'True Blood' recap: 'May Be The Last Time'

There's only three episodes left until True Blood meets the true death. And like Bill dying from the Hep-V virus, the episodes are growing more melodramatic with each ticking second. Between Arlene's sexy pool-table fantasy with Keith and Sookie jumping into bed with the vulnerable Bill, as much melodrama as there is, it's still managing to at least squeeze a tear or two out of me by episode's end.

Even though it feels a few potentially interesting storylines have been dropped (Ex. Hep-V vampires capturing humans, the people of Bon Temps turning on Sam as mayor, etc.) the central story lines are becoming more linear. We've got Eric and Pam on a mission to snatch Sarah Newlin, the antidote to Hep-V, which plagues some beloved characters. On Aug. 3's episode, "May Be the Last Time," Eric and Pam come closer to the cure as Bill weakens and Sookie deals with the pain of loss.

Here's a breakdown of the episode's events:

Eric Northman, future business magnate

The episode starts off with Eric, Pam, and Gus Jr. questioning Sarah's newly-healed vampire sister, Amber. After being healed by Sarah, Amber pulls a complete 180 and decides her sister is the best and most important thing to her. She does not reveal any information about Sarah's whereabouts. Out of hallucination and frustration, Eric stakes her.

Yakonomo is in no position to give up just yet. Gus Jr. proposes a pretty hefty business plan to Pam and Eric. If they help him track down Sarah, they would synthesize her blood and use Eric as the face of the business - a handsome vampire healed from the virus. And there's millions of dollars in it, but that's beside the point - viewers just want to see a healed, handsome face, according to Gus.

Yakonomo uses fancy technology to track down Sarah, who's gone completely bazerk. First, she hallucinates seeing Jason, then former husband-turned-vamp Reverend Steve Newlin, and finally her most recent lover, the Buddhist leader who was beheaded on her behalf, all who warn her death is coming.

Sookie prays for a miracle to heal Bill of Hep-V

Sookie is never one to give up hope. Her naviety allows her to believe in miracles, and that's what she believes will happen to Bill. She calls on speciality doctor, Dr. Ludvig, who, between rude remarks, says she is grossed out by Bill. When Dr. Ludvig asks about Sookie's heritage, she is further freaked out when Sookie tells her Niall is her grandfather.

Sookie then calls on Niall for a miracle. After a bowl of Sookie's special spaghetti, Niall decides to help Sookie, even though he knows he can't do anything. They go to the Compton's graves and call on his past. We see through flashbacks in this scene, as well as when Bill remembers them, that his marriage to Catherine was forced by his sickly father so the Compton's could merge estates with her family. Niall points out that birth, love, and death are all miracles. This scene felt a little soapy, but because of phenomenal acting, the emotions Sookie felt including accepting the pain of Bill's fate, made this the best scene of the night.

Sookie decided to deal with the pain her way, which meant to go make love to the ailing Bill and ensure she'd be there during his last hour. Again, cue the soap opera score as my eyes flood just a bit.

Adilyn and Wade are twice as dumb as Violet is nuts

But of course they're in love, so they know no better! The creepy and vengeful Violet take Adilyn and Wade to her sex chamber in the basement - we're talking red room Fifty Shade of Grey level stuff she has laid out for them - dildos, nipple clamps, you name it. Yet still, Adilyn and Wade don't seem to be too freaked out, just inexperienced.

Meanwhile poor Andy and Holly are hopelessly searching for their kids, driving all the way to Holly's Oklahoma lake house, only to discover their kids are actually missing.

Trouble ensues when Violet comes down to the chamber and throws Wade off the bed. She handcuffs Adilyn to her bed to taste her fairy blood. Jessica immediately senses she's in danger, which will be continued in next week's episode.

Hoyt Fortenberry returns

Apparently, we hadn't seen the last of Hoyt after Jessica glamours him in a heartbreaking scene to forget about her and Jason. Hoyt returns to Bon Temps to plan his mother's funeral with his new blond girlfriend who Jason can't take his eyes off of. Jason tells Hoyt that his mother was one of the good guys, a kind of lie, and that they got the person who killed her - Violet, also kind of a lie.

Arlene's loneliness heightens; vampire Keith keeps her company

One of the most complex character's on the show, accompanied by Carrie Preston's incredible performance, Arlene is dealing with immense pain being alone. She dreams of making love with the 520-year-old vampire, Keith, and feels guilt for it. At the end of the episode, she's sitting in the consistently empty Bellefleur's when Keith senses her pain and comes to comfort her. She tells him that she is Hep-V positive, but Keith doesn't mind, as he only wants to hold her while they dance.

Meanwhile...

Sam is still deciding between leaving Bon Temps with Nicole, or staying in his beloved town. Arlene presents him with the question of whether or not he would be happy here without Nicole and his child. That's something he'll have to ponder until next episode. Sam's storyline has fallen completely flat - what happened to all those townspeople who overthrew him as mayor? Does he just not care anymore? Maybe we'd know if he were in a scene longer than two minutes.

Last and certainly least is Tara's storyline. In one thirty second scene, a little girl looks out her window and gets freaked out when she sees Lafayette and Lettie Mae digging up their front yard to help Tara. Can you make it through the week without knowing what's going to happen to Tara?

I do believe there's hope for the remaining three episodes, as the story lines are coming together. Check out the trailer for episode 8 titled, "Almost Home" and share your thoughts on the final three episodes.