(Minor Spoilers Below)
Season six has been heralded by some reviewers as the best season of SAMCRO so far and who am I to argue with that, right? Over the first six years it's been a guilty pleasure of mine because when I first started watching it, I often laughed at watching old men with oxygen tanks who ride around on motorcycles trying to look mean, but the show turned into a sort of Shakespearean drama. Season six saw the demise of two main characters, Clay Murrow (the excellent Ron Perlman) who was finally killed by Jax and the shocking murder of Tara by Jax's mother from hell, (Katey Sagal) who seems to love her son a little too much.
Last season was all about mothers and sons and what they'd do to protect them. That played out to the fullest, ending in tragedy. Kurt Sutter also threw in a touch of the Godfather II, to top it off with Juice acting as the dimwitted Corleone brother who is now on the run after he betrayed Jax's confidence. Without giving away too much, I think most viewers know that after Tara is killed, Jax will lose whatever goodness that resided in him after he decided to save his family in "A Mother's Work" and is more at home as part of a Chan-wook Park trilogy or the Spanish Inquisition then a loving father. To say that violence on SOA has always been over the top is being kind, but if the opening scene of "Black Widow," is a portent of things to come, then you ain't seen nothing yet.
Last season also set the stage for an oncoming race war between (as SAMCRO labels it) white, black, brown and yellow over turf, guns and old resentments and while Nero (Jimmy Smits) is trying to be a peacemaker, he doesn't know that Jax has his own agenda in mind. It'll be interesting to see who makes it out alive.
Of course the big showdown in the series finale will be between Gemma and Jax after he finally learns that she killed his wife. He's heavily leaning on her since he needs her to watch his kids while he fulfills his blood rage. As for Gemma, she's hiding Juice from the club at Wendy's place since he killed Eli to protect her. It also appears that her psyche has cracked and she's deluded herself into thinking that even though she made a horrible mistake by murdering Maggie Siff, the family and the club needs her now more than ever.
I have no doubt that fans will not be disappointed as this series winds down to a climactic conclusion like those of the Dexter faithful who felt cheated and betrayed by the writers.
By the way, who knew Dayton Callie could fight off his terminal cancer by doubling down at the weed shop?
