Eric Northman

Bill takes Sookie to Fangtasia, and Eric instantly sees what her gift is worth. He uses her to find out who stole from the bar and makes it clear he'd like her around. Behind the pose, he follows vampire law, including bringing Bill before the Magister.

Eric brings Sookie and Bill to Dallas to find Godric, the vampire who turned him. During an attack, he takes a bullet for Sookie, and she swallows some of his blood getting it out. Later, Eric begs Godric not to die, but his maker chooses the sun, and Eric weeps.

Eric learns Russell Edgington killed his family centuries ago and spends the season plotting revenge, even faking loyalty to the king. He drinks Sookie's fairy blood, walks into the sun with Russell and is saved by her. In the end, he tells Sookie the queen sent Bill to win her over.

Eric buys Sookie's house to claim her. After attacking the witch Marnie, he loses his memory and becomes someone else: gentle, scared and in love with Sookie, who hides him at her place. When his memory returns, he doesn't want to lose what they had.

Held by the Authority with Bill, Eric reunites with his sister Nora and goes after Russell. When the Authority turns into a Lilith cult, he breaks away and kills Russell to save the fairies. In S6, he lands in the governor's camp, loses Nora to Hep-V, gains and loses the power to daywalk, and bursts into flames in the sun.

Pam finds Eric in France, alive and infected with Hep-V. He's cured by drinking the blood of Sarah Newlin, who took the antidote, and destroys the company that spread the virus. Four years later, Eric and Pam are billionaires selling the cure under the New Blood brand, while keeping Sarah locked in Fangtasia's basement.

Season 4's amnesiac Eric comes from the fourth book, Dead to the World. Alexander Skarsgård is the son of Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård.