Is True Blood Going To Turn Eric Northman Into A Wimp Like Buffy's Spike?
Peroxide blonde Spike started out as a malevolent force of nature on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but by the end of its run, he had been whipped into a puppy doggish version of his former sadistic self. No longer was he a leather-jacketed badass who had killed two Slayers, he was just a misunderstood poet who was simply looking to be loved. Blech! And now it seems like Eric Northman might be going down the same primrose path to redemption. Should we panic?
Speaking to PaleyFest, Alexander Skarsgård revealed that his character would be struck with amnesia and lose most of his memory of the last thousand years or so. Quoth the Swede:
This powerful character is just gone--it's not what we've built up over the past three years; it is just gone. And it's a lot of fun for me because it's the polar opposite of who Eric really is...He is lost. He doesn't know how he is, he knows he's a vampire, but he slowly finds out stuff, like, 'Did I do that? I killed those people? Why would I do that? Oh. Really?' It's not easy to hear--and not knowing who he can trust, who's a friend or an enemy. He's very vulnerable. . .he's very innocent . . . Eric needs help.
So, if I can hazard a guess, Eric will have his edges softened by his amnesia and will be become a nice, more relatable character, and because he's nicer, Sookie will feel less guilty falling in love with him. He'll regain his memories eventually, but having gained an appreciation for humanity, won't partake in the wholesale murder, torture and sadism that he had previously so delighted in.
Which is bit how evil Spike became lovable Spike. Spike was chipped by the Initiative in season 4, which made it okay for him to hang out with the Scooby Gang without them fearing for their lives. The chip eventually malfunctioned but not before Spike learned how to love humanity again. This lead him to regain his soul and by the end of it, the former William the Bloody was practically going on antiquing roadtrips with Buffy and a Lhasa Apso.
Spike suffered from the de-fanging of his character, and I hope that True Blood ignores those who want Eric to end up with the shrill Sookie, and instead keep him bloody and psychotic, as we've grown to love him.
·True Blood Season Four: Vampire Eric Is 'Just Gone' [E!]
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Having read the boks I can honestly tell you that Eric ___________________ and when ___________ Sookie _____________. Meaning that Eric__________________. Didn't see that coming, did you?
AMEN, BROTHER. A lot of things went downhill with BTVS in its final seasons, but Spike's degeneration was absolutely the worst of it all. (FWIW, I believe the first three seasons are some of the best TV ever produced -- so I'm no Whedon hater -- but the final two seasons were self-importantly "dark" while pandering shamelessly to fans -- so I'm no Whedon cultist, either.) Although I can see the Eric storyline on "True Blood" working effectively in the short term, using it as a long-standing device will totally take the edge off the character. Here's hoping "True Blood" doesn't repeat those old mistakes.
Didn't you read the book? It all happen and he does not turn into Spike #2. If they follow the book, he will eventually regaining all his memory and will have in fact lose the memory of the time of his amnesia making him the same as before.
I expected the title to end with: "Is True Blood Going To Turn Eric Northman Into A Wimp Like Bill?"
Clearly you haven't read the books otherwise you would have known Eric will not have his "edges softened." A bit of research always does the trick when endeavouring to write an authentic article.
No offence, but I think you didn't watch Buffy that closely. It goes; Spike get's chipped. Spike realizes he's in love with Buffy. Spike tries to be nice to get Buffy to love him back, but his evil nature is in the way, and he stops trying that hard after a while. Spike get's a soul after he almost tried to rape Buffy(so because of regret/desperation/love of Buffy, not humanity). Then the chip stops malfunctioning. And then Spike takes a serious interest in the health and wellbeing of humanity. But for a long time, it was his love of Buffy that motivated him to be "loving" towards anyone.
Never fear a new badass vampire is in town and his name is Bill Compton. I read the books and Eric was the romantic hero that appealed to the lovers of romance novels. Whereas Bill was the badass thoroughly vampire character that left a trail of bodies in his wake. He would say things like, "Sookie shall I throw you on the porch and f!@# you till you faint," and then do just that. When the FOTS attacked the Vampire nest in Dallas, Bill showed no mercy and killed most of them. Looks like things are going to change up and sexy badass Bill from the books is in town and you will love him. I'm mad that we didn't get more of that Bill in TB. But it looks like I will be. You are going to love badass Bill.
Nah, we shouldn't panic, but we SHOULD write some crossover fanfiction in which Spike and Eric bond over pints of blood and glumly swap stories about their murderous glory days.
Hahahahahaha!
Wait. You were serious?
Ok.
Um, please read the source material before assuming things. Yes, they have changed Eric's character quite a bit on the show already, but with book 4 being the vast majority of fan's favorite, I'm desperately hoping they will stick to the Eric/Sookie storyline. And, for the record, Eric never becomes soft. Take that how you want ^_~
And, if you remember from all the flashback episodes, William the Bloody referred to his BLOODY AWFUL POETRY, not his murdering slayers. He was a PANSY when he was human, and murdered slayers when he was betrayed by Angelus, Darla and Druscilla (and his mother at one point, if I'm not mistaken) on multiple occasions to get out his anger and prove he wasn't pathetic to them.
I love Spike, and I love Eric, but you're comparing apples and sharks here.
Eric will never be a wimp! He might soften this season and he'll be softer towards Sookie in later seasons (because he's in love with her) but he's always the badass sheriff! That is how he's always been in the books and he's even tougher at times on the show. That will not change!
And OMG that comment about Bill! Bill the badass from the books, rrrriiiigggghhhhtttt :'D
ROFL!! ok seriously...bad ass bill????!?!?!? haha! I'm sorry but even in the first three books where bill was actually around for more than a few pages you could barely categorize him as a bad ass vampire! and later when he isn't even a very important part of the story he's more mopey thn anything else....
and saying that eric is morphing in to a wimp is just ridiculous.....i mean i can't say where the TB writers are going with the series...but in the books he is always...and i mean ALWAYS categorized as THE VIKING with a reputation to boot...and needless to say he has till now always lived up to that reputation as a ruthless bad ass viking vampire...which is what makes his gentle and loving treatment of sookie even more appreciable...he doesn't change who he is,rather treats sookie like the woman he loves deserves to be treated.
I just don't understand BBgers ... All I've heard is "Erics evil!, he doesn't care about Sookie, he'd kill her if it benefits himself..blah blah blah.." and now that he has shown a soft side to her and will continue to he's a wimp! It seems to me this is a desperate attempt to grasp at anything you can since bill the vamp with "humanity" is.. Not so much.. Now Eric is most certainly NOT a wimp and if he were here (and real ) he'd prolly bitch slap you for even disrespecting him enough to say that. I won't even comment on the "bill is a sexy bad ass bit" cause honestly bill and sexy in the same sentence makes me vomit in my mouth.
Really? Since most of the girls above have commented exactly the way I would have, let me add just one more item to this. I know, TB is NOT THE BOOKS. However, if you go back to the books as the reference material for the show, you would know that even when poor, innocent Eric had amnesia, he still was a badass! Did he not help kill in a witch war? Um yeah, I believe he did. This will change Eric in that he realizes he CAN love again, but it will never take away his edge. Eric will forever be THE badass Viking Vampire on True Blood! Oh, and Bill + Sexy in the same sentence = really bad images, nightmares, and vomit! Long live the Viking! Hail the Viking! Worship Him Bitches!