Smallscreen News

'Sons of Anarchy' says goodbye, 'Stolen Huffy' foreshadows major changes, some thoughts

By April MacIntyre Oct 3, 2012, 6:11 GMT

Give it up for Wanda de Jesus (Carla) an actress whose fierce energy was the magic elixir that has brought our Gemma (Katey Sagal) back in fighting form. Gemma need a ballsy female antagonist to sparkle and shine.

Give it up for Wanda de Jesus (Carla), an actress whose fierce energy was the magic elixir that has brought our Gemma (Katey Sagal) back in fighting form.

Gemma needs a ballsy female antagonist to sparkle and shine.

It's why we miss June Stahl (Ally Walker) at times.

Ah June Stahl, executed by our dear departed Opie (Ryan Hurst), whose wake is a sea change for Jax (Charlie Hunnam) and even Tara (Maggie Siff), each of them resolute in their respective roles now. 

Opie's death has cemented a clear vision and end game for Jax to plan for, as ghosts from his past arise ('Wendy', Drea de Matteo) who might alter the course.

Drea plays Wendy with the right levels of remorse and honesty, so much so that she and Gemma are civil to each other and almost downright friendly again. This unnerves Tara, whose loyalty to Gemma was tested in the garage beat down scene with Carla over the Emma Jean (Ashley Tisdale)-bike laydown set up that Carla facilitated with Nero's gangbanger enforcers.  Gemma was letting Carla strangle her to see what Tara would do, and like Clay's (Ron Perlman) little move at the brothel with Emma Jean, she got the response she was looking for.

The haunting lyrics to The Lost Boy summed up the episode "Stolen Huffy" and the spirit of the MC and those who wear their cuts. “I will not be commanded...I will not be controlled. And I will not let my future go on...Without the help of my soul.” Tears flowed here as Chibs (Tommy Flanagan) kissed his Rosary after the sign of the Cross and said goodbye.

This, as they said in Martin Scorsese's film "Goodfellas" so famously, is "the bad time."

Pope (Harold Perrineau) owns them lock stock and over a big, bloody barrel.  Convincing his brothers to fork over 50K monthly was a tough sell for Jax, until he used the "F" word -fear -  to bring home how tenuous all their lives were in the bug light of Damon Pope.

Jax is now resurrecting the Cara Cara stable to present a business deal with Nero. Stipulations being that mama Gemma is hands-off.

Nero agrees rather quickly, which shows how much he's vested in their momentary affair. Ouch.

Then there is Lyla (Winter Ave Zoli), who really should bring Opie's kids to his mother Mary to raise. Opie's kids have been through enough! Having a porn star not even step-mom to raise them is the ultimate slap in the face, but Jax put the hard sell on being a single mom to her and gave her the "this is your family" grand sweep.  Trust me, if Lyla goes begging for a handout from any of the guys later on, there's going to be some major bitching in the clubhouse.

Major kudos to the camera department and DP for the amazing chase scene - cinematic and a certain Steve McQueen vibe as the Vatos are going after Chibs, Emma Jean and Jax. They convince Nero's boys that they will be doing the snuff honors, and use the "G" word which is a favorite pejorative for the ladies on the series.  I like it less the "C" word.

Jax is incredulous as the Vatos ask for proof of her demise, a thumb and a titty.  Great scene showing off Hunnam's fantastic range, from heated and dramatic to WTF in a second.

Back to the women.
Gemma is last to know about Opie, getting the news from Clay. Gemma is reeling at this point from sleep deprivation, Carla hating, Nero banging and Wendy/Tara manipulating and we see a rare moment where she really cries.  “Jesus Christ,” she said. “What the hell’s happening to us?”

Tara is ready to blow as she sees Wendy leave Gemma's motherly embrace at the office and confronts her, only to be deflected to “Dora the Whore” - a great line - Carla who has no fear of a good fight. Gemma eggs it all on,  saying “I was just telling my daughter how you almost got her husband killed today.”  The gloves are off. Gemma hit first, and I loved Carla's bloody smile as she took her earrings off. Tara winds up wailing on Carla's face with her cast.

The symbolic distance that Tara is shown at the MC house tells us a lot. She does not visit and commiserate with the club and attending relatives, but sequesters herself in another building and smokes a joint to deal with the insanity around her. I still say she has a superiority complex and looks down at most, if not all of them, even though she loves Jax.

Emotional send off and episode, and perfectly scored. Bravo to Wanda de Jesus's exemplary work as Carla. Gemma is fired up again.