This posted is dedicated to my reader Missy North/ Freyja who contributed to a lot of the ideas in this theory and she is also given some of the writing credit for this article)…so make sure to thank her as well!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Many of us were asking this question: Why Bill would meet with Portia’s family if he told her that he would “never love her” in episode 4×04 and they just started having sex/ hooking up?
Obviously, it makes no sense that Bill would “call-on Portia” in these circumstances, especially so soon and after it’s clear he is not really wanting her to be his girlfriend.
There is only one real explanation…
____________________________________________________________________________
In order to answer this question, it is necessary to consider the last time Bill went to “meet-the family,” when he ‘called-on-Sookie’ in Episode 4×02 and compare it to when Bill went to “meet-the-family” for Portia in Episode 4×03.
Bill shows up to Sookie's home to "call on her" in his Southern Sunday best.
Bill shows up to Portia's home to "call on her" in his Southern Sunday best.
Bill certainly knows how to play to his audience with clothing, doesn’t he?
__________________________________________________________________________
Bill stays close to "his intended" and flashes a smile for the Grandmother/ Matriarch
Bill stays close to "his intended" and flashes a smile for the Grandmother/ Matriarch
______________________________________________________________________________
In both cases, Bill contrasts the bad manners of an embarrassing male relative with his own perfect manners and charm. The Grandmother/ Matriarch is impressed- SCORE ONE FOR BILL!
____________________________________________________________________________
He then also attempts to impresses both Grandmothers/ Matriachs with his Civil War knowledge because that meets both of their interests and he was there (Bill appeals to and relates to both of their interests), although this turns out to backfire for Bill in 4×04).
______________________________________________________________________________
Why would these scenes so closely parallel each other unless we were meant to take a closer look at how they compare to one another? So what would the first “meet-the-parents” scene tell us about the second “meet-the-parents” scene?
First of all, we know Bill had ulterior motives in regards to Sookie even though it appeared he was simply interested in her. Second of all, we know that Bill is not really that romantically interested in Portia, yet is meeting her family.
Bill must have had ulterior motives in order to meet Portia’s family, just as he had ulterior motives in meeting Sookie’s family especially since we definitely know he is not romantically interested in Portia. There is no other reason these scenes would have been compared side-by-side.
__________________________________________________________________________
We know what Bill’s motives with Sookie were. What are Bill’s motives with Portia?
WELL…Bill is a politician of course!
All politicians need allies—especially rich and influential ones! The Bellefleurs can certainly be this rich and influential ally within Bon Temps! If Bill was able to have Portia at his side, a smart human lawyer who belongs to the Bellefleur family (and possibly the support of all the Bellefleurs behind him in turn), the possibilities as a politician around the area could be limitless.
So, Bill met Portia’s family for the same reason he met Sookie’s family–winning the trust of others for personal gain (both of these circumstances were under the guise of romance and for the same “thought-manipualtion” of humans he seemed so proud of while walking with Sookie after the “meet-the parents” in episode 1×02).
Parallels on True Blood happen for a reason.
Bill does everything for a reason, usually selfish even if it doesn’t seem so on the surface.
Talktrueblood's Blog 
#1 by Ethan Ralph on July 19, 2011 - 5:52 pm
Heh, I didn’t think about the parallels between the two meetings until this article. The casual, open shirt in both is pretty funny too, as well as the Jason/Andy contrast. Bill definitely has the southern gentlemen thing down. Ofc all politicians need allies as you said, the richer the better lol. I should mention that his haircut in Season 4 is miles above his haircut in Season 1 lmfao.
#2 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 6:00 pm
I definitely did of course but I didn’t connect it until Freyja kinda opened the door.
He definitely has the schmooze of a Southern politician down lol.
“the richer the better” LOOOOOOOOOOOOL
AGREED lool. Season 2 and 3 were still the worst though, especially 2
#3 by Anonymous on July 19, 2011 - 6:00 pm
In the book, Bill found out he was related to Portia, as great ggreat great etc. grandfather..
#4 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 6:14 pm
Yes, I have read the books too. I know they wanted to bring that in somehow but there had to be a reason Bill went over there (other than the writers just needed to get that in there somehow) as I said.
#5 by Freyja on July 19, 2011 - 6:01 pm
Thanks for the dedication Kat 🙂
The similarity between those two family meetings are shown for a purpose. Bill may have fallen in love with Sookie later on, but at that time he met Gran and Jason, he was on a mission. This is his M.O. for sure. He played them like a fiddle.
The Bellefleurs represent power and money in this town, and Bill is doing what he can to help with the vampire cause, being the politician he is.
