True Blood’ season 5 comes to a bloody end with its twelfth, and final episode of the year, as Bill makes a decision that forever changes his existance as the herald of Lillith, while Jason leads the rescue mission to the Vampire Authority and Andy finds his hands full when Maurella goes into labor.

Last week’s ‘True Blood’ episode “Sunset” saw Bill dispatching Jessica to turn Jason Stackhouse into a vampire under the new regime, while Sookie rallied the other Faeries into fighting back against Russell Edgington.   So, what will the latest episode of ‘True Blood’ bring?

Read on for your in-depth recap of everything you need to know about ‘True Blood’ season 5 finale “Save Yourself!"

The Faeries all blast Russell with the full extent of their magic, though he scoffs at how little pain it causes him.  Before he can reach them however, Eric tackles him to the ground and finally drives a stake into him!  Russell seems to glow with Faerie light for a moment, but quickly dissipates into a pool of blood, frightening Steve Newlin off.  Sookie tends to an unconscious Jason, while Eric just barely restrains Norah.  When Jason comes to however, he starts seeing visions of his parents!

Bill continues hearing the voice of Lillith in his head, when the guards bring Sam before him to feed.  Sam’s cries for help retrieving Emma fall on Bill’s deaf ears, leading Sam to shift into a fly and escape into the ventilation ducts.  Back at Fangtasia, Eric and Nora clean out a secret supply of cash, while Tara reveals that they’ve captured Pam.

Sookie continues worrying about Jason, who continues seeing visions of his parents reinforcing anti-Vampire sentiment, when Nora, Eric and Tara speed their way into the home.  Despite Jason (and his parents) protests, they call for Sookie’s help in saving Bill from the religiously fundamentalism he’s built around himself, and she reluctantly agrees.  Jason too will tag along, if only to kill as many vampires as possible while he’s there.

After Eric Chews out the soldiers for allowing their facility to be compromised, Bill plays a gambit with Salome by explaining that Lillith appeared to him to say that Salome was in fact the chosen one.  Meanwhile, Sam appears before Luna in her cell to tell her he’s going to search the vampire headquarters for a way to get hem out of their predicament.  Meanwhile in their cells, Pam and Jessica discuss what’s become of Eric and Bill, bemoaning that things always seem to lead back to Sookie.

Elsewhere, Alcide bonds with his father when Martha arrives with Rikki, apparently having overdosed on V after pack-master JD force-fed it to all the vampires.  Jason and Sookie gear up for their rescue mission, Jason continually spouting hate for vampires, and vowing to kill any of the friendly vampires that get in his way.  While the report on Russell and Steve Newlin killing the frat vampires gets out on the news, Alcide and the others tend to Rikki.  Realizing they have to take down JD, Alcide’s father says the only way Alcide will be strong enough is if he takes V himself.

Back at the Vampire Authority, Fly-Sam gets an idea from Steve Newlin’s room, and reports back to Luna.  Meanwhile at Merlotte’s Holly, Lafayette and Arlene share margaritas, when Andy brings in a very pregnant Maurella in an effort to explain things to Holly.  After Maurella seemingly drinks an entire container of salt, her “light” breaks and the birthing process begins!

Bill wakes Salome with a bit of his morning wood, while out on the road Jason continues stewing about vampires, egged on by his ghost parents, while Sookie attempts to talk him out of his new dark personality.  Before she can reach him however, Eric appears on the roof of the car and asks them to pull over.  Back at Merlotte’s Holly acts as a midwife for Maurella, who seems to be in ecstasy during the birth, as the others look on incredulously.  Maurella screams loud enough to shatter glass, and a baby girl is born.  Before they can relax however, they realize another is coming!

A visibly nervous Steve Newlin retrieves the wolf-cub Emma from her cage, begging her not to shift, and goes to exit the Vampire Authority.  The receptionist makes smalltalk before noticing that Newlin seems to have dropped his Southern accent, but they're interrupted by a furious Roz, who demands Newlin go on the air for some damage control over the fraternity incident.  With a fly on his shoulder (hint, it’s a skin-walking Luna!), Newlin nervously follows Roz into the elevator.  Meanwhile back at Merlotte's, Maurella pops out her fourth baby girl, before promptly getting up, and leaving them all with Andy, as part of their supposed arrangement.

Over at a bonfire, pack-master JD drains a restrained vampire and urges his pack to drink, before Alcide shows up to take him on.  While Alcide’s father and Martha keep the others at bay, Alcide beats JD and snaps his neck, proclaiming himself the new pack-master and swearing off the disrespectful and unnatural acts they’ve come to be part of.  Meanwhile, Eric and Norah arrive at HQ with a bound Sookie, Jason and Tara, and Bill gives them clearance to enter via security feed, seeing Sookie’s face in the back after the fact.

Roz prepares a nervous Newlin (Luna) for his interview, before the broadcast goes live.  He manages to stumble through some of the copy before puking, and shifting back into Luna.  Just then, a fly buzzes into Roz’ throat, expanding into Sam and killing the vampire in the process!  Just as they get ready to leave however, Luna seems to pass out from her skin-walking.  Elsewhere, Salome prays before the vial of Lillith, as Eric, Sookie, Jason, Tara and Nora infiltrate the building, taking out guards left and right.

While Eric and Nora take out the entirety of the armed guards in the council chambers, Sookie and Tara rescue Jessica and Pam from their cells.  Once Eric and Nora figure out the computer locks, Tara flings open the cell door and passionately makes out with her maker!  “I knew it!,” Jessica proclaims.  Meanwhile, Bill confronts Salome, who explains that while she knows he wanted the blood of Lillith, Salome will be the one best served as Lillith’s vessel in the coming rapture.  In spite of his protests, she drinks it all down.

Meanwhile, Jessica reunites with Jason and confesses that she loves him, though he retorts that he can’t ever love a vampire.  The group prepares for a fight outside the complex, though Eric and Sookie stay behind to attempt to rescue Bill.  Over in their chamber, Salome doubles over in pain, Bill having swapped Lillith’s blood for a decoy spiked with silver.  Gloating that she’d been so blinded by her impatience so as not to smell the silver, Bill finally stakes her, as she admits that Lillith chose wisely.

Before he can drink down the rest of Lillith however, Eric and Sookie attempt to change his mind.  Bill ignores Eric’s protests, and asserts to Sookie that she doesn’t know him, and all of their time together might well have been a ruse.  Quoting from the vampire bible, Bill grows increasingly forceful in his belief that he and all vampires will find salvation through Lillith, and that Sookie is an abomination, and despite her tears drinks down all of Lillith’s blood.  Unfortunately, he too doubles over, and bleeds from every orifice, before bursting into a pile of goo.

While Eric consoles her, suddenly the blood starts re-forming…as a naked, bloody Bill, or “Billith” emerges from the puddle!  Eric commands Sookie to run, as “Billith” ferociously bears his fangs!

Well, there you have another season of 'True Blood' gone by.  Complaints about the disjointed nature of the series seem almost useless at this point, but the upcoming season that's been set up can hopefully streamline some things using "Billith," and hopefully Warlow as villains.  We also know that the series will shift show-runners from Alan Ball to Mark Hudis, so if nothing else we'll have something of a fresh start to look forward to.  All in all, we survived another year.  Just like every other character that refuses to die.

Did you get your fill of fang-banging ‘True Blood’ action? What did you think about the episode? Join us next season for all-new episode recaps of ‘True Blood’ season 6 on HBO!

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