Great Godric's ghost that was intense!

Like Maurella, tonight's True Blood season finale delivered - and then some. It was kill or be killed, as "Save Yourself" featured more bloodshed than all other episodes this season combined. In a summer fraught with story lines, Alan Ball's swan song did well to wrap up a number of issues while still leaving fans thirsting for more. 

After seeing how easily he fought off the Authority and disposed of the Fae Elder last week, many wondered who could stop Russell from draining every last member of Claude's family. In what was one of the best opening scenes I've witnessed, Eric left me speechless as he reduced Russell to a puddle of goo and settled an ancient debt.

After that scene, the feeling coursing through me was probably like the one Debbie Pelt must have felt the first time she tried V and, like her, I wanted more.

Eric seamlessly transitioned from vengeance to vaudeville as he kept his sister from draining everyone's favorite faerie food services employee. When he and Jason hilariously squabbled, it was Sookie's turn to shine as she told the two to stop acting like children and for Eric to ask Nora to stop looking at her thirstily. 

Some of the best moments of the night belonged to the show's actual sibling duo when Jason and Sookie argued over just what it is they should expect out of life. The bump Jason took to his head had him seeing visions of his parents, but it didn't seem to affect his aim at all. The scene in the elevator where he was gearing up for the all-out assault on the Authority while wearing those shooting glasses was just epic... as was his prowess with his sidearms as he took down one "vamper" after another.

While his aim was masterful, his command of the English language was still a little off target, as we were treated to a number of Stackhouse gems in this week's list of best True Blood quotes. 

While Jason and Eric battled for the body count award, when it came to pure impact the Trubie award for Best Delivery of the True Death had to go to Sam, who did his best Lilith impersonation, standing there naked and covered in Rosalyn's blood. Sadly, it looks like Luna sacrificed herself to save Emma. Alcide's father spoke about how the hardest part of being a parent is sheltering your children from just how messed up the world is. Well... Emma has seen at an early age just how ugly life can be, but she should draw strength from the knowledge that despite all the evil out there, love can still motivate people to do the most selfless and heroic things. 

There was a lot of discussion tonight about one's view of the world and our role in it.

In the final scene, Bill seemed to echo in a way what Jason was feeling. Bill was tired of always feeling guilty for what he had become. He was tired of feeling hurt inside. While Jason's remedy was to expect the worst life can offer instead of thinking it owed him something, for the first time in his vampire "life," Bill took what he felt he deserved, even if it meant deceiving and killing Salome in the process. Being that caring and sensitive vampire Sookie described has only brought him heartache, so I wasn't too shocked that he drank the blood in the end. Once he melted into that puddle of blood you just knew he wasn't through. But his resurrection was still very much a riveting moment, accentuated by the fear in Eric's eyes. 

While the culmination of the entire Lilith saga was a great and much anticipated pay off, there were so many little moments in tonight's finale that added to my high opinion of it. Scenes like Bill trying to catch Sam the fly, Rikki's crazy V talk to Alcide, Maurella chugging salt, Lafayette and the others' commentary during the delivery, Eric asking Jason to pull over "please" and Tara pointing out the slippery floor to Sookie thanks to the dead vampires Jason had just killed were the kind of moments that have always made this show so special.

So we didn't find out who Warlow was. Thankfully there's next season.  So long as the show doesn't lose its unique brand of humor though, I am more than willing to keep watching.

The big payoff moments like Russell's demise and Alcide taking back the pack are the icing on the cake that is made up of all the aforementioned ingredients that make this show so great. Ball's departure is a major development, but seeing the cast's chemistry and passion leaves me with little worry about its future.

What did you think of the finale and were you cheering with me when Tara freed her Maker and sealed it with a kiss?