Sons of Anarchy: Laying Pipe -- Opie!!

I watched this week’s episode of Sons of Anarchy, “Laying Pipe,” and I’m still in denial. I never, ever, ever would have expected events to unwind the way they did. Major spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen the episode yet, read no farther.

For those of you who watched, WTH? Right? How can it be possible? The Sons have gotten out of so many different jams I was just sure they were going to get out of this one. Romeo was going to save them. They were going to fight—and win—their way out. But that’s not what happened.

Pope’s request for a dead son to even up the score for the dead Niner and the dead cop isn’t really an unusual demand. I remember another gunfight in Laroy’s bar when the Sons went in with the Mayans and the score was evened up right there in the bar—although it wasn’t a Son that had to die. The games they play have high stakes. Everybody knows that.

But … Opie?

I can’t get my head around it. At one point, when it was just Jax and Opie in the cell and Jax was coming clean, I halfway wondered—and so did Husband—if Opie would volunteer to be the one. He’s so lost. He’d just found out the truth about his dad and Clay. So, when he stepped up and hit the guard, I wasn’t completely surprised.

But … Opie? Dead?

I didn’t think it would really happen. I thought something would save him. He was doing well right at the beginning of the fight, and I thought he was going to come out of it. I was wrong, and it sucks. I appreciate the fact that Sutter is willing to sacrifice major characters for the sake of the show and the story. That takes guts and integrity. I do appreciate that. But man, I’m gonna miss Ope.

Before I move on from talking about this episode, I ought to touch on Jax. What did you think of his change in terms that he delivered to Pope? What do you think of his willingness to hand Tig over to Pope when he’s done with him? He’s blaming Tig for Opie, don’t you think? Husband says it’s not Tig’s fault. (I was holding Tig accountable for Opie.) So, I said, okay, it’s Clay’s fault, not Tig’s. Husband says no, it’s just that they’re at war and that’s what happens. Awfully philosophical of Husband, and he’s probably right, but I’m still blaming Clay. I hope he gets his. And I hope we get to watch.

The feud between Tara and Gemma (and Wendy) is interesting but pales in comparison to losing Opie. Tara continues to become more and more Gemma-like, and she still annoys me. She’s no better than Gemma and I’m tired of her acting like she is. Nero must really like Gemma considering the money she cost him when she bashed in that girl’s face. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with Nero, but maybe it won’t. Maybe he’s just a civilized pimp with no violent tendencies. Really? Maybe he’s exactly what he seems to be, which would be a rarity indeed for this show.

I’m almost scared to see what Sutter and Sons of Anarchy have left to give us, considering we’re only three episodes into this season. But I guess that’s part of the appeal.

I’d like to tune in next week and see that Opie didn’t die. But I know it won’t happen. RIP Opie. Not sure who Jax will be without you.

Sons of Anarchy: Tig and the Fire

If you read my last blog previewing the premiere of Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy, then you know I had a bunch of questions about where the story might go in the next few months. Some of those were answered pretty quickly, and I’ll get to most of them, but we have to start with Tig.

I asked in my last blog, “How loyal IS Tig to Clay?” That answer seemed fuzzy enough after Clay’s “admission” to killing Piney. (What a rat, right? Turning it around and making it Piney’s fault, saying he was acting in self-defense when he blew a hole in Piney’s chest?) Tig really had a problem with that whole thing—not only the fact that Clay killed one of the First 9, but also that Clay’s lie about it being a Niner who shot him is what sent Tig off the deep end and put him behind the wheel of the death of Damon Pope’s daughter. I was relieved that Tiggy (as Gemma so endearingly calls him) didn’t give Clay a pass on the whole thing as Clay so obviously thought he would.

But Tig was in a whole other place by the end of the episode, wasn’t he? We’ve seen some pretty bloody, violent, graphic deaths on SOA. Sutter’s got a knack for making me wince. But when Tig saw his daughter Dawn in that pit, the sound in his voice as he begged her to wake up pushed me to the edge of my seat—literally. And then, when Pope’s guys dumped in the gasoline and Pope flicked his cigar into the pit (proving he is as horrible as we were warned), Tig’s howling grief sent me back into the cushions. I thought Clay’s beating Gemma was the most brutal act I’d ever seen on TV. I think this topped it.

So what happens now? Tig’s daughter was burned alive because Clay lied. Clay has betrayed Tig in almost every way possible. How will Tig respond? I do think he’ll get his revenge against Damon Pope, but it’ll take a while. I just don’t know what he’ll do or say to Clay, but I do know, it ain’t gonna be pretty.

