Season 1, Episode 11: To Love is to Bury.
I watched season 1 of True Blood before I read the books. On the first watch I was oblivious to pretty much everything, including the scene below.
On my second watch of season 1, this shot came on screen and I damn near spat my wine out my nose.
That tiger would have stood out to a bookie regardless of where they stuck it – it’s not exactly subtle – but in ERIC’S office?
Let the cockfight begin!
Just sayin’…babe.
My last ramble about Eric and Quinn looked at how these two play off against eachother as romantic rivals, and the impact that Quinn’s presence in the story has on Eric’s actions and his emotional responses to Sookie.
That is one facet of the Quinn/Eric dynamic, and this post will look at another – Quinn’s political ties and his intentions towards Sookie.
As we touched on previously, Eric’s suspicion of Quinn is palpable from the outset. While on the surface it would be easy to chalk this up to good old fashioned jealousy, their first meeting leaves us feeling that Eric’s dislike of Quinn runs much deeper than this. The very first mention Eric makes of Quinn, even before their meeting on Sookie’s porch indicates that their paths have crossed before:
Eric’s eyes widened. “So the contest was today. I’d heard Quinn was in town. Usually, he keeps transgressions to a minimum.” – Dead as a Doornail
In All Together Dead, Eric corners Sookie in the parking lot at Merlotte’s and grills her about her feelings for Quinn, not for the first time:
“Eric,” I said, and my voice was shaking. “I don’t know why you’re here, and I don’t know why we’re having all this drama.”
“Are you Quinn’s now?” His eyes narrowed.
“I’m my own,” I said. “I choose.”
“And have you chosen?”
“Eric, this is beyond gall. You haven’t been dating me. You haven’t given me any sign that was on your mind. You haven’t treated me as though I had any significance in your life. I’m not saying I would have been open to those things, but I’m saying in their absence I’ve been free to find another, ah, companion. And so far, I like Quinn just fine.”
“You don’t know him any more than you really knew Bill.”
That sliced down where it hurt.
“At least I’m pretty damn sure he wasn’t ordered to get me in bed so I’d be a political asset!”
Hump...hump...hump...watch out for splinters there, Tiger.
As Eric quite correctly pointed out, since when does the Queen send a shifter to conduct her business? After Bill made such a monumental screw up of his mission, it would have been pointless to send another vampire covertly. So did Sophie Anne send Bill off to Peru to get his screwy-up-arse well out of the way, while she sent in a shifter to try again? I think there is some evidence for this. Having observed Sookie directly and through Bill for quite some time by this point, Sophie Anne knows her well enough to understand how Sookie reacts to lying and deception, so she changes tactics. This time, instead of outright deception Bill-style, Quinn’s strategy is to be open about his connection to the Queen. This openness seems to throw Sookie off the scent but Eric discerns Quinn’s game early. Which makes his readiness to rip Quinn’s throat out the first time they come face to face a little more feasible. Eric knows Sookie has to work Quinn out for herself, since she would only put it down to jealousy if he openly questioned his motives. In the Merlotte’s parking lot scene in ATD, he is once again trying to lead Sookie to reach her own conclusions about what is bleedingly obvious to him.
Let myself in. Naked in ur tub. But don't call me Alpha.
Why, of course he did. He is smart that way and THIS IS WHY WE LOVE HIM.
I do feel that Quinn cares for Sookie, and that perhaps he even loves her. But the most sensible thing Sookie ever did was give him the boot over his mommy issues. His feelings about his family lead him to make the most unbelievably stupid mistakes. While Quinn is indebted to vampires, Sookie will never be safe with him.
I feel like there’s a major showdown on the wind for Eric and Quinn. Not only do they want the same woman, but there is definitely something political going down between the two of them as well. They seem to have a history going back before Sookie, and Eric totally smells a rat around Quinn and his dubious associations. With Quinn having to align with Nevada to protect his mother and sister, and Eric looking more and more like he’s about to move against Nevada to become King (this is another one of my conspiracy theories – I told you have more than I can poke a stick at), I’m betting we haven’t seen the last of the alpha posturing between these two by a long shot.
Today’s nominee has the dubious honour of being my anointed worst dressed character in Sookieverse. Everything this man puts on his back deserves ridicule and fingerpointing because it’s all just bloody shameful.
Quinn’s get ups are really something else. After much agonising trying to choose which of them is the worst, I give you…
Quinn – Oops! I thought this was an Arabian Nights Costume Party (All Together Dead)
The occasion: Russell Edgington’s wedding. But apparently Quinn missed the memo, because he doesn’t seem to realise he is attending a wedding. He thinks he’s going to some sort of fancy dress bash…or something. Deep scarlet “harem pants” – these are MC Hammer pants that gather at the ankle for those of you having trouble here – a wide gold belt, with his pants tucked into black leather boots. And…wait for it. NO SHIRT. Even though it doesn’t say so on the page, you can BET he has that stupid gold hoop in as well. You know it.
The most astounding thing about this outfit is that no one – including Sookie – seems to bat an eye. I can only conclude that Quinn’s garish fashion sense is nothing new to anyone at this wedding and they probably all take bets on what he’s going to show up in next.
