Sophie-Anne Leclerq

Sophie-Anne Leclerq is a fictional character from The Southern Vampire Mysteries / Sookie Stackhouse Series by author Charlaine Harris. She is the vampire queen of Louisiana and she is first introduced in the sixth novel, Definitely Dead, but also appears in Harris' short story "One Word Answer."

Human life
In the book series, Sophie-Anne is portrayed as an 910 year old vampire who died in her early teens ("She'd died as a human when she'd been maybe fifteen or sixteen." - All Together Dead) She is originally from northern France (Lotharingia) and was the daughter of the wealthiest man in town. Her name then was Judith. When she was about ten or twelve, a peddler came to her village carrying what Sophie now believes to be a form of influenza. Within two weeks of his visit the town was wiped out except for her and an older boy named Clovis. Though she's forgotten why, the boy did not like her. He raped Sophie and took her to the next town, where he offered her for money and food. They were camped out in the woods when a very hungry vampire attacked Clovis, most likely because he was bigger, and then decided that Sophie would make a good companion. His name was Alain, and they traveled together for around three years. Sophie mentions that he once was a priest, and enjoyed scaring them in their beds. Alain kept promising Sophie that he would bring her over - she wanted the strength - but he would do the same thing Clovis had, selling her for money. One night they came to a village where the head-man knew what Alain really was - Alain had forgotten that he killed the man's wife while passing through. The villagers bound him with silver and left him in a hut to keep him until the priest returned from a trip. They did not tie Sophie up for they knew that she was human and that Alain had abused her. The head-man's family wanted to take her as a slave. She sneaked into the hut and told Alain that she would free him when he changed her. After some bargaining, he agreed. She dug a hole big enough for her body in the dirt floor. They planned that Alain would drain her and bury her under that pallet that he lay on, smoothing the dirt floor as best he could. On the third night, she would rise, break his chains, and they would flee in the darkness. But the priest returned before the three days were up. By the time Sophie dug herself out, Alain was dead. The hut the villagers stored Alain in was the priest's, and he was the one who told Sophie what had happened. She told him that she was the angel of death and that she was passing him over for being so virtuous. A few years later, she found an orphan with a tale of woe similar to hers. Roaming in the woods and being forced, as Sophie had been, the orphan Andre became Sophie-Anne's personal bodyguard, companion, and, for a time, her lover. She also made Sigebert (See-ya-bairt) and Wybert (Way-bairt) (Saxon warriors) vampires who acted as Sophie-Anne's bodyguards. Her special powers include the ability to communicate with her "children" telepathically. Her character explains that she can keep her children with her, talking to and loving each other physically. This differs from normal "maker"/"child" relationships which start out as companions or lovers but do not last long (in vampire standards). Usually, the child will leave the maker, and must only come again when he/she is called upon by the maker.

Physical description
In the sixth novel, Definitely Dead, Sookie describes Sophie-Anne as beautiful and pale as milk, with reddish brown hair, large and tilted brown eyes. Sophie-Anne is also portrayed as an elegant woman, around five foot two, always groomed down to the last eyelash. "Makeup, dress, hair, stockings, jewelry-the whole nine yards".

Work and position within the vampire hierarchy
In the book series, Sophie-Anne is the vampire queen of Louisiana. She is New Orleans's most famous and visible vampire and she has been brave, strategic, and busy in her career as a vampire leader. Sophie Anne sends Bill Compton back to his hometown of Bon Temps to find and, if necessary, seduce Sookie Stackhouse because Sookie's telepathic ability might be valuable.

In the sixth book, Definitely Dead, Sookie learns that Sophie-Anne turned Sookie's cousin, Hadley, into a vampire and had a romantic relationship with her. Unfortunately, the queen had to end their relationship due to the queen's business commitment to Peter Threadgill, vampire king of Arkansas. They had previously agreed to marry each other. In this same book her political marriage to Peter Threadgill ends (he is killed), thus making her queen of Arkansas. In the seventh book, All Together Dead, Hurricane Katrina damaged her New Orleans headquarters as well as her entertainment estate. Also in this novel, the queen is tried in the vampire summit for her husband's death. Jennifer Cater, Peter's second in command, brings a lawsuit against Sophie-Anne for murdering him, but the queen is found innocent. Unfortunately, a bomb explosion in the hotel where the summit was held left her severely injured and she eventually loses her legs. Sophie-Anne is killed in the take over by the Nevada king, Felipe de Castro in the eighth book of the series, From Dead to Worse.

Television portrayal
In season one of True Blood Sophie-Anne is mentioned but never seen. In the beginning, she is only referred as "she." In Season 2 of True Blood, an HBO series based on the books, the character is portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood. Unlike in the novel in which she is 1,100 years old, casting calls for the TV series version for Sophie-Anne describe her being as almost 500 years old. In the first episode that she appears ("Frenzy"), she has the appearance and persona of a late 1940s early 1950s film starlet and lives a life of opulence with a Musak like audio playing late 1940s style soft instrumentals. Included in her court are mixed gender servants to regularly feed from. One of these is Sookie Stackhouse's cousin Hadley, who has renounced her previously independent life to live with Queen Sophie-Anne as her vassal, to the point that she does not know her grandmother is dead, killed by a human serial killer. Sophie Ann appears to treat the human members of court as servants but is not above playing dice games like Yahtzee with them, even forcing Eric Northman to play with her. She claims to love Yahtzee because it is the great equalizer -- even the lowliest human has a chance to beat her, though somehow she usually manages to win. Despite their 500 year gap, being the Queen gives her authority and power over the 1000 year old Eric, and after kissing him she states that although he may be the oldest and most powerful vampire in her Queendom, she could own his fangs as earrings if she wished. In the series, Sophie-Anne has overtly lesbian tendencies, stating "I haven't enjoyed sex with men since the Eisenhower Administration." When season 3 begins, Sophie-Anne and the magister visit Fangtasia where they tell Eric Northman that they suspect a vampire is selling V (vampire blood) to humans. Unbeknowest to the magister, Sophie-Anne is the one having Eric sell the blood. When the magister leaves, the two discuss how her majesty is broke and having problems with the IRS and she tells Eric to 'move the blood' and get the money to her as soon as possible.