Prashant Gupta/FXLast week's episode of Sons of Anarchy was even deadlier than usual. Between Eli's (Rockmond Dunbar) wife Rita's (Merle Dandridge) death to Carla's (Wanda De Jesus) sudden and shocking suicide—in front of Gemma (Katey Sagal) and Nero (Jimmy Smits)—a lot of stage blood hit the ground. All that, and SAMCRO has agree to traffic more drugs for Pope–which is good for the bank account, but obviously comes with risks. So much for getting out of the muling game.
Clay Still Plays Dirty: Clay's (Ron Perlman) recent shadiness—everything from his fake lung issues to his motivations for treating Nero with respect—all comes down to the fact that he and his cronies have been behind the home invasions in Charming. Why? Because Clay wants to put the pressure on Jax. If we needed any confirmation, he's now officially not interested in playing nice with Jax. Meanwhile, Gemma picked up a young thing at the bar and had an adult sleepover at a grimy motel—and the dude was played by Joel McHale! So, for those keeping track, Gemma has slept with Jimmy Smits and Joel McHale this season. Not bad.
The Sons Chase After Joel McHale: Gemma's upset because the man she slept with whose name she can't even remember ran off with her wallet and her Cadillac. So who does she call? Nero, who brings the Sons, much to her chagrin. And then there's word that the Caddie has been found (with the driver) at a nearby chop shop. The guys head to the shop and almost immediately set out on a chase after McHale's character, who hops in a Beemer. The Sons draw him down, and Jax gets a few swings in, but there are too many people around for Jax to take out the full amount of his aggression on his mother's one-night stand.
Nero and His Dudes Plan Unser's Murder: The thing about TV cops is that they sometimes can't force themselves to stop working, even after they retire. And that's certainly the case with Unser, who has taken it upon himself to begin investigating the Charming home invasions and attacks. And Clay and his boys know that Unser is onto them. So Clay goes to confront Unser, and, we think, perform a hit on him. But when two Nomads show up and try to gun Unser down, Unser gets the first shot at them, and Clay, much to our surprise, finishes off the other intruder. And just like that, Unser lets Clay off the hook, his trust regained. At least for now.
Jax Still Thinks Clay Was Behind the Invasions: Before taking off on what is supposed to be a Tara-and-Jax-only cabin getaway, Jax tracks down Clay, and lets him know that he thinks he's behind the break-ins. Clay denies it. So how to know if he's telling the truth? Find Frankie, the only living Nomad left, and see what he has to say. That way, Jax says, SAMCRO can decide who lives and dies.
And Then Everything Goes Horribly Wrong: In the last few minutes of the show, a lot happens to ensure that we're left holding our breath. Jax, headed up to meet Tara at the cabin, is forced off the road by men in a van who began firing at him with a automatic weapon. And Gemma—strangely delirious while driving Jax and Tara's kids in the back of her Escalade—careens off the highway and into a swamp, where she appears to be unconscious, with the two kids strapped into the back of her vehicle. All this just as Tara was beginning to trust Gemma with her kids.
ONE-LINERS
"These break-ins were supposed to put pressure on Jax, not a homicide investigation on me." —Clay
"I crashed here last night and someone stole my Caddie." —Gemma
"Um...my SUV got stolen." —Gemma
"That's a noble plan. But I expect to be dead in a year." —Unser
"Too many people feeling s--t. That's the problem." —Gemma