There are no shortages of vampire movies, television shows and books. Some are based on old folklore and some are modern adaptations. True Blood from HBO is a little bit of both and the vampires have some interesting rules. Here are a few differences between the vampires on HBO’s hit series and some of the more common varieties.
Reflection
If you watched the vampire shows and movies of old, there was one tried and true method for determining who was and who was not a vampire. A true vampire would have no reflection in mirrors or any other reflective surface. Not so in the Bon Temps world of vampires, in fact you find out that this is but one of many “rumors” started by the vamps themselves to disguise their existence.
Holy Water
In the old days if you wanted to see a vampire, sizzle and pop a little bit of holy water would do the trick. Simply stop by your local church, get some water blessed and boom you were ready to fight vampires! Again, you find that this is simply a rumor that vampires circulated for many years.
Mind Reading Ability
Several undead stories include the ability to read minds; you will likely recognize this trait from popular stories such as Twilight and several others. In True Blood, vamps may have varying powers, such as the ability to fly, but none can read minds. This is one area where true blood and twilight are actually opposites, Edward cannot read Bella’s mind and Sookie cannot read Bills!
Organization
Most stories of vampires depict them as lone creatures or a pack of two or three. However, in the Southern Vampire series the vampires actually have a political force in the American Vampire League. When scientists were able to synthesize human blood, allowing vampires to come out of the closet so to speak, it also came out that they were highly organized. Each state has a monarchy; Sophie Anne is the Queen of Louisiana while Russell Edgington is King of Mississippi. In addition to an overriding leader for each area, there are also sheriffs and a magistrar who administer justice to vampires.
Laws
With all their organization, there must be rules and laws. Not all of the rules are expressed in the first season of True Blood; however, they do come out kind of, as you go along. For instance, one vampire killing another is expressly forbidden. Should you violate this rule as a vamp, you could be chained in a coffin and buried for a thousand years! Or you could have to create a new baby vampire. Such as was the case in the first season of True Blood when Bill must atone for killing one of his own kind.
Conclusion
There are all kinds of differences between the vampires of True Blood and the things you are likely used to from historical stories and legend. One thing that did remain the same is the manner of killing a vampire, wooden stakes and sunlight will do the trick nicely and meeting the rising sun is what is known as the true death.
Sam will kill Tommy or his Mother this year:
Why has no one opicked up on what Sam’s new girl friend said? “When a shifter kills another shifter that is a blood realtive, (like she did her mother giving birth to her). That they can start shifting into people (humans0 then. When I first heard this I thought that Sam was going to kill Tommy and start shifting into him out of guilt. But after last weeks show, it might be Tommy killing his mother. Then Tommy could kidnap Sam and shift into him and take over his bar & life. Or Sam could kill his mother and start shifting into her to give Tommy the loving mother that both of them always wanted. This plot shifter turning into people is not in the books, so why else would Allen Ball add it to the show? It would be a great story line don’t you think? I wounder if Sam or Tommy shifts into a Vampire if they will also have Vamp powers? Interesting plot line don’t you think?