If you thought Sons of Anarchy would take its hand off of the throttle after last week’s harrowing episode, you were wrong. The show just keeps going harder and faster. It’s fear that is driving everything SAMCRO has to do from here on out, and as Jax pointed out, this is a situation they’ve never been in and need time to figure it out. This season, if you haven’t already noticed, is going to take the Sons to depths they’ve never explored. It’s our job to try to hang on for the ride.
“Stolen Huffy” beings with Nero’s ladies in jail, Gemma posting bail and getting blamed for his brothel getting raided. The mysterious character has laid low thus far, but now his true motives are starting to come to light. Even though his crew wants to kill the hooker who screwed them all over (pun not intended) Nero is a good guy at heart and enlists Jax, who wants to make things right after his mother set off this chain of events, to go save Emma Jean (Disney star Ashley Tisdale).
The ensuing chase isn’t much, but it results in a high-stakes haggling session. Nero’s lackeys want her dead, but Jax can’t let it happen. The scene sheds light on how intelligent Jax truly is. He drives into a neighborhood so no bullets will be fired and basically plays the two guys for fools. All of this takes place on the day he’s supposed to bury his best friend, and seeing Opie in a casket wasn’t easy. Yet Jax is always looking forward. That’s just the nature of his character. He and Nero strike an interesting deal that will help facilitate a possible end game for not only Nero, but Jax and the Sons as well.
This show has always done a great job of exploring the female characters. How could such intelligent women love such crooked men? Their dynamics constantly change, and they’re just as vital to the core of the show as the motorcycle gang. The ongoing battle between Tara and Wendy continues this week. Wendy’s return last season shook things up, but she’s continuing to play her hand. The former meth addict now seems to be one of the sanest on the show and most likely will play a vital role in this season’s arc. And while Gemma continues her stand against Clay, he has to be the one to tell her Opie was killed. She instantly goes from a brave woman to showing her emotions for a man who was like a second son. Aside from the three crew members who watched Opie die, she’s the only one we see react to the news. Everyone else discovered Opie’s fate off-screen. Gemma is not just a strong female character; she constantly proves the show wouldn’t be the same without her.
Instead of rushing into the Pope situation, the series took its time to explore the internal struggles. Anarchy has pushed everyone to the edge. This episode had a tough one to follow, but it does the series and Opie justice.