#6 by Freyja on July 19, 2011 - 6:14 pm
Oh and did you notice the southern accent came back 😉 It was almost non existent at the beginning of the season. It’s only when he’s putting up the southern persona when it resurfaces.
#7 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 6:26 pm
Yes, Bill has the perfect persona for every occasion as Sookieverseblog once dutifully pointed out 🙂
Then we can think of the extreme where he imitated Eric’s voice perfectly.
We don’t know who the real Bill is really because he’s never himself because all he knows how to be is what he thinks he needs to be given the particular situation.
He even adopted the persona of a British punk to lure that bartender to his feeding.
#8 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 6:22 pm
Your welcome. You definitely deserved it.
If Bill cannot love because he has “an old heart,” then how could he have loved Sookie? I don’t think he has aged much more in a year or that caused his aging as a Civil War Era vamp lol.
Bill is always on a mission and that comes first. Maybe Sookie came before his mission later on but she’s the only exception and his motives for that cannot be all about love because they never are.
That theory and connection was perfect!
There is nobody better in town to get the support of. Bill is the perfect politician and puppet – cunning and ruthless and conscienceless when it comes to what he wants or the overall goal- like a perfect soldier. His superficial charm tops it off.
#9 by Cindy on July 19, 2011 - 6:37 pm
My first reaction to this is CREEPY. LOL
But once you pointed it out and I absorbed it, it’s an almost too-obvious parallel! Another GREAT example of how/why Bill is not as he seems. A Southern gentleman? Um, not just no but HELL NO. No arguing that he can certainly turn on the charm when he wants to, but it’s only when he has to use it to manipulate people/situations to GET WHAT HE WANTS. You used perfect words in your comment, Kat – cunning, ruthless, and consciousless. BINGO!
Also the “Bill cannot love because he has “an old heart,” then how could he have loved Sookie?” comment is SPOT ON. The moment he said that I was like “huh? Then how could you have loved Sookie?”
BRILLIANT post, girls. KUDOS to you both!
#10 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 6:56 pm
Hell yes!
I couldnt get over the parallel even as I watched the first time. We’re supposed to go back to his persona then as an audience and realize how fake it was by him pulling it out now after all we’ve seen. It goes along with his intelligent sociopathy as I explained in the psychology post about Bill.
That’s the biggest question I have had from Bill this season…is him saying that about loving.
Either he was never capable of love so he never loved Sookie and lied about that OR he lied to Portia about why he’d never love her. If it was because he wasn’t over Sookie, he should have just said “I have too much to work through and I am not ready to love again.” Or maybe it’s like many have thought all along, he’s not capable of loving humans even as he has this facade of being a human-lover. Any which way you look at it, it’s bad!
THanks!! couldnt have explained it that well without her help.
#11 by hiddeneloise on July 19, 2011 - 7:03 pm
I noted the parallels when I watched the episode and it was so, so deliberately obvious. Bill was always a politician, and the more we look back, the more clear it becomes. So many of his moves and deeds seem so different in retrospect, knowing what he’s been doing and how he always had more than one agenda.
And he lays on the “Southern charm” especially thick. So thick in fact, it’s cringe-worthy. It was cringe-worthy the first time around, too, but then I thought he was just trying too hard, given his position as an outsider that is feared and not accepted, and given that he probably wanted to assimilate. Looking back, knowing what we know, it’s worse.
And knowing what we know, watching him “work” the Bellefleurs, it’s even more uncomfortable. I kept thinking of the Jane Austen quote. Mr. Bennett said this about Wickham: “He is as fine a fellow as ever I saw. He simpers and smirks, and makes love to us all.”
#12 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 7:09 pm
They went that far for a reason obviously because of that. It wasn’t a lazy way for Bill to discover his relationship to them. Good procuring comes with charm and ruthless, almost sociopathic qualities…..sometimes good politicians are the same way….that must have been why the Authority wanted to manipulate him for this position.
I almost felt sorry for him then, thinking he just wanted to be liked so bad but knowing how hard it was. Now, it’s like he’s the worst con-artist vampire out there lol. No wonder they had him infiltrate the monarchy by being a procurer.
That’s so very true! wonderful quote/comparison!
#13 by osterby on July 19, 2011 - 10:25 pm
Do you remember when Bud and Andy went to Bill’s house to question him about the deaths of Maudette and Dawn? Do you remember the look of recognition of Bill’s face when he learned Andy’s last name?
Do you think Bill the procurer who kept a dosier on the Stackhouse family for at least 4 generations wouldn’t have known his relationship to the Bellefleurs?
Me thinks Bill wanted to rid himself of the “terrier” without losing the influence of the smartest human female lawyer the “terrier” knows.
