'True Blood': Key Moments of the First Three Seasons

Presiding over his vampire bar Fangtasia like the 1,000-year-old Viking royal that he is, the third member of True Blood's steamy love triangle makes his debut in the fourth episode sitting on – what else? – a throne. An arrogant, aloof "sheriff" (vampires have their own governing body), Eric is immediately smitten with Sookie, who has come to his Shreveport club to investigate the rash of murders in Bon Temps being pinned on her brother, Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Not only is he impressed by her fearlessness (within seconds of meeting she's parrying his "Aren't you sweet" with, "Not really"), but her mind-reading ability. After Sookie helps Eric avert a police raid by listening in on an undercover cop's thoughts, he is in her debt – and a permanent threat to her relationship with Bill.

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