True Blood
Jessica Hamby is one of the few characters unique to the True Blood Universe. She does not appear in the Southern Vampire Mysteries and was created specifically for the HBO Series (and later, the Comic Series).
Jessica Hamby grew up in a devout Christian household, where she was mistreated and abused by her parents and she had virtually no privileges or freedom during her human life. One night when she decided to sneak out with her friends, she was kidnapped by vampires. These vampires brought her to a tribunal, where Bill Compton was forced to turn her into a vampire.
Life After Death
Jessica was a mere 17 years old, when she was made into a vampire. Surprisingly to her Maker, she was not overly upset by the revelation, that she was now part of the undead population. Jessica was excited about her new life and eager to learn and explore. Bill was tasked with teaching her the vampire ways, but he pawned her off on Eric Northman for a short while. Eric and Pam taught her how to feed and did not enforce many rules on the young vampire. When she returned to Bon Temps and Bill, she met Sookie Stackhouse.
Jessica did not like the idea of “mainstreaming” which meant to drink Tru Blood instead of from humans. She and Sookie formed a relationship quite quickly and Sookie foolishly took her to see her family home again. Jessica was overwhelmed and ran to see her family, which was a mistake. She became upset and nearly killed her father. Bill got there in time to save the man, and was forced to glamour her entire family, so they would forget about their encounter with their daughter. Back in Bon Temps Jessica did not socialize much with people, until she met Hoyt Fortenberry at Merlotte’s. Right away she revealed her vampire nature, and he accepted it fully. They ended up back at Bill’s house, where Jessica lives, and they shared their first kiss. Her fangs came out, and she was embarrassed by this, but Hoyt liked them.
When she went to Dallas with Bill and Sookie, she was taught how to glamour by Bill. She called Hoyt, from the hotel since she missed him. Hoyts mother did not approve of Jessica, so she cancelled Hoyt’s phone but soon he showed up at the hotel and they spent the night talking together. The next evening he had set a romantic atmosphere in the room and they had sex for the first time (they were both virgins at this point). It is revealed that since Jessica was a virgin when she died, her hymen would grow back, which would make sex a very uncomfortable experience for her. Back in Bon Temps, Jessica attacks Hoyts mother after she insulted her, and Hoyt defend his mother. After this, Jessica killed a truck driver, but since she regretted it, she tried to turn him and it didn’t work. Bill was now missing so she went with Sookie to try and find him. She is confronted with the Vampire, Franklin who stole the body of the man she killed. He asked for information on Bill Compton, and in exchange he would keep the death a secret.
Jessica is soon hired as a hostess at Merlotte’s. While working at Merlotte’s her glamouring abilities strengthen, and she even feeds on a customer without killing her. Sam Merlotte’s Brother Tommy is hired to work at Merlotte’s as well, and he takes an interest in Jessica, often attempting to come to her aid, which she dismisses. She also was able to overpower a werewolf who was trying to kill her.
Her relationship with Hoyt is often stressful. When he confronts her about her feelings she cannot give him an answer, so he storms out of Merlotte’s. A jealous Tommy tries to start a fight in the parking lot, and Hoyt punches him in the face. Tommy, who is a shifter changes into a dog and attacks Hoyt but Jessica comes to his rescue proclaiming her love for him, and she gives him her blood so he will heal from his wounds.
After Russell’s appearance on TBBN, humans burn a cross on Bill and Jessica’s front lawn. Jessica wants to hunt them down, but Bill convinces her that now is not the time for revenge. Jessica and Hoyt get back together. They tell each other how badly they missed one another. When things start getting serious, Jessica tells him about killing the trucker. She explains she’s not going to stop drinking human blood and Hoyt immediately offers his own neck. Jessica goes right for it and Hoyt seems to like the experience. At the end of the season she is seen moving into a small house with Hoyt. The camera pans away to show a small voo-doo like doll on the floor. Maxine and Summer are also seen purchasing guns and wooden bullets at a nearby gun shop.