His purple paisley first date outfit was one thing. His attempt to team a silk shirt with khakis and a tie for Jason’s wedding was borderline. But I can’t forgive genie pants. I will not.
Are we supposed to take this man seriously as a suitor? Are we supposed to believe Sookie would even want to be seen in public with this, let alone dry hump it?
This is one genie that should have stayed firmly plugged in the bottle.
Ali Baba called and he's missing his pants...
Tomorrow’s Victim – Sookie…again.
Previous Noms
#1 Sookie – When Maenads Attack
#2 Bill – Grateful Gran’s Dead
#3 Eric – Amnesia Tell-All
One of my favourite things to mull over in the Sookie books is the interaction between Eric, Sookie and Quinn. In a series of posts over the next week or two I thought it’d be cool to look at this in more detail – Quinn as Eric’s main rival for Sookie, and how the personal and political undercurrents between Quinn and Eric might play out later in the series.
****
I know Quinn isn’t a popular suitor, and I count myself in the camp that doesn’t want him near Sookie with a bargepole. Let’s face it, the tiger has issues and his creepy habit of calling strange women “babe” is only the start of them. Quinn tends to be pigeon holed as just another suitor that doesn’t really have a chance and I know, alot of us wish he’d just disappear. But he won’t! Now that Bill has found his place in Sookie’s life and it’s not a romantic one, it’s becoming clearer that Quinn is meant to be Eric’s main threat and Sookie’s alternative love interest for the remainder of the series.
I hear you groan. But bear with me here people, this may not be a bad thing. The dynamic between His Purple Pansyness and Eric is really fascinating.
Quinn has similar status in the shifter hierarchy to Eric’s status amongst the vampires. Both of them hold influence amongst their kind. They are very similar in some respects – both “alpha” males, both charming, good looking, and powerful. And they are both completely accustomed to getting what they want. It’s very clear from the first time they interact in the books that Eric views Quinn as his only real competition for Sookie – and that he considers him a far more serious threat than Bill. In fact, it’s pretty obvious from the outset that both of these men recognise each other – not Bill, not Alcide and certainly not Sam – as the main rival for Sookie. Both of them have uncharacteristically big emotional reactions to interference from the other.
The first time we ever see Eric and Quinn interact sparks fly. In Definitely Dead, Quinn arrives to take Sookie on their first date. Eric is already at the house, already in a foul mood, and he comes about as close to completely losing his shit as we ever see him get. He goes straight for Quinn the second he arrives, demanding to know what he has been telling Sookie about her role at the vampire conference. Sookie says he has “fang showing”, and he is so angry his eyes are “throwing sparks”. She also notes that “something lay underneath this”, and that she is a symptom but not the source of their animosity. It is clear from this scene that Quinn and Eric knew each other before their cockfight on Sookie’s porch – so what’s the backstory with these two?
In FDTW, Eric is so threatened by Quinn that when the opportunity arises to ban him outright from Area 5, he does it without hesitation after he is satisfied that Sookie is done with him. He has never taken such measures against any of Sookie’s other love interests, even though it is well within the scope of his authority to do so.
Eric asks Sookie multiple times if she loves Quinn, or else confronts her about her feelings after almost every scene involving the three of them. He never asks her how she feels about anyone else, not even Bill. Eric tells Sookie she is “his lover – not Quinn’s, not Bill’s, not Sam’s” – and it’s no coincidence whose name is mentioned here first. When Quinn ignores Eric’s ban and comes back into Area 5 in DAG, Sookie says “I could feel rage on the wind. It wasn’t my rage.” Eric knows Quinn has defied him and come back to see Sookie, and she feels his rage through the blood bond. Not long afterwards, Eric shows up on her doorstep. Five books pass after DTTW with no Eric sexy time – and all it takes is for Quinn to show Eric he is willing to defy him, and suddenly he can’t get Sookie back in the sack fast enough. When the blood bond is forged in Rhodes, Eric deliberately flaunts his obvious pleasure in the process purely for Quinn’s benefit. Marking territory takes on a whole new dimension for Eric when Quinn is around. Yet he has never felt the same compulsion to taunt Bill with the details of his physical relationship with Sookie, even though Bill knows damn well that they’re having one. Why? Because he didn’t need to assert himself over someone he didn’t consider a true threat.
In one of the few moments I ever liked him, the cocky tiger had the balls to tell Bill to his face that he “isn’t even on the list” where Sookie is concerned in DAG. So it’s clear that Quinn, like Eric, sees this as a two man battle now as well. Quinn’s emotional responses to Eric are volatile and often show him as emotionally stunted (which he is but he is usually good at hiding). His tantrums over Eric are too numerous to list – but who could forget him telling Sookie in DAG that “Eric loves his little piece of Louisiana more than he’ll ever love you”. Hands up if you wanted to stab him in the eye? Oh me.