Moving away from Tig, I want to talk about Gemma for a bit. Or should we call her Rose? Nah, she admitted pretty quickly to Nero that wasn’t her real name. That opening scene had me laughing out loud—the morning-after conversation between Gemma and Nero was priceless. What I find interesting is that she gave him her number. Did that make you go, “Hmmmm…”? And then, how interesting too that she called him up for a favor when her prince and his court needed a hiding place. Nero’s all smiles and good will now, but don’t you have the feeling that’s not gonna last? He’s gotta be connected somewhere to something or someone that’s gonna come back and bite Gemma and the Sons in the ass. (Yeah, I know, it kinda looks like he’s already bitten Gemma on the ass…and she seemed to like it.)

My last ramblings are reserved for Tara. I think part of my problem with her is that she won’t fully commit to either side. She dresses like Gemma. She talks like Gemma. She smokes weed like Gemma (although I’d go out on a limb and say Gemma wouldn’t have turned off the baby monitor so that she could smoke her weed in peace and quiet). She condones murder—or at least looks the other way when Jax says, “It had to be done.” And yet, she’s all high and mighty with Gemma. She’s all about, “We’re getting out of this. For our boys. We’re leaving this all behind. We’re better than this.” Blah. Blah. Blah. Everybody else in the family pretty much owns up to who they are and what they’re lives are like except for the Good Doctor. Pick a side Tara—I’m weary of your wavering and your hypocrisy.

There are few other tidbits of interest: Clay looks a whole lot like Piney now, doesn’t he? (Thanks, husband, for pointing this out to me. You’re good at catching that stuff!) Bobby’s out of jail, but we don’t know if Jax has told him EVERYTHING yet. Opie’s mopey, but you can’t blame him. I don’t blame him for not wanting to sit at the table with Clay, but I wish he’d come back. I wish Jax would just tell him the truth too.

Clay said he’s “all outta play” and he looks it, doesn’t he? He walks all stooped over. His clothes hang on him (another good catch, husband). He can’t hold up his bike. Gemma knocked him to the ground. And because Ron Perlman is so good at what he does, Clay LOOKS beaten. But I just don’t think he is. Do you?

See ya next week for further ramblings on the next episode of Sons of Anarchy. And if you’re so inclined, tell me who your favorite character is and why. You tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.

Sons of Anarchy Season 5 Premiers Tonight!

Are you ready for the Season 5 opener of Sons of Anarchy? I sure am!

The husband and I spent the last week or so catching up on Season 4, and I’m so glad we did. There are so many different story lines running, I think I would have been poking him in the ribs every other minute, saying, “Why’d Jax stay?” “Why’s Clay still alive?” “Isn’t Romeo some kind of cop?” “Why’s the paralyzed dude (Harold Perrineau) from Oz on this show now and why’s he so pissed at the Sons?”

Well, in case you need any of the reminders that I did, here’s a quick catch-up:

• Jax didn’t kill Clay with the blood thinner Tara gave him because the CIA has threatened the Sons, although Jax did draw blood and swipe Clay’s president patch.
• Romeo IS working for the CIA who needs the gun deal to happen between the Irish and Galindo’s cartel.
• The Irish will only deal with the Galindo cartel if Clay is part of the deal.
• Jax couldn’t leave the Sons because if he had, Clay would’ve been right back at the head of the table, gavel in hand, and Jax loves the MC too much to let that happen. (And even though I’m glad he’s still alive because his character is such an evil snake, I’m glad he’s not at the head of the table because he’s such an evil snake!)

If you’ve been paying attention to the trailers for Season 5, you’re probably wondering the same things I am:

• Did Gemma really sleep with Nero Padilla (Jimmy Smits)? Do they have a history, and if they do, what the hell is it? Who IS this guy?
• Obviously, Damon Pope (Perrineau) is out for blood thanks to Tig’s rogue killing of Pope’s daughter. But how MUCH blood will be enough to satisfy this gangster?
• Is Clay really “all outta play” as he says in the trailer? Nuh unh. I sure don’t believe it, and I can’t wait to find out what his next play will be – and who will follow him. How loyal IS Tig to Clay?
• Will Opie take Jax up on his offer and become the new VP? Will he even show up to chapel?
• When will Bobby get out of jail?
• And even though I don’t find her character as intriguing as many of you do, I am curious about how much like Gemma Tara will become. (Remember the last still shot of Season 4 – Tara standing behind Jax just as Gemma stood behind JT?)

It’s a whole new ride, and I can’t wait! Cue the tune and rev the engines … “Ridin’ in this world, all alone …”

Season 5 of Sons of Anarchy premieres tonight. Watch it, cuz I’ll be gabbing tomorrow.