Will Eric Northman return on season 7 of 'True Blood'?

The Season 6 finale of True Blood featured fan favorite empire Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) in the sun as he sat in the nude and (seemingly) burst into flames. But is Eric Northman really dead, or will he back for the seventh and final season of the show?

The "Spoiler Chat" column at E! Online tackled that very question and revealed that, much to the delight of fans everywhere, Eric (and Skarsgard) will be back for True Blood Season 7!

"Drew: I'm tired of missing True Blood. I know it won't come back until next summer, but do you guys have any scoop?
You can bet your vampire-loving heart we do! Last season, we all giggled and gasped when Eric burned to a crisp whilst bathing naked in the Swiss Alps. Now, prepare for a wave of good news to wash over you because... Spoiler Alert: Eric lives! And he's getting a super gorgeous love interest: Slyvie is a drop-dead gorgeous and can speak fluent French. Sorry, Sookie, but all you can do is nag people to death and sometimes glow."

There are only 10 episodes left in the lifespan of True Blood, and it seems like the show will be pulling out all the stops to deliver a memorable final stretch. Eric is one of the best and most beloved characters on the show, so it was unlikely that the writers would have killed him off for good. Plus, it's True Blood. No one ever really dies on this show.