Quinn has no problem killing for Sookie – he has already killed Andre and freed her from what was, at the time, a very dangerous threat. He’s also sounded Sookie out about killing Eric much to her horror, and I get the feeling that regardless of her objections he would take out Eric in a heartbeat if the opportunity presented itself. Eric killed Longshadow in defence of Sookie, as well as a few others along the way – but he won’t kill Quinn unless it’s in self defence. He has certainly had opportunities, and in DAG Quinn gave him a free shot when he defied his orders yet Eric still showed restraint. Aside from knowing that it would hurt Sookie, Eric wants her to choose him because she wants him, not because there’s no one else left. This is what stops him killing or interfering with her other love interests…and just one more reason why Eric is awesome and Quinn is a tool. Quinn went from mildly irritating to the very top of my shit list when he started talking about killing Eric.
Part of Quinn’s function as a romantic interest for Sookie is to give her an opportunity to recognise another Bill – albeit in a slightly different disguise, but that’s for the next post. For Eric, he provides another alpha to square off against – worthy competition if you like. Quinn forces him to confront how he feels and act on it, and he does it quite successfully. Quinn is due back in the book after DITF apparently, and I can’t wait. I hate him as a love interest, but I LOVE how he is the only character in the whole series that can send our usually unflappable viking totally off the rails and bring out his insecure streak. When he does show up again, you can bet it’s going to be ugly for all concerned…and not the least for Eric.
It's hard finding pics for Quinn posts...so here's a pretty purple pansy and you can use your imagination
Let us count the ways.
He dresses badly.
Single gold hoop earring. Black silk tshirts. Paisley ties. Hammer pants?!? Oh man.
In all fairness, everyone in the Sookieverse commits heinous crimes against fashion. Some of these crimes are nothing short of atrocities, so I really shouldn’t hold his fashion sense against him. But I will.
He has the emotional maturity of a 17 year old boy.
Who the hell disappears for months, without making so much as a phone call – and comes back with barely an apology, expecting to pick up a relationship as though nothing ever happened? My 13 year old nephew wouldn’t dare try get away with this shit with a woman – even he knows better. But not Quinn. Because Quinn is a tool.
He hates vampires and always wants to kill them.
It’s not like Quinn is Mr Perfect. The man has a list of issues as long as my arm. Yet he refers to vampires like they’re shit stuck to his shoe, and when the opportunity to kill one, or attempt to kill one comes along he is there with bells on. Ask Andre. Or Bill.
Though to tell you the truth, I really don’t care what he does to Bill.
He has mommy issues.
Don’t get me wrong, all boys should love their mothers. But Quinn just takes it to the extreme. His relationship with his nutjob of a mother is toxic and he will never put Sookie, or anyone else before her or his big mouth sister.
Sookie dresses up like J-Lo and he doesn’t even notice.
Further proof, as if I need any, that his interest in Sookie is as politically motivated as Bill’s and about as genuine. Who doesn’t notice when their date shows up looking like that? And then he has the hide to compliment her dress in a note, as an afterthought! Tool!
He calls women he doesn’t know “Babe”
He called Sookie this the first time he met her! WTF? If someone called me that on first meeting I’d be reaching into my handbag for my mace. Is this meant to be sexy or something? It is so NOT. It’s creepy and weird and it made me not like Quinn from the first time he opened his mouth.
He is impulsive, weak and easily manipulated.
Impulsive – check. He comes back to area 5 knowing that Eric may literally kill him for defying his orders.
Weak – check. He is a constant pawn for others more powerful. Sophie Anne and Felipe de Castro both own his ass, and so does his mother for that matter.
Easily manipulated – check. See above.
Let’s just check off all three and move on shall we?
He lashes out at Sookie when he’s cornered.
Remember Quinn telling Sookie that Bill valued his position and status in the hierarchy, and that Eric valued his little piece of Louisiana more than he would ever love her? That was such a horrible conversation. As Sookie observed, it was like he came there to tell her that no one else would love her so she might as well just shack up with him. Come to think of it, that whole conversation was very reminiscent of one she had with Bill. He also told Sookie that she would never be able to have a relationship with a human man when she threatened to dump him.
Tools! The pair of them.
And the number one offence on Quinn’s Wall of Shame….
He keeps talking about killing Eric
OK so Quinn obviously hates Eric and wants him out of the way. I can kind of understand that. After all, who wouldn’t be threatened by a charming, extroverted, tall, blonde immortal with – to quote Jason Stackhouse – “sex abilities”.
Yet even after Sookie all but has a heart attack at the very suggestion that he would kill Eric, Quinn still keeps going on about it. How Sookie feels about it isn’t going to stop him, it just means that he will make it look like an accident or self defence so she doesn’t blame him. For Quinn, the only thing that matters is that Eric is dead.
I know that he’s going to have a crack at taking Eric out sooner or later and I WISH HIM LUCK. I will dance on his grave right after Eric puts him in it.
So there you have it. Quinn’s transgressions in a nutshell.
I think I’ll do a list of these for everyone, Sookie and Eric included. Though I may need some help with the Eric list since I seem to be able to justify every remotely questionable action of his for some reason.
But I know I’m not the only one who has that problem.
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