophie-Anne is shown to be very concerned for Hadley's safety when King Russell Edginton and Eric Northman break into her house. The Queen worriedly yells Hadley's name and asks to be reunited with her in her imprisonment, thus revealing that Hadley is the human lover and companion of Sophie-Anne. In the next episode, Eric uses Hadley to get information about Sookie from Sophie-Anne. After Sophie-Anne stays silent, a scared and injured Hadley tells Eric what he wants to know and by doing so, saves her own life. In the 8th episode of season 3, Eric catches Hadley after she leaves Sophie-Anne's bedroom and orders her to deliver a message to Sookie. In episode 9 of season 3, it’s revealed that Hadley has a young son (about 8 years old) named Hunter. Hunter, like his mothers cousin Sookie, is telepathic.

Maxine Fortenberry

Maxine Fortenberry is a resident of Bon Temps and the mother of Hoyt Fortenberry. She's characterized by her over-protective and possessive relationship with her son and (despite his age) treats him as though he's a child. She is threatened by any other women in his life, and he still lives at home with her despite being in his late 20s. In the first season, she appears to be open-minded toward vampires: she is concerned that Bill Compton will be injured in the presence of a cross and wants to have her picture taken with him. In the second season, when Hoyt introduces her to Jessica Hamby, she becomes vociferously resentful of vampires. When she first meets Jessica, she blatantly tells her that she disapproves of her son having a relationship with a vampire. Maxine is among the many residents of Bon Temps that fall under Maryann's influence. While possessed, she reveals to Hoyt that his father's death was actually a suicide and she fraudulently claimed he was killed fighting a robber in order to collect the insurance. She is also said to be racist towards African-Americans, though she wants this kept secret. In the third season episode 'Fresh Blood", its is revealed that Maxine pushed the girl Summer to date Hoyt to make him forget Jessica. Despite Hoyt's reunion with Jessica, Maxine is determined to get Hoyt and Summer together.

Mike Spencer

Mike Spencer is both the town coroner and the director of the local funeral home; he presided over the burial of Sookie's parents when she was a child. During the second season he becomes a frequent participant in Maryann's orgies.

Jane Bodehouse

Jane Bodehouse is a middle-aged alcoholic woman with a grown son who is a regular at Merlotte's and a frequently featured minor character, first introduced in the first season. In one of her earliest appearances, Tara Thornton explains that her modus operandi is to arrive at Merlotte's, become intoxicated, wait for someone to approach her, and then hit on them when they offer to drive her home. She is one of the many Bon Temps residents that fall under Maryann's influence in season two. The staff at Merlotte's frequently must call her son to take her home.

Deputy Kevin Ellis

Deputy Kevin Ellis is a deputy sheriff in Bon Temps and a minor character that first appears during the investigation of Dawn Green's murder in the first season. He also appears during the second season as one of the many residents of Bon Temp under Maryann's influence.

Kevin is attacked when responding to a distress call in the middle of the night and almost killed. Jason and Crystal know that the person who attacked Kevin is Crystal's fiance from Hot Shot.

Other Characters - Season 3

Jesus Velasquez

Jesus is introduced in the 3rd season as a potential love interest to Lafayette. On their first meeting, he seems to take an immediate interest in Lafayette, followed by a personal visit to Merlotte's to spend time with Lafayette while he is at work. Although they like each other he leaves once he finds out Lafayette is a drug dealer.

When Lafayette calls Jesus to help with his mother, their attraction is once again ignited and they spend the night together.

Russell Edgington

Russell Edgington is the Vampire King of Mississippi and the main antagonist of season three. His consort is Talbot, who acts as a deceptively gracious host to guests at their opulent mansion. Russell first appears to "rescue" Bill Compton from a pack of werewolves, only to reveal that the werewolves are in his employ and that they were sent to bring Bill to Jackson for an audience with the King. Russell extends his hospitality to Bill - in the form of dinner and a silver-lined room - whom he wishes to recruit into his service. Russell is aware of Sophie-Anne's illegal activities in Louisiana and hopes to blackmail her into marrying him, thus uniting their two territories. Ironically, it is revealed in "9 Crimes" that he is supplying his own blood to the werewolves who serve him.

Sookie learns from the leader of a rival wolf pack that Russell has had a wolf pack serving him for many centuries. When Eric Northman arrives at Russell's mansion looking for Bill, Russell suggests that he reevaluate his loyalty to Sophie-Anne. While being given a tour of Russell's collection by Talbot (to get away from Lorena), Eric recognizes a crown as having belonged to his father, Ulfric. Eric realizes that there is a very good chance that Russell is the one who murdered his family over a thousand years before.

As with many vampires in the series, Russell displays a great deal of interest in Sookie Stackhouse. He asks Bill about her and buys information about her from Franklin Mott. When Sookie repels his minions with the burst of light she used on Maryann, Russell is ominously thrilled instead of shocked.

When Bill Compton leaps onto Russell's shoulders to stake him in I Got a Right to Sing the Blues (Episode 6), Russell knocks Bill into the ceiling simply with a shrug. He then reveals that he is nearly 3,000 years old.