Season 4
Jessica and Hoyt are seen living together for over a year. There is obvious tension when Hoyt arrives home. He gets angry at Jessica for not cooking him dinner, after working all day. Later, Hoyt brings Jessica to Fangtasia for a date night.
Jessica has the urge to go back to Fangtasia. She leaves to buy Hoyt some Advil, but after seeing a sign to Shreveport, she heads to Fangtasia. As soon as she enters, she approaches the young guy she saw while there with Hoyt. She feeds on him in the bathroom.Sookie, who is also there, confronts Jessica. She quickly tells Sookie to mind her own business.
Feeling guilty for biting another human, Jessica goes to her maker Bill for advice. She returns home to tell Hoyt the truth. Hurt and angry, Hoyt and Jessica argue before she decides to glamour him into forgetting.
Jason makes it to a main road and collapses. Hoyt and Jessica are driving by in their truck when they spot him. Jessica runs toward Jason and makes him drink her blood. The headlights from the truck causing a beautiful glow around Jessica, as Jason opens his eyes and sees her.
Jessica and Hoyt put Jason in his bed and let him sleep. Hoyt thanks Jessica for saving his best friend’s life. He tries to kiss her, but Jessica is cold and distant. Hoyt asks what’s wrong, but Jessica swears nothing is wrong. Hoyt still feels as though something’s wrong. Hoyt stays with Jason and Jessica leaves. Later, Jason has a sexual dream about Jessica, and Hoyt seems to keep interrupting.
Bill called Jessica to tell her about Antonia’s plan. He silvered her and himself to prevent falling under Marnie’s influence, but Jessica broke her chains and killed the guard Bucky to get the key to the cell. She manages to get to the ground floor, unlock and throw open the front doors.
Just as Jessica is about to walk out into the sunlight, Jason tackles her back inside the house. He kicks the doors shut but is attacked by Jessica. Fortunately, Antonia and her coven cease their necromancy and the spell over Jessica fades. She kisses Jason, thanking him for saving her life.
After she is put back in her chains, Jessica has a dream about breaking up with Hoyt (killing him in the process) and getting in Jason’s truck. In reality, Jessica does go over to break it off, but Hoyt Fortenberry ends it on his own, kicking her out of their house in the process and going on a vampire-hating rampage & drinking binge. She goes to Jason, wanting to be with him, but gets a completely different reaction. He takes back his invitation, making her fly out of the house.
With nowhere else to go, Jessica stays with Bill. She cries out her troubles to Nan, who tells her that after listening to her whining, she’s now glad with her decision not to become a maker.
The next night, Hoyt sends Jason over to Jessica with a box holding all her stuff. She takes the box and invites Jason in, but Jason tries to resist, not thinking it’s a good idea. The next moment, we see them together in the bed of Jason’s pickup truck, in the throes of lovemaking. Both Jason and Jessica agree to a “realtionship’, but Jessica leaves to go feed.
Powers and Abilities
Jessica possesses the common powers associated with being a vampire: superhuman strength, glamouring, speed, and accelerated healing. Since she is a fairly young vampire she is easily overpowered by other vampires, but she is capable of taking down a werewolf.
She also recently demonstrated that she can glamour as many as two people simultaneously, something Eric (an Elder) did not or could not do when dealing with multiple Soldiers of the Sun. She overpowers her father, a man much larger than her, and eviscerates a werewolf. Due to her age, she is weaker than her superiors such as Bill and Eric. Her weaknesses include a stake to the heart, silver, fire and sunlight (though sunlight will kill a vampire of her age much slower than an older vampire such as Bill or Eric).
Vulnerabilities
are the same as other vampires: silver, fire and a stake to the heart. She cares deeply for Hoyt Fortenberry and Jason Stackhouse, which could be considered a weakness.
Jessica Hamby is portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll in HBO’s Original Series “True Blood”.