We’ve dealt with Jax’s mixed emotions toward SAMCRO and the life he leaves ever since the series premiere of Sons of Anarchy. His conflicts and desires to get out are nothing new. However, what’s becoming increasingly clear this season is that Jax may not have a motorcycle club to feel ambivalent toward for much longer.
Deep divisions are forming within SAMCRO. It used to be just between Jax and Clay, but now Piney and Bobby are concerned about the direction the club is heading and Clay’s leadership. While Gemma did an admirable job last week trying to convince Tara that John Teller’s letters hold no real importance, it’s becoming clear once again that his death and his desire to get SAMCRO out of the gun business weren’t unrelated.
Piney seems to have suspected as much for years, but his rapidly declining health is giving him just enough of a feeling that he doesn’t have anything to lose in order to move forward with finding out the truth. While Piney has proven useful in the past, Gemma’s pointed warning to him shouldn’t be taken lightly. Granted, nothing that Gemma says to you should ever be taken lightly, including her asking you what time it is or telling you to pick up your socks, but this seemed especially serious. One way or another, my guess is that Piney is not long for this world.
I’d also be shocked if Clay made it to season 5 alive. We seem like we’re in a slow burn leading up to utter SAMCRO catastrophe. I could absolutely see this season being a game changer and season 5 looking decidedly different. Weeds got rid of half the cast and moved out of Agrestic in Season 4. I could see Kurt Sutter giving season 5 of SOA a drastically different-looking SAMCRO.
One way or another, leadership is going to change. I can’t see Clay and Gemma retiring happily, gardening and donating to charitable organizations. Between his hands and the changing tide in the club, there’s no way Clay can be president next season – so what’s going to happen to him?
The main reason I’m expecting SAMCRO to get blown apart is because it’s been foreshadowed since last season: the Belfast charter was full of traitors, killing their own in the name of personal greed. This entire episode was devoted to basically the exact same thing with another charter, except this time the parallels were even more pointed: not only was personal greed tearing the club apart, but the greed stemmed directly from the drug trade; something that Sons of Anarchy charters have historically stayed away from. Crank, coke, it doesn’t really make a difference. Whether you’re muling or selling, when easy money and drugs are involved, it rarely ends well for anyone.
Clay needs out; Jax wants out. Clay wants Bobby to take over; Jax wants Opie. Piney wants to know what happened to John Teller and Juice is black (which is a big deal in a motorcycle club). Everyone has issues and competing interests. SAMCRO has been surviving by the skin of its teeth for years. With this much division among the ranks, it’s hard to imagine it surviving for much longer.
Clacked by Kona Gallagher 
on Sep 27, 2011 @ 23:02 EST5EDT
I felt terrible for poor Otto..Potter tells him that his friend was having sex with his wife and might have killed her and then leaves those pictures of her behind. That man has suffered enough!
Your line about not taking anything Gemma says lightly was hilarious.
While flipping channels the other night, I came across Married with Children. I was never a fan of the show but I had to stop and watch Katey for a minute while I just marveled at the fact that it was the same woman that plays Gemma!