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Adele Stackhouse

Adele Stackhouse
Appearances
Season(s)
1, 4, 7
First seen
Last seen
Appeared in
10 episodes (see below)
Mentioned in
Biographical Information
Also Known As
Gran
Status
Deceased
Age
75
Turning age
Vampire age
Date of birth
1933
()
Date turned
()
Date of death
2008
Profession
Religion
Christian †
Gender
Female
Family Information

Niall Brigant - Ancestor
John William Stackhouse - Ancestor (deceased) †
Jonas Stackhouse - Ancestor (deceased) †
Earl Stackhouse - Husband (Deceased) †
Bartlett Hale - Brother (deceased) †
Francis Stackhouse - Brother-in-law (deceased) †
Corbett Stackhouse - Son (deceased) †
Michelle Stackhouse - Daughter-in-law (deceased) †
Linda Stackhouse - Daughter (deceased) †
Sookie Stackhouse - Granddaughter
Unnamed Grandson-in-law
Unborn Great-Grandchild (Sookie's Child)
Jason Stackhouse - Grandson
Brigette Stackhouse - Granddaughter-in-law
3 Unnamed Great-Granddaughters (Jason's Children)
Hadley Stackhouse - Granddaughter

Hunter Savoy - Great-Grandson
Supernatural Information
Species
Powers
  • All human abilities
  • All ghost abilities
Has shifted into
Notable Progeny
Notable kills
Cause of death
Stabbed
Killed by
Physical Appearance
Height
Hair color
Silver
Eye color
Blue
Portrayed by
Actor
{{{Actor}}}
Actress

[[:Category:{{{Images}}}|Images]]

"You're always careful, Sookie, about what counts, and I can depend on that."
―Adele Stackhouse[src]

Adele Stackhouse (née Hale), and more commonly known as Gran, was Sookie and Jason Stackhouse's grandmother on the HBO original series True Blood. Played by American co-starring actress Lois Smith, Adele mades her debut in the series' premiere episode, "Strange Love", in the series' first season. Born in 1933, Adele was the oldest Stackhouse living in the Stackhouse hometown of Bon Temps, Louisiana and played a recurring role through the series' first, fourth and seventh seasons. Adele met an untimely demise in the series' fifth episode, "Sparks Fly Out", but reappears in flashbacks, or as a ghost, and was last seen in the series' finale episode, "Thank You", in the series' seventh, and final, season.

Personality[]

Adele was a very kind-hearted, motherly figure, with even Tara Thornton's mother crediting her for raising Tara when she couldn't. She is one of the few characters who supports Sookie's relationship with Bill, and is greatly interested in Bill's historic knowledge of Bon Temps, as she is head of the "Descendants of the Glorious Dead", an organization devoted to honoring the memory of the Civil War. She helped out Bon Temps in many ways. She was always open and loved gossip. When Adele died, many people of Bon Temps attended her funeral and wondered whether she had deserved to die like she had. Sookie's comfort place is the cemetery where her grandmother was buried.

Biography[]

Background[]

Gran

Gran with Sookie and Jason.

Adele was married to Earl Stackhouse. Her husband vanished into the Faerie Realm shortly after her granddaughter Sookie turned five. Adele assumed he had died and never suspected the truth of his disappearance or the secret of the Stackhouse family blood.

When her son and daughter-in-law died in a flash flood, Adele was left to take care of her grandchildren, Sookie and Jason. Adele was always a motherly figure, not only to her two grandchildren but also to Tara Thornton. Tara would always come to Adele's house when she wanted to escape from her mother's drunken behavior. When Sookie was still young, she revealed to Adele that Adele's brother Bartlett had molested her. Adele believed Sookie and threw Bartlett out, refusing to ever speak to him again.

Adele was very interested in local history, particularly the Civil War period and founded a local historical club called the "Descendants of the Glorious Dead."

Season 1[]

"The First Taste"[]

Gran dead

Sookie finds Gran dead

Sookie tells her Gran about the vampire she had met at Merlotte's. Adele is extremely interested in hearing about his past and any local history with which he was familiar. When she meets Bill, she is delighted to hear his memories of Jonas Stackhouse building the very house in which she lived. She extended the invitation for him to come and speak in front of her Civil War historical club the Descendants of the Glorious Dead. ("The First Taste")

"Sparks Fly Out"[]

DescendantsoftheGloriousDead

Bill speaking at Adele's meeting

During the build-up to Bill coming to speak to the Descendants of the Glorious Dead, it is clear not everyone in town is comfortable with Adele's decision. She makes it known that she is staunchly behind Bill and describes him as "a perfect gentleman." Following the club meeting, Sookie returns home to find her Gran dead in a pool of blood in their kitchen. This makes Adele the third victim of the Bon Temps killer. ("Sparks Fly Out")

"To Love Is to Bury"[]

"You'll Be the Death of Me"[]

Her murderer is later discovered to be Drew Marshall, who posed as Rene Lenier, a Cajun and close friend of Jason Stackhouse. ("To Love Is to Bury") ("You'll Be the Death of Me")

Season 4[]

"Me and the Devil"[]

AdeleSookieAndWhenIDie

Sookie visits Moon Goddess Emporium in hopes of getting information from Marnie. She asks for a reading. During the reading, Gran speaks to Sookie. She tells Sookie to run from Marnie. ("Me and the Devil")

"And When I Die"[]

Her warning proves worthwhile as Marnie pursues a bitter quest for revenge on vampires including Sookie's lovers Bill and Eric. Marnie is eventually killed but takes possession of Sookie's friend Lafayette.

When Holly summons the souls of the dead on Samhain, Adele is among the risen souls. She helps Antonia reason with Marnie, allowing Marnie to let go of her baggage and peacefully enter the next life. Before leaving with the rest of the deceased, she tells Sookie that she'll always be in her heart. ("And When I Die")

Season 7[]

"Thank You"[]

Adele makes a small cameo in the final episode. In a flashback to when Sookie was little, her and Tara are having a conversation and Sookie says she will never be able to be with someone because of her mind reading abilities. Adele overhears this and is angry with Sookie and tells her never to say anything like this again and she is the way God intended her to be.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Season one appearances
"Strange Love" "The First Taste" "Mine" "Escape from Dragon House"
"Sparks Fly Out" "Cold Ground" "Burning House of Love" "Fourth Man in the Fire"
"Plaisir D'Amour" "I Don't Wanna Know" "To Love Is to Bury" "You'll Be the Death of Me"
Season four appearances
"She's Not There" "You Smell Like Dinner" "If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin'?" "I'm Alive and on Fire"
"Me and the Devil" * "I Wish I Was the Moon" "Cold Grey Light of Dawn" "Spellbound"
"Let's Get Out of Here" "Burning Down the House" "Soul of Fire" "And When I Die"

*- Voice only, uncredited

Season seven appearances
"Jesus Gonna Be Here" "I Found You" "Fire in the Hole" "Death is Not the End"
"Lost Cause" "Karma" "May be the Last Time" "Almost home"
"Love is to Die" "Thank You"
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