In "Hitting the Ground", Russell and Sophie-Anne are married by the Magister in the basement of Fangtasia. After that, Russell kills the Magister by cutting off his head. In "Night on the Sun", Russell leads the werewolves in attacking Sookie's home, while Bill taunts him into fighting one on one. Russell overpowers Bill but retreats when he senses Talbot being killed by Eric. Talbot's death unhinges Russell. He attacks a live news broadcast, killing the anchor and claiming that Vampires do not want coexistence with humans. He is portrayed by Denis O'Hare.

Debbie Pelt

Debbie is Alcide's ex-girlfriend, who was engaged to Coot and is addicted to V. She is seen as a screwed-up girl heavily addicted to drugs. She becomes a member of Coot's pack after Sookie and Alcide discover Russell Edgington is the supplier of Coot's pack's V. She and Coot feed on Bill's blood at the end of episode 6. Then, in episode 7, she attempts to kill Sookie, but Tara stops her, then Coot is killed by Alcide, and Debbie swears vengeance upon him. She burns down Alcide's sister's hair salon and later leads the attack on Sookie's house. She and Sookie have a long brutal fight but Sookie causes Debbie to retreat by threatening to shoot her with a shotgun. She is portrayed by Brit Morgan.

Franklin Mott

Franklin is a vampire who works for Russell Edgington. He is first seen entering Merlotte's and having a one-night stand with Tara. He then reveals his true colors when he blackmails Jessica into telling him all she knows about Bill. He then bites and ties up Tara and takes her to Russell's mansion. He is emotionally unstable and wants Tara to become his vampire bride. In order for Tara to escape and find Sookie, she mercilessly bludgeons him using a medieval morning star. Despite his injuries, which include a crushed skull, he survives. In the episode "Everything is Broken", Franklin Mott finds Tara in the parking lot of Merlotte's. While he is choking her, Jason shoots him in the heart with a wooden bullet, finally destroying him. He is portrayed by James Frain.

Crystal Norris

Crystal is first seen by Jason while a drug bust was going down. He sees her crying and he is struck by her beauty. He can't get her out of his head. ("Beautifully Broken") While driving by the police station after she was at the grocery store, Crystal sees Jason while he is cleaning police cars. She smiles at him and he jumps into a car and follows her, eventually pulling her over. He is only in his pants with a pair of sunglasses. He tries to convince her that he is a cop but she doesn't buy it and asks him where his gun, badge, and shirt are. Jason introduces himself and asks for her name. She tells him her name and Jason tells her that he will be at Merlotte's that night but she says she can't go and drives away without a ticket. ("9 Crimes") Crystal goes to Merlotte's but doesn't go inside the bar because it is too much for her. Eventually, Jason comes out and sees her and they sneak off to a secluded area next to a lake or pond. They make out and flirt but eventually she says she can't do it and runs off. ("Trouble") The next day, Jason finds out where she lives and brings her flowers. She pretends she doesn't know who he is and Jason finds out that she is engaged to a low-life. She does not seem happy with her situation. ("I Got a Right to Sing the Blues") Crystal decides to tell her family that she does not want to marry Felton. She receives a black eye and then runs away. She leaves her truck in front of Merlotte's and then swims in the lake so that Calvin and Felton will lose her smell. Crystal goes to Jason's house and asks for his truck. He convinces her to stay with him, and that she will be safe and the two make love. ("Night on the Sun"). Crystal is revealed at the end of "I smell a rat" to be a Werepanther. She is portrayed by Lindsay Pulsipher.

Coot

Coot is the leader of his werewolf pack that were responsible for kidnapping Bill Compton at Russell Edgington's request. He is engaged to Debbie, Alcide's ex-girlfriend. He is seen as immature, wild, and crazy. In episode 7, he is dome pieced by The Big Man Alcide, and dies. He is portrayed by Grant Bowler.

Talbot

Talbot is Russell Edgington's consort, turned by him some 700 years ago. He is seen to be very sensitive, taking interruptions to his carefully planned dinners and damage to his mansion very personally. During the episodes we can hear Talbot speaking Greek. Talbot has a liking for Eric Northman and seems to be totally uninterested in Russell's political plans. In episode 8, his anger over Russell's reaches a boiling point and he starts to break the artifacts Russell has collected over the centuries. Eric agrees to spend time with him while Russell is out of town to calm him down. However, once they are alone Eric seduces him and stakes Talbot from behind, killing him. Russell had his remains placed in a glass jar which he now takes with him wherever he goes. He is portrayed by Theo Alexander.

Melinda Mickens

Melinda is Sam's biological mother, who gave him up for adoption. She is also the mother of Tommy, and the wife of Joe Lee. She is seen as a poor mother, who tries to use Sam to get things from him. She is a shifter, like her sons. It is revealed that she is scared to leave Joe Lee, since it is him that had previously pushed her into dogfighting for money and now she expects Tommy to do the same because she is too old. She is portrayed by J. Smith-Cameron.

Joe Lee Mickens

Joe Lee is Sam's biological father, who was serving time in jail when Sam was born. He is also the father of Tommy, and husband to Melinda. He tries to use Sam to get things from him and is hiding the fact that he forces Tommy to dogfight in order to make money from Sam. He is portrayed by Cooper Huckabee.

See also

• Characters of The Southern Vampire Mysteries

External links

• True Blood Official site
• Full cast and crew of True Blood at IMDb
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