#14 by Cindy on July 19, 2011 - 11:58 pm
TOTALLY agree Osterby! I just can’t believe he didn’t know who Portia and/or her family was. And if that’s the case, it makes the whole situation even CREEPIER!!! *blech*
#15 by Kat on July 20, 2011 - 3:19 pm
Yes…..although I figured that was simply in reference to the soldier.
That’s the only reason I doubt him not knowing that is because of the reason you mentioned and my doubt that he didn’t keep up with his human family at all—even from a distance.
Wow, that is an interesting thought though!
#16 by osterby on July 20, 2011 - 10:40 pm
I think it’s pretty obvious that Bill kept track of the neighbors. So, why wouldn’t he have know what his own family was up to? Bill had newspaper clippings. Either he cut them out when published or he spend some time in an archive. Either way, he would have seen wedding, death and birth announcements.
He slept with Portia for a reason. He also had a reason to read aloud Miss Caroline’s bible. Miss Caroline knew what he read implied, that is why she removed herself from the room.
#17 by Kat on July 21, 2011 - 8:54 am
That’s true. Bill was so investigative with Sookie and Bon Temps that he couldn’t know what the most powerful family’s business was (including their history)? That is a little far
that’s true…after all, it did seem a little too convenient.
#18 by osterby on July 19, 2011 - 10:27 pm
Warm Fresca anyone?
#19 by Kat on July 20, 2011 - 3:19 pm
LMAO yeah….he was sure mainstreaming then
#20 by TruFan on July 20, 2011 - 6:49 am
For once I actually had recognized this parallel to Sookie’s grandmother myself. (You’ve trained us well, Kat, lol) I agree wtih Ostreby that there is NO WAY that Bill didn’t know who Portia was. So I think we need to ask ourselves, what is his game with HER, and what does he want from her? He tells her he’ll never love her, literally setting it up so she can’t get upset later at him. If we think he knew who Portia was, what possible reason would he have to sleep with her? I don’t believe it was lust. Is it possible he wanted something to “hold over her head”? She herself said she was the most powerful woman in Bon Temps.
You’d think people in Bon Temps would actually be pretty forgiving of something like that considering all the weirdos that live there, but I guess we’re supposed to believe there’s a small-town mentality. How closely related are they anyway? So many generations apart, surely they are not any closer then 3rd cousins. I’m not really into family trees, does anyone know how to figure that out?
All I know is Bill is one sick b*stard. Seriously.
(fangtasia)
#21 by Cindy on July 20, 2011 - 10:45 am
I think it was said that she is the great great grand daughter of Sarah, who was Bill’s daughter. So that makes Portia his his great great great grand daughter. just ewww…
#22 by Kat on July 20, 2011 - 3:25 pm
Im glad. Parallels are so important to this show and everyone should know that.
Why didn’t Bill tell her? did he think he could take a greater advantage as a lover rather than family member?
I wonder why he didn’t pull his knowledge out before sleeping with her…did he want to threaten the entire family?
Well she’s the great grand daughter or his daughter right?
Of course he is
#23 by anna on July 20, 2011 - 1:28 pm
Guess he’s prepared to screw anybody to get what he wants…
#24 by Kat on July 20, 2011 - 3:20 pm
Literally or figuratively
#25 by TruFan on July 20, 2011 - 6:17 pm
Both, I’d say, lol.
#26 by TruFan on July 23, 2011 - 4:35 am
Is it just possible that Bill has a taste for the elderly? He killed Sookie’s grandmother (I think he did anyway) and there was that other old lady he drank from who was disabled. Maybe Portia’s granny is next?
#27 by Kat on July 25, 2011 - 12:57 am
Wow I hadnt thought of this myself but it seems like a viable idea.
#28 by eriklover on July 23, 2011 - 12:08 pm
I’ve got a question 4 U smart fans here. In 4-1 Bill is dedicating a “senior citizen” home & it appears to be named after his wife Caroline. Bill know how long she lived there & that she was a member of the Arbor society & planted trees.(& since he is the one cutting the ribbon, he possibly was the one paying 4 it). He mentioned the number of years Caroline lived there, He sure knew when she died & what happened to his daughter who he knows lived. & What about his grandchildren? How about his descendant who lived in the house? You cannot tell me he didn’t know about his relationship to the Bellefleurs.
Anyone here have an answer re: the :”center/home”Bill was dedicating. Apparantly, he used Portia to purchase & set up this :center/home”.. I have questions & would like some answers.
#29 by Kat on July 25, 2011 - 1:00 am
I agree. How did he even know about his daughter and how she married and her new maiden last name and the name of their child….
again, I hadn’t thought about that but it seems likely…so it makes no sense why he wouldn’t know AT ALL if he knew all of that…
especially the way he acted with portia in the last epiosde…that really made no sense