Sam Merlotte

Sam Merlotte is a true Shapeshifter and owner of Merlotte's Bar. Sam is a pure Shifter, he can turn into any animal, though he favors dogs, and in particular, a collie. Sam lives in a trailer behind the bar, however, he also owns the only apartment complex in town and several duplexes and houses. Merlotte is described to have strawberry blond hair, very warm skin (as do all weres and shifters), and blue eyes, and is not very tall, but mightily built and strong.
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==Background==
Sam is an army veteran who grew up in Wright, Texas. Much to his family's displeasure, he went into the service himself instead of going to college. After four years he quit. His father died 6 years ago and he used the money he gave him to buy the bar. Sam has 2 siblings: a sister who is married with two kids, and a brother, Craig, who is getting married. Mrs. Merlotte remarried, to a human, after his father died. Sam's stepfather doesn't know about them and is surprised by Sam's mother when she appears as a dog the night all the weres come out, and shoots her, landing him in jail and with a divorce. Sam is a pure shapeshifter because both of his parents were pures shapeshifters. 
==Powers==
Sam is first shown as human and displayed no special abilities, however he was later revealed to be a shapeshifter, able to change into many animals, such as birds, dogs, and even a lion. Sam can not shift into a different human form, the reason given is that humans are too complex. A dog is his go-to shift, which means it is the easiest animal for him to become and he also shares some traits with a dog such as a keen sense of smell which helps him identify Sweetie Des Arts as the bitten shifter killing all the other shifters and weres in town. 
==HBO Portrayal==
Sam is more aggressive, on True Blood, as he is openly against Sookie and Bill Compton's relationship. Even though the books reveal he opened up to her, due to her acceptance of Bill. Also, True Blood shows him openly lusting after her; whereas Sam always carried a flame for Sookie, in the books. Most of the time, said care was semi-platonic (he dated the Maenad and liked Tanya, without any change, in behavior, as well as Jannalyn Hopper) and always hoped for the best from Sookie. While he tended to pick wilder women, to date, everything changed when he was revived, by Sookie, with her Fairy magic, the Cluviel Dor, after being accidentally killed, in Dead Ever After, by Jannalyn. He re-evaluates his life, afterwards, and falls in love with Sookie. This is after he makes sure that Sookie and Eric are no longer an item.
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Category:Shape-Shifter
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