Season One: Episode 7- "Old Bones"

After an intense and action-packed previous episode, it is clear that the FBI will play a prevalent role moving forward. To say that the FBI has been a hassle for SAMCRO would be an understatement. Over the past couple of episodes, Agent Josh Kohn has been looking into the SAMCRO organization while simultaneously stalking Tara, an intense personal relationship that I have touched on in previous blogs. In addition to Agent Kohn, Agent June Stahl has also been heading up an investigation into SAMCRO and their weapons trafficking. However, as intense as the pressure has been from the FBI, "Old Bones" focused more on the past and how past circumstances are forming the present. 

The first story line- and the overriding plot in this episode- focused on the police discovering three skeletons during a routine digging. Immediately it becomes known to the audience that Clay and SAMCRO played a role in how the bodies ended up buried years ago. Clay- the elder statesman- appears to be the only member of the club familiar with the situation, since the other members were either too young or did not rank high enough to be involved in the decisions that resulted in buried bodies. As time progresses, the audience learns that one of the bodies was the father of Lowell, a young man that Clay took under his wing despite his battles with substance abuse. Lowell had been convinced that his father had left him at a younger age, a tale

Lowell asking Clay to kill him

tthat he believed until Clay came forward with the truth after the bodies had been uncovered. Lowell's shock and despair at this news caused him turn back to drugs and alcohol, which had previously derailed his life just as it has his father. The most intense scene of the episode came when Lowell- in a foggy state because of the amount of drugs and alcohol he had- asked Clay to kill him. For a moment, it appeared as though that was the action that Clay was going to take. After all, in previous episodes we have seen Clay show very little mercy to opponents or those that oppose the mission of SAMCRO. In this case, Clay does not kill him. This sequence is important for two reasons. For one, it shows a compassionate side of Clay that the audience had not previously seen. In the past few episodes, it has been Jax who has shown compassion and often went against the orders of Clay to find more peaceful solutions. Secondly, this sequence shows Clay as a father figure. While one could argue a "father-son" relationship between Clay and Jax (especially considering the role that Gemma plays), I do not see the two as having that type of relationship. I believe that there is a mutual respect between the two, but Jax appears to have his own mind and willpower separate from Clay and the club. This is especially true considering the wisdom and knowledge that Jax seems to get from reading the words his father wrote in the memoir. 

The second story line involves Half Sack. He has finally seemed to get back in the "good graces" of Clay and  the club after the "love rectangle" (or more like "revenge rectangle") among himself, Clay, Gemma and Cherry. In "Old Bones", the audience learns that Half Sack is a skilled and technically sound boxer, and so the club plans on having Half Sack "throw a match" so that the club can bet against him and make a profit to offset some of the losses they took selling the automatic weapons to Nate Meineke at a reduced cost. The plan appears to be working perfectly, as Half Sack builds up a reputation in the boxing world as an excellent

Half Sack boxing

ffighter. When the match arrives that Half Sack is expected to lose on purpose, he agrees to do so begrudgingly and only because it benefits the club. However, in the middle of the match Half Sack sees Clay sitting next to Cherry and putting his arm around her and immediately he flies into a rage and destroys his opponent, costing SAMCRO all its investment. The hilarious part about this was that Clay was not seducing Cherry in any way. In fact, he was offering Cherry the opportunity to become Half Sack's "lady" as a way to bury the hatchet from previous instances. By the time that Clay realized what Half Sack must have thought, it was too late. I would like to mention that this is the only situation where "love" between a couple has been shown in Sons of Anarchy. The relationship between Gemma and Clay seems more about status and power than love. My instincts tell me that Jax and Tara may formulate a love story of their own based on the sexual tension exuded in these episodes, but that has not come to fruition yet. The relationship between Half Sack and Cherry appears to genuine and showcases another type of emotion in a show that typically only glorifies violence or crime. 

Hale with Tara

Jax and Tara (with Gemma in background)

The final story line I will touch on is the triangle between Jax, Tara and Agent Kohn. As I mentioned earlier, Kohn had a prior relationship with Tara and has been stalking her in Charming. What the audience learned this episode is that Kohn was not in Charming on an official FBI assignment like we had been led to believe. Rather, Kohn was on vacation from his post and spent the time in Charming violating the privacy of Tara and attempting to gather information on her while simultaneously trying to "win her back." Jax receives word from Tara that Kohn has been following her, and so Jax enlists the help of Sheriff Hale for protecting Tara. This is an interesting move from Jax, considering that SAMCRO has notoriously been known for taking matters into their own hands. Additionally, Hale and Jax are typically on opposite sides of the spectrum, especially considering Hale's partnership with FBI investigating SAMCRO. To me, this reaching out by Jax and the acceptance to help by Hale proves two things: 1) Jax has feelings for Tara and 2) Hale has feelings for Tara. In Jax's case, he was willing to "dance with the devil" to protect a woman that he cares about. In Hale's case, it is obvious from watching the episodes that he cares about Tara. In prior episodes, Hale has been engaged during his conversations with Tara more than he has been when he discusses matters with other characters. Additionally, Hale's motivation to assist Tara and stop Kohn from harassing her is very strong, especially considering how he enlists the FBI to help. Is this a love triangle? Will Tara reciprocate feelings for one of the two? My money is that she ends up with Jax, although we will have to wait and see how the rest of the season